looke upon the Elect but as they are in Christ. Fourthly seeing it is certainly decreed concerning the gathering of mens soules by the 〈◊〉 of Christ it should teach Ministers with all readinesse and patience to preach the Gospell in the places where they come as knowing that such as are ordained of God shall be gathered even so many in these places as belong to the election of God Act. 13 48. Verily This doctrine of 〈…〉 is â—â—tered with a kinde of mild asseveration the reasons of which asseveration are these 1. Because the most men will hardly beleeve any such thing men by nature are wonderfull apt to object against the doctrine of Gods decrees and therefore he urgeth it with an asseveration 2. Because of the excellency of this decree above all the rest this was a golden statuâ—e the most amiable ordinance that ever was that God should from everlasting resolve to send his owne Son to redeeme us 3. This asseveration is to worke the greater assurance of faith in the Elect they should never doubt Gods love to them in Christ for verâ—ly Christ was pre-ordained c. Before the foundation of the world This phrase is used in divers senses in Scripture 1. Sometimes the foundation of the earth is taken for the peopling of the earth since the foundation of the world that is since the peopling of it Exod. 9.18 2. Sometimes for justice and judgement in the earth the foundations of the earth were moved that is all went to wrack in matters of justice Psal. 82.5 But usually it is taken for the creation of the world especially in respect of the support of this great frame of heaven and earth The foundation of the world is that admirable work of God erecting this huge frame of heaven and earth and supporting it by his almighty power so that before the foundation of the world is before the world was set up But why doth he rather say before the foundation of the world then before the world was It may be for two reasons First to raise up our thoughts to the contemplation of the wonderfulnesse of the founding of heaven and earth for the rarenesse of the wisdome of God and the cunning he shewed in this admirable frame Prov. 3.39 for the unsearchablenesse Ier. 31.37 for the surenesse and durablenesse of it Psal. 78.69 for the absoluâ—enesse and independance of Gods power in framing all this Iob. 38.4 5 for the suddennesse of it it being all done with a word and for that all this was made of nothing and that this great earth the foundation of all the rest should it selfe lie in the waters Psal. 24.2 and indeed the whole borne up onely by the power of Christ without meanes Heb. 1.3 Secondly this phrase may be of purpose used for the likenesse of the state of the Church to the world and the promise of God for the upholding of it Hee that made the world of nothing raised a Church to himselfe of that which was worse then nothing yea all that is said before of the world may assure us of so much and much more in the execution of Gods counsels in Christ for the Church Psa. 78.79 The doctrines are 1. That the world had a beginning it had a foundation it was not eternall 2. That we ought to be deepely affected with the admiâ—ablenesse of the making and upholding of the world But who can tell that there was sâ—â—h a wonderfulnesse in the creation of the world 1. Scripture doth telâ— it Heb. 11.3 2. Christ was by when it was done Prov. 8.29 3. The Angels of heaven saw the whole when it was done and were by at the doing of a great deale and were rapt with admiration at the wisdome and power of God Iob 38.4 5 6. 4. Lastly the frame it selfe as it 〈◊〉 â—â—ands speaks evidently for the wonder of the workmanship But what use may be made of the wonderfulnesse of Gods workmanship herein 1. We should disceâ—â— and marke and acknowledge the power and wisdome of God herein and by our often thoughts raise up our hearts to the often meditation of it Psal. 104 1. to 9. Shall the Angels shout with joy and shall we be so dull Iob 38.6 2. It shews the eternity of God and his soveraignty and power to dispose and alter all things at his will Psal. 102.26 89.11 3. It intimates to us many consolations 1. That God can easily prolong the life of his servants that could give and uphold the being of so huge a frame Psal. 102.26 2. That God himselfe is wonderfull firme and unchangeable to all generations and faithfull in his word that can give such a stable being to heaven and earth Psal. 119.90 89. Esay 40.21 48.13 51.13 16. 3. That if the world have such a sure foundation then much more the Church Esay 14.32 For if the foundation of the world be so glorious oh how glorious is the foundation of Sion If he have made such an excellent house for his people to dwell in it shewes he loves them much and meanes to provide for them for continuance Prov. 20.26 but especially how precious are the foundations of the new Jerusalem Rev. 21. 4. This intimates the fearefull power of God in the execution of his judgements upon wicked men Amos 9.5 Zach. 12.1 2. Deut. 32.22 2 Sam. 22.8 The project concerning our eternall salvation by Christ was before the world conceived in God Eph. 1.4 Psal. 90.1 Ier. 31.3 The Uses are divers 1. Therefore let us admire the matchlesse love of God that not onely loved us first but loved us before the world was 2. Let our love to God taste of the knowledge of this doctrine since wee began not so soone as he let our waies and purposes and desires be to extend our affections towards God to the end yea and beyond all end also 3. Let it comfort us in all adversity to think of this everlasting love of God Esay 40. 4. Lastly doth not thiâ— evidently confute merit of workes It was for no desert in us for we were loved before we had done either good or evill Rom. 9. And thus of the fourth point But was manifest in the last times for you The fift thing is the manifestation of this great work of our redemption amplified by the time of it viz. in these last daies and comprehended in the manifestation of Christ. Christ is manifested five waies 1. For the faithfull 2. To the faithfull 3. In the faithfull 4. By the faithfull 5. With the faithfull â— He was manifested for them in that he did undertake for the merit of their redemption 2. He is manifested to them in the preaching of the Gospell revealing Christ and him crucified before them 3. Hee is manifested in them when in respect of true grace his image is formed in them thus God 〈◊〉 his Sonne in Paul Gal. 1. 16. 4. Hee is manifested by them when with their obedience
preservation of life we have need of many things as first we need meat drinke raiment sleep marriage physicke the light of the Sun by day and the Moone by night Yea the life of grace though it consist not in these things yet in a remote consideration hath need of these that we may be the better able to serve God in body and soule But in heaven we shall need none of these we shall be as the Angels of heaven and God himselfe shall there be all in all and shall fill us with his goodnesse 1 Cor. 15.28 Our life shall subsist in God himselfe who shall satisfie us out of the plenty of his owne glory In that Citie there will be no need of the Sun to shine by day or of the Moone to give light by night for the glory of the Lord doth lighten it and the Lamb shall be the light thereof and there shall bee no night there Rev. 21.23 22.5 Secondly in this world wee need the helpe of superiours as Kings Rulers Parents Husbands Teachers c. But in that world inferiority and subjection shall cease when we shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of God Mat. 8.11 and so all the first things shall then be done away Rev. 21.4 Thirdly in this world we need spirituall meanes for our soules and the help of divers gifts in the Spirit which serve for our furtherance in the way to eternall life Our soules cannot live without a Temple on earth without the Word and Prayer and Sacraments but in that new Jerusalem St. Iohn saw no Temple in it there is no preaching nor praying there we shall not need any nor have cause to mourne for the want of it as many times we doe now for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereofâ— from God we shall have an infinite supply in stead of all these things Rev. 21.22 Here we treat with God by meanes at a great distance there we shall enjoy him immediately yea those gifts of the Spirit that suppose imperfection in us or misery in others shall there be done away The gifts that suppose imperfection in us are faith and hope and repentance we shall not need promises to imply either faith or hope because all shall then be performed and we shall have actuall possession 1 Cor. 13. ult Nor shall we need sorrow for our sins because all our iniquities shall then be done away The gifts that suppose misery or sin in others are such as these holy feare anger jealousie care hatred griefe pitie or such like now all these shall then be put off for ever because in that kingdome shall be nothing that is either uncleane or wretched or in danger to fall away Yet notwithstanding this hinders not but that God may delight the soules of his people by wayes unknowne to us after a most glorious maner which seemes to be shadowed out by eating of the tree of life which beares so often fruit and by drinking of the water of life which runs like a river pure as chrystall and proceeds from the Throne of God Rev. 21.6 22.1 For the third There is great difference betweene the company with whom we live here and those with whom we shall live there and that in seven things As first in the sorts of peoples Here our life is made grievous by the evill ones that either molest us with their oppositions or grieve us with their wickednesse or infect us with their evill examples but there shall be no wicked ones no Divels to tempt us no divellish mento slander us or persecute us no abominable persons either to grieve or pollute us All these enemies shall be cast into the Lake of fire Rev. 11.8 20.4 22.14 wee shall never be troubled with them more and the people there are all righteous Esay 60.23 Secondly in the dignity of the friends we shall finde in heaven They are usually but meane persons we must sort withall here but there they are such as exceed all the glory of this world our friends and companions shall be glorious Angels and blessed Patriarkes and Kings and Prophets and Apostles and the Martyrs of Jesus and in generall all weare Crownes of glory Thirdly in respect of the number of our friends Here we have scarce one friend we have reason much to admire or can safely relie upon there we shall have an innumerable company of Angels of the spirits of just men a huge congregation of the first borne even the generall assembly of all Gods elect Heb. 12.22 23. Fourthly in respect of disposition both theirs and our owne Here our life with our friends is made often grievous by reason of envie suspition offence passion pride forgetfulnesse and private discords or our owne indisposition at some times to take delight in the presence of our friends but in heaven the spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12.23 and charity will be enflamed on all hands to performe exactly all those properties mentioned 1 Cor. 13. Fiftly in respect of constancy Our friends herâ— are not only mortall and must leave us but mutable and may forsake us but there all the company is immortall and being perfecâ—ly sanctified are as God himselfe immurable and so their love is not only perfect but everlasting charity there will abide for ever 1 Cor. 13. ult Sixtly in power to content us and satisfie us Alas here on earth many things befall us wherein our friends though they would yet they cannot help us but in heaven there is all-sufficiency of power to solace and content one another â—o all eternity Lastly in their relation to us On earth we lose daily such as are neere and dâ—â—re to us in heaven we shall have them all and it is very probable we shall know them all and one by one Adam in his innocency knew his wife and could call her by her name without any body to tell him And Peter and Iohn in the Transfiguration on the Mount knew Moses and Elias and yet had never seene them how much more in heaven shall our knowledge be perfected to know and to be knowne perfectly and as it were by name For the fourth Our knowledge which is our life differs greatly now from that it shall be both in respect of the ground of it and in respect of the manner of it and in respect of the measure of it The ground of it is our union with God by which we partake of his light Psal. 36.8 Now in heaven we shall be made one with God after an unspeakable manner in such a neerenesse as we cannot conceive of now This is that which our Saviour praies so earnestly for Ioh. 17.20 21. Secondly in respect of the manner of it Now God treate with us by meanes as by the Word and Sacraments c. but then without meanes immediately Now we see by the help of a glasse or as an old man doth by Spectacles but
and to beseech Christ our friend Iohn 15.15 to provide our place for us who is ready with all willingnesse to doe all our businesse in heaven for us 10. A stranger is unskilfull in the language of the severall people where he comes onely cunning in his owne language So it should be with us though we find in one place the ambitious man telling of his honors offices livings and in another place the covetous man telling of his barnes wares bargaines and in another place the voluptuous man telling of his dogges sports whoores and in another place the wrathfull man telling of his adversary wrongs revenge c. yet we should keepe us to the language of Canaan and speake as becomes the oracles of God and the gifts God hath made us stewards of 11. A stranger is cautelous and wary he lookes to his words and behaviour So should a Christian be circumspect and get the wisdome of a serpent with the innocency of a dove he should not be curious nor inquisitive but studie to be quiet and meddle with his owne businesse Phil. 2.14 15. 12. A stranger strives to ride on merrily and to weare out the tediousnesse of the way with singing sweet songs to himselfe So should we our songs should be of the statutes of God in the house of our pilgrimage Psalme 119.34 13. A stranger if by ignorance or passion he have brought restraint or bonds upon himselfe he will use all possible intreaties and meanes to get himselfe loose againe that he may goe on in his journey homewards so should we if by sinne we have brought restraint upon our selves we should never be quiet but powre out our teares and prayers unto God and urge him to bee good unto us even for this reason as David doth Psal. 39.12 13. 14. A stranger specially hath his minde still running upon his home his thoughts desires longings wishes and all for his journies end So should it be with a Christian his conversation should be in heaven and our affections continually running after God and heavenly things Phil. 3.20 Heb. 11.12 13 14 c. 13.14 15. This also should teach us seeing Gods children are strangers in this world to use Gods pilgrims with all honor and kindnesse let them be as princes of God amongst us though they be now farre from home yet they are noble persons they are Gods heires learne of the very Hittites Gen. 23.4 6. This doctrine may also serve for great reproofe not onely to wicked men who like cursed Edomites Hab. 12. abuse Gods Israel in their journey but also for many that are in Israel yea of Israel for their worldlinesse and continuall plodding cares about the things of this life miserably forgetting that they are but strangers and this world is but an Inne Psal. 39.5 6. Eccles. 7.1 2. Lastly we should gather consolations to comfort us in our travaile to heaven certainly the Lord hath a great care of his pilgrims he keepeth the strangers Psal. 146.9 If God command men to use strangers well and not to wrong them Exod. 22.21 or vexe them Levit. 19 33. but love them Deut. 10.19 how much more will God himselfe have mercy on his banished and pitty his weary servants in their travaile What though the way be long and labour great and dangerous yet thinke of two things 1. That Christ will be the guide of the way and never leave thee nor forsake thee 2. How great thy happinesse shall bee when thou art come home to that heavenly Canaan that glorious new Hierusalem the City of the great King when God shall wipe away all teares from thine eyes and give thee a thousand fold for all thy travaile Dispersed here and there If we understand this of the Iewes It shews the malice of wicked men if they may have their wills they will never be quiet till they drive the godly from them If we understand it of the Elect in generall it teacheth us 1. That Gods children may be driven from their native dwelling God doth not alwayes build them a house in their owne land 2. That the Church of God is not tyed to any one place neither to Rome not to Hierusalem 3. That the godly are thin set It is rare to finde true godly men they dwell here and there 4. That the Church hath not alwayes an externall glory to commend it It consists sometimes of a few scattered persons that live stragling here and there 5. That there may be a great inward beauty under a despised condition These dispersed ones are glorious creatures sanctified in their spirits under the abundant mercies of God that have lively hope through the sprinkling of the blood of Iesus such as shall have an immortall inheritance 6. That there may â—e excellent order in appearing confusion One might thinke the husbandmen spoiled their corne when they scatter it abroad on the ground and yet we know it is better so then when it is in the barne all on a heape so is it with the godly Quest. If any aske what good can come of this dispersion of the godly Answ. I answer First by this meanes they carry the light of the truth all abroad the world 2. By this meanes they preserve the whole earth For they are the worlds guard they beare up heaven as it were were it not for these the world would be destroyed and by their dispersion they binde Gods hands as it were from the places wherein they are and keep off his fierce judgements and besides it is good for the godly themselves to bee asunder tâ—us It quickens them to prayer It makes them love and long one for another more It prepares them for heaven It traines them up in spirituall soldiery when they see they must fight alone All the riches of a Christian is his armour and he hath nothing but what he gets by wrastling and fighting Pontâ—â—â— Galatia Bithyâ—ia For the Geography of these places some thinke they all belong to Pontus Hence some of the Fathers cite this Epistle by this title Epistola Petri ad Ponticos Some say they were called by one name of Aâ—tiochia Others say they are all in Asia minor It is certaine they are all in Greece Two things may be observed from hence 1. That Christians though scattered here and there yet they have one God one faith one Lord Iesus Christ the doctrine we see is common to them all 2. That unthankfulnesse and contempt of the Gospell and sinfull living may ruinate famous Churches Where are the Churches that then were in those places Oh how hath the Turkish fury swallowed up almost all amongst them If we continue in sinne may not our sunne set as well as theirs Hitherto of their outward estate Their spirituall estate in generall is comprehended in their election Elect There is a fourefold election 1. There is a generall election of a Nation or City singled out to the benefit of Gods generall covenant and
God and yet in Princes courts 1. Not entertained â— ut many times repulsed 2. Not knowne many times of any body 3. Not dwell there 4. Not favoured of the King or his sonne 5. The Lords will not attend us to carry us to the King or shew us all c. 6. Soone are we cloyed with the glory of it if we had all we would 7. In the Kings court we see the glory of others not â—ur owne But contrary to all these it is in heaven as it shall be with the righteous Which things the Angels desire to looke into In these words the grace brought unto us in the Gospell is commended by the adjunct desire the Angels have to looke into it if such glorious creatures see such worth in these things then they are certainly to be highly accounted of and rejoyced in but the Angels doe so as saith the holy Ghost who is acquainted with the desires of Angels as wel as with the thoughts of men Therefore c. Before I enter upon the particular consideration of these words I must in generall observe one doctrine from the coherence viz. that as any are more holy and happy so they doe more admire the grace brought unto us in the Gospell it is much that the Prophets give such testimony so is it that the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospell spake such glorious things of it but if that may not confirme us the holy Spirit of God and the Angels of God shal be brought in to deliver not their opinions onely but their desires also Which may serve 1. For singular reproofe of the madnesse of our natures that cannot be won to know or regard wherein the chiefe good lies but are so infinitely distracted with endlesse hunting after the riches or pleasures of life Oh how are our hearts sunke deepe in rebellion when neither the verity of these things nor our owne mortality nor such abundant testimonies from heaven can move us But woe unto us for two reasons from hence First wee shall be made inexcusable since God hath warned and instructed us with such undeniable testimonies Secondly here we see the cause why wee seek not after the grace of Christ in the Gospell it is because we are alienated both from holâ—nesse and happinesse For if we had experience in either we would judge as â—he Angels of heaven doe 2. For singular strengthning and incouragement to every one that hath true grace let him rejoyce in his portion the Gospell is the best riches it were â—ot bâ—ught deare if a man sold all he had to purchase it we should rather take the judgement and opinion of one Angell then of a thousand worldly persons 〈◊〉 is no matter what they say they know not their felicity flesh and bloud hath had no revelation in these things it is the Spirit of God onely thaâ— can shew us the things given us of God it is the scope of this place to confirme the consolations ver 3 4 5. Thus in generall now in particular there are foure things to be considered of 1. What these Angels are 2. What account God makes of them 3. What affection they beare to men in that they are said to desire c. 4. What their knowledge is in that they are said to looke into c. 1. Now for the first you must understand that all creatures are of one of tâ—eâ—e three sorts 1. Invisible 2. Visible 3. Both visible and invisible Man is both visible in respect of his body and invisible in respect of his soule The heaven and earth and seas and beasts and foules c. are visible the invisible creatures are these Angels The estate of this invisible world of glorious creatures is in the greatest part 〈◊〉 unrevealed to us yet some things the Scriptures for our good hath let fall and theâ—efore to this question I answer two waies 1. By considering what they are in name 2. What they be in nature 1. The names given them are of three sorts 1. Some expresse their nature and so they are spirits 2. Some expresse their excellency and dignity and so they are called principalities and powers c. 3. Some expresse their office and employment and so they are called Angels in this place which signifies Messengers because they are sent to minister to them which are heires of salvation Heb. 1.14 2. Now for their natures Angels are spirituall substances invisible and immortall subsisting of themselves indued with singular understanding and freedome of will created of God for his glory in his service in the world especially in the Church But why are they called by the name of office more usually then by the names that expresse their natures It is because God delights in them for their seâ—vice and they themselves are more glad of well-doing then of their happinesse in nature from whence we may learn that it is not enough to get singular gifts and excellent estates unlesse we be industrious in the use of them our glory lieth not in excellent parts but in the fruitfull use of them We should learn then of Gods Angels to obey as they obey that Gods will may be done on earth as it is in heaven that is 1 willingly 2 speedily 3 constantly For so the Angels obey else we may be as the Angels of God for gifts and yâ—t goe to hell But are all these incorporeall spirits here meant No for some of them fell away and stood not in the truth it is onely the good Angels called the elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 are here meant but it is worth the noting what sinne hath brought upon the Devils they have not onely lost their nature in respect of purity but their names to so as usually when the Scripture calleth Angels it meaneth it of good Angels they have lost the dignity of their very title this is the fruit of pride or envy or disobedience or whatsoever else was their sin Some say it was pride in affecting divinity some say it was envy stirred by the decree of exalting of mans nature above Angels in and by Christ some say a transgression of some commandements in particular not exprest as Adams was Thus of their names and natures 2. Now for the singular account God makes of them it may appeare divers waies 1. By the excellent titles given them aâ— are stars of the morning sons of God principalitieâ— and powers c. 2. By the place he sets them in hee placeth them next his owne person in the chamber of his owne presence to be alwaies about him even in heaven the fairest roome in the whole building of the world 3. By the trust he hath put in them hee hath committed the charge of his Elect unto their protection and care Psal. 34. 91 Heb. 1. 14 4. By the singular grace of confirmation that now in Christ they 〈◊〉 of all the creatures should never have experience in their own nature of any evill
they shew forth the vertues of Christ and resemble his holinesse of carriage 5. And hee is manifested with them in that eternall fellowship of glory in the kingdome of heaven It is the first kinde of manifestation which is here meant Now Christ was manifested for them 1. on earth 2. in heaven On earth he was manifested 1. In his incarnation when hee shewed himselfe in our nature thus was accomplished that great mysterie of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 2. In his passion for so he was that true brazen serpent Ioh. 3. 3. In his ascension shewing himself in triumph leading captivity captive and giving gifts unto men Eph. 4. In heaven he is manifested for us 1. By session 2. By intercession By session for so hee was declared wonderfully as head of the Church when being set at the right hand of God all power was given him both in heaven and earth And by intercession he daily appeareth before God for us In this manifestation Christ hath turned himselfe into all formes for us for he hath beene manifested for us as a servant to doe our work as a surety to pay our debts as a sacrifice to expiate for our sins as a treasurer to supply all our wants as a Prophet to instruct us as an Advocate to plead our cause and as a King to subdue our enemies and rule over us The points of doctrine from hence to be observed are these 1. That God may conceive a wonderfull love to his people and have a glorious plot for their good and yet not manifest it of a long time Coherence shews this The Use should be in all distresses publike or private for the Church where we live or for our owne particular to live by faith and not mistrust or murmure or limit God as if hee had forgotten the cause of his people little knowest thou the thoughts of God concerning thy good and therefore we should check our owne hearts as David did and say Why art thou so sad oh my soule c. Secondly if God once doe manifest his love to thee oh then know thy happinesse and rejoyce in thy portion how rich is that goodnesse the Lord shews thee when in prayer or the word he declareth hid and mighty things in his answers Ier. 33.3 2. When God manifests Christ he discovers his greatest treasure the utmost of all Gods benefits for Christ is unsearchable riches and â—â— is hee in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed The Use is That therefore seeing God accounts the manifesting of hiâ— Son for us to be such a matter we should hence admire and praise this goodnesse of God that sent his owne Son into the world for our sakes and nouâ— in heaven honors and heares him for our sakes and in our behalfe especially this should quicken us unto the study of that sacred knowledge of Christ and his Kingdome and we should willingly serve so mighty and divine a Saviour 3. That it is no comfort to know that Christ is manifested till wee know he is manifested for us it is ill trusting to the knowledge of Christs incarnation we must seeke by all possible prayer and supplication that he may be acknowledged as a Saviour for us 4. The knowledge of Christs manifestation for us should be a point that should move and stir affection in the heart of every beleever and therefore it is to that end in this place urged But what should I doe might some one say to shew that my heart is affected towards my Saviour in this point of his manifestation either on earth or in heaven for me We must shew our affection herein foure waies 1. By beleeving in him without any doubting seeing in respect of the obedience of the law the discharge of our debt the conquest of our enemies the advocation in our causes c. he hath so fully manifested himselfe 2. By manifesting our selves without feare or delay for his sake wee should put our selves out into the open profession of his truth with all boldnesse but yet so as wee learne by his example how to manifest our selvesâ— that is to say 1. In the fulnesse of time that is after good advise and sound deliberation too hasty profession often-times doth great hurt 2. With resolution to endure all sorts of reproaches or what else in the labour or opposition might befall us though we should be accounted as he was Esay 53. Heb. 12.3 3. With all integrity being carefull to shew forth his vertue and not to blemish our profession with any spotted conversation especially expressing our imitation of his humility and dove-like harmlesnesse and respect of Gods law and contempt of the world 4. With all constancy even unto the death that wee may receive the crowne of life 3. By manifesting our selves to be ready to do any service to his servants 4. By longing for the time of his last and full manifestation in his appearing at the last day Thus of the fift point concerning our redemption The sixt is who are redeemed viz. such as by Christ doe beleeve in God for you who by him doe beleeve in God verse 21. For you The maine doctrine is twofold 1. That beleevers onely have benefit by Christ for them was redemption intended for them Christ shed his bloud for them he was made a sacrifice for them he was manifested both by incarnation and the preaching of the Gospell and by intercession in heaven Ioh. 17.9 19. Heb. 11.6 The Use is 1. For instruction Be sure thou have faith whatsoever thou want 2 Cor. 13.5 thou perishest else for ever Ob. If I have all faith yet I may perish 1 Cor. 13.3 Sol. All faith to doe miracles not to lay hold on Christ. 2. It is all faith without love and lovest thou not Gods children 2. For consâ—â—â—ation to the godly to whom God hath given this precious faith it is to be truely rich to be rich in faith it makes the poorest begger equall with the highest Monarch Iam. 2.5 because it procures priviledges better then that of Princes it intitles them to a birth better then that of the soâ—â— of men Ioh. 1.12 13. and for honour they have favour with the Highest that can doe more for them then all the Kings of the earth Ioh. 3.16 and for alliance it makes them a kinn to all the Saints and for contentment it fills them with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.9 and for victory it makes them more then conquerors Rom. â— and for riches they have all the treasures of Christ and for possessions they have an immortall inheritance especially their glory shall appeare in the day of Christ 2 Thes 1.10 3. It should quicken the godly to a care to repaire and establish themselves in the faith and to this end to pray as 2 Thes 1.11 4. It shews the miserable estate of divers men in the very visible Church There are three sorts of Christians
119 2â— esteeming it above all riches Ps. 119.14 72 110. exercising our our selves in it day and night redeeming some time constantly to be imployed in it labouring most for the foode that perisheth not Ioh. 6.27 Amos 8. 12. being resolved to deny our reasons profits pleasures credits and carnall friends and all for the words sake Marke 10.2 Thus in generall In particular two things may be noted in this verse First the praise of the word for the continuance it abideth for ever Secondly the explication of the kind viz this is true of the word which we preach unto you The first thing theÌ„ is that the word abideth for ever which other scriptures with like plainnesse avouch Ps. â— 17.2 Mat. 5. 24. Two things would be explained 1. how the word abideth for ever 2. of what word of God this is true For the first the word of God abides for ever in divers respects 1 In the Archetipe of it in God the plotforme in the minde of God though all Bibles were destroyed yet the word of God could not because the originall draught of it is in God himselfe 2. In the very writings of the word it shall last for ever that is till time be no more If all the power on earth should make warre against the very paper of the scriptures they cannot destroy it but the word of God written will be to be had still It is easier to destroy heaven and earth than to destroy the Bible 3. In the sense of it all that is said in scripture shall be performed the counsell of the Lord shall stand not a word of Gods promises or threatnings shall faile Psal. 33.11 12. 4. It abideth for ever in the hearts of the godly the impressions made in the mindes of the godly are indelible every godly man hath the substance of Theologie in his owne heart which seed will abide in him 1 Ioh. 3. 5. Lastly it abideth for ever as it makes us abide for ever and so it abideth in the gifts of the minde wrought by it in the life of grace quickened by it and in the fruits of righteousnesse to which it perswaded men Rom. 11. The gifts of God are without repentance and the word begets an immortall seed in us and the fruits of the faithfull will remaine and their righteousnesse for ever Ps. 111. 3. 1 Pet. 2.3 Ioh. 15.16 1 Cor. 3.14 1 Cor. 13. ult 2. Now for the second It is true of every word of God of every jott or tittle of it that it abideth for ever The Law and the Gospell by the law I meane the morall law for the ceremoniall law lasted but for the Jewish eternity which was till Christ repaired the world and made all things new The Use may be First for information and so in five things 1. Concerning the vanity of all outward things the perfection of them doth come to an end but of Gods word there is no end Psal. 119. 2. Concerning the estate of hypocrites and such whose righteousnesse is but as the morning dew Hosh. 6.5 this shewes they have not received the power of the word in that it doth not abide in them 3. Concerning the misery of all wicked men heaven and earth shall passe away before one tittle of the curses and woes denounced against them shall faile or be unaccomplished yea it will remaine to judge them at the last day Ioh. 7. 4. Concerning the morality of the Sabbath For since this is one of the ten words of Gods law even this word of the Lord must abide for ever else more then a tittle of it should faile before heaven and earth faile 5. Concerning the madnesse of two sorts of men 1. Such as account all diligence in preaching reading and hearing to be foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.18 2. Such as are scorners and jest at the threatnings of scripture and say with them in the Prophet let the word of the Lord come that wee may see it Ezech. Secondly for instruction and so it should teach us all to adde to â—ur cares and desires after the word as that which will doe us good another day since in the lasting profit of it it will indure above all things else and therefore is better then all treasures yea to get this perpetuity of good wee should not thinke much to be at any labour or cost for it and the rather seeing it is such a sufficient portion or heritage Lastly this is comfortable to the godly divers waies 1. Against their unbeleefe when they are in distresse especially of spirit they thinke the word of God was wonderfull comfortable to David and such like but they cannot beleeve it should be so to them this doctrine assures them that the word of the Lord endureth through all ages and is as able to save their soules and sanctifie and comfort them as ever it was 2. Against the weaknesse of their memories The word will abide for ever some seeds of holy truth will never be lost and the spirit will lead them to all truth and bring the sayings of the word to their mind when they shall have need 3 Against the scornes of the world though men deride their counsell in making the Lord and his word their refuge yet they may be well pleased in themselves and resolve with the Psalmist still in God to praise his word For the profit of it will last to them when riches and honor and pleasures fade like the flower of the grasse to wicked men 4. Against their feare of falling away For the word of God in effect abideth for ever and it makes them abide for ever This is the word which is preached unto you These words explaine the sense of the former and direct mens minds to that use of the word which is most proper and powerfull to effect immortality in us and so there is a threefold limitation 1. That the word of God doth then cheefely beget in us eternall graces and abiding fruits when it is preached to us The intent of the Apostle is to exalt preaching not to deny efficacy to the translation or reading of the word but to shew that then it is most lively when it is in preaching fitted and applied to us and this may both instruct us what to doe and informe us what to thinke It should teach us especially two things the one is to depend upon hearing as the especiall meanes by which our soules may live for ever Heare and your soules shall live Esay 55.4 2. and it should also settle us in the resolution to heare if this be so let him that heareth heare Ezech. 3.7 It may likewise informe us in two things 1. of the misery of all such as have not the benefit of the word preached how doe their soules perish for ever 2. of the honor God doth to his poore servants the Ministers of the word when he treâ—â—â— about eternall life he sends the people to their Ministers as if he would tell
Scapul faith We reverence the Emperour as a man second to God and the onely one that is lesse than God and also Tertullian de Ido Capite 18. Nazianzen orat ad subdit Imperat. All men must bee subject to higher powers The expresse testimonies of Chrysostome and Bernard upon Rom. 1 3. have beene quoted before read Bernard de consid lib. 2. Capite 4. Hilar. ad Anx. Chrysost. homil 42. in Ioan. Ambrose in 2 Tim. 2.4 Secondly this should confirme every good subject to acknowledge and maintaine the Kings supremacie and willingly to binde himselfe thereunto by oath For the oath of supremacie is the bond of this subjection and this oath men must take without equivocation mentall evasion or secret reservation yea it should binde in them the same resolution was in Saint Bernard who faith thus If all the world would conspire against me to make me complot any thing against the Kings Majesty yet I would feare God and not dare to offend the King ordained of God Or unto governours By governours he either meanes all other sorts of Magistracie besides a Monarchie or else such Magistrates as in a Kingdome have commission from the King to heare and determine causes or any way to rule and exercise any Lawes of the King and it is the Apostles meaning that Christians should be subject to all sorts of Magistrates of what forme or dignity soever from the highest to the lowest so as it should be no more lawfull for them to disobey an inferiour Magistrate than to disobey the King so far forth as the inferiour Magistrate hath authority and doth proceed according to his commission in lawfull things This point needs not to be further handled having beene intreated of in the generall doctrine in submission to all Magistrates before And thus of the exposition the confirmation followes Verse 14. Or unto governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that doe well THe Apostle in this verse and the next confirmeth the exhortation partly by reasons and partly by answearing an Objection the reasons are in this verse and the next and the prolepsis verse 16. The reasons may be referred to two heads the one taken from the calling of Magistrates verse 14. and the other from the will of God verse 15. The calling of Magistrates is considered two wayes First either in the author of it and so they are sent of God Secondly or in respect of the end of it which is partly the punishment of the wicked and partly the praise of them that doe well As they that are sent of him Of him either may be referred to the King or to the Lord If it be referred to the King then it shewes that all inferiour Magistrates receive all their authority from the King they have no more authority than other subjects but as it is bestowed upon them by the King and withall it shewes a secret in all well governed Monarchies which is that the King reserves the giving of honours and offices to himselfe which more obligeth the Under-officers and Magistrates to him and he is thereby the better acquainted with the State of the Kingdome But I am rather of the minde of those Interpreters that refer it to the Lord. And so the sense and doctrine is That both the Kings and the Governours are sent of God it is God that prefers them whatsoever the second causes be Though election or succession seem to make a King and Kings make Governours yet have wee beene taught that none of these come to their places without the providence of God Prov. 8.15 Now God keepes this businesse in his owne hands to see to the calling of Magistrates because of the service by them he can execute For a great part of his Kingdome is managed by their deputation By them God scourgeth the sins of the wicked yea of the whole world either by suffering them to bee publike miseries or by guiding them to punish offenders by the sword of justice and by them he many times brings many common blessings upon worlds of people as the next words shew Uses The uses are divers some particular some generall In particular it should teach us First by prayer to seeke Magistrates of God subjects might get great blessings of this kinde if they would pray hard for them For God it is that sends Magistrates Secondly with patience to beare the wrongs of evill Magistrates seeing there is a hand of God in it Thirdly with thankfulnesse to give the praise to God for good Magistrates seeing it was he that sent them as a common blessing Fourthâ—y in all suits about the lives or duties or successions of Magistrates to trust unto God For though we know not where to be provided in earth yet God can send one from heaven as it were The word sent imports that God can raise him up beyond expectation In generall it should stirre us up in all things done by outward meanes in this world to strive for the skill to finde out and acknowledge Gods hand and providence in it seeing in these things which are apparently done by meanes for the most part yet Gods providence is in it Thus of the Author of their calling the end followes For the punishment of evill doers Divers things may be noted from hence First that in all Common-wealths in the world there will bee evill doers though there bee a King and Governours and Gods Commandements lye hard upon mens consciences yet there will bee evill doers And the point shewes the horrible strength of the poison of naturall corruption which no Lawes of God nor man nor experience of evill nor example can restraine or dry up and withall it shewes their solly and weaknesse that will forsake Christian assemblies for the wickeds sakes whereas the Apostle improves that even in Christian Common-wealths there will bee this part of a Magistrates vertue to punish the evill doers such as are knowne to be so and therefore such curious persons must goe out of the world if they will goe from evill doers And withall it should breed in men a greater care to looke to themselves that they bee not infected by them since there is no society of men in which this plague-fore of sinne runneth not we must redeeme the time because the dayes are evill And further it should breed in us a loathing of this wicked world of this present evill world and a desire of heaven since we shall never live in a place where the people will be all righteous till we come to heaven And finally it confutes their folly that from the vitiousnesse of some men conclude the faultinesse either of the doctrine lawes or government Secondly that evill doers must be punished Rom. 15. and great reason for first evill doers in any society are infectious many may be defiled by them Secondly they work much disquietnesse and trouble humane societies Thirdly if they escape
these words but the word of the Lord endureth for ever and explained by shewing of what word he speaketh in these words and this is the word which is preached unto you THE METAPHRASE OF THE FIRST CHAPter of the first Epistle of ST. PETER PETER by immediate calling and commission from IESUS CHRIST the Embassador for the Churches to the dispersed servants of God strangers and Pilgrims in this world that dwell here and there in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia Who for their spirituall estate were chosen of God from everlasting and fore-seene of God with speciall approbation above the rest of mankinde and loved with a fatherly love as appeares by the inward sanctification of their hearts which can be found in none but the Elect of God separated of God to these ends namely that both they might glorifie God by their holy conversation and be glorified of God by the fruition of the benefits purchased by the blood of IESUS CHRIST and now estated upon them by the application of the merits of CHRIST The grace of God even his continuall free favour and the gifts of his spirit and peace even tranquillitie of heart and conscience and all comfortable and needfull prosperity be established upon you and more and more increase in you Eternall thankes bee given unto God who is the God of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of his humane nature and his Father in respect of his divine nature for all the consolations wherein he hath given us reason of singular rejoycing and in particular for that he hath regenerated us and made us his children by adoption when we deserved nothing but his eternall wrath meerely out of the abundance of his owne matchles mercies and sets us in such an estate as whatsoever our trials affliâ—tions may be yet he hath given us effectual assured hope of full happineâ—se the pledge and undoubted testimony whereof we have in that â—esus Christ is risen from the dead which shewes evidently that all is discharged For else hee could not have come out of prison till hee had paid the uttermost farthing And to shew that he will acknowledge us for sonnes he hath reserved for us in heaven such an inheritance as shall never bee lost or taken from us and shall have no fault nor defect in it nor ever decay in the incomparable worth and glory of it And that we may be sure of possession his owne almighty power will be as a strong garrison about us to keepe us and he hath given us also a lively faith that well preserve us till we be possessed of that glorious and full salvation which he hath prepared for us and is ready to be revealed in the full perfection of it when the day of death or judgement shall come If you object that you cannot take that comfort in these Arguments of consolation because of the many tentations inward and outward with which you are daily disheartned I answer that for all your crosses you may have exceeding much joy even in the midst of your tribulations and besides the trouble of your crosses is but for a little while they are but short tryalls nor are you bound alwaies to be pensive for your crosses but onely when neede requires namely when you neede to be humbled for some corruptions that get too much head in you or for other profitable ends And lastly you lose nothing by your tentations and afflictions For your saith which iâ— a thing more precious in Gods account than all the gold in the world for that will perish and come to be of no use one day is hereby tryed and what though the fire of the furnace of affliction bee somewhat hot yet remember what wonderfâ—ll praise and honour and glory you shall have for the stedfastnesse of your faith when Iesus Christ shall appeare and with his owne mouth commend you and glorifie you before all the world If you object that you doe not know whether the former consolations doe belong unto you or no I will put you in minde of three infallible signes that you are converted and shall goe to heauen 1. The first is your unfained affection to the Lord Iesus Christ though yee never yet saw him with your bodily eyes 2. The second is your continuall â—aith relying upon him alone for your reconciliation and salvation 3. And the third is the wonderfull matchlesse and unutterable and celestiall joy that at sometimes yee feele in the presence of God in his ordinances And therefore yee neede make no doubt but beleeve confidently that God will reward your trust in him by giving such an end to your course as that your soules shall be sure to be saved And that you may be the more abundantly confirmed in the former consolations thinke of the Testimony of the Prophets that were men extraordinarily raised up of God and did Prophesie of this great salvation which is now come to passe and fulfilled in us Christians and being appointed and inspired of God to soretell the singular priviledges of the Christian Churches they tooke marveilous paines about it inquiring diligently by all the meanes they could Studying to finde it out if it were possible what and what manner of time the Holy Ghost which was in them meant when it made them foretell both that the MESSIAS should suffer so many things and withall that after his suffering there should be wonderfull glorious times for the Church Now they were answered by revelation that they themselves must never see those glorious daies on earth but that they were used only as Gods servants to signifie to the Church what should be the estate of Christians after the sufferings of Christ according also to the doctrine of the Apostles who have published the same things to you in the preaching of the gospell being men inspired by the Holy Ghost from heaven and assisted with the visible gifts of the Holy Ghost and your happinesse is so great that the Angells â—f heaven like the Cherubins that stood looking into the Arke doe with singular admiration stand and wonder at and search into the manifold wisedome of God in the happinesse to which you are brought by Christ. And as you neede to be comforted so have I thought it fit to exhort you and first in things that are generall to you all both concerning the matter of holinesse and concerning the meanes of it There are three things you should labour after 1. The first is the restraining and resisting of all lâ—ts of godlinesse which within from corruption of nature are wont like long garments to hinder you in the labour and race of a holy life 2. The second is the moderation of your selves and that right temper in your hearts and lives especially in the use of the outward things of this world 3. The third is the perfecting of the assurance of your hope concerning the glory of heaven which
This imports that he shall not be known in the day of Christ oh how wofull will that sentence be when he shall say away from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not Mat. 7.27 Hitherto of the foundation The founder followes who is described by what he is himselfe viz. God and what he is to us viz a Father Of God To be elect and knowne before others is a great benefit but to be chosen of that dreadfull and immortall being and that when nothing was must needs adde to this prerogative If God choose them it matters not who refuse them If God know them it matters not who is ignorant of them If God honor them it matters not who disgrace them He that foâ—nded our election in his owne eternall praescâ—eâ—â—e is â—ee that founded this earth and spread over it this great heaven Iehovah Eloâ—im is his name and spirituall incomprehensible immortall infinite almighty is his nature The immense fountaine of all love mercy holinesse justnesse goodnesse wisdome and bounty It is he that before guided the wayes of eternity as he now doth of times What God hath done in time is done that we might know and praise him but what he did before time is without our measure and as it commeth neerer to Gods nature so it goeth farther from our apprehension at least till we be glorified in heaven But this is a sea over which no ship hath failed a Mine in which no spade hath delved an Abyssus into which no buckâ—t hath â—unke our sight is too tender to behold this sunne our understanding too finite to comprehend this glorious and infinite being and therefore I passe from what hee is in himselfe to consider what he is to us The Father God is Father to Christ to Angels to Men To Christ he is Father by nature as he is God and by personall union as he is man To Angels hee is father by creation and to faithfull men by adoption As hee is father to Christ I consider of it ver 3. here onely as he is father to the faithfull God hath an everlasting fatherly care and compassion over the faithfull and elect and this may serve for three sorts of uses 1. For consolation to the godly God useth them and ever will use them like a Father both for the affections of a father and for the provisions of a father he both loves them and provides for them as a father for his children Gods affection to the godly is a fatherly affection for it is 1. free and 2. tender and 3. constant 1. A fatherly love is a free love there needs no argument to a father but that this is my childe so it is with God 2. A fatherly love is a tender love it hath much compassion and care in it such is Gods love to the godly Looke how Parents pitty their children so doth God pitty them that feare him Psal. 103.13 yea God is troubled in their troubles and his bowels are turned in him in their discouragements and griefes Esay 63.8 Ier. 31.18 19. 3. A father still loves his childe so doth God and much more then all fathers or any of them For he loves with an everlasting love Esay 49.14 and is called an everlasting father Esay 9.6 Adde unto these that a father will love his childe though no body else doe so can God love us though he love alone Though naturall fathers and kindred forsake us Psal. 27.5.10 and spirituall fathers forget us Esay 63.16 17. yet God will never cease to love us hee will never leave us nor forsake us Onely we must ever remember that Gods love is a pure love For it hath not in it hurtfull indulgence he will not marre his children with too much fondnesse He can hide his face and though he will never take his mercies from them yet if they sinne he will scourge them with the rod of men he will afflict them though it be but for a short time Psal. 89. Esay 67.7 8 9. As is the affection of God so is his provision for the godly a fatherly provision he provides for them like a father yea like a heavenly father in their 1. attendance 2. dyet 3. preservation in trouble and 4. portion 1. For their attendance he provides for them better then the great men of the earth can doe for their children He hath given his Angels to bee ministring spirits to all these heires of salvation and these pitch their tents round aboâ—t them Psal. 34. Heb. 1.14.2 And for dyet they are fed with the food that perisheth not yea such food as he that eateth thereof shall live for ever John 6.27 3. And for preservation in trouble the power of God doth so keepe them that a haire of their heads cannot fall to the ground without the providence of their heavenly father Mat. â—â— and â—o that 〈◊〉 all the haires of their head are numbred and the spirit of God is given them to teach them to comfort them and uphold them 4. And for portion he hath blessed them with all spirituall blessings ìn heavenly things and since the earth was forfeited into Gods hands againe he hath restored the inheritance of the earth to none as is the opinion of many learned but to them Other men hold without any title from God Ephes. 1.3 Esay 45.11 17 18 19. and in the world to come they shall shine as the starres of heaven and as the sun in the firmament Mat. 13.43 Ob. But God hath so many sonnes of this kinde how can hee provide for them all Sol. Our hearts are not troubled for that we beleeve in God and beleeve in Christ also In our fathers house there are many mansions if it had not been so Christ would have told us and he is gone before to make our places ready for us John 14.1 2. Ob. But they have so many adversaries without and within that there is great danger lest they be pulled out of their inheritance Sol. God that hath begotten them and given them to Christ is greater then all no man can plucke them out of his hands John 10.29 Object But they are for the most part a people of many and those continuall wants there is scarce any moment wherein they want not something and therefore must either be uncomfortable in themselves or burthensome to God Sol. Whatsoever they aske the father he will give it them It is no trouble to God to receive Petitions from them continually he delights in it and rather blames them for asking so seldome and so little Iohn 16.23 Ob. God himselfe plagues them with troubles as much or rather more then he doth other men Sol. The fathers of our flesh correct us and shall not the father of spirits do it and the rather if we consider that he shewes his love therein a man will correct his owne son more then another mans and he doth correct us for our profit that
in Christ he tooke the true nature of his brethren true flesh and blood that he might serve and satisfie God in the same nature that had offended 2. This blood was shed If you aske who shed it I answer Iudas by selling it the Priests by advising it the people by consenting to it Pilate by decreeing it the soldiers by effecting it Christ himselfe by permitting it and after presenting it to God Heb. 9.14 our sinnes that chiefly caused it If any aske for whom it was shed I answer briefly for the Church Act. 20. not for himselfe nor for impenitent and obstinate sinners that dye in their sins 3. It is not enough that the blood of Christ bee shed to make us happy unlesse it be applyed also which the word sprinkling notes 4. This effusion of blood was solemnly prefigured or foretold by the sacraments and sacrifices of the Law For this word sprinkled is a Metaphor borowed from the legall sprinkling which shewes us two things 1. The great account that God and good men make of it in that it was so solemnely and anciently typed out 2. That the ceremonies of that Law are now abolished seeing we have here the true sprinkling of the blood fore-shadowed out 5. That our estate in Christ is better now than our estate in Adam was For God here in his eternall counsell is brought in over-looking that first estate in Adam and setting up his rest in this estate purchased in the blood of his Sonne If any man marvell at this he shall be thus satisfied Our estate in Christ is better than our estate was at the best in Adam even in this life and therefore much more in the world to come In this life it is better onely in two respects 1. That wee cannot fall from this happinesse 2. That Christs righteousnesse imputed to us is better then that righteousnesse was inherent in Adam Now for the world to come heaven is better then paradise 6. We can never discerne our comfort in the blood of Christ till we be sanctified in spirit and set upon the reducing of our lives into the obedience of Christ. Iustification and Sanctification are inseparable Thus much for the generall In particular concerning this sprinkling of the blood of Christ I consider two things 1. What benefits the Christian enjoyes by the blood of Christ which is here noted as the end of his sanctification 2. The mystery of this sprinkling or applying of the blood of Christ as it was shadowed out by the legall sprinklings The benefits which flow from the effusion of the blood of Christ are either generall or particular The generall are 1. The purchase of the Church Acts 20. 2. The ratification of the new Testament or covenant of grace Heb 9.18 3. The breaking downe of the partition wall betweene Jews and Gentiles and the adopting of the abject Gentiles the free denizing of the Gentiles and repealing of all statutes of aliens Ephes. 2.13 c. 4. The reconciliation of all things both in heaven and earth and the dissolving of that enmity which came in by sin Col. 1.20 The particular benefits which flow from the blood of Christ to every converted Christian are 1. Iustification which hath in it 1. the pacification of Gods anger Christs blood is the propitiatory like the cover of the Arke that hides the law from the sight of God Rom. 3.25 2. the pardon of all sinnes 1 Iohn 1. 7.9 Ephes. 1.7 3. prevention of Gods eternall wrath or the losse of heaven Rom. 5.9 4. the garment of imputed righteousnesse or putting on of robes made white in his blood Rev. 7.14 2. Sanctification and the cleansing the conscience from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.13 14. 3. The sanctification of all the meanes of help to the beleever both spirituall and temporall the very booke of God is sprinkled with the blood of Christ that it may be opened and of use to the faithfull and so all meanes else in his generall and particular calling Heb. 9.19 20. 4. Intercession the blood of Christ speaking better things then the blood of Abel pleading daily for the godly and procuring the establishment of favour in God and acceptation Heb. 12.24 5. Victory over Sathan who is overcome by the blood of the Lambe and the word of the testimony Rev. 12.11 so as his molestations and temptations shall not prevaile 6. The destruction of him that had power over death so as now the beleever needs not feare death nor can he be hurt of it Heb. 2.14 7. Entrance into the most holy place even within the Vaile that is into heaven Heb. 10.19 20. you may see more Iohn 6.53 54 55 56 57 58 59 c. All this may serve for divers uses As 1. For singular consolation to all the godly Oh what an honor is it to be descended of the blood of Christ How doth a Christian mans new birth in this respect excell all the nobility of birth in the world Iohn 1.13 What reason have we of thankfulnesse for so happy a condition what should we complaine of what matters it what we lose or want if wee neither lose nor want the blood of Christ How incomparable are these benefits beyond all the glory of this world if we have eyes to see them and hearts large enough to conceive of the glory of them The Lord from eternity looking upon the blood of his Son sets up his reâ—t there as having provided a sufficient portion for all that shall be sanctified by his spirit 2. For instruction we should every one of us be incited to all possible care of assurance that Christ dyed for us and get it ratified to our hearts by all the testimonies we can There be three witnesses of a mans happinesse 1. the water 2. the blood 3. and the spirit 1 Iohn 5.6 The water of repentance the blood of expiation in the passion of Christ applyed by faith the spirit of sanctification testified by saving graces and new divine gifts 3. For terror to all wicked men that sin against the blood of Christ by despising and neglecting the grace of the covenant by swearing by unworthy receiving the sacrament and by their obstinate unbeleefe and impenitency Shall the blood of Abel cry for such vengeance and shall not the blood of Christ much more What a blood-guiltinesse doe these men draw upon themselves that sinne against the blood of Christ If Iudas burst his heart with despaire for betraying it how can their case be better for despising it Thus of the benefits which come by the blood of Christ Now it followeth that I should open the meaning of those ceremoniall legall sprinklings and shew how they did in their kinde fore-signifie the mystery of this sprinkling of the blood of Christ. There was a â—ourefold legall sprinkling 1. the first was of the blood of the red Cow and of a water made of the ashes of the red Cow Num. 19. 2. the second was of
thou wert a Prince borne thou must not inherit the first day and it is the better for us that it is so for so it is the safer from sinne violence Satan c. For you That is for such as are begotten againe some reade in us or in you to note that men must looke into their hearts whether they shall have heaven For if Christ and his spirit dwell not there they are never like to come to this glory but I reade it as before and so it plainly notes that none but converted Christians have any interest in this inheritance Lastly this inheritance is commended by the place where it lyeth it is in heaven The Holy Ghost would have us meditate much even of the very place of our glory but for explication of this I propound two things 1. where heaven is 2. wherein it excelleth other places First by heaven I meane not the ayre as sometimes the word signifieth nor yet the heavenly moveable orbes that are visible above our head but the place of the blessed where God dwelleth and Christ in his body is ascended and where the spirits of just and perfect men now are Now where this place is cannot be knowne by sense because it is not obnoxious to any of the senses nor can we learne where it is by reason For it is true that the ninth heaven is not knowne by sense for we cannot see it or heare it move c. yet Astronomers by the effect of it though it be above the starry firmament have found it out certainely to be But now for the heaven of the blessed that extends not to us by any effect or influence and therefore cannot be known by reason Scripture onely doth reveale it and so it is manifest to be a place that is above us For Christ ascended up into heaven and we shall be where he now is It is called the high and holy place and Gods family is called Ierusalem that is above and the Psalmist saith God dwelleth on high so that it is a place farre above all those visible elements and heavens As for those that imagine heaven is every where where God is we may manifestly conceive of their error For so to goe to heaven were to goe to hell for God is there also as the Psalmist faith and our Saviour saith not Our Father which art every where but Our Father which art in heaven and besides God and the devill doe not keep house together But we know that the devills live in this ayre and every where round about us in these visible regions of the elements and therefore heaven must needs be above all these Now for the excellency of this place above all others who is able to describe it yet for help to thy meditation consider the names that be given to it It is called Paradise the Fathers house the throne of God the kingdome the heavenly Ierusalem 2. The shadowes by which the excellency thereof is signified In the 21. of the Revelation a search is made through all the bowels of the earth to finde out all the precious treasures that could be had gold pearles and precious stones of all sorts and what can these serve to onely to shadow out the glory of the walls of the new Ierusalem and the gates and to pave the streets of that City But there is not treasure enough in the whole world so much as to shadow out the mansions that are there and the inward furniture or the glorious cloathing or dyet of the Worthies that shall dwell there much lesse the divine Royalties and prerogatives eternall of that excellent heaven 3. Consider but the summe of that which Divines out of the Scriptures write of it For substance It is a place obnoxious to no corruption alteration passion nor motion it is not whirled about as these heavens are For quantity it is greater then all this world besides For qualities it is most exceeding light most pleasant and most faire a place wherein none evill needs be found and none good can be wanting having upon it the very glory of God even a most divine splendor Verse 5. Which are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation which is prepared already to be shewed in the last time HItherto of our glorification The third argument followes and that is taken from our preservation unto glory which is this Verse It is two wayes amplified First by the meanes of our preservation and secondly by the end of our preservation The meanes are twofold First in God his power and secondly in us our faith The end is salvation which is also amplified first by the things which goe before it viz. preparation and revelation It is prepared to be revealed Secondly by the time in the last time From the coherence and generall consideration of these words three things may be briefly noted First that such is our wretched condition in this world in respect of corruption adversaries temptations c. that were it not for Gods mercy and power neither present grace would hold out nor the glory of heaven ever be enjoyed Secondly that the same God that of his mercy begot us againe and provided an incorruptible inheritance doth undertake also to preserve it hee takes it upon himselfe to see it accomplished which should bee a singular comfort 〈…〉 Thirdly that Gods children may draw many arguments of consolation and get great experience of joy from the very observation of Gods providence in preserving them Kept The word in the originall signifieth properly to keep as a towne is kept from the enemies in the time of war with a garrison and so it is rendered 2 Cor. 11.32 where it is said Aretas kept the City with a garrison In the third of the Galathians the word is used metaphorically to expresse our condition under the Law he saith we were kept under the Law that is the sinner having transgressed was kept by the Law as it were under a strong garrison that he could not possibly escape unlesse he be delivered by Christ the law will hold him so fast he shall not possibly get away now here it is used to expresse the wonderfull safety of all men and women truly converted they are kept with a garrison wherein two things may bee noted First that the dearest of Gods children in this world are in continuall war they are neâ—er at such rest and peace as to discharge their garrison seldome or never but they are continually in war either outward with the world of wicked men or with crosses that daily assaile them or else inward with temptations Heaven properly is the rest of the godly or if they bee at any time free yet they are in danger and therefore still stand upon their guard which should teach us under either afflictions or temptations never to account it strange and if at any time God give us some little breathing not to grow secure
carefull to prevent these it shewes that it is needfull mens objections should be answered and to that end if the Lord doe not answer otherwise men should not represse and smother them but propound them by seeking resolution These sparkes not quenched may breed a great flame these drops of poyson may infect the whole soule a little leaven may sower the whole lumpe Fiftly A question may be here demanded and that is why the Lord here and in many places of Scripture else doth expresse the answer and suppresse the objection For answer hereunto divers things may profitably be supposed 1. First the Lord hereby shews unto men in their owne experience what a divine light is in the Scpiptures that can thus discerne the hidden things of man 2. Secondly it may be the objections are suppressed lest men hearing the objections should learn to object 3. Thirdly the Lord hereby shews mans nature who usually will not say so much yet the Lord saith they doe thinkeso 4. Lastly I thinke for the most part the Lord doth it out of his compassion and tendernesse towards his people these things arising out of mens frailâ—y he is willing many times to lay to the plaister and yet not uncover the soare and for feare of discouraging them hee rather implies their weaknesses then expresseth them that they might be assured that he is inclined rather to pitty them than to hate them rather to succour them than to reprove them And thus of the generall Wherein yee greatly rejoyce The maine thing that I observe out of these words is that converted Christians though they have many afflictions yet they are greatly solaced and finde great joy even in this world Now because this point is not believed by the most who are loath to acknowledge so much gaine in godlinesse and because also many Christians are not wise either to discerne or to make use of their owne felicity herein I would before I come to the use of this doctrine for explication propound three things 1. How it can be made manifest out of Scripture that a Christian life is such a joyfull life 2. What are the particular waies whereby Christians can meet with such a joyfull life and comfort as by Scripture is proved they might have 3. And in the third place I answer an objection or two For the first The Scripture instanceth in nine things all which doe manifestly import that such as feare God may have exceeding much joy 1. For first God commandeth his servants to rejoyce yea hee commandeth his Embassadors to comfort them 2 God is bound by promise to give them joy For besides that the Gospell in generall is a doctrine of glad tidings there are particular promises for joy as the places in the margent shew 3. Thirdly joy is one of the expresse fruits of the Spirit 4. Fourthly it is a maine part of the Kingdome of God 5. Fiftly God threatneth his when he finds them without it as is manifest in Deut. 28. this was one cause of his displeasure that they did not serve him with joyfulnesse and a glad heart 6. The Scripture is plentifull in the examples of men that have found exceeding much joy in the waies of God some few places I instance in the margent 7. If a temporary faith finde such joy in the word how much more a justifying faith 8. The nature of God is such as hee is as willing to communicate joy as well as other graces 9. Lastly this is most apparant by this that the Scriptures shew that God hath provided joyes for his servants in such things as might seeme most to crosse them or their contentment as in tribulation yea and in affliction of conscience it selfe Now if we can beleeve it of them in such times then wee need never doubt of it but they either have or may have great joy But some one may say Which way can they finde such great joy what meanes is there for their consolation I answer They finde joy nine waies 1. They have in them the Spirit even him that is called a Comforter which no wicked man hath and this Spirit of God is an everlasting spring of joy 2. Gods ordinances are unto them as wells of joy the word is a well so is prayer reading the Sacraments and conference 3. They have their right to all Gods promises to comfort them and certainly the Gospell is a deepe well 4. They have the presence of God â—â—ke the sunne to refresh them 5. They finde secret joy in the communion of Saints both to hear of them absent and to have fellowship with them present and that both publike and private For if this be a great part of the joy of heaven then may it be some part of a Christians joy on earth 6. There is joy in the graces of the Spirit to see the buds of the Lord grow in the garden of their hearts and the weeds of sinne to be rooted out yea great is the content of grace and well-doing 7. There is joy in the meditation of the misery they are delivered from 8. They are not barred from the joy in outward things which is all the joy wicked men have and in these the worst Christian hath more right to rejoyce then the best carnall man 9. Lastly they find much joy even of the hope of the joy they shall have in heaven Ob. But might some ungodly person say Wee see no such matter in them Sol. The stranger shall not meddle with their joy Ob. But might some scorner say If any have found such joy in following the word and godlinesse it hath beene such as have had nothing else to rejoyce in Sol. That is false The Psalmist shewes by prophesying that even Kings that have abounded in outward things yet comming to taste the excellency of the comforts of godlinesse and to feele the power of Gods word should sing for joy of heart and greatly acknowledge the exceeding glory of God and godlinesse Ob. But might some others say Wee have beene hearers thus long and have followed godlinesse and yet can find no such comfort in it Sol. I answer it may well be so but then lay the blame where it is to be laid let men examine theÌ„selves concerning the cause For if thou find not much joy in godlinesse it is either because thou hast not sorrowed for thy sinnes or thou hast not seriously sought the pardon of thy sinnes or thou sowest not good seede thou art not conscionable in practice If men were more fruitfull in well-doing they would finde more ioy or thou livest not in peace or thou art not much in prayer or thou receivest not the law into thy heart or thou art intangled with some grosse sinne or thou art intemperate in thy earthly pleasures or thou art not in all things thankfull This
a while and heard her speak with such affection and admiration they are turned and will now goe seek Christ as well as shee Cant. 5.9 to the end and 6.1 3. Thirdly such as have felt this love of Christ should be carefull to keep it now there are seven things to be observed if wee would preserve the love of Christ in our hearts 1. First we must establish our assurance of both our loves to Christ and his love to us we must labour our owne edification in the faith if wee would keep our selves in the love of God Iud. 20. 2. Secondly if we would preserve this love we must keepe uprightnesse For if we relapse to the love of sin the love of Christ will decay in us 3. Thirdly we must keep our selves out of the company of such as might intice us from the love of Christ namely out of the company of Idolaters and all profane persons 4. Fourthly we must take heed of worldlinesse for the love of God and the love of the world will not stand together The cares of this life will be a snare and bait to draw us away 5. Fiftly we must take heed of security after feelings For if the Church be so sleepie after communion with Christ that when he comes again she will be slumbring and not rise when he calls Christ will be gone and not answer no though afterwards she call Cant. 5.2 6 7. 6. Sixtly we must walke in the steps of the flock and feed our kids neere the tents of the shepheards we must converse with holy Christians and keepe our selves under the powerfull instructions of profitable Ministers Cant. 1.7 c. 7. Seventhly wee must be much in the preparation for the second comming of Christ. To be much in thinking of or praying for the comming of Christ will preserve us from declination in our affection to Christ Iud. 20 21. The doctrine implyed in these words is that when we shall come to heaven and shall see Christ face to face we shall love him and admire him wonderfully For the Apostle takes it for granted that it is no hard thing to love Christ if we once saw him And thus of the first signe The second signe is the joy of the holy Ghost expressed in these words In whom though you see him not yet beleeving ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious There are six kind of joyes 1. Some are unnaturall such is the joy of those mentioned Iob 3.22 that are glad at heart to find the grave 2. Some are naturall such are the joyes Solomon commends Eccles. 8.15 Prov. 15.13 3. Some are sensuall such are the joyes Epicures conceive in the pleasures and sports of this life Eccles. 11.9 Iob 21.12 4. Some are fantasticall when men rejoyce upon meere conceits and fancies without any ground For as in some diseases there are abundance of sorrowes without cause so are there also joyes without reason in divers 5. Some are diabolicall and there are three sorts of devilish joyes 1. The first is to joy in sinne 2. The second is to joy in the misery of Gods people Ezech. 25.6 3. The third is the joy we call illusion when Sathan to feed the security of men doth tickle their hearts with a great deale of joy and ravishing of the heart 6. Lastly some joyes are spirituall joyes and these are either 1. Temporary or 2. Eternall Temporary joyes are those which wicked men may feele in the hearing the word Mat. 13. Eternall joyes are such as onely the Elect feele I call these Eternall not because they are felt without interruption for ever but because they are so now in the hearts of Gods children that they shall never either totally or finally be lost but shall be felt againe Now there are two sorts of this joy in Gods elect The one is a duty the other is a signe the one man brings to Gods service the other God gives as a token of his acceptance of mans service The joyes given of God are here meant these are here called unspeakable and glorious But how may we discern these joyes of the holy Ghost from all the other sorts especially the temporary joyes and illusions of Sathan The true joy in the holy Ghost may be known by these marks 1. It is given of God in the due use of some ordinance of God the soule being retired into Gods presence especially these joyes are felt in prayer this joy is drawne out of the wells of salvation 2. It usually follows humiliation for sin Esay 6.2 3. Ioh. 16.20 22. 3. It may be felt in adversity as well as prosperity Hab. 3.17 18. Rom. 5.3 Phil. 2.17 4. It is accompanyed with righteousnesse It can never be felt of any in whom the love of any sin raignes Rom. 14.17 5. It ratifies the written promises and doth assure nothing but what the word assures Eph. 1.14 6. It is kindled upon the sense of Gods favour it followes here beleâ—ving 7. It is unspeakable and glorious above all carnall or earthly joyes it doth ravish the heart as if a man were already in heaven 8. Lastly it may be knowne by the effects For 1. It will make a man more humble and apt to acknowledge his owne vilenesse and unworthinesse 2. It will make a man lesse censorious of others and with more compassion to tender the wants and sorrowes of others 3. It will marre the taste of carnall joyes it causeth us to find lesse rellish in the taste of earthly delights 4. It breeds a great love of God and godliness and quickens to diligence in well-doing Whereas the joyes that are illusions or temporary joyes will make men more proud and carelesse and contemptuous and more negligent in the use of the meanes and the care to doe good But are these joyes felt of every Christian Distinguish of Christians and of feeling and of joyes 1 Some are Hypocrites and so have not any power of godliness at all but onely a shew 2 Some have temporary grace onely these have joy but not such as will abide the tryall For 1 These joyes are not accompanyed with humiliation for sinne or not for all sinne 2 They arise not from any grounds of particular assurance 3 They are not felt in the time of temptation 3 Some Christians are alwayes diseased with some spirituall malady and that many times till death as with passion or with strange effects of melancholy these may possibly dye without any evident comfort Some fall after calling into some grosse sinne for a time and these may so lose the joy of their salvation as they may never recover it till their very end Againe distinguish about feeling 1 Some have those joyes but observe them not eyther through ignorance of the doctrine of the joy of the holy Ghost or through neglect 2 Some haue this joy and observe it and are affected established with it for the time but presently eyther forget it or
may hence note one excellent pledge of Gods love and goodnesse he is not bound to give us any wages till the end yet see his mercy he doth recompence us every day 4. Fourthly woe unto wicked men their end is shame and confusion even the fruit of all their evill waies or as the Apostle saith their end is damnation Phil. 3.18 The salvation of your soules The soule is a spirituall substance within us by which we resemble God it can subsist of it selfe it hath neither matter nor end it was created of God of nothing and united to the body that God might be rightly knowne and worshipped The soule is a kind of picture of God within us that can live though the body were not when I say it is void of matter I meane it is not made of any other thing as our bodies be there is no metall as I may say of which it may consist and it is such a divine creature as it cannot die as the body doth and it was of purpose put into the body that so amongst the visible creatures God might be known and worshipped For if we had not a soule within us we could never attaine to any knowledge of God more than the bruit beasts For God cannot be knowne by bodily senses Now for the union how the body and soule are knit one to another I cannot expresse it Salvation notes especially that estate of excellency and glory which the faithfull have in another world though properly the word notes but onely what we are delivered and saved from in heaven This salvation excludes all misery and includes all happinesse All misery may be referred to foure heads 1. Sinne. 2. Infirmities 3. Adversaries And 4. Death none of these shall be in heaven All happinesse likewise may be referred to foure heads 1. Perfection of nature 2. Communion with the blessed viz. God Christ Angels and just men 3. And a glorious inheritance in the heaven of the blessed And 4. Immortality all these shall be enjoyed in that other world Now though the soule be taken synecdochically for the soule and body yet the salvation of the soule is principall and more glorious The use may be threefold 1. For information 2. For instruction 3. For reproofe 1. There are three things we may be informed in from the consideration of the salvation of the soules of the faithfull 1. First that godly men are in a wonderfull happy case whatsoever their outward estate be because their soules shall be saved there are springs of joy in the very hope of this immortall happinesse this salvation is so great a mercy as we may truely say his reward is with him 2. Secondly that there is a matchlesse love in God to man not onely in that he provides such an estate but first that he doth it freely without all respects of merit Tit. 3.4 and secondly because he sends up and downe the world to offer this salvation From hence ariseth the Phrase my salvation is gone forth 3. Thirdly that faith is wonderfull precious that brings us such a salvation 2. Further for the second there are divers instructions may be deduced from this doctrine as 1. First it should teach us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 the very thought of going to heaven should extinguish the desire of sinning 2. Secondly we would make God all our trust and our expectation Psal. 62.5 We should resolve to rest upon God For none else either will or can doe so much for us as he can Hee is well said to be the hope of Israel none have so great hopes as the faithfull 3. Thirdly we should labour for the assurance of salvation and lay hold upon it striving to get evidence for it Heaven should suffer violence seeing it may be had we should never be quiet till we can get it 4. Fourthly and lastly such as have attained some assurance of their salvation should looke to foure things 1. First they should strive for large affections to expresse the sense of so great salvation It is such an incomparable benefit as wee should be alwaies praising c. 2. Secondly it should quicken them to good works the remembrance that we shall be saved should be like a fire within us to inflame us to all possible care to please God and to be fruitfull in all well-doing Salvation should be as a burning lamp within us a Christian should never be without fire in his heart in respeâ—t of his care to maintaine good works 3. Thirdly shall wee not be content with any condition in this world seeing wee are so well-provided for in a better what should trouble us if we can remember that after a short time our soules must be saved 4. Fourthly shall we be so glorious in heaven why then our conversation should be in heaven we should be alwaies thinking of heaven our mindes should run upon it 3. Now as this doctrine may informe and teach so it may reprove whole troops of carnall Christians that never labour after this glorious estate that scarce ever aske what they should doe to be saved but sleepe it out in a Lethargie and never aske after nor remember their latter end Thus of the 9. Verse and so of the confirmation by prolepsis or the answer of their objections Verse 10. Of which salvation the Prophets searched and inquired diligently which prophesied of the grace that should come unto you THe consolation propounded verses 3 4 5. is confirmed first by Prolepsis or the answering of Objections verses 6 7 8 9. secondly by testimony of worthy and holy men verses 10 11 12. So that these words make good the consolation of Christians by setting before us what witnesse holy men of old have given of our happinesse that live now under the Gospell In the words five things are particularly to be noted 1. First who testifie or who are Gods witnesses and these are described 1. first more generally and so they were Prophets 2. secondly more specially and so they were those Prophets that were appointed of God to prophesie of the gracious priviledges should come unto us Christians 2. Secondly their adjunct paines and endeavors to furnish themselves in the knowledge of those things that concerne us They searched and inquired diligently 3. Thirdly the question they studied or unto which they testifie In generall it was of salvation ver 10. In speciall it was of the manner and time of the grace foretold 4. Fourthly the occasion that fiered them to this earnest desire after this knowledge and that was the inspiration of the holy Ghost driving them to foretell of the passion of Christ and glories that should follow Now they rightly conjectured that this glory did import some excellent estate of the Church then and that they would faine have knowne 5. Fiftly the successe and that was they were answered by revelation which answer is set downe verse 12. Prophets God hath revealed his will three waies 1. First
the Papists for 1. This word of God was afterwards written and so written as nothing must be added Rev. 21.18 2. The doctrine here reported was delivered by the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven as the coherence shews Therefore unlesse they can shew the like authority for their traditions they say nothing 3. Their traditions were of the first sort and so condemned in Scriptures Secondly we may note that Christians when their hearts are turned unto God doe see a wonderfull glory in spirituall things They see that which the Prophets desired to see and could not Mat. 13 16,17 2 Cor. 3.16 17 18. which is one difference betweene the knowledge of the godly and the knowledge of the wicked For wicked men have but a dark glimmering knowledge that tends to basenesse and bondage and this should teach us to pray for the spirit of wisdome and revelation to know the riches thaâ— is in Christ Jesus being daily carefull that the god of this world doe not hide the glorious Gospell of Christ from us But have we the will of God onely by report This word report belongs principally to the first times before the Scriptures of the New Testament were written and so the word was sure enough being delivered by Apostolicall men who confirmed it by miracles And if the word doe also belong to our times then Godâ— Ministers are said to report Gods will unto us as Embassadors doe the wills of Princes by the instructions given in their commissions or as Lawyers report the law out of their great Charter or Statute-books or as Physitians report their remedies out of the books of practice and tryed experiments It is true that the doctrine of holy things is like unto a report 1. In respect of wicked men who passe all over as a tale that is told or respect it at best but as a nine dayes wonder 2. In respect of godly men who receive it but by peeces and degrees not as one continued story but as a report 3. In respect of the matter of happinesse it is so removed from our natures and we have so little right unto it that it comes to us as a report not aâ— any thing we knew before or could expect or looke for 4. In respect of the opportunity of it if wee take not hold of it in the very season it will be gone The Lord doth not every day set before us life and death but onely at some times and then how soone is the voice gone if our hearts open not to receive it Thus of the things contained in Gods answer as they are barely propounded Now in the words that follow they are further commended to us First by the efficient causes of them By them which preached the Gospell unto you The Gospell is diversly accepted in Scripture Sometimes it signifies the history of the life and death of Christ so in the title of every Evangelist his booke and so 2 Tim. 2.8 Mat. 26.13 Sometimes it signifies the glorious tidings of Christ come in the flesh and of salvation in him so it was promised by the Prophets Rom. 1.2 Act. 13.32 but most usually it signifies in generall the joyfull newes of happinesse eternall through the favour of God in Christ Jesus notwithstanding our misery in our selves and this was called the promise in the Old Testament and the Gospell in the new The Greek word properly signifieth good newes and in the New Testament the word is used to expresse that most happy newes of God reconciled in Christ and of perfect happinesse in him Now because this newes contains the more excellent part of Gods word therefore I will consider of it more exactly This heavenly newes is the more admirable if we consider 1. What it is that the Gospell doth signifie 2. How we are assured of the newes in the Gospell 3. What are the effects of it 4. What is required in the persons that have any part in this newes Then I would resolve certaine questions and lastly make some use of all For the first the Gospell brings newes unto forlorne men 1. Of peace and reconciliation with God The Gospell of peace 2. Of remission and forgivenesse of our sins Act 10.43 3. Of freedome from death and condemnation 4. Of a divine and most sufficient righteousnesse to be revealed from heaven Rom. 1.16 17. 5. Of eternall life The Gospell of the Kingdome Mat. 9.35 and all for Christ Jesus sake the son of David Rom. 1.23 But how can we be certaine of this newes 1. By the testimony of the Spirit 2. By the vaticinies of the Prophets 3. By the miracles that first confirmed it 4. By the testimony of Christ himselfe that in our nature preached it Mat. 4.13 5. By the word of God or of the Apostles The effects of the Gospell are 1. It brings life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 2. It melts the hearts of Gods elect more then any thing with voluntary griefe for sin it makes men condemne themselves in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.6 3. It revives and refresheth with wonderfull encouragements 1 Pet. 4.6 4. It makes a man sacrifice himselfe to God Rom. 15.16 5. It is the ministery of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. It fenceth the affections against the love care after worldly things Hence we are said to be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace 7. It establisheth hope Col. 1.23 8. It is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Fourthly there are eight things required in every one that would have part in the Gospell 1. Reformation of life 2. Faith and trust in it Mat. 16.15 16. Eph. 1.13 Heb. 4.2 and to this end get evidence and seale to it Eph. 1.13 3. A singular estimation of it so great as 1. Our chiefest praise should be in the Gospell 2. We should be content to suffer any thing for it and not be ashamed of the afflictions or bonds of the Gospell Marke 8.35 10.29 1 Thes. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.8 Philem. 13. 4. Poverty of spirit Esay 61.1 5. A diligent strife and constant endevour to attend upon it wee should presse to it Luke 16.16 6. Professed subjection to it 2 Cor. 9.12 7. We should endevour to live so as might become the Gospell Phil. 1.27 8. We should continue in it and not be moved away from the hope of it Col. 1.23 a vile offence to be turned from it Gal. 1.6 But was the Gospell never preached till now that hee saith it is now reported Distinguish If the Gospell be taken for the newes of Christ come in the flesh then it was not preached till the times of Christ and the Apostles But if it be taken for the promise of grace and pardon in Christ it was given in Paradise to Adam and continued by the Patriarks and Prophets Act. 10. 43. Heb. 13.8 Moses wrote of Christ Ioh. 5.46 Moses wrote of Christ two waies 1. By writing the promise concerning
the Messias to come 2. By the whole ceremoniall law and service For all those were shadowes of Christ to come But the Gospell is said to be hid and concealed from ages and generations c. Rom. 16.26 Eph. 3.5 Col. 1.26 The text is as it is now It did appeare but not so clearly But how doth this doctrine of the Gospell differ from other Scripture especially from the law 1. In the manner of revelation The law is written in some sort in the heart of man Rom. 2.15 but the Gospell now may not be knowne to nature but revealed by Christ Mat. 16.17 2. In the subject of doctrine The Law tels us what we should be but not how we can be so Now the Gospell shews us a full and sufficient righteousnesse in Christ that will be availeable The Law saith pay what thou owest doe this and thou shalt live But the Gospell saith beleeve the promise and thou shalt be saved 3. In the continuance of the force of it The gospell is an everlasting gospell God will never alter his mind whereas he hath changed his mind for the covenant of works But is it the Ministers duty onely to publish the gospell in that the Apostle saith by them which preached It is chiefly For to produce the effects before mentioned it is his calling who hath commission from God to be his embassador yet private persons may comfort one another with these things But is the gospell onely effectuall when it is preached It is most effectuall then and that is the ordinary meanes God hath appointed 1 Pet. 1. ult The Uses are First for Ministers and so 1. For consolation For the excellency of the subject exalts the dignity of their calling they are trusted with a very glorious embassage Rom. 15.16 17. 16.26 therefore never be ashamed of it Rom. 1.16 and this was taught by Christ himselfe Mat. 4.13 and those Eph. 3.4 2. For Instruction Therefore to serve God in their spirits even with their whole hearts Rom. 1.9 and suffer all things rather then hinder the Gospell 1 Cor. 9.12 Paul saies It is better for mee to dye then to make my glorying void Secondly for the people 1. For instruction 1. To pray for their teachers that God would open their mouthes and make their hearts fat with his goodnesse herein Eph. 6.19 and to esteeme them as Rom. 1â— 15 2. To receive it with all gladnesse and power yea and affliction too 1 Thes. 1.4 5. 2. For terror to wicked men that contemne or neglect so great salvation this is preached for a witnesse against worlds of them Mat. 24.14 The anger of â—od will be revealed from heaven against them Rom. 1.18 God will search mens hearts both for desires and care and for contempt too 1 Thes. 2.4 Act. 15.7 8. and at the day of judgement the terrible vengeance of God shall fall upon them 2 Thes. 1.8 1 Tim. 1.9 10 11. This makes their judgement greater Thus of the lesse principall The most principall cause is the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven By the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven The meaning is to affirme that the things propounded in the Gospell are the more eminent because they were effected by the very holy Ghost This that is here â—â—id that the holy Ghost was sent from heaven was first and principally fulfilled in the dayes of the Apostles and chiefly then also in the day of Pentecost as is shewed in the second of the Acts. But secondarily it is true of all faithfull Ministers that the holy Ghost works wonderfully from heaven in the power of the Gospell Ghost It is an old English word and signifieth a spirit and the Spirit of God is called an holy Ghost or spirit 1. for distinction sake and 2. by effect For Gods Spirit is holy that is it hath all holinesse and it hath it in it selfe not by illumination from any other higher cause and so are not the spirits of men and Angels holy mens spirits have sinne in them on earth and the Angels and blessed soules in heaven have no holinesse but what they received 2. Gods Spirit is holy by effect For it his proper work to sanctifie the elect and so to work holinesse upon the spirits of men by spirituall regeneration But why is Gods Spirit called a holy Spirit rather â—hen wise or mercifull c First when we call him holy we comprehend all that in it for wisdome and mercy are but parts of holinesse Secondly in respect of us and his working in us it is a most proper word for it notes his working in the Elect above all reprobates Fâ—r a man may be a wise man and yet perâ—sh Mat. 11 2â— 1 Cor. 1.19 and a man may give all his goods to the poore and yet it is nothing 1 Cor. 13.3 but now if a man be made a holy man hee is sure to be saved Well then the first doctrine is that Gods Spirit is a holy Spirit which may serve for divers uses 1. To exalt in us a further sense of Gods goodnesse that is pleased to put his Spirit within us seeing our hearts are so uncleane and his Spirit so holy 2. It may humble uâ— and feare us from sinne if we belong to Christ we carry about with us the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 Now think of it then thou canst not sin but thou hast a witnesse and a Judge within thee Besides the very respect of the holy Ghost should move thee to feare sinne for sinne grieves the holy Ghost and hinders his work of sealing thee up to the day of redemption Eph. 4.30 3. It should encourage uâ— in the works of mortification for Gods Spirit hath his name of holinesse and though it be never so hard yet by the Spirit wee shall be made able in some measure to mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.10 and to walk in Gods statutes Ezech. 36.27 Secondly if we consider why the holy Ghost is hâ—re named wee may learn that the holy Spirit of God is the first and chiefe cause of all that grace which either Ministers or people enjoy in the gospell Which may first comforts us against all the impediments of the gospell Oh might some men have thought a 100. yeares agoe how is it possible to bring downe the power of Antichrist why by the Spirit of Christs mouth he will consume him 2 Thes. 2. In the mouth of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell there is a Spirit even the Spirit of God which will doe more then 10000. armed men to pull him downe Oh might some one think I shall never understand or never remember so many holy comforts and instructions why the Spirit of God will teach us to profit and leade us into all truth and help our infirmities when wee deale with God and his ordinances and pull downe those strong holds which Sathan hath to hinder the obedience
of Christ. Oh might some Minister think I shall never rule such a people or perswade with them yet you see God will put his Spirit in their mouth and men shall not be able to withstand the Spirit by which they speak he will give a doore of utterance and secretly bow mens hearts unto the obedience of the truth Secondly the consideration of this second doctrine may instruct us how to order our selves towards the meanes of salvation and so it may teach us 1. not to rest in the act done we mâ—y heare the best Sermons and receive the Sacraments c. yet if wee beg not the assistance of the Spirit all may be in vaine if we heard Christ himselfe yet it may not profit us 2. To beleeve in God when wee carefully use the meanes how unlikely soever the successe seeme to be God can work by the meanes as pleaseth him notwithstanding infiâ—mitâ—eâ— either of the teacher or hearer 3. To render all the praise to God and his hâ—ly Spirit in the mediation of his Son seeing thence flowes all blessing and good successe as being the onely originall fountaine of all holinesse and knowledge Thirdly in that the holy Ghost in the primitive times did so visibly fall upon the Apostles and the Disciples it may serve for divers uses 1. To confirme uâ— in the truth of the Gospell since the prophesies were therein so accomplished and the doctrine of Christ crucified so miraculously sealed 2. It may â—uâ—ble us that wee cannot see the glory of the Scriptures seeing they proceed from such a fountaine 3. It may make us in love with the Scriptuâ—es since they were penned by men so miraculously qualified by the holy Spirit of God 4. It may assure us of incredible successe if wee could stir up the holy Ghost in us we might get wonderfull knowledge and grace if we did strive in these times of the Gospell For though that manner of presence be ceaâ—ed yet God is no respecter of persons but the Spirit of God now by lesser means is able to produce the same effects in the hearts of men in what is necessary to salvation For of these times it is that was spoken Ier. 31.33 to spare iâ—stances in other things 5. Lastly it may confirme us against the scornes and disgraces of the world by which men every where dishonor the knowledge and practice of the holy things brought to us with the Gospell These things that so many deride came to us from the holy Ghost who came downe from heaven to propound and conferre them upâ—n the Church Sent downe It is to be noted further that he saith that the holy Ghost was sent For from thence 1. I observe an evident proofe that the holy Ghost is a person distinâ—t from the Father and the Son 2. Hence ariseth the consideration of the nature of this mission Mission is aâ— attâ—â—bute given here to the holy Ghost Now divine attâ—â—bute are either essentiall or personall Essentiall are such proprieties as equally belong to all the persons in respect of the essence as to be wise just mercifull holy c. Personall attributes are such proprieties as are given onely to the persons apart the one from the other do note a difference of the persons as to beget to be begotten to send forth to be sent forth to proceed to conceive c. Now these personall attributes may be distinguished also thus Some are proper to each person alone so in one as not in any other as to beget in the Father to be begotten in the Sonne to proceed in the holy Ghost some of these attributes are common to two of the persons but not to the third as proceeding in the holy Ghost is both from the Father and the Sonne so to send forth is the attribute both of the Father and Son so likewise to receive is common to the Son and to the holy Ghost so that we see whither mission must be referred Yet to make it more cleere we must understand that there is a double sending forth the one internall the other externall Internall when the Father and the Son cause the holy Ghost to proceed Externall when the Father and Son send forth the holy Ghost for outward operations amongst the Creatures especially in the Church and thus the holy Ghost is sent forth by the Father Ioh. 14.16 and by the Son Ioh. 15.16 of this mission is that speech Gal 4.7 3. Here may be a doubt might some one say Doth not this mission of the holy Ghost expresse an inequality with the Father and the Son It doth not For 1. it is not alwaies true that he that is sent forth is inferiour to him that sent him For Ionathan may send David and David send Ionathan and yet be both equall Commission may import inferiority not mission or if it did hold amongst men yet it is not true in the Trinity 2. This word is used for want of words metaphorically to shadow out something above our reach For it doth not note either a servile subjection or a locall motion but it is used to expresse either some effect of his working or some signe of his presence so that the meaning is the holy Ghost was sent that is he wrought some notable effect on earth or shewed that he was present by some signe Now for some use of this sending of the holy Ghost we may in this doctrine observe 1. That to be sent of God is no disparagement unto us hee sent his owne Spirit 2. We may here note some things wherein wee may resemble and expresse the image of the holinesse of the Trinity in us Would we live together as the three persons in the Trinity doe Then 1. we must live without envie one at another 2. Wee must not think much to be imployed one by another or to be advised and appointed in well doing 3. The salvation of the elect should be dearer to us then any respect of our selves or our owne estate we must not seek our owne things The holy Ghost repines not at his mission and the Father thinks not his Son and Spirit too good to be sent unto us As we grow in these things so we more expresse a likenesse to the Trinity Downe from heaven Something may be noted in that the holy Apostle addeth that hee was sent from heaven 1. It imports what this world is it is but a place of misery and to come into it is to come downe 2. It expresseth what heaven is it is the place of Gods residence the place where God dwels the Palace of the great King as Princes have their Palaces so hath God and as a Princes palace differs from a cottage so doth heaven from earth The Use should be to inflame our affections towards this holy place oh how should wee loâ—g to see where God dwels what natures have wee to long to see the courts of Princes and yet cannot long after the courts of our
a perfect hope they are sure to lose heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 Deut. 29.19 c. 3. Of weak and wayward Christians This doctrine should found in their eares as a great reproofe Why doe ye doubt oh ye of little hope doth God require a perfect hope and are yee still after so many daies so much unsetled unperfected We should account it a great shame to have but a little hope especially after so long profession and so much meanes and so many pledges of Gods love 4. Of backsliding Christians that fall away or to â—se the phrase of the Apostle are moved away from the hope of heaven either internally by an habituall forgetfulnesse of it or externally by revolt or apostasie to the love of the world These are so far from perfecting their assurance that they fall away from it Thirdly this should serve for instruction to quicken us to use all meanes for perfecting of our hope devoting our selves to the study of heavenly things and to the daily contemplation of the glory to come according to the counsell of the Apostle Heb. 6.11 not suffering slothfulnesse to hinder from the seriâ—us performance of our duties herein ver 12. Lastly here is great encouragement to all such of Gods servants as doe trust upon God for their salvation the Lord will never faâ—le them that trust in him and whatsoever become of the hypocrite yet will he never cast away the perfect man Iob 8.13 20. If God require so great trust it imports there is a sure preparation of a glorious estate Oh saith the Psalmist how great is his goodnesse that he hath laid up for them that trust in him Psal. 31.19 Thus of the mâ—nner of our hope Trust perfectly Now followeth the object of it viz. The grace which is to be brought unto us in the revelation of Iesus Christ and here first of the object it selfe and then of the time of the communication of it The grace which is to be brought unto you Grace sometimes signifies the Gospell Tit. 2.11 sometimes the favour of God in Christ so in the salutations of the Epistle sometimes an externall calling or function so Paul calls his Apostleship a grace Rom. 1.16 sometimes the gifts of the holy Ghost so usually lastly sometimes the glory of heaven so here It is true that some reade it the grace that is brought in the revelation of Iesus Christ and so it meanes that true grace which in this world the Elect doe receive when Christ is revealed to them in their conversion to God by the mighty power of the Gospell and so foure things might be observed 1. That God revealeth his Sonne in all that shall be saved at some time of their life or other 2. That Christ is never revealed in us till the time the grace of the sanctifying Spirit be wrought in us and the riches of Gods graces in his promises be declared to us For there is a double grace in the revelation of Christ. 1 The declaration of Gods grace in his promises 2. The possession of the graces of his holy Spirit 3. That were not this grace is brought unto us offred and urged upon us we would live and die without it 4. That when we know our interest in Gods favour and that wee have received the true grace of Christ we should trust perfectly in it and that iâ— all the foure senses before opened But I take it in the sense as it is rendred by the Kings Translators and so understand it of the glory of heaven which is to be considered both in the nature of it it is called grace and the time of manifestatiâ—n not onâ—â—y in generall that is to be brought unto us but in speciall at the revelation of Iesus Christ. Grace The glory of heaven is called grace in three respects 1. Because it is given freely without our deserts as the Scriptures prove Eph. 2.5.8 Tit. 2.11 Rom. 4.16 5.21 2. Because it is assured unto us by grace as the body of Christ is called bread because it is signified by it so our hope and everlasting consolation is assured by grace 2 Thes. 2.16 3. Because grace and holinesse is the greatest part of the kingdome of heaven For righteousnesse is the maine thing wherein the kingdome of God consists as the image of God in the creation was Adams greatest happinesse not Paradice onely see Psal. 17. ult Rom. 14.17.1 Pâ—t 3.7 5.10 The Uses are 1. We should therefore disclaime alâ— conceit of our owne meâ—its and use our hearts to it affectionately to professe that we are all that we are onely by the grace of God 1 Cor. 15.10 2. It should inflame our thankfulnesse we shâ—uld never be without this sacrifice considering we have so great inheritance by the meere grace of God in Christ. It is worth the noting that the same word for thankfulnâ—sse doth signifie grace in the originall 3. We should have our conversation according to the grace of God 2 Cor. 1. 12. seeiâ—g grace is that which will live by us for ever we should be taken up with a perpetuall care of getting and increasing of it 4. Seeing God doth all for us freely wâ— should be importunate in prayer that he would make us worthy of the 〈…〉 him to fulfill all the gooâ— pleasure of his own goodnesse especially the workâ— of our faith with power that hâ—â— name and grace may be glorified in uâ— 2 Theâ— â— 11 12. 5. We should learne to shew mercy as God doth 1. Though they deserve it not 2. In grâ—at abunâ—ance 3. In matters of holinesse as much as any other way it being the best meanes to shew mercy to the soules of men 4. To bring it to them not tarry till it be sought of us 5. In the most seasonable time God doth not give heaven or his blessiâ—gs all at once as men doe their workes of mercy all at one time of the yeere 6. With constancie God will never leave till they be in heaven 7. With faith and faithfulnesse so as promised mercy may be trusted on without faile God never disappoints after he hath promised wee may trust perfectly on it Which is to be brougâ—t unto you From the manner of the propounding of the words divers things may be noted 1. That the Christians happinesse in hope is better than the carnall mans felicity present They must trust upon the grace to be brought yea so aâ— they trust not in any thing elâ—e For they are sure to have their happinesse and to enjoy it when they have it so are not carnall men of any thing they hold as we may see by experience Is it not better for a poore man to have the hope of heaven when hâ— dies then to be as some great men have been which are now coâ—founded and mined 2. God hath thought it meet to deferre the glory of heaven it is to be brought it is not brought already If any aâ—ke why God doth not give heaven
assoone as he gives grace and favour I answer 1. That God thereby doth give way unto the kingdome of Christ for the exercise of it on earth in gathering the Elect and subduing his enemies which when it is done he will deliver the Kingdome into his Fathers hands and thâ—n God shall be all in all 2. It is deferred that so God might make evident proofe of the faith and patience of his servants and to shew that they stand by a better grace then they had in their creation But what should I wade into this point It is enough for us that it is the pleasure of Gods will it should be so and it is equall we should doe our work before we receive our wages 3. It shewes that the Maker and Builder of that happinesse is God and that our glory is made ready to our hands 4. It imports that as in the state of nature we cared not for grace so in the state of grace wee are not so carefull as wee should be of going to heaven whâ—n we are justified and sanctified we forget heaven it must be brought unto us we will scarce goe seeke it 5. It shews â—uâ— security and forgetfulnesse shall not make the faith of God of none â—ffect it shall câ—rtainly be brought unto us 6. Lastly wee may here gather one way of comforting our selves against the infirmitieâ— that accompany our natures that when we feele our weaknesses yet we shâ—uld be comforted in the hope of the strength wee shall have Art thâ—u humbled for thy ignorance why rejoyce in the knowledge thou shalt have And so I say of the untowardnesse of thy nature to good thinke of the time when Christ shall be perfectly formed in thee think of the grace shall be brought unto thee if thou be discouraged and never of 〈…〉 â—t the revelation of Iesus Christ. That iâ— at the day of judgement The day of judgement shall be a time of wonderfull revelation For then 1. 〈◊〉 glory of his person which he hath received of the Father in heaven shâ—ll â—e râ—vealed 2. The terror of Christ as a Judge shall then be fully exprest The world little knowâ— the terror of that day Hee came not at the first comming to judgâ— the world that is yet to be revealed 3. The gâ—â—ry of the body of Christ the Church shall then be revealed when we shall â—ee all the societies of all ages together in one armie 2. All the good they have all done shall be fully opened 3. All the glory of heaven shall then â—e eâ—â—ated upon them 4. The everlastiâ—g counsels of God shall then be broken open and explained to the eternall clearing of Gods justice and the exalting of the praise of his mercy The Use may be 1. For information we may see one reason why Christs Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof is so securely contemned of the world It is because a vaile is as it were drawne over Christ that they cannot behold him and so we may see one reason why we are not more inflamed to the personall love of Christ it doth not yet appear what we shall be by his merits nor have we seen the exceeding glory of the onely begotten Son of God 2. For instruction we should long after that day if Christ be so good unto us now oh what will he be at that day If in this life holy men could say of him as Paul did Phil. 3.9 what shall we say or think of him but as worth ten thousand worlds in comparison In the meane while let us be content that our life be bid with Christ in God knowing that when he shall appeare we shall also appeare with him in glory Verse 14. c. As obedient children not fashioning your selves unto the former lusts of your ignorance HItherto of the three things to which the Apostle exhorts The reasons follow whereof the first is contained in these verses and it is taken from the image of God in which Gods children ought to resemble him they should strive against all inward evils and refraine all the excesses of life and addresse themselves with all care and confidence to the provision of a better life because they are begotten again unto God and it is required of them that they should be holy as he is holy This reason is both propounded and expounded propounded in these words as obedient children It is expounded two waies 1. By description 2. By proofe or testimony It is described negatively and affirmatively by negation he shewes what we should shun viz. fashioning your selves according to the lusts of your former ignorance Affirmatively he sets it out by shewing 1. the patterne to be imitated 2. and the manner of our imitation The patterne is the holinesse of him that called us The manner is to be holy in all manner of conversation Thus of the description For the proofe 2. things are to be considered 1. Whence the proofe is fetched â—n these word As it is written 2. What is alledged in these words Be ye holy as I am holy As obedient children These two words import a twofold consideration 1. they are the children of God 2. you must obey as children The first point gives an occasion to consider of three things 1. That God hath children not onely Christ his naturall Son and the Angels his sons by creation but the Saints also by adoption and regeneration 2. That it behoves Christians to seeke and know their adoption to be the sons of God It is wonderfull to think of the almost infinite carelesnesse of men that can heare of so great felicity as the adoption of sinfull men to be the sons of God and yet there is no heart in man to seeke after it 3. In that the Apostle applies the consideration hereof to perswade to holinesse of life it shews that the assurance of Gods favour as our Father doth kindle obedience and make us more fit for all well-doing as these places prove 1 Thes. 1.5 6 7. 2 Pet. 1.8 9 10. 1 Cor. 2.12 14. 2 Tim. 1.12 Heb. 10.22 The Use is First for confutation of their fancies that thinke assurance would breed security and that it is better to be a little doubtfull then fully resolved whereas both Scripture and experience is against it yea there is a secret corruption in the hearts of the very godly herein nourished perhaps by the devill But let us be fully perswaded to pray with all importunity that God would give us this knowledge But I have felt more hardnesse of heart and corruption of nature since assurance then I had before First examine thy heart whether thou call not peace of conscience by the name of hardnesse of heart 2. Know that hardnesse of heart and unfitnesse to holy duties is in us by nature and is not taken away by assurance neither is thy case the worse that thou feelest it more now then before For that may import more softnesse of heart 3. Consider
divers consolations 1. Christ our Ioseph whom our fathers sold into Aegypt hath provided for us before we came into the world 2. God hath promised to go down with us and to soiourn with us there Gen 45.4 3. Ever the more we are oppressed the more we may grow the godly lose nothing by their troubles Exod. 1.8 4. God is I am still ever the same howsoever the world use us Exo. 3.14 5. God can give us favour in the sight of the Aegyptians when and as often as he will Exod. 3.22 6. God hath promised covenanted yea sworne that he will bring us home and take us to himself be our God he will surely bring us up againe 7. God hath given us Moses and Aaron even his two witnesses daily to comfort us with the glad tidings of his Gospell even the good newes of our departure hence 8. The very time is appointed and at the very self-same time without faile we shall depart out of Aegypt Exod. 12. 9. God can and doth work many wonders for the proofe of the love of his people and his power to subdue the mightiest adversaries 10. Our part we have in this world is the best part of the world wee dwell in Goshen in comparison of the servile estate of the rest of the Aegyptians we are free from many a misery lights upon them And if Goshen bee so good what is Paradise If there be some comfort sometimes on earth oh how doth milke and hony flow in heaven 11. In all our distresses our cries are heard to heaven and God pities us with wonderfull compassion Exod. 2.23 3.7 Onely this is our misery in this world that many times if the very godly enjoy not the ministry of Moses and Aaron they grow very secure and are much infected with the manners of the world And againe if they have them and they tell the world Gods message if any trouble follow they are too often ready to murmure as if they had much hurt by the ministry of Gods servants Thus of the first point namely that we are sojourners The second followes namely that there is a time of our sojourning here Time Duration or the continuance of a thing is either infinite or finite The one is the continuance of God the other of the creatures â—he measure of the one is eternity absolutely considered the measure of the other is time Time may be considered in the meanes of it either the meanes of effecting or appointing which is the decree of God with all the meanes of execution of it or else the meanes of declaring or numbring which is the course of the Sun and Moone our continuance on earth is not disposed by the course of the heavens but by the decree and providence of God By time here is meant that space of continuance on earth which God in his counsell hath set us and is numbred by the motion of the Sun or Moone This time we may number as it is past but know it not as it is to come it being ordinarily hidden from the sonnes of men Neither may we reckon of the time of man upon earth as we doe of the continuance of heaven and earth for the time of man is wonderfull short in comparison of many other creatures This time also once set is unchangeable we cannot passe it Iob 14.5 The maine doctrine is that God hath unchangeably set us a time for our continuance here knowne unto him though unknowne unto us The Uses may be divers 1. It may comfort us against the inconveniences of our sojourning our time is set we shall not alwayes be from home we shall shortâ—y be gathered to our fathers and the afflictions of this present condition are not worthy the joy and glory we shall enjoy for ever Rom. 8.18 2. This should the rather make us willing to have little to doe with this world but use it as if we used it not 1 Cor. 7.29 3. This should order us to a care of our preparation for death and lessen in us the feare of dangers and adversaries and make us resolve never to use ill meanes to save or prolong or shorten our lives say with David My times are in Gods hands Psal. 31. and with Christ I will worke to day and to morrow and the third day I shall c. The third thing is that this time passeth it runneth out it is continually going away and therefore the use should be 1. To doe good while we have time Gal. 6.10 2. To redeeme the time past ill spent by providing by forecast for the more fruitfull employment of the time to come The more of this time past that hath been spent on sin or the world the more resolute we should be to be conscionable in the strict use of the time that yet we are to remaine in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.2 3. Col. 4.5 3. Especially we should be carefull that we discerne and use the opportunities of grace the accepted times the dayes of our salvation they may passe and never returne againe 2 Cor. 6.1 Mat. 16.3 4. Since the godly are sojourners here but for a time and this time passeth too let us entertaine them as the Princes of God and make all possible use of their fellowship in the best things for they will be gone they will not abide with us long In feare This word expresseth how we should spend the time of our sojourning viz. with all carefulnesse and due respect But that wee may reach the meaning of this feare we must know that there is a worldly feare a servile feare and a godly feare There is also a vaine feare as in the melancholy of thingâ— that are not The worldly feare is about things of the world as reproaches losses dangers adversaries c. this is a wicked feare and the godly are commanded not to feare the feare of the wicked Esay 8. A servile feare is chiefly in spirituall things called the spirit of bondage such was the immoderate feare of the law or justice of God such is also that feare of traâ—sgression where Gâ—d hath given no law The godâ—y feare iâ—â—ither restrained unto our respects of God only and so it is a part of his inward worship or elâ—e it is that feare which is required all parts of holy life and so it iâ— taken here It may not be denied but that this feare may be referred in part to wicked men the Apostle warning them to be afâ—â—aid lest this day come upon them before they have repenâ—ed of their sinneâ— and so they fall into Gods eternall wrath Wickâ—d men have goâ—d cause to â—eare for the threatnings of God are against them the wrath of God hangs over their heads sinne lyeth at the doore their owne conscieâ—ce will witnesse against them the devill is ready to devâ—ure them death may fall 〈◊〉 upon them and then they must beare the open and eternall shame and confusion of
into the actions of three severall daies 1. Some things were to be done the first day verse 4. to 9. 2. Some things the 7. day ver 9. 3. Some things on the 8. day ver 10. to 32. These severall daies noted the different degrees in the sanctification of the sinner In the first dayes worke we may consider 1. what the Priest doth ver 8. 2. what the Leper to be clensed was to doe ver 8. In the first consider the things prepared ver 4. and the application of them or use of them ver 5 6 7. LEVITICUS 14. VERSE 4. The things prepared were two live cleane birds cedar wood byssop and scarlet 1. The two live birds did signifie the twofold estate of Christ his suffering estate and his triumphing estate as will appeare more plainlie after 2. And Christ is shadowed out in the likenesse of birds first then of lambs after and then of a bullocke at last to note the degrees of the revelation of Christ in the heart of a sinner at the first though he have true grace yet he seeth Christ but in a little forme as it were afterward God revealeth his Son in him more and more manifestly 3. The cedar wood hyssop and scarlet might signifie the graces of Christ with which he was to enrich and sanctifie the sinner viz. Faith Hope and Love Faith signified by the high growing cedar which though it have a root in earth yet it aspires towards heaven above all other trees Hope was signified by the Hyssop which though it grow low and secret as it were in the heart yet it is alwayes greene according to the severall seasons of Gods providence and Love was signified by the scarlet the double dye whereof might note our double love to God and men all sanctified and inflamed in the bloud shedding of Jesus Christ. 4. The summe of all then in the signification of the things prepared is that wee need two things for our clensing viz. Christ and the graces of Christ Faith Love and Hope 5. Now it is to be observed that these are to be taken not for the whole congregation of Christ or Israel at once but for him that is to be clensed alone to signifie that there must be a particular application of Christ and sanctification with the graces of Christ in every beleever or else it will not serve the turne that there is a Saviour provided for the Church in generall which is further shadowed out in the particular taking of the birds for this use and gathering of the cedar wood and hysop and providing of scarlet 6. It is further to be noted that the Priest is said to command the taking of these things not to prescribe them only which might shew Gods willingnesse to bestow Christ and his graces he doth not only offer him but commands us also to take him by faith he is ready to give and reproacheth no man yea this command might enforce some care and terror into the penitent sinner not to dare to neglect the time in this great businesse of purifying the soule and it might also incourage the fearefull for God is not only contented that they rest upon Christ but shewes himselfe to be discontented if they doe not seeke unto Christ when they finde need of him Thus of the things to be prepared the application or use of them followes in the three next verses VERSE 5. The application concerns either the dying bird or the living bird The dying bird in this verse the living bird in the two next 1. The one of the birds must be killed to note that without the death of Christ there can be no purging for sinne and that in the conversion of a sinner the onely thing the soule of man lookes upon is Christ slaine for sinne 2. This bird is to be killed by commandement to note that Christ was by speciall appointment from the Father set apart unto death 3. This bird was to be killed over running water This running water was a signe either of the Gospell or of the grace of sanctification The bloud falling into the water either did signifie that the Gospell of Christ crucified should be preached all over the world or else it noted that the bloud of Christ should then onely be effectuall to the sinner when the fountaine of grace was opened and both bloud and water met together that is the merit of Christ and the Spirit of Christ There ran out of the side of Christ both water and blood which it seemes was to signifie the same mystery 1 Iohn 5. 4. It is the more comfortable also that by the running water is signified the continuall flowing of the fountaine of grace dyed in the blood and merits of Christ in the heart of a sinner 5. This water was to be in an earthen vessell to note 1. That God did measure unto every Christian according to his proportion Rom. 12.6 2. That the Ministers of the Gospell should have the power of dividing this treasure unto men and that God would glorifie himselfe by the service of men otherwise contemptible in the world 2 Cor. 4.6 VERSE 6. 1. The living bird signifieth Christ alive from the dead and who cannot die but ever liveth at the right hand of God 2. The Cedar wood hyssop and scarlet signified the graces of Christ Faith Hope and Love 3. The joyning of both these together shewes that we cannot bee saved by Christ without the grace of Christ. It is to no purpose to thinke of Christ without care to receive his graces also 4. All these must be dipped in the blood of the bird that was slaine over running water to teach us three things 1. That it is the merit of the death of Christ that makes the presence of Christ in heaven acceptable for us 2. That all the graces we are to receive from Christ must be dipped in his blood also for by his blood it is that we have accesse unto grace or acceptation for any grace in us though received from him 3. That by the Gospell and the Spirit of Christ all this good is conferred unto us from Christ out of heaven VERSE 7. 1. The sprinkling upon him that is to be cleansed notes 1. Application There must bee a particular application of Christ to the beleever 2. Imputation For this sprinkling is the worke of God imputing Christ and his passion and holinesse to the beleever 3. Valuation of the worth of the least drop of Christs blood His blood though but sprinkled justifies a sinner 4. Lesser manifestation For sprinkling imports not so much a restraint in God as a defect in us that doe not so fully discerne our interest in Christ. 5. Strong consolation For if we can by faith lay hold but upon a drop of Christs blood it sufficeth if we discerne but sprinkling though we are farre from powring out it is sufficient 2. When he adds from his leprosie it is to assure us this comfort that in the justification
righteous Potiphars house is blessed for Ioseph so Labans house for Iacob 2. Thou maist learne their waies 3. Thou maist come to acquaintance with the Father by living amongst the children thou maist get to know God by living amongst the godly Quest. But what if they doe neglect the love of the godly Answ. Thereby they shall discover their owne misery as these places shew 1 â—oh 2.11 13 14 15. 4.8.10 Quest. But what should be the cause multitudes of people have no more mind of society and affectionate conversation with the godly Answ. There are divers causes of it 1. Worldlinesse 2. A naturall hatred of goodnesse as in Cainâ— 1 Ioh. 3.13 3. A love of darknesse and shunning of the light because their deeds are evill Ioh. 3.21 very prophanesse and love of sin Men will not forsake their corruptions and therefore seeke such company as they may nourish their corruptions in 4. Ignorance of their priviledges both in earth and heaven For if those were knowne they would appeare the onely excellent ones 2. The second Use is for instruction It should teach and perswade with all that 〈◊〉 God to give him his end he aimes at and to shew our love to them by society with them by defending them and by well-doing to the uttermost of our power 3. It is comfortable in divers respects For 1. This very duty of loving the godly doth much commend us to God It is a signe it is the maine thing Gods aime is at and it affords us many benefits For it shewes 1. We are translated from death to life 1 Ioh. 3.14 2. Hereby we know 1. That we are of the truth 1 Ioh. 3.19 2. That we are borne of God 1 Ioh. 4. 3. That God dwelleth in us 1 Ioh. 4.11 3. All we doe shall be fully rewarded Mat. 11.41 4. And it may give us boldnesse in the day of judgement 1 Ioh. 4.17 2. It may comfort all the godly in this that God provided that every body should love them and encourage them He gives a charge to that end and therefore it implyes that he himselfe will love them with all tendernesse and constancy of love Vnfained Our love must be without hypocrisie Rom. 12.10 1 Ioh 3.18 The Use is therefore for instruction to teach us to avoid all dissimulation and faining Quest. How may I know whether my love be unfained Answ. Divers wayes 1. If I be as willing to doe them good as to proffer it 1 Ioh. 3.18 or seem to be willing 2. If we seeke not our owne things Phil. 2.3 but can love them against profit credit c. 3. If we love all as well as some the meanest as well as the greatest all Saints Eph. 1.15 4. If I can goe to God for them in secret 5. If I can love them constantly 6. If I can reprove as well as flatter or praise 7. If I can propose them as patterns to follow 8. If my sorting with them make me more holy and humble 9. In generall If I doe to them as I would be done by 2. It serves for reproofe of all faining dissimulation especially in our cariage towards the godly by lying levity flattery complementing hypocrisie despight envy malice scornes censure and back-bitings 3. â— astly cannot God abide faining amongst men how much more doth he abhor it when we counterâ—et with him as hypocrisie is hatefull any where so much more in Gods service for hypocrites are reâ—koned as a kind of sinners shall never escape Mat. 25. Hitherto of the Proposition The Exhortation or Use folowes in the last word See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervâ—ntly This contains the Apostles charge for the performance of brotherly love where note 1. the matter of the charge see that ye love one another 2. the manner how it is to be done with a pure heart and fervently See that c. This word see to it hath two things in it the one expressed the other implyed 1. That which is exprest is the necessity of brotherly love it is a thing must be looked unto 2. That which is implyed is the difficulty of it theâ—â— be many impediments if we looke not to it For the first it is not arbitrary whether we will carry our selves lovingly and brotherly and shew it by the fruits of love it is not any speciall goodnesse or curtesie in us more than God calls for For it is strictly injoyned and we must see to it It is a speciall Commandement that God and Christ hath given us Ioh. 13. 1 Ioh. 4.21 which I observe for two Uses 1. First it should much excite us to strive and labour in the workes of love seeing God hath given a speciall charge about them 1. A servant that hath many things to doe if he be specially charged to looke to one thing is used in that one to shew a singular diligence sure it is God will take well what we doe in this duty faithfully and contrariwise will judge us for it if we be negligent herein Secondly this would be noted to restraine that beholdingnesse which many stand too much upon For as it is said in the Proverbs The borrower is servant to the lender so it falleth out often in other cases that men looke for extraordinary observance and subjection of those to whom they have shewed their love by any workes of it whereas they should remember that they have done but their duty as being specially urged by Gods precept hereunto Now for the second observation This word see to it imports that if men do not looke to it there will be many impediments to hinder them from this brotherly love especially from the purity and servency of it For either Ignorance will blinde them or Envy will corrupt them or Pride and inequality of place and gifts will swell them or Inâ—â—rmities will dull them or Forgetfulnesse will disappoint them or Objections and excuses will deceive them or Trespasses will alienate them or the scornes of the world will sunder them Note this caveat given by the Apostle should quicken us to be sure we looke about us that the Devill doe not be witch us and by his methods in any of those eight waies or any other hinder us from the comfort reward of wel-doing in obeying God in this especial charge Thus of the matter to which he exhorts The manner followes 1. With pure hearts 2. Fervently With pure hearts We must love one another with pure hearts The heart is in Scripture accounted pure not onely when it is void of all corruption but when it is upright and sincere and this the puritie of the heart respecteth either God or man In respect of God there be foure things which make the heart pure in Gods acceptation through the intercession of Christ. 1. The first is Faith 2. The second is the desire of purity 3. The third is the battaile against inward sinnes 4. And the fourth is
possible obedience of heart and life Psal. 2.11 Sixthly wee should follow his Colours and take his paâ—t and contend for the truth against all the world and in particular against Antichrist that man of sinne Revel 17.14 Seventhly We should imitate the praises and vertues of this chosen One especially in two things to weet humility and constancy as the Prophet Esay sheweth 42.2 3 4. Lastly And specially this Chosen or rather this knowledge of this Chosen of God should teach us to relie upon Christ without wavering with all trust and confidence for our reconciliation with God for the obtaining of knowledge comfort deliverance preservation yea and salvation too for this is he whom God hath given for a covenant to all people and his soule delights in him And therefore also wee may runne boldly to the Throne of grace and put up our petitions by Christ. For wee are here assured that God will denie him nothing as these places evidently shew Psal. 42.6 7 8 16. Psal. 49.6 8 9 10 11 12. Math. 12.17 to 22. But then we must looke to it that wee observe the seasons and opportunity of grace Esay 49.8 2 Cor. 6. 2. Let us therefore embrace while God is to be found and offers us Christ for wee may seeke when God will not be found as Esâ—â— sought the blessing when it was too late Heb. 12.15 And further this may serve for singular terrour to all unbeleevers that will not have Christ to rule over them He is elected already of God and therefore will mightily pursue all the enemies of God and the Church and all those that disobey him whom God hath chosen hee will pursue them both with the terrours of his Word his mouth being made like a sharpe sword and with the plagues of his hand being made like a polished shaft Esay 49. â— He will appeare to wicked men in the day of wrath as a mighty man and as a man of warre though to his owne hee be as a Lamb to them hee will be as a Giant they shall not be able to resist and though hee lift not up his voice in the streets of his people yet hee will set upon them with roaring and singular terrour even with all the signes of furious displeasure and though for a time hee may seeme to put up the contempt of men that disallow him yet at the length hee will not refraine and will destroy at once c. Esay 42.13 14 15. Besides This doctrine of Christs chosen or of Gods choice should notably check that unbeliefe and fearefulnesse that is too often found even in 〈◊〉 in the deare servants of God When God hath published his election of Christ for the service of our redemption why doth some say The Lord hath forsaken and his Lord hath forgotten him Can God forget his people or will hee ever denie his Chosen Shall not Christ be regarded in our behalfe who is the person whom his soule loveth Esay 49.8 c. 13 14 15 16. Precious First in respect of his nature hee is the choicest 〈◊〉 in heaven and earth never such a man all the creatures in heaven and in earth are inferiour to him Secondly In respect of his gifts he is qualified with all the treasures of wisdome and grace above all his fellowes Col. 2.3 Psal. 45. Thirdly In respect of his works never creature did works of such price so usefull so exquisite so transcendent Fourthly In respect of his sufferings he paid such a price to God in the ransom of man as all the world besides could not raise or any way make Fiftly In respect of effects he gives the most precious things no treasures like those may be had from him his very promises are precious 2 Pet. 1.4 This may serve first to informe us in divers things as First Concerning that matchlesse love of God to us that gave us his Son who is so precious Rom. 8.34 Secondly Concerning the horrible sinne of Iudas and the high Priests that valewed him but at thirty pieces Thirdly Concerning the most miserable condition of all prophane people and persons even whole multitudes of people that so neglect Christ that can with Esau sell him for trifles pleasures or profits even as meane sometimes as a messe of pottage c. The more glorious Christ is the more vile is their sinne of neglect or contempt of Christ. Woe to them that disallow him then Even to all those sorts of men before mentioned â— Christ will not be a foundation stone to support them nor a precious stone to enrich them but as the upper and nether milstone to grinde them to pieces or as a rock falling upon them Quest. But what should be the reason that Christ is in no more request amongst men Answer First One cause is mans ignorance both of their owne misery out of Christ as also of the glory of Christ in himselfe and of the priviledges man might attaine by him and of the singular glory to come Secondly Another cause is unbeliefe Men have a secret kind of Atheisme in them and doe not beleeve the report of the servants of Christ out of the Word Esay 53.1 3. Thirdly Another cause is that the most men looke upon the out-side of the Kingdome of Christ and of the estate of Christians which because they finde it covered with afflictions and seated in a low condition without outward splendour they therefore contemne it Our life is hid with Christ in God Colos. 3.3 Fourthly But the maine reason is because men doe falsly esteeme of other things they set so high a price upon their pleasures profits lusts credits honours hopes c. that Christ is not remembered nor valued unlesse it be at Iudas his rate and yet many will not valew him at so much as thirty pence but they will make shipwrack of a good conscience even for a peny I meane for extreame small gaine in buying and selling and such like dealing And thus much of the third thing we may be informed of The last is concerning the wealthy estate of all true Christians How rich are they that possesse this Mine of treasure who have his spirit graces righteousnesse ordinances and glory And as it may thus informe us so it should â—each us Vse 2. First To account of Christ as most precious to esteeme of him as ever precious in our eyes and shew it 1. By seeking to get Christ above all gettings 2. By accounting all things but as dust and dung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ Phil. 3.8 3. By selling all to buy this precious stone Math. 13. forsaking father and mother house and land for Christs sake and the Gospels 4. By keeping our communion with Christ with all carefulnesse 5. By avoiding all the waies by which Christ is disallowed and disesteemed 6. By longing for and loving his appearing 2 Tim. 4. hasting to it and looking for his comming 2 Pet. 3. Secondly to consecrate our selves and
out such a project for reconciliation Besides what can God denie us if hee can give us his owne Sonne and who is pleased also in his Word to signifie so much and commanded it by his servants to be told to the parties offending that he hath found out such a way of perfect peace Thirdly Wee should hence be comforted in all the straits of godlinesse when the Lord goeth about to lay the foundation of grace in our hearts and to forme Christ in us vvee should remember it is the â—ords vvorke and it shall prosper if the Lord will have it goe on vvho can hinder it The gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it vvhen God builds it upon this Rock Fourthly it should teach us in all other distresses to trust upon God and never be afraid of the oppositions of men or the impediments of our deliverance For vvhat shall restraine Gods mercy from us If the Lord can bring about such a vvorke as this to found Sion by laying Christ as the chiefe corner stone in her then vvee may trust him in lesse matters The Lord vvill accomplish all the Counsell of his vvill and he that hath promised that all shall vvork together for the best will performe it To this end he pleadeâ— this vvorke of â—ounding Christ in the vvomb of a Virgin of purpose to give them thereby a signe of deliverance then in a temporall affliction it is easie for him to save us and deliver us from all our troubles that can give us a Saviour for all our sinnes Lastly Ministers that are but under-Masons and Carpenters must learne to take all their directions at God both to see to it that they lay no other foundation then vvhat God hath laid vvhich is Iesus Christ and in all things to be faithfull in good vvorks as such as must make their accounts to God And thus of the Author Thirdly The time followes I lay or put Hee â—peakes in the present time yet meaneth it of a thing to be accomplished in the time to come For God laid Christ downe as the corner stone partly in his Incarnation vvhen hee sent him into the vvorld in the flesh to take our nature and partly hee is said to lay downe this corner stone vvhen spiritually by meanes he formes Christ in the hearts of men in the visible Church Now the Lord speaketh in the presâ—nt time I doe lay for divers reasons â—irst To signifie that the care of that businesse was then in his head he was plotting abâ—ut it and did continually minde it Secondly To signifie that howsoever the maine worke of the open restoring of the world by Christ in the calling of the Gentilâ—s was long after to be done yet God did spiritually forme Christ in the hearts of the remnant so as at all times he did more or lesse further his building Thirdly To note the certainty of the accomplishment of it hee saith Hee did then doe it to assure them it should as certainly be done as if it were then done which should teach us to beleeve God and never limit him When wee have his promise let us reckon upon it if God promise us any thing it is as sure as if we had it Thus of the time Fourthly The manner followes noted in the word Laid I lay There are many things imported under this similitude that Christ is laid as the Mason layes the chiefe corner stone in the earth For it imports First The divine nature of Christ that hee was before he was incarnate as the corner-stone was before it was laid for a foundation Christ descended from heaven Eph. 4.7 9. Secondly The unchangeablenesse of Gods ordinances concerning the giving of Christ. Hee hath laid him as a foundation that hee would not have taken up againe Thirdly the hiding of the glory of Christ and of his life He is of a singular use to the Church and the Frame of God's work appeareth in his members but Christ himselfe is hid with God Col. 3.3 He is like the stone hidden in the earth he is buried in the ground and therefore wee should be the more patient if our life be hid also with God Fourthly It may be by this tearme the mysterie of the birth and conception of Christ is intimated God digged the ground of our natures in the womb of Christ that he might lay Christ there c. Fifthly so it may likewise import the sanctification of the humane nature of Christ who was qualified as the stone is squared when it is laid downe Thus of the manner The place followes In Sion Sion for certaine was a Fort of the Iebâ—sites built on a hill close to Jerusalem which was taken by David and called the City of David 2 Sam. 5.7 the Temple being afterward built here The Church of the Jewes was called Sion because here they assembled and so afterwards it was the title given to the Church of God both of Iewes and Gentiles that agree in one faith and true Religion Zach. 10.11 And in especiall by Sion is meant the place of the assembly of the Saints the Sanctuary In the twelfth to the Hebrewes verse 22. it is thought to signifie the Saints in heaven even the Congregation of the first borne In this place it must needâ— meane the Christian Church in which God built the new world laying the foundation in Christ iâ—carâ—ate whiâ—h began in Ierusalem even at Sion in the Letter Now when the Lord calâ—s his Church by this name of Sion it is to import divers things partly to tell us what we were by nature and partly to tell us what we are by his grace and favour By nature what were our assemblies but Forts of Iebusites in which multitudes of locusts swarmed we were Caâ—aanites enemies to God and all true religion we were the halt and the blinde mentioned Mich 4.6 7 alluding to that in 2 Sam. 5.6 7. But being conquered by David our King even Christ the Sonne of David we are new fortified for his use and our estate is fitly resembled by Sion 1. The Church is like Mount Sion for visibility Christians are like a Citie on a hill they are such as all sorts of men easily take notice of not that thâ— men of the world are in love with Christians but many times out of the hatred of the truth set they eyes and thoughts upon them Matthew 5 c. Secondly The godly are like Mount Sion for unremoveablenesse they that trust in the Lord are like a mountain men may as soon remove a mountain as remove them from God and happinesse in God Psal. 126.1 Thirdly the Church is like Sion in respect of Gods habitation there God dwels there he keeps house there and in the assemblies thereof hee feeds his people The Sanctuary is Gods foddering place it is the City of God the mountaine of his holinesse the City of the great King the City of the Lord of Hostes God shines there Psal. 48.1 2 8. Psal. 50.2
unto them yea unsearchable riches Eph. 3.6 All ages ought to wonder at the riches of Gods kindnesse to the beleevers in Jesus Christ Eph. 2.7 Christ in us is our riches Col. 1.27 and thus he enricheth us with the favour of God his own merits and righteousnesse the grace of the Spirit and the promises of the Word and the hope of glory The Uses are many Vses First woe to the rich men of this world that are not rich in God and Christ Luk. 12.16 21. Let not the rich man glory in his riches Ier. 9.24 Secondly let the brother of low degree rejoyce in that God hath thus exalted him Iâ—â— 1.9 For godly Christians aâ—e the richest men in the world for their possessions are greatest because theâ— possesse Jesus Christ and his treasureâ— Iames 2.5 For God is rich to all tâ—at call upon him Hee cannot be a poore man that can pray Rom. 10.12 Christ makes amends to the poore Christian for all his wants Thirdly hence we may gather anothâ—r signe to try our faith by If Christ be more precious to us than all the world besides it is certaine we are true beleevers For Christ is precious to 〈◊〉 but beleevers Phil. 3.9 8. Fourthly we should strive with all â—hankfulnesse to admire and praise the grace of God that hath bestowed such riches upon us in Christ Eph. 1.7 Fiftly we should hence learne to â—ake more account of our faith which is therefore precious because it applieâ— Christ unto us Hence poore Christians are said to be rich because they have faith and assurance of faith and hee calleth it all riches of full assurancâ— Col. 2.2 2 Pet. 1.4 Iam. 2.5 Sixtly we should live securelesse Men would promise to live at all hearts ease if they were rich enough why Christians are exceeding rich and possesse more treasure than all the woâ—ld besides and therefore should live henceforth by the faith of the Sonne of God which was given to them Gal. 2.20 Seventhly looke to it that thou keepe Christ whatsoever thou losest resolve to lose father mother wife children friends house lands yea and life too rather than lose Christ who is so precious Eighthly we should shew it thâ—t wee account him our greatest riches and that we shall doe first by esteeâ—ing the Gospell that brings us daily tidings above gold and silver Secondly by oft receiving of the Sacraments we should account the Word and Saâ—raments as Gods Exchequer whither we alwaies come to receive more treasure Thirdly by making much of them that resemble his vertues Fourthly 〈◊〉 longing for his appearing Thus as Christ is our riches Now secondly he is precious in that he is an honour unto us and so some translate it Christ then is a singular honor to every beleever and he is so both in heaven and in earth First in heaven he is an honour to us because he graceth us before God and the Angels covering our nakednesse with the rich garment of his owne imputed righteousnesse and making daily intercession fâ—r us to God and covering our imperfections and presenting our works and prayers to God and giving the Angels a charge to look carefully to uâ— Secondly And so he is an honour to us on earth both amongst the godly and amongst the wicked First Hee graceth us amongst the godly by giving 〈◊〉 room in their hearts causing them to love us and honour us even for Christ onely whom they discover in us by our love to Christ and faith in his name and imitation of his vertues Secondly and he graceth us also amongst the wicâ—ed by protecting and acknowledging us in times of greatest distresse and by washing out the blemishes which our owne indiscretions at any time brought upon us and by cleering our innocencies from their unjust aspersions The Use may be first for confutation of their folly and madnesse that account it a course of abasement to follow Christ and leave the vanities of the world Godly â—ourses are honorable courses No man ever lost honor by cleaving to Christ and living so as might become the faith and love of Christ. Secondly and withall we may hence be informed that all the honor that is without Christ is but obscure basenesse no man can be truely honorable without the faith of Jesus Christ in his heart Thirdly we should hence be resolved to make more account of the godly because Christ is to them all honour they are the onely excellent ones in the world Fourthly we should labour also to be an honour unto Christ and to the faith and profession of his name and service we must remember that he is our surety to God for us and hath undertaken for our good behaviour and therefore for that reason we should be carefull of our duties and besides wee see that the disorders of great mens servants leave an imputation on their master and so it is with us and Christ. If we live righteously and soberly and religiously we honour Christ our Master but otherwise if we be scandalous we dishonour Christ and therefore had need to look to our waies And lastly we should account Christ sufficient honour to us and not regard the scornes and reproaches of the world but rather with Moses esteeme the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt Thus of the consolation to the godly The terrour to the unbeleevers is exprest first partly by charging upon them their offence secondly and partly by describing their punishment Their offence is disobedience To them that are disobedient All unbeleevers stand indicted of disobedience and that in three respects For first they are guilty of Adams disobedience For by the disobedience of one man many are made sinners Rom. 5.19 Secondly they are guilty of disobedience against the morall Law which they have broken by innumerable offences and in respect thereof are liable to all the curses of God Deut. 28. Thirdly they are guilty of disobedience against the Gospell For there is an obedience of faith Rom. 1.5 and the Lord complaines that they obeyed not the Gospell Rom. 10.16 and for this disobedience God will render vengeance in flaming fire at the day of Judgement 2 Thes. 1.8 Now men disobey the Gospell not onely when they are bewitched to receive false opinions in religion Gal 3.1 but also and chiefly when they beleeve not in Jesus Christ but live in their sins without repentance Vses The use should be for humiliation unto impenitent sinners they should take notice of their indictment and make haste to humble themselves before the Lord lest sentence come out against them and there be no remedy and the rather because God will aggravate against them their disobedience Now there are many wayes by which a sinner may take notice of the aggravations of his disobedience as First by the number of his offences if hee consider that he hath made his sins like the haires of his head To be guilty of treason but in one particular should occasion
Christ. As the Israelites were chosen out of all the nations of the world so now the Elect out of all the ages of the world Quest. But what is there in the election of a Christian that should so much affect him as to account himselfe so wonderfull happy in that respect Answ. There are many things in our election which should much ravish us as to consider First when we were chosen viz. before the foundation of the world from all eternity Oh what a favour it is to thinke that God had such thought of us be fore ever wee had any beeing Eph. 1.4 Secondly by whom wee were chosen viz. by God Men are wont to be affected if any of any degree almost doe point out them above others unto any condition of praise or preferment To be beloved and in request with any is a contentment but especially if Kings or great persons should chuse us out to set their love upon us how would wee be moved with that Oh! what comparison can there be betweene the greatest men on earth and the great God in heaven Thirdly to what we were chosen viz. to a Kingdome and great glory For meaner persons to be chosen to any preferment it would prove a great contentment but especially to be advanced to the highest honours why God hath chosen and called us to no lesse an happiness than a Kingdome and glory yea his Kingdome and glory in heaven Mat. 25.34 2 Thess. 2.13 14. Fourthly for how long this choice must last viz. for ever To be chosen to a great office though it were but for a yeare is a great honour in the account of some men but especially to enjoy a Kingdome if it may be for divers yeares as twenty thirty forty or the like how would men rejoyce that could attaine to such an election But behold our happinesse is greater For we have by our Election an entrance into the everlasting Kingdome of Jesus Christ. Fifthly upon what reason we were chosen viz. upon Gods free and meere grace and goodnesse hee chooseth whom he will It was his good pleasure to chuse us to such a Kingdome we had it not by descent or desert Rom. 9.18.21 Ephes. 1.11 Sixthly in what manner he chose us viz. unchangeably To be chosen to so great an estate though it had beene but during pleasure and that pleasure to such as might change had beene a great advancement but Gods purpose remaines according to his choice Rom. 9. and whom he elected he calls and whom hee calls he justifies and whom he justifies he glorifies Rom. 8.30 The foundation of God remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 Lastly to consider whom he chose which hath a double incitation in it For first the Scripture tels us Many are called but few are chosen Now this increaseth our honour that but a few onely can be admitted to the participation of it If many had enjoyed it the commonnesse of it might have had in it some occasion of lessening the value of it Deut. 7.6 7. Mat. 20.16 Secondly God chose us that were most vile creatures polluted in blood covered with filthinesse fallen from him by vile Apostasie and our rebellion in our first parents and being guilty of many treasons in our owne actions And this should much move us that God should set his heart upon such vile wretches as we every day are proved to bee Uses The use of this may be divers But I will onely stand upon two uses First the consideration hereof should enforce upon us a care to make our election sure 2 Pet. 1.9 Quest. Now if any aske By what signes I may know that I am elected of God Answ. I answer There bee divers infallible signes of election As for example First separation from the world when God singles us out from the world it doth manifest that he hath chosen us from all eternity Now that this separation may be proved sure and infallible we must know First that it is wrought in us by the Gospell 2 Thess. 2.14 Secondly That it containes in it a contempt of earthly things so as our hearts doe unfainedly disclaime all happinesse in the things of this world as out of true judgement resolving that all is vanity and vexation of spirit The love of God and the love of the world cannot stand together 1 Ioh. 2.14 Thirdly that it with-drawes us from needlesse society or delight in the men of this world who follow the lusts of life and mind onely earthly things Psalm 26. Fourthly an estimation of spirituall things above all the world Secondly a relying upon Jesus Christ and the covenants of grace in him so as we trust wholly upon him for righteousnesse and happinesse Hence it is that faith is called the faith of Gods elect Tit. 1.1 Thirdly the sanctification of the spirit 2 Thess. 2.13 which hath in it both the reformations of those evills which were wont to prevaile over us and were most beloved of us as also the qualifying the heart with such graces as are supernaturall such as those mentioned in the Catalogue 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 9. and such are those graces heretofore mentioned in the sight of salvation Fourthly the testimony of the spirit of Adoption For every godly man hath a witnesse in himselfe 1 Ioh. 5.10 Rom. 8.15 Gods Spirit doth assure Gods Elect that they are elect and that it doth principally by sealing up unto them the promises of Gods Word Ephes. 1.13 14. Fiftly by the conformity of Christians unto Christ in affliction for the Elect are predestinate to be made like unto Christ in sufferings Now because this signe must be warily explicated we must understand that barely to bee afflicted is not a signe of Election For so may and are wicked men as well as godly men but to become like Christ in the suffering is the signe which that it may bee more infallible and cleare wee must observe in these sufferings First the kindes as for example to be hated and scorned of the world and reviled and persecuted is a token that we are not of the world because the world would love his owne Ioh. 25.18 19. Secondly the causes as if we be hated for goodnesse and do not suffer as evill doers Ioh. 15.8 21. Psal. 38.20 when our afflictions are the afflictions of the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.8 9. Mat. 5.12 Thirdly the effects that we love obedience by our sufferings Heb. 5.8 and be made more holy and fruitfull and quiet and meeke and humble by them Heb. 15.11 so as wee can say It was good for mee that I was afflicted Psal. 119. Fourthly by the manner that wee be like Christ in silence Esa. 13.7 patience and despising the shame of the crosse Heb. 12.1 2. 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. prayers to God and submission to Gods will with strong cryes and fervencie Heb. 5.7 Fifthly by the issue when God giveth a like end to the triall of his servants as he did unto the passion of Christ making
can to our kinred even to the houshold of faith for this very reason because they are our kinsmen in the spirit and in particular we should be ready to do all that for them which the law of kinred bindeth us unto viz. First we should acknowledge them and not hide our selves from any that is godly Secondly wee should receive one another heartily and willingly without grudging or murmuring Thirdly we should defend one another and be ready in all oppositions to stand for the godly Fourthly we should shew all bowels of mercy and tender kindnesse and pity and sympathize in their necessities and miseries Fourthly we should hence learne to be provident to preserve our owne reputation that we be no way a dishonour and shame to our kinred but learne of the wise steward by lawfull meanes to preserve our credits and provide for our selves though hee did it by unlawfull for our Saviour noted this defect when he said The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of the light Luk. 16.8 Thus much of their kinred or generation A royall Priest-hood These words containe the two next prerogatives which have so much connexion one with another that they are joyned together as inseparable The Apostle makes a comely and effectuall inversion of the words recorded in Exodus 19. for there they are said to be a Kingdome of Priests which the Apostle more plainly expresses in the words A royall Priest-hood They are both Kings and Priests but both with difference from other men of either of those callings They are Kings not profane or civill onely but sacred Kings they are Priests not common or typicall Priests but royall The one word tels their dignity to which they are ordained the other their office in respect of God These words with those that follow are in Exodus expounded or rather propounded indefinitely to the Israelites but in this place limited to the elect onely which shewes that promises and priviledges of right belong onely to the elect and chosen of God c. Royall Christians may be said to be Royall in foure respects First comparatively with wicked men for whatsoever their condition bee yet if their estate be compared with the miserable condition of all impenitent sinners it is a Royall estate they are like Kings in respect of them Secondly as they are united to his body who is the greatest King as members of Jesus Christ who is King of Kings Revel 19. Thirdly because they looke for a Kingdome It is their Fathers pleasure to give them a Kingdome they shall one day raigne and therefore are Royall Fourthly because for the very present in this life they have the state of Kings They have the state of Kings in this life I say For first they appeare clad in purple The Romans knew who was King when they saw the man clad in purple Robes Christians have royall garments garments of Salvation the righteousnesse of Christ doth cover them which so soone as they put on they are saluted for Kings in heaven Secondly they have the attendance of Kings a great traine and guard about them no King like any of them that is not one of them for they have the Angells for their guard and as ministring Spirits to them Psalm 34. and 91. Heb. 1.14 Thirdly they have the dominion of Kings and soveraignty and power of Kings and so first the whole world is their Kingdome in which they raigne they are heires of the world Rom. 4 and so our Saviour faith They inherit the earth Matth. 5. Fourthly their owne hearts are as a large Kingdome in which they sit and raigne governing and ruling over the innumerable thoughts of their mindes and affections and passions of their hearts among which they doe justice by daily subduing their unruly passions and wicked thoughts which like so many Rebels exalt themselves against the obedience should be yeelded to Christ the supreme Lord and Emperour as also by promoting the weale of all those saving graces which are placed in their hearts nourishing and lifting up all good thoughts and cherishing all holy desires and good affections conscience being by commission the chiefe Judge for their affaires of this whole Kingdome Fifthly it is something royall and which proves them to bee Kings they have a regall supremacie A King is hee that judgeth all and is judged of none such a one also is every spirituall man said to be 1 Cor. 2. ult Sixthly they prove themselves Kings by the many conquests they make over the world and sathan sometimes in lesser skirmishes sometimes in some maine and whole battels Ob. Might some one say Is this all the Kingdome of a Christian This is infinitely below the magnificence and honour of an earthly Kingdome c. Sol. God hath done more for the naturall man or for the nature of men for providing meanes for this spirituall Kingdome than in opening a way for earthly Kingdomes which may appeare by divers differences For First none but great men and of great meanes can attaine to the Kingdome of this world but here the poore may have a Kingdome as well as the rich Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Secondly while the father lives the little child cannot raigne whereas in this Kingdome little ones attaine to the Kingdome and safely hold it Matth. 18. Thirdly this Kingdome is of heaven wheras the others are only of the earth Fourthly these Kings are all just there is none unrighteous can possesse these thrones they are all washed justified and sanctified there is not a drunkard a railer a buggerer and adulterer a murtherer or any the like amongst them which is no priviledge belonging to the Kingdome of this world Rom. 14.17 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Gal. 5.21 The godly are Kings such as Melchisedech was somewhat obâ—cure in the world but they raigne in righteousnesse in peace none like them Heb. 7. Fifthly the godly have received a Kingdome that cannot be shaken Their Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome Heb. 12.28 but all the Kingdomes of the world may be and have beene shaken and will be ruined and end whereas the godly that set out in soveraignty over lesser dominions and with lesse pompe yet increase so fast till at length they attaine the most glorious Kingdome in the new heavens and new earth The use of all this may be divers Uses First for singular comfort to the godly what account soever the world makes of them yet here they see what God hath ordained them unto it matters not for the worlds neglect of them for Gods Kingdome comes not by observation and in particular it should comfort them into two causes First in matter of service when they come to stand before the Lord they must know that they are honourable in Gods sight He respects them as so many Kings in his presence Secondly in the mortification of vices they have received power and authority as Kings and
the flesh worke that which was extreemly ill for us Fourthly we hold our profession before many witnesses many eyes are upon us and the most men are crooked and perverse 1 Tim. 6.12 Phil. 2.15 and the best way to silence foolish men is by unrebukeablenesse of conversation 1 Pet. 2.15 Fifthly our heavenly Father is hereby glorified Mat. 5. 6. Sixthly it will be a great comfort to us in adversity 2 Cor. 1.12 Lastly great is our reward in heaven For hereby will be ministred abundantly an entrance into the glorious Kingdome of Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.11 But then we must looke to divers rules about our conversation that it may be right for First it must be a good conversation in Christ 1 Pet. 3.16 Secondly it must be a conversation discharged from those â—suall vices which are hatefull in such as professe the sincerity of the Gospell and yet common in the world such as are lying wrath bitternesse rotten communication or câ—â—sed speaking or the like Eph. 4.25 Col. 3.8 1 Pet. 1.14 Thirdly it must be all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 wee must shew respect to all Gods Commandements at home and abrâ—â—ad in religion mercy righteousnesse or honesty Fourthly we must shew all meeknesse of wisedome when we heaâ—e outward praise or do good or are to expresse our selves in discourse or otherwise Iam. 3.13 2 Cor. 1.12 And that we may attaine to this holinesse of conversation First we must walke according to the rule of Gods Word and let that be a light to our feet and a lanthorne unto our paths Gal. 6.16 Ioh. 3.21 Secondly wee must set before us the patterne of such Christians as have most excelled that way Phil. 3.17 and walke with the wise Thirdly especially as obedient children we should learne of our heavenly Father to fashion our selves according to his nature and in all conversation strive to be holy as he is holy and as it followes in this verse we should studie and strive to shew forth the vertues that were eminent in Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.15 16. and 12.10 Thirdly in so much as holinesse is the prerogative of a Christian it should teach all sorts of men to try themselves whether they have attained true holinesse or no so as they bee sure their holinesse exceed the holinesse of the Scribes and Pharisees for else they cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven For a Christian must have that holinesse of conversation which no wicked man can attaine unto Now that this triall may bee done effectually I will shew wherein the holinesse of a true Christian exceeds the holinesse First of a meere civill honest man Secondly of the most glorious Hypocrite First for the meere civill honest man The true Christian exceeds his righteousnesse both in the righteousnesse of faith and in the internall holinesse of the heart and the power of holy affections but because it is holinesse of conversation which is especially here meant I will touch the differences in conversation and so First they differ in one maine cause of orderly life For the holinesse of the godly Christian proceeds from a regenerate heart whereas the meere civill man is so naturally or onely by restraining grace he hath not beene in the surnace of mortification for sinne Secondly the meere civill honest man glories in this that he payes every man his owne and is no adulterer or drunkard or the like notorious offender But for the most part he is altogether defective in the religious duties of the first table especially in the duties of the Sabbath and the religious duties he should performe in his family Thirdly the meere civill honest man makes conscience of great offences but cares not to be stained with lesser sinnes whereas the true Christian lives circumspectly and makes conscience of the least Commandement Secondly now for the hypocrite Though the difference be hidden yet it may be assigned in divers things as First the holinesse of the godly Christian flowes from a pure conscience and faith unfained whereas there is no such repentance or faith in the hypocrite Secondly the true Christian hath his praise of God but the hypocrite of men Rom. 2.26 Thirdly the true Christian obeyes in all things the hypocrite but in some as here for the most part they may be found tainted with some evill vice Fourthly the true Christian is carefull of his conversation in all places and companies the hypocrite onely or chiefly when he is where he thinkes hee shall be observed and marked Fifthly the true Christian will not cease bearing fruit what weather soever come Ier. 17.7 8. But the hypocrite gives over when hard times come He is not like the good ground that brings forth fruit with patience The hypocrite will not hold out till the end though the times bee peaceable till his death For the most part he then beares the burthen of his hypocrisie he cannot die in peace Use. Lastly this is a terrible doctrine for open and notorious offenders For hereby it is apparent they are strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel and are not of this nation their language and their workes betray them Drunkards Adulterers Swearers Lyers Usurers and such like cannot inherit or have any lot in this heavenly Canaan For all this nation is holy and such are not they their owne consciences being Judges Nor is it a pleasing Doctrine to scandalous professors For such as give scandall are either hypocrites or godly If they bee hypocrites their scandalls betray them and testifie to their faces they have no lot among the Saints and if they be godly Christians that have fallen through weaknesse yet they have cause to be much humbled For by them the name of God is blasphemed and besides many other inconveniences that will pursue their fall this is not the least that hereby they have weakned their evidence and wonderfully darkned the markes of their happinesse For if the godly be a holy nation how discomfortably have they provided for themselves and their owne soules that have so stained their profession and holinesse An holy nation The sixth prerogative of Christians is imported in this word Nation which shewes the number For though all the wicked are more in number than the godly yet such is the glory and greatnesse of the number of all the godly of all ages that if we could behold them on earth as wee shall see them in heaven and at the last Judgement we would wonderfully admire the beauty and multitude of the Christian Armie All the godly together make a goodly Nation and though in largenesse of number they do not goe beyond the wicked yet in the priviledges of their number they goe farre beyond them They are all one and a whole Nation of them which imports divers priviledges First they are all originally of one blood borne of the blood of Jesus Christ. Secondly they are all governed by one Ruler their noble Ruler is of themselves there
is truly cured of sinne can easily beare the a 〈◊〉 of it as it is past A man that hath beene wounded in his arme will endure you to gripe him when he is well healed a signe he is not well healed when he cannot be touched so is it with sinners Thus in generall The first thing then to bee considered of is the misery of men by nature expressed in the word darknesse Darâ—â—esse The darknesse that is in the world is not all of a sort For there is first darknesse upon the earth which is nothing but the absence of the light of the Sunne Secondly there is darknesse upon the outward estates of men in the world and that is the darknesse of affliction Now afflictions are called darknesse in divers respects As first in respect of the cause when they fall upon men by the anger of God The want of the light of Gods countenance is miserable darknesse the absence of the Sunne cannot make a worse darknesse Secondly in respect of the effects because afflictions darken the outward glory of mans estate and withall breed sorrow and anguish and the clouds and stormes of discomfort and griefe and for the time deprive the heart of lightsomnesse and joy Of both these respects may the words of the Prophet Esay bee understood Esa. 5.30 and 8.22 And so God creates darknesse as a punishment upon all occasions for sinne Esay 45.7 Afflictions may be compared to darknesse in respect of another effect and that is the amazement bred in the heart by which the afflicted is unable to see a way out of distresse and unresolved either how to take it or what meanes to use for deliverance Thus it is a curse upon wicked men that their wayes are made darke Psal. 35.6 Thirdly afflictions are called darknesse when they are secret and hidden and fall upon men at unawares when they are not dreamed of Iob 20.26 And thus of darknesse upon mens estates Thirdly there is a darkness falls upon their bodies and so it is either blindnes wanting the light of the Sunne or else it is death and the grave Death and the grave is called darknes Iob 17.13 and 10.21 22. Psal. 88.13 Fourthly there is a darkness upon the soules of men and that is spirituall blindness when the soule lives without the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ especially As it respecteth the will of God in generall it is the darkness of ignorance and errour and as it respecteth the promise of grace in Jesus Christ it is the darkness of unbeliefe Eph. 4. Lastly there is a darkness shall light upon both soules and bodies of wicked men in hell and that is called utter darkness Mat. 8.12 and 22.15 So that darkness as it comprehends in it the misery of wicked men is either temporall darkness upon the estates or bodies of men or spirituall darkness upon the soules of men or else eternall darkness in hell This darkness also may be considered in the degrees of it For besides the ordinary darkness there is first obfcure darkness called also the power of darkness and such was the darkness of Gentilisme and such is that darkness threatned to such as curse father and mother Prov. 21.20 so was the darkness Ier. 2.1 2. and that our Saviour Christ speaketh of Luk. 22.53 Such also was that night brought upon the Diviners Mic. 3.6 7. Secondly there is utter darkness or eternall darkness in hell which is the highest degree of the miserie of wicked men I take it it is especially the darkness of ignorance is here meant though the other cannot be excluded That which is evident to be observed from hence is That all men that are not effectually called live in darkness and walke on in darkness Eph. 4.17 1 Ioh. 2.9 Psal. 82.5 It is a continuall night with them they are like the Egyptians that could have no Sunne to light them but were covered with palpable darkness Neither are they helped that they enjoy the light of the Sunne for of all darknesses that which comes from the absence of the Sunne is the least or hath least distresse in it If a man lived where he should never see day or were borne blind yet his distresse were nothing in comparison of the darknes especially spirituall that lieth upon the poore soule of an unregenerate man which lyeth shut up in miserable darkness which these men may feele in themselves by their living without God in the world and by the absence of the joyes of God and by their singular uncapablenesse in the things of the Kingdome of God and by their strange and absurd errors in conceiving of matters of Religion and by their monstrous thoughts and objections they feele at some times and disability to conceive of the worth of eternall things though the least of them be better than the whole world and lastly by their want of discovering what to doe almost in all the occasions of life Use. The use may bee for singular terrour to wicked men if they had hearts to consider of it to know that they live in such a condition as no prisoner can suffer in the worst dungeon of the world and the rather if they consider the aggravation of their distresse in respect of the darknesse they live in or are likely to live in as First that they have the Divels as the Rulers of the darknesse they live in who like cruell Jaylers will see to it that they be kept still in their dungeon with all increase of heavinesse and misery Eph. 6.12 Secondly that their darknesse is also the shadow of death a most deadly poysonfull darknesse that daily increaseth in the infection and annoyance of it Esa. 9.2 Thirdly that they suffer so many kindes of darknesse in the vexations and discomforts of each of them Fourthly that it is such grosse darknesse so thicke and palpable without any mixture of true light or comfort if they had but star-light or moon-light it were some ease Fifthly that they are neither safe walking nor lying still If they walke they goe in singular danger for they know not whither they goe 1 Ioh. 2.11 Iob 18.5 6 7. If they lie still and sleepe it out they are in danger to be swallowed up eternally Sixthly that this darknesse will not hide from God All they doe is manifest before him Esa. 29.15 Seventhly that it is a continuall darknesse it will never be day with them so long as they live in that estate without repentance Iob 15.30 All his daies he eates in darknesse Eccles. 5.17 Eightly that they are in danger every houre to be cast into utter darknesse where will be no ease nor end He knoweth not that the day of this darknesse is ready at hand into which if he fall he shall never depart out Ninthly that this is the case of every unregenerate man the whole world of them lieth in darknesse and not one escapeth it their whole earth is without forme and void and their heavens have
no King on earth can grant to all his subjects and seldome or never so much as to any one Esa. 30.19 Ioh. 14. Whatsoever they aske in the name of Christ shall be granted unto them Tenthly they are the longest lived of any people As the dayes of a tree are the dayes of my people saith the Lord they may endure many a storme but they are fast rooted still Mine Elect shall long enjoy the workes of their hands Esa. 65.22 For first they onely have the promise of a long life in this world and it is limited onely with that condition If it bee good for them And secondly if that God take away some of his people and that quickly out of this world yet that shortens not their life or dependance upon God For when they die a bodily death they are said to bee gathered to his people or their people and there receive eternall life in stead of it Death doth not put them out of service or deprive them of the Kings presence but removeth them onely out of one roome into another whereas they stood below staires before they serve now above staires and are all of the Presence and Privie-Chamber to God Eleventhly they are the wealthiest people in the world none better provided for For first for Spirituall gifts and rich favours from the King of kings they are not destitute of any heavenly gifts 1 Cor. 1.5 Ephes. 1.3 And for outward provision God hath taken all the chiefe creatures and bound them to serve them with provision in whatsoever they want The heaven the earth the corne c. all are bound for the supply of their wants Hos. 2.21 22 23. Twelfthly they excell for protection whether we respect their preservation or the revenge is done upon their enemies for their preservation though the earth and the heavens should bee shaken yet God will be the hope of his people Ioel 3.16 and as the mountaines are about Jerusalem so is the Lord about them that feare him and therefore they cannot be moved Psal. 125.1 2. and if the rod of the wicked do enter upon them yet it shall not rest upon their lot vers 3. of the same Psalme And for vengeance It is certaine the Lord will avenge their quarrell upon all their enemies though they bee unable to right their owne wrongs and because God would have it done throughly he reserves the worke of vengeance to himselfe to make the recompence Heb. 10.30 Rom. 12.20 Uses The use may be both for consolation and instruction For it should exceedingly comfort Gods children considering what singular happinesse they enjoy by the government of Jesus Christ. Oh! blessed are the people whose God is the Lord Ps. 33.12 and 144.15 Moses admires a little before his death the wonderfull felicity of the godly considered as they are Gods people Israel is happy none like to Gods people or this people nor is there any like unto the God of Jerusalem For God rides upon the heaven in their helpe the eternall God is their refuge and underneath are the everlasting Armies He will thrust our their enemies before them and say Destroy them Israel alone shall dwell in safety The fountaine of Iacob shall be upon a land of corne and wine and his heavens shall drop downe deaw They are a people saved by the Lord who is the shield of their helpe and the sword of their excellency Their enemies shal be found liers to them Deut. 33.26 to the end And this excellent estate is the more comfortable to be thought upon First because people of any nation may be admitted to this estate and the Lord without respect of persons will blesse them with the blessing of his people as the Prophet excellently shewes Esa. 2.19 and 19.24 25. The Gentiles have come to rejoyce amongst his people Rom. 15.9 10 11. They were hard times when the Lords dominion was in a manner confin'd in the Kingdome of Judah and Israel Secondly because it is so great and glorious a worke on Gods part to make us his people for hee doth as it were plant the heavens and lay the foundation of the earth that hee may say unto Sion Thou art my people Esay 51. vers 16. Thirdly because in the hardest times that can befall the godly the Lord will have them plead this priviledge and they may goe to God and hee will acknowledge them in all their distresses and sanctifie their afflictions and deliver them at the voice of their cry Esa. 64.9 Zech. 13.19 Fourthly because they shall yet enjoy a farre more excellent estate in another world than now they have Rev. 21. They are now but as the children of Israel in Goshen or in the wildernesse Use 2. Secondly divers things may be hence observed for instruction as First such as live in the Church and yet have not the markes of Gods people on them should awake and looke about them and labour to get into the number of Gods people These fooles among the people as the Prophet David calleth them should understand and these evill neighbours unto Israel should be perswaded to learne the wayes of Gods people that so they may be built up in the midst of Israel Ier. 12.16 And it should be their daily prayer unto God to grant them this one request namely to blesse them with the favour of his people Psal. 106.3 4. Secondly the penitent sinner that feeles his heart called by the voice of Christ should hence be moved to enter into the covenant of God and speedily to take the oath of subjection and alleageance binding himselfe with all his heart to God and his divine service Deut. 29.10 11 12 13. Ier. 50.5 Thirdly such as have taken the oath and are acknowledged for true Subjects should for the rest of their time study how to carry themselves as becomes the people of God and so In generall they should remember two things First to give eare to Gods Law and hearken what the Lord will say unto them from time to time Psal. 78.1 Esa. 51.4 Secondly to lead a holy life and conversation for therefore hath God severed them from all nations that they might be holy to him Levit. 20.26 All Gods people are righteous Esa. 59.21 and 62.12 and Christ hath redeemed them from all iniquity and purified them that they might be a peculiar people unto him zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 They must therefore be no more polluted with their transgressions nor bee fashioned to the lusts of their former ignorance Ezek. 14.11 and 36.25 c. In particular they should First give God thankes for ever for blessing them with the blessing of his people Psal. 79. ult Secondly they should humble themselves to walke with their God Mic. 6.8 being humbled at his feet to receive his Law Deut. 33.3 bowing downe with all reverence to worship him Psal. 95.7 For God is a great God above all gods and a great King above all kings Thirdly they must avoid needlesse society with
whom God will shew mercy not for what cause Secondly when he saith he will shew mercy it evidently excludes merit For it is mercy that God will bestow such great things upon men for their workes for there is no proportion betweene our workes and the goodnesse we receive from God When we have done all we should account our selves unprofitable servants Ob. But it seemes Gods mercy is caused by merit for God shewes us mercy for the merits of Christ If Christ deserve it then it seemes it is not free Sol. First mercy excludes merit in us though not in Christ. Secondly it was mercy that God gave us Christ to merit for us And thus of the third property of Gods mercy Fourthly Gods mercy is the more admirable yet in that it is eternall God will not change his Word Hee keepeth his covenant and mercy with his servants 1 King 8.23 Gods mercies have beene from all eternity Psal. 25.6 and he will not take away his mercy from his servants Psalm 89.34 but his mercy and loving kindnesse shall follow them all the dayes of their life Psal. 23. ult His mercies are new every morning hee hath never done shewing of mercy Lament 3.23 Isaiah 33.3 He is still building up his mercies and will never leave till he have finished them in an everlasting frame of unspeakable glory Psalm 89.2 His mercy is everlasting and endureth for ever Psalm 103.3 and 136. from everlasting to everlasting Psalm 103.17 God may forsake his people for a moment to their thinking in a little wrath he may hide his face but with everlasting mercies he will receive them As he hath sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more cover the earth so hath hee sworne hee will no more be wrath with his people The hills may be removed and the mountaines may depart but Gods covenant of peace shall not bee removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Isaiah 54.7 to 11. If Gods covenant be not with day and night and if he have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth then may he cast away his servants and their â—eed Ierem. 33.25 26. But we see the course of nature is firme and therefore ought to be more assured of the firmenesse of the covenant of Gods mercy to his people The effects of mercy follow To obtaine mercy is to obtaine those benefits which God hath promised to his people as the fruits of his mercy Where God shewes mercy First he will heare their prayers graciously this is promised Esa. 30.18 19. and pleaded by David Psal. 4.1 Secondly he sanctifies all afflictions so as whatsoever befalls the godly proceeds from mercy and not justice in God and shall worke for the best Rom. 8.28 It is Gods love that maketh him correct Heb. 12.6 7. Thirdly he heales their natures from the diseases of their mindes for to shew mercy is likewise to cure us and sanctifie us and God promiseth it Hos. 14.3 Fourthly he multiplies pardon Isa. 55.7 It is not grievous to forgive sâ—n daily when they seeke to him for forgivenesse Fifthly he delivers the soule absolutely from the pit they are free from condemnation Iob 33.27 Psal. 86.13 c. Sixthly in all dangers and weaknesses his mercy holds them up even when the godly say their foot slippeth Psal. 94.18 Seventhly he guides them in all their waies He that hath mercy on them saith the Prophet shall leade them even by the springs of water shall hee guide them Esa. 49.10 The World is like a wildernesse the wicked are like wild beasts in a desart Gods children are so provided for that God preserves them yea and himselfe findes them out meanes of singular refreshing all their dayes Eighthly he crownes them with blessings Psal. 103.4 Ninthly he gives them assurance of an immortall inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. The consideration of this marvellous mercy which the godly have obtained may teach us divers things First with all thankfulnesse to acknowledge the mercy of God we should alwayes mention the loving kindnesse of God in all the experiences we have of the truth of his mercies toward us Esa. 63.7 Wee should frame our selves to an easie discourse of the glory of Gods Kingdome and talke of his power Psal. 145.8 9 10. We should bee so perswaded of this truth as freely to say that we know that the Lord is gracious and very mercifull Psal. 116.5 It is a great sinne not to remember the multitudes of Gods mercies Psal. 106.7 Oh that men would therefore indeed praise the Lord for his goodnesse c. Psal. 107. foure times repeated in that Psalme Christians should glory in it not in their riches strength wisdome c. but in this that they know God that exerciseth mercy Ier. 9.24 Secondly in all our wayes heartily to disclaime merits of workes or opinion of our worthinesse or deserts say still with the Prophet in the Psalme Not unto us not unto us Lord but to thy Name give the glory for thy mercy and truths sake Psal. 115.1 The whole frame of our salvation depends upon Gods grace not on workes Eph. 2. Tit. 3.5 Thirdly let us with David resolve to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever since our happinesse lieth in mercy and since we have the tidings of mercy in Gods house there the fountaine of this grace is daily opened unto us and we may draw water still with joy out of this Well of salvation in the Gospel Psal. â— 7 and 23. ult Fourthly wee should learne of God to be mercifull let us strive to comfort others with shewing them mercy as wee have received merâ—y from the Lord. Oh let us be mercifull as our heavenly Father is mercifull Luk. 6. Fifthly we should hence bee incouraged and resolved since we know our priviledges to goe boldly unto the throne of Grace upon all occasions to seeke mercy to helpe in the time of need We have obtained mercy of the Lord and therefore may and ought to make use of our priviledge Heb. 4.16 Secondly this doctrine of Gods mercy may serve for singular comfort to the godly and that both in the case of sinne and in the case of afflictions 1 Against the disquietnesse of the heart for sinne it should much refresh them to remember that they have obtained mercy yea though innumerable evils have compassed them about Psal. 40.11 12. and though our offences are exceeding grievous Psal. 51.1 Exod. 34.6 7. 2 Secondly in the case of afflictions many things should hence comfort us 1 That howsoever it goe with our bodies yet God hath mercy on our soules 2 That it is mercy that our afflictions are not worse that wee are not consumed Lam. 7.22 3 That in the worst afflictions God doth many waies shew mercy his mercies are new every morning Lam. 3.23 4 That though God cause griefe yet hee will have compassion to regard us according to our strength he will deale with us in measure Lament 3.32 Isaiah 27.7
but with great difference for 1 The godly man may be intangled with evill desires but the wicked man is more For he burnes in lust yeelds himselfe over to his hearts lusts Hee is given up to his lusts he takes care for the lusts of the flesh to fulfill them He serves his lusts c. Rom. 13.13 and 1.24 Tit. 3.3 Ephes. 2.3 2 The godly man if he be overcome of his lusts for a time yet he humbleth himselfe and judgeth himselfe for them and grieves for them whereas the wicked boasteth himselfe of his hearts lusts and placeth his contentment in them Psal. 10.3 3 The godly man if he be yet overcome he will breake off his iniquity by repentance whereas the wicked in his lusts is like the divell Hee is incorrigible no ill successe or judgement or reproofe can breake off his desire of transgression yea his lusts are called The lusts of his father the divell Ioh. 8.44 Thirdly all godly Christians should learne from hence to be seriously bent to preserve themselves in the purity of Christian Religion and to keepe their hearts from these soule annoiances Quest. But what should we do to be preserved from lusts Answ. First thou must avoid the occasions of lusts such as are 1 Evill company and therein evill example and evill counsell Psal. 1.1 2 Idlenesse and solitarinesse 3 Excessive desire after and delight in riches 1 Tim. 6.9 4 Ignorance 1 Pet. 1.14 5 Intemperance drunkennesse and fulnesse of bread and deliciousnesse of fare and apparell 6 Hardnesse of heart Eph. 4.17 18. Secondly we must walke in the Spirit cherishing all good motions and pure imaginations yeelding our hearts over to the government of Gods Spirit doing all duties with the powers of our soule Gal. 1.16 Thirdly wee must crucifie them if they arise among our selves with the same mind was in Christ and resolve to suffer in the flesh by the sound practise of mortification Fourthly we must strive after contentation 1 Tim. 6. Fifthly we must get knowledge for as ignorance brings them in so knowledge fils the heart and dares them out Thus of the manner of avoiding them The motives follow and the first of them is Yee are strangers and pilgrims A stranger is hee that lives in a place that is not his owne Country or Kingdome or Nation whither by right he belongs so Abraham was a stranger Gen. 21.23 and the Israelites in Egypt Exod. 2.12 Now a pilgrim is he that resteth not in a place but travelleth onward from place to place Godly men are said to be strangers and not strangers in divers respects It is said they are not strangers in respect of freedome to the City of God and the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes. 2.29 They are strangers in respect of their absence from the heavenly Canaan which is their owne home to which they were borne by regeneration In this world then all the godly are but strangers and pilgrims which may serve First for reproofe even of divers godly men and that in divers respects 1 For their too much minding of earthly things Why do our hearts carry us away after the world considering it is but an Inne to be in for a little time 2 For their meddling with other folkes businesse A stranger onely thinkes of his owne affaires and doth not interpose himselfe in the affaires of others so should we study to be quiet and meddle with our owne businesses 3 For discouragement of heart under the sense of our owne weaknesses and wearinesse in spirituall things we must expect in such travell much weaknesse and wearinesse 4 For impatience either under the crosses of life cast on us by God whereas strangers arme themselves to beare all weathers or under the scornes and contempt of the world whereas we should looke for it that the world should gaze at us and deride us as usually men doe at strangers Nor should Christians be at leasure to stay their journey by seeking revenge for their wrongs or be troubled if they cannot get preferment in the world Secondly for instruction It should wholly impose upon us the care of carrying our selves like strangers and pilgrims 1 By having our conversation without covetousnesse 2 By our language speaking alwayes as may become the people of God and heires of heaven that the men of this world may perceive by our speech that we are not of this world 3 By our circumspection and desire to live without offence as a stranger is very heedfull of his wayes in all places where he comes 4 By our daily enquiring after the particular way to heaven 5 By our thankfulnesse for the favours we finde while we are in the world seeing it is a place we are not to looke for much in 6 By our apparell If â—â—rangers be knowne by their garments then is it a great fault for Christians to be found in the fashions of this world 7 By our delight in good company we should be glad of any that would goe with us to heaven 8 By our affection homeward our mindes should still be in heaven Nor should godly men be overmuch troubled that they are strangers here in this world and pilgrims in the condition of travellers for First they are not strangers in the Common-wealth of Israel and in the Kingdome of Christ though at the same time they are strangers in respect of their condition in this world Secondly they are well provided for at their Innes God provides their resting places and no good thing will hee with-hold from them That God which commands men to regard strangers and shew them mercy will himselfe much more be carefull for his strangers Thirdly their pilgrimage will not be long Fourthly they have good company all the godly travell their way Fifthly God hath appointed them guides yea Christ himselfe will bee their way Sixthly by prayers they may send home continually Seventhly it should much comfort them to thinke what a glorious condition they shall be in when they come home in the new Jerusalem Thus of the first reason Secondly the lusts must be avoided because they are fleshly Fleshly These lusts are fleshly in divers respects First because they please after the flesh which is the corrupt nature of man they hold no delight or shew of profit but to the flesh they are exceeding noisome and grievous and foolish to the Spirit Secondly because they raigne onely in fleshly persons they be the lusts of Gentiles and such as are strangers from the life of God Godly men complaine of them as an extreame misery Rom. 7.1 Pet. 4.3 Thirdly because they arise most from the body which is but a servant to the soule and it is an extreame unmanlinesse for the soule to be at the command of her servant the body which concludes against the lusts of uncleannesse riotousnesse drunkennesse vanity of apparell c. Fourthly because they proceed from the old man or corruption of nature or the flesh considered as the enemy to
to bee considered of Concerning which I propound these things to bee handled First who are the combatants Secondly by what wayes and meanes the soule is assaulted and opposed Thirdly why God would suffer the soule to be thus assaulted Fourthly what reason Christians have to be carefull of themselves and provide against this warre Fifthly by what meanes we must resist and defend the soule Sixthly what hope there is of victory Seventhly how many waies we may obtaine victory Eighthly by what signes we may know that we are not overcome And then the use of the whole For the first there are foure kindes of warre waged against the soule as it is encountered by foure sorts of adversaries For both God and the world and the divell and the flesh warre against the soule of man briefly of the three first God warres against the soule either in earnest and in deed or in shew and appearance and not as an adversary in deed In earnest God fights against the soule by the threatnings and rebukes of his Word when he smites and beates men downe by the word of his mouth Esay 11. and also by torments of conscience powred out upon the wicked men and so he fought against Cain and Iudas Sometimes God is but a purative adversarie and doth but seeme to fight against them and so he warreth against his owne servants either by outward crosses or by desertion or by feare and terrour and thus he fought against Iob. And in this case God is like a Captaine training his souldiers or like a Fencer teaching his scholar to fight The world warres against the soule two waies by the inticements of profits pleasures honours evill counâ—ell or example and by persecution either of the tongue or hand The divell warres against the soule by evill doctrine or temptations or illusions But none of these three are principally intended here it is the flesh that maketh warre against the soule that is here meant By the flesh is meant the corruption that is in the nature of man called the old man and the Law of the members By the soule is here meant the spirit or regenerate man the new man the grace of Christ in the soule Thus of the first point who are the combatants the flesh is the assaylant the spirit the defendant For the second point the flesh incounters and warres against the soule divers waies and by strange kindes of fights as 1 By mists of ignorance it casts mists before the eies of the soule that it might be blinded for there is a manifest combate betweene the naturall understanding and the regenerate minde carnall reason and saving knowledge often fights it out within a man 2 by doubtings and distractions and so the flesh casts ouâ— such questions as these as so many darts into the soule Whether there bee a God or the Scripture bee the Word of God Whether Christ bee the Sonne of God and our Mediator Whether it be the true Church we are in or whether our sinnes be forgiven or we be in the state of grace Whether there shall be any resurrection or heaven or hell or immortall beeing of the soule Against all these the soule is driven to make often defences and drives them out with hard conflicts 3 By rebellious deniall of obedience to the law of the mind exalting it selfe against the obedience enjoyned by Christ to the soule Rom. 7. 2 Cor. 10. and â—asting out resolutions of deniall and thoughts that say they ought not or will not obey 4 By hindring the worke of the soule that overcomes the former resolutions and will obey and that it doth by making evill present when she should do good or by hindring and dulling of the affections of the heart or by casting-in of other projects of purpose to breed distractions in the time of doing good duties Rom. 7. 5. By lusting that is by bringing-in of contrary desires evill concupiscences longings after forbidden things and in these lusts usually the flesh combines with the outward adversaries of the soule the world and the divell and kindles the fire of those inordinate desires by dalliance with the world or the divels temptations And thus of the second point The third thing is a question Why God should suffer the soule to be thus annoyed by the flesh saying He could have made man again in Christ as he made Adam in Paradise and so have utterly abolished the flesh For answer hereunto three things may be said First that we are bound with all thankfulness to praise God for that grace he hath given us in Christ though it bee not full perfect and so ought not to reason with God why he gave us not more grace and the rather because wee look for a time when wee shall bee more happy in that respect than ever Adam was and besides though grace given us bee imperfect in respect of degree and so lesse than Adam's was yet it is perfect in respect of continuance and so it is better than Adam's Thirdly there may be divers reasons assigned why God did suffer the flesh to remain in us after calling for a time that is while wee warre in this world For 1. It shewes the greatnes of God's power that can keep us notwithstanding such continuall danger we are in 2. By this conflict divers graces of the Spirit are raised up and exercised which else were of little use as godly sorrow poverty of spirit desire of death and faith also hath much imployment about this combate 3. By this combate all the graces of God's Spirit are proved to be right and not counterfeit in the true Christians for no man can constantly beare armes against the flesh but hee is a new creature This combate then serves for the triall of the gifts and graces of Christians 4. By this combate wee are cured of the horrible disease of self-love pride in our selves and made more to love God and trust in him as knowing that we deserve no favour at his hand nor can be strong in our owne might 5. It is equall we should war before we triumph that wee should fight in the battels on earth before we raign in heaven Lastly it makes heaven grace more precious in our sight and breeds in us a desire to be dissolved and so warns from the love of this present evill world In the fourth place we must consider by what means the soule may preserve it self against the treacheries and assaults of the flesh and so the means is to be used either before the conflict or in the conflict or after the conflict Before the conflict if wee would take a sound course to bee preserved against the danger of the flesh we must look to these things 1 We must stand upon our guard and keep a daily watch over our hearts and waies and not be retchlesse to despise our own waies or never take notice of our hearts he lives dangerously that lives securely we must take a diligent
speed better than the Apostles who in all places left thousands of people that would not regard them nor their Ministeries 2. Tim. 2.25 26. Lastly we should learne even of wicked men how wee should entertaine the truth for if it bee so hard a matter to get men to change their minds when they hold grosse errors and falshood how ought we to stick to the truth when wee have received it and not receive any other doctrine though an Angell from heaven should teach us otherwise than is written in the Word of God Gal. 1.7 Doct. 2. Wee may hence also note that God is pleased to suffer his children in this life to live amongst wicked men A godly man can live no where but there are some wicked living there the Tares will grow up with the Wheate There may be divers reasons assigned of this why God doth not gather his people altogether from the places where wicked men dwell as first God doth hereby try his people whether they will forsake the inticements of the wicked and cleave to him and his truth the more by-waies there are the more prayse to him that keepes the right way Secondly God doth by the wicked many times refine and purifie his servants by reason of the wicked he both keeps them cleane and if they gather any filth by them he washeth them Wicked men are many times God's Laundresses to godly men for if God appoint them to chasten his servants they will doe it throughly both by reproaches and other waies Thirdly the Kingdome of Christ must bee set up among wicked men because amongst them are many of God's Elect which are in due time to bee converted from their wickednesse Fourthly hereby the power of Christ is magnified that can set up and maintaine his Scepter in the middest of his enemies Fiftly by this course God's patience is prolonged for God is pleased for the godlie's sakes to forbeare those destroying judgements which else would fall upon the wicked The use should be to teach us to beare with patience the inconveniences which befall us in our places and callings by reason of the neighbourhood of wicked men as knowing that it is the condition of all the godly and hath alwaies beene so and is so in all places and therefore to resolve with our selves rather to learne how to carry our selves fairely and honestly among them than through impatience without calling to shift our places or without charity to make any schisme or rent in the Church Secondly since on earth it will be no better with us in respect of our habitation we should therefore learne the more to desire to be in heaven where all the people shall be righteous since there is so much unrighteousnesse in this Wourld we should long for these new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse We should be the more thankfull if God ease us in any degree of the molestations of wicked men either ridding out manifest Idolaters Pagans or Papists or restrayning those that are with us from unquietnesse and tumult and daily slander or comforting us with a large fellowship of the godly Fourthly it should teach us circumspection seeing the dayes are evill both to hold forth our owne light in the midst of their darkenes to take heed that we trust not every man nor beleeve every thing a holy reservednesse will become this Doctrine Fiftly the zeal of Gods house should the more overcome us to strive to winne men to God and provoke them as wee have occasion and ability to the love of God and the true Religion Sixtly we should cleave the faster to the society of the godly and strive together and contend for the faith seeing that we are alwaies in the midst of our enemies Lastly it may bee a great comfort to such as can quiet themselves well towards wicked men that can keepe their way and be still upright and undefiled that can also keepe peace and winne love from their very enemies that can doe valiantly in the winning men to the liking of Religion for their sakes To bee good among the good is not singular but to bee evill among the good is abominable and so is it an admirable prayse to be good among the evill Doct. 3. That in some cases the conversation of a Christian may extend it selfe even to wicked men Someone will say We are forbidden conversation with them how then can wee converse with them Ans. First our conversation may reach unto them by fame or report so the Christians conversed among the Gentiles in that what they did was discoursed of among the Gentiles But this is not all for in some cases we may goe among them lawfully even into their presence and company as first in case of negotiation in things of necessitie as trade publike service or the like Secondly in case of naturall or civill obligation to them as children wives servants subjects may not withdraw their attendance or service from them but may and must converse with them Thirdly in case of Religion men that intend to admonish confute perswade or winne them to the love of Religion may for that end converse with them But then two cautions must be observed first that the party that would so converse with them must be able to admonish or confute c. Secondly such an end must not bee made a pretence onely to cover needelesse society with them Lastly a difference must be put betweene the open enemies of God and such as give some hope of inclination to Religion though yet they be not manifestly religious There are some persons that are inoffensive so as they are not guily of any grosse and open crime and seeme to favour Religion and the exercises thereof and doe desire the society of the godly and take no pleasure in evill company now we must beware that we judge not rashly of these to account them as Gentiles and such as are without and with these wee may hold more sure society Doct. 4. It may be lastly hence observed That to convince or winne the Gentiles honesty of conversation is chiefly to be respected honesty I say not Religion To shew the practice of religious duties before them is a way to irritate them they must bee beaten with their owne weapons and overcome in the things they professe to bee good The way to amaze them that are without is to shew that religion formes in us such things as they confesse to be good yet cannot come to or not in such a manner or degree such as are faithfulnes chastity meekenes wisedome taciturnity mercy or the like The use should bee therefore to teach godly Christians in the places where they live to looke to this point not onely to live without offence but to strive to excell in the vertues that concerne outward honesty of life And to this end it were excellent if Christians would marke in what things the men of the world where they live doe strive to excell
maintaine good workes Tit. 2.8 They must shew their faith by their workes and so they are justified before men by the workes which they behold Iam. 2. They are the expresse words of S. Iames also in his third chapter vers 13. Let him shew by good conversation his workes And the Apostle Paul saith If there be any praise thinke on those things that may get praise Phil. 4.8 Yea some Christians are charged to be patterns of good workes Tit. 2.7 Now for explication of this point I would consider first what workes may bee shewed and then secondly what workes may not bee shewed For the first I will only now instance in the Apostles catalogue in the second of Titus Old men may safely shew sobriety gravity temperance soundnesse of their faith love and patience Old women may safely carry themselves in a holy behaviour and be teachers of good things especially to the younger women Young women must shew their sobriety love and obedience to their husbands discretion chastity care of their children and houshold affaires Young men may shew that they be sober-minded Ministers offend not by teaching uncorrupt doctrine with gravity and sincerity nor when in conference they speake soundly and things that cannot be justly taxed Servants offend not by shewing obedience to their masters and all good faithfulnesse and desire to please them well in all things For the second the shew is condemned in divers sorts of workes as 1 Secret duties of what kind soever must not be done to the beholding of others thus to pray or fast that others may see or heare is not lawfull Mat. 6. 2 Such workes as are done deceitfully are justly taxed for the shew of them as when Ananias and Sapphira will make a shew of bountie which was not performed as they pretended Act. 5. 3 All workes that are done with affectation when the praise of men is simply and onely sought are Pharisaicall and ill done 4 All the workes that are done about the use of the meanes of godlinesse if practice bee not joyned with them are rejected of God and the shew of them is condemned Thus to make a shew of hearing Sermons reading the Scriptures frequent and long prayers strict observing of the Lords day and the like when there is not a sound care of a holy life are not good workes nâ—r is the shew of them commended Esa. 1. Mic. 6. 5 To shew care of lesser duties and live in the carelesse and manifest neglect of greater and more necessary duties is likewise Pharisaicall and condemned Mat. 23. Thus of the beholding of good workes They may glorifie God To glorifie God is in the etymologie of the word to make God glorious Now the glory of God is the excellencie of God above all things as is by way of exposition added Esa. 35.2 The question then is How can God be made glorious or excellent seeing his excellencie is as infinite as his nature is and to that which is infinite nothing can be added For the resolving of this question we must understand that if Gods nature be considered in it selfe it is so excellent as nothing can be conceived or done that should bring glory to it But when the Scripture speakes of glorifying of God it meanes it of such an excellencie as to our capacity by reflexion and resemblance some way expresseth the similitude of Gods excellencie which we call his glory And so God is glorified by himselfe or by us God hath made divers impressions of his owne excellencie and set it out by way of image or similitude as First in the divine nature of Christ. For Christ as the Sonne of God is said to be the splendor and brightnesse of his Fathers glory Heb. 1.2 Secondly in the humane nature of Christ. For in his humane nature did the God-head dwell and shine as the candle in the lanthorn and so the glory of God appeares amongst men for when Christ was incarnate and came to dwell amongst men they saw his glorie as the glorie of the onely begotten Sonne of God Iob. 1.14 Thirdly in his workes for the invisible things of God as his power and wisedome in the excellencie of them are made visible unto our observation in the creation and government of the world in the great booke of the creatures is the glory of God written in great letters Rom. 1. Thus the heavens declare the glory of God Psalm 19.1 And in this great booke the glory of the Lord is said to endure for ever and the Lord will alwaies rejoyce in this impression of his glory in his workes Psalm 104.31 and as all the workes of God are his glory in that they do some way set out his excellencie so especially miracles are in a high degree resemblances of Gods glory and therefore are these workes of wonder called the glory of God Thus the power of God in raising Christ is called his Glory Rom. 6.4 and so the marvellous workes mentioned Psal. 97.4 5 6. so Christ in working the miracle in Canaan of Galile is said to shew his glory Ioh. 2.11 And as workes of miracles are called the glory of God because God hath in them stamped some lively resemblance of his excellencie so also workes of speciall justice done upon Gods enemies are called his glory also as the se places shew Exod. 14.14 Num. 14.21 Esa. 13.3 So also Gods mighty working in delivering his servants is called his glory also Psal. 105.5 6. and 57.6 and 85.9 Fourthly in man God hath imprinted his glory and so in all sorts of mankind they are called the glory of God in respect of their resemblance of Gods soveraignty man is as it were a visible God in this visible world and in respect of his superioritie over the creatures resembles God 1 Cor. 11.17 And as God hath imprinted his glory upon all men in generall so in a speciall manner upon some men as 1 Upon such men as shine in the outward dignity and preeminence of their places in this world above other men their glory is said to bee Gods glory 1 Chron. 29.11 12. 2 Upon such men as are indued with the grace of God and the vertues of Jesus Christ these beare Gods Image and are therefore called his glory Esa. 46.13 2 Cor. 3.18 Psal. 90.17 3 In a more principall manner upon such as be received up to glory in heaven Thus God will be glorified in his Saints at the day of Judgement 2 Thes. 1.10 This is that glory of God which the godly doe hope for with so much joy Rom. 5.2 Fifthly in certaine visible signes and testimonies of his presence Thus the consuming fire on mount Sinah is called the glory of God Exod. 24.6 16 17. So also the cloud that filled the Temple Exod. 40.34 and the cloud that rose upon the Tabernacle in the wildernesse And so the signes of Gods presence in heaven are in a speciall respect called his glory Thus Stephen saw the glory of God and
Men must be subject because God hath taken mens consciences bound to subjection Rom. 13. 3 Because Kings are heads of the people and therefore as members it is agreeable that they should submit and bee ruled and guided 4 In respect of the benefit men receive by Magistrates both in outward things and in matters of Religion For outward things men enjoy publike peace and quietnesse and protection by the help of the power of the Magistrate And for matters of Religion earthly Common-wealths are as it were Innes to lodge the Church in and Princes power affords protection so as Christians may more safely follow their calling and if they be godly Kings they are the very nurses of Religion And thus of the reasons For the second this Submission hath in it sixe things the first is obedience to their lawes and commandements Tit. 3.1 The second is honour Rom. 13.7 for they are principalities and powers as the Angels shine in heaven so doe Princes on earth Yea they are called gods and so in two respects first as they are Gods Deputies and Viceroyes God executes a part of his Kingdome by Kings Secondly as they beare the image of God and his authority and soveraignty Now wee must performe this honour by reverence and by feare of them and by judging the best of them and their actions without conceiving suspitions of them or receiving evill reports against them or daring to speake evill of those dignities and Rulers of the people and by all thankefulnesse for the good wee receive by them acknowledging to the full all their praises The third is loyalty by which wee resolve and endevour to the uttermost of our powers to maintaine and preserve the persons rights prerogatives crownes and dignities of Princes If wee must lay downe our lives one for another then much more for our King and Country The fourth is piety we must pray for them with all manner of prayer wee must make supplications for Gods blessing upon them and deprecations for the removing evils from them and if they should sinne and God bee wroth with them wee should stand up in the gap and make intercession for them and we should give thanks for all the mercies the Lord shewes unto them 2 Tim. 2.1 The fift is maintenance tribute must bee paid Rom. 13.7 Christ himselfe submitted herein The last is subjection to their punishments Rom. 13.4 yea to their injuries as David Christ and the Apostles did submit themselves to the injurious dealing of Saul Pilate and the Tyrants when perhaps they could have made resistance Use 1. The use may be first for terror to the seditious great hath beene the vengeance of God upon Traytors the earth swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram for their rebellion Absolon was hanged up by the haire between heaven and earth as unworthy both of heaven and earth The words of our Saviour Christ are in an high degree true in this case Hee that taketh â—up the sword shall perish by the sword And S. Paul saith They shall be damned that resist the power Secondly it should much humble the better sort of men for divers 〈◊〉 that are too common such as are the receiving of evill reports and speaking evill with too frequent intemperancy grudging at the payment of tribute and taxations evill surmises of the actions of Princes and the aptnesse â—o fâ—vour themselves in the liberty of doubting concerning obedience to them in things indifferent Thirdly all good Christians should be perswaded to make conscience of this submission and to that end they should bee at the paines to study this Doctrine and withall pray to God to direct them and keepe them in his feare and obedience herein and besides they should be sure that they meddle not with the changers or with the seditious Pro. 24.22 Your selves These words may note either the manner of our submission or the matter the manner thus Submit your selves that is yeeld obedience uncompelled doe it of your selves stay not till you be forced to doe it and so the Apostle should thereby import that our submission even to men should bee performed willingly and so wee should willingly and cheerefully obey their lawes honour and defend their persons pray for them to God yeeld them tribute yea wee should without murmuring submit our selves to their punishments yea cheerefully beare their injuries and so it removes grudging and force from our submission But I rather understand the words to note the matter to bee submitted and that is our selves not our goods onely for tribute or custome but our persons also must bee at the Princes service our very bodies must be submitted both to doe the labour thaâ— belongs to the beating of any office for the publike good and to the enduring of any punishment by the lawes to be inflicted upon the body and to the imploying of the body and life in defence of the true Religion and of the Kingâ— person law and desire in warre or otherwise This is manifest by the frequent wars in the Old Testament both required and performed nor may any say that Christians in the New Testament are not charged in the businesse of warre for First It was Christ's maine intendment to forme a spirituall Kingdome to God he left the state of earthly Kingdomes to the condition they were in before Secondly when the Apostles doe in the generall require the submission of Christians to their Magistrates without exception of their obedience in warre or otherwise it is manifest that they leave them to the lawes of nature and the lawes of God before Thirdly even in the New Testament this is implyed by Baptist's answer to the souldiers Luk. 3.14 and the praises of those worthy warriours Heb. 11.33 34 In which place also is a manifest proofe for subjection even in our bodies to the sentences of Magistrates whether just or unjust And the Magistrate's sword Rom. 13.4 is not onely a sword of justice upon malefactors in his owne land but of revenge on the enemies of God or the Church or Common-wealth abroad And for that saying of our Saviour to Peter He that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword Mat. 26.52 it is spoken of him to whom of the Lord it is not delivered that is of him that hath not authority from God as Magistrates have to command others to take the sword and it was spoken to Peter a Pastour of soules Put up again thy sword into his place That materiall sword was not for him to use Thirdly note that it is indefinitely propounded Your selves that is all of all sorts no man can bee exempted from subjection to Princes Christians must obey as well as Pagans strangers as well as home-borne while they are within their gates All the doubt is whether Church-men are to bee subject to secular Princes The Papists deny it but wee affirme it and have reason so to doe First because the precept is generall without exception Secondly because the Apostle saith Rom. 13.1
what we learne at Church is for the most part to bee practised at home Many have little occasion of practice abroad Sixtly because the comfort and contentment of mans life lieth much in this How are the lives of many men made uncomfortable by disordered servants wicked children idle froward vicious wives God gave the woman at the first as a speciall help to man to shew that at home the chief help of his life was to be had Use. The Use should be therefore to teach Christians in their severall places in the family to make conscience of their dealing both to know it and to doe it as ever they would have God to come to them and dwell with them Psal. 10.1 2. and as they desire to be no hypocrites in Religion for such as make no conscience of doing their duties in the family whether themselves wives servants or children are not sound Christians they are but hypocrites They are not compleat Christians that are not good at home aswell as abroad they walke not in a perfect way Psal. 101.2 And besides till domesticall disorders be redressed the family will never be established Pro. 14.3 Secondly it is to be noted that Inferiours in the family are either onely or first or with most words charged about their duties as here servants and not masters and servants and wives with many words and there may bee divers reasons assigned of it 1. To preserve order God hath subjected the Inferiours to the Superiours and the Superiour in a family is Gods Image the Lord is therefore carefull to preserve his authoritie The Superiours receive lawes from God but not from their Inferiours The Inferiours are to learne their dutie without prescribing lawes to their Superiours 2. Because the disorders of Inferiours are for the most part most dangerous to the troubling of the family because the businesses of the family are done by their hands the Superiour providing for the common good by common instruments If the Master of the family bee never so godly-wise yet oftentimes the family may be destroyed by wicked servants and vicious wives Pro. 14.1 3. Because faults in the Inferiours are most scandalous against Religion especially where the family is unequally yoked as if the Head of the family be an unbeleever and the Members beleevers disorder in the beleevers is most extremely scandalous 4. Because if the Head of the family be disordâ—ed the orderly behaviour of the Inferiours may bring him into order and win him both to Religion and good order at home A conversation with fear in wives may win their husbands as chap. 3.1 2. of this Epistle 5. Because God would hereby shew that the Inferiours must alwayes doe their duties before they looke after the duties of Superiours they must be first served 6. By this course the Apostles did labour to intice the Gentiles to Religion by letting them see how carefull they were to breed goodnesse and love in their wives servants and children and the Apostles did wisely in so doing because it is a greater gain to Religion to gaine one master than many servants because such a master may doe more good The Use should be therefore to interest the obligation upon the consciences of wives servants and children and even the more they see that God saith unto them the more they should be carefull of their duties and ever the more desirous they see the Lord to bee to have them live without offence the more abominable they should account it to dare to offend still and if they have not masters or husbands they should strive to be good themselves before they complaine of the fault of their Superiours and should thinke with themselves If I were a better wife or servant I should finde my husband or servant better to mee Thus in the generall The first thing then the Apostle gives in charge concerns servants from verse 18. to the end of this chapter where observe First the proposition enjoyning servants to bee subject to their masters verse 18. Secondly the exposition shewing both how they should be subject viz. with all feare and to what masters viz. not only to the good but to the froward verse 18. Thirdly the confirmation of it by three reasons viz. from the consideration 1. Of the acceptation of such subjection with God verse 19.20 2. Of their calling verse 21. 3. Of the example of Christ which is urged 1. For the use of servants verses 22.23 2. For the use of all Christians by digression verses 24.25 First then of the proposition where we are to consider first the persons charged Servants secondly the duty imposed be subject thirdly the persons to whom they owe it to your Masters Servants Two things are to be inquired into about servants First the originall of their estâ—â—e and secondly the bond that ties them to this subjection There are servants of God servants of sinne servants of men It is the servants of men that are here meant Servants of men are not all of one sort neither For first such as apply themselves to satisfie the unreasonable humors of men are said to be servants of men and condemned 1. Cor. 7.23 Secondly such as make themselves beholding to other men through their pride are forc't many times to become their servants Thus the borrower is a servant to the lender Pro. 22.7 Thirdly such as imploy their estates or bodies for the honour or preservation of their superiours are said to bee servants thus subjects serve Princes 1. Sam. 8.17 Fourthly such as imploy their labours and spend themselves for the common good are said to be servants thus Ministers are the peoples servants 2. Cor. 4.5 1. Cor. 9.19 But none of these are here meant These servants are domesticall servants such as are under the yoke of particular Masters in a family Those servants in the Apostles time were of two sorts some were bond servants such as were bought and sold in the markets over whom the Masters had absolute and perpetuall power some were hired servants that did serve by covenant and contract as servants do now for the most part with us Concerning these it may be inquired how it comes to passe that men that by creation have the same nature with other men should in their condition be abased to so low and meane estate as to serve them that are in nature alike to them This seemes to be a grievous inequalitie and therefore first to be searched into for the originall and causes of it It is out of doubt that before the Fall if man had staied in his Innocency there had beene no servitude because all men had been made after the Image of God both for holinesse and glory and so had been on earth as the Saints shall be in Heaven The first cause then of subjection and servitude was the confusion and sin of our first parents brought upon the world the earth being cursed for mans sake A necessity of toylesome â—â—bour lay upon men
So with God there is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision Jew nor Gentile bond nor free but all are one in Christ Col. â— 11 Which should be a marvellous comfort to Christians that are meaner than others in the world to think on it that God requireth as hard worke of the richest as he doth of them and makes as great account of a poore Christian as of the mightiest Monarch And it should teach Christians humility and not to strive so much for precedency but rather if men will excell others it should be in service and sufferings Fourthly all men are not called he saith here Yee are called as importing that it was a speciall honour done to them Many have not the meanes of Calling and many refuse their Calling when they have the meanes Which shewes the wofull estates of worlds of men unto whom the voice of God by his Word in the Spirit comes not Fiftly the Calling of God doth propound conditions upon which his election in time doth depend for many are called but few chosen upon their Calling and the reason is because they yeelded not to the conditions of their Calling God calls men to a new Covenant and requires first the beleefe of all things promised on his part secondly sanctity and holinesse of life thus they are said to be Saints by Calling 1 Cor. 1.1 thirdly to suffer for well-doing if there be occasion so here Now upon the Conscience and consent of the heart unto these conditions doth God make his choice or acknowledge men and therefore hereby mens hearts must bee tried or men must try their hearts and estates whether they be effectually called or no. Sixtly men are bound to take notice of and to learne and obey the will of God revealed in his Word though it be hard to finde out as here the Apostle faith They were called to suffer which is a thing that is not easie to prove by expresse Scripture but must be found out as it lies enwrapped in consequences in divers places of Scripture For if the lawes of men binde and oblige us to punishment though we know them not because we ought to take notice of them much more must we study the Lawes of God though they be many in number and hard to finde out without much labour and many helps Seventhly our generall Calling doth binde us to a carefull observation of our particular Calling as here their Calling in Religion to be Gods servants did binde them to looke to their duty as mens servants yea and to be subject to their corrections though unjust And therefore those Christians are farre out of the way that neglect their particular Calling and the charge God hath delivered them upon sentence of Religion and their generall Calling Eightly the maine doctrine in them or in the scope of them is that God calls his servants all of them to suffer for the truth Hee shewes them heaven and the salvation of their soules and bestowes rich treasure upon their hearts but withall tells them he lookes they should arme themselves with a resolution to suffer what may befall them for well-doing Our Saviour Christ told his Disciples plainely that they must thinke of taking up the Crosse daily before they come to wearing of the Crowne And therefore they do foolishly that undertake the profession of Religion before they have set downe to know what it will cost them Thus of the second reason The third reason is taken from the example of Christ who suffered greater wrongs than can be befall servants or any other sort of men and this doctrine of Christs suffering he handles at large from verse 21. to the end of the chapter Which doctrine of Christs suffering is fitted partly to the case of servants and partly to the use of all Christians Concerning the Passion five things are in all these verses noted First who suffered Christ suffered ver 21. Secondly the end of his suffering viz. to leave us an example c. verse 21. Thirdly the manner how he suffered set out 1. Negatively and so he suffered first without sin verse 22. secondly without reviling ver 23. 2. Affirmatively and so hee commits himselfe to him that judgeth righteously Fourthly the matter what he suffered viz. our sins in his owne body on the tree ver 24. Fiftly the effect of his sufferings 1. In respect of us and so his sufferings serve To kill our sins Verse 24. To make us alive to righteousnesse Verse 24. To heale our natures Verse 24. 2. In respect of himselfe and so they procured his exaltation to be Shepheard and Bishop of our soules ver 25. Thus of the order Even Christ suffered The first thing to be considered in the Apostles description of the Passion of the person who suffered is that it is named here with speciall Emphasis Even Christ or Christ also Christ is the sir-name of our Saviour as Jesus was his proper name Jesus is a name onely given him in the New Testament but Christ was his name in both Testaments and signifies Anointed being a Greek word as Messiah doth in the Hebrew And so it is a name importing his office of Mediator as being thereby proclaimed to bee the substance of the ceremoniall types even the supreme Doctor or Prophet Priest and King of the Church for these three sorts of men were anoynted in the Old Testament and were types of Christs anointing It is true that we doe not reade that our Saviour was himselfe anointed with oyle because his anointing consisted in the substance of that shadow For the shadow signifieth two things first ordination to the office secondly the pouring out of gifts by the holy Ghost for the exornation of the office Now whereas Christ is Mediatour in both natures his anointing must be distinguished according to his natures The whole person was anointed but yet differently in respect of his natures for gifts could not be poured out upon his divine nature yet as the Sonne of God the second person in Trinity he was anointed in respect of ordination to the office of Mediatour and as the Sonne of man he was anointed in respect of the pouring out of the gifts of the holy Ghost upon that nature in measure as the Psalmist saith above his fellowes Psal. 45. The first doctrine about the Passion is here briefly contained in these three words of the Apostle Even Christ suffered which is a doctrine full of excellent Uses for thence First we may see how vile the errour was of those Hereticks they called Patri-passianus who taught that God the Father suffered whereas in this and other Scriptures we are taught that it was onely Christ the second Person in Trinity that suffered The ground of their errour was that there was but one Person in the Deity which in heaven was called the Father in earth the Sonne in the powers of the creatures the holy Ghost and thence they affirme the same things of the Father they did of the Sonne that he was
visible mortall and immortall passible and impassible passible on earth and impassible in heaven But we have learned from the Prophets and Apostles to beleeve three Persons and so to acknowledge that the second Person suffered onely and that in his humane nature Secondly we may hence learne that Christ was subject to the Law after a peculiar manner so as no other man was subject for he did not onely fulfill the Law by a most perfect obedience but he suffered the malediction and curse of the Law also Some men are subject to the malediction of the Law onely and so are all the wicked reprobates that obey it not Some men are subject to the Commandements of the Law and not to the malediction and so our first parents were while they continued in their innocency because God did not require them to suffer so long as they obeyed the Law and so all godly men in Christ are under the Law in respect of obedience but not in respect of malediction only Christ is subject to the malediction and obedience of the Law as our surety Thirdly hence we learne a plain demonstration of the truth of the humane nature of Christ He had not a fantasticall body but a true body because he did verily suffer in the flesh as followes afterwards Fourthly hence we may be informed of the excessively vile disposition of the world in that it is so set on wickednesse that the very Saviour of the world if he come into the world shall suffer from the world Fiftly we may hence learne that Christ suffered willingly and of his own accord For in that he that is God suffered it shewes he had power to preserve himselfe so as all the world could not have forced him to suffer and therefore we have cause so much the more to admire his love to us that suffered for our sakes as the next point will shew Sixtly we may hence learne to know how abominable sinne is that makes the Son of God suffer miserable things if he become a surety for sinne Seventhly we may hence learne to know the inevitable destruction and fearfull perdition of impenitent sinners For if God spared not his owne Sonne that was but a suretie for sinne and did none himselfe will hee ever spare them that are principals and monstrous offenders Eightly did even Christ suffer then we should evermore arme our selves with the same mind and provide to suffer in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.1 It is a shame for us to expect or desire a life of ease and prosperity seeing the Prince of our salvation was consecrated through afflictions Heb. 2.10 and 12.3 And the more should we be confirmed to suffer in willingnesse in this life because God hath predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Sonne in sufferings Rom. 8.29 Lastly in that it was Christ that suffered we may hence gather comfort to our selves in his passion all the dayes of our life because his sufferings must needs be of infinite merit being the sufferings of him that is God as well as man Thus of the Person suffering The persons for whom he suffered follow For us The sufferings of Christ were not casuall such as befell him for no use nor were they deserved by himselfe For he never offended God nor did hee seeke his own peculiar good in them but he suffered all he did for our sakes Isa. 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him and verse 8. Hee was plagued for the transgression of Gods people and as the Apostle saith he was delivered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification Rom. 4.25 Hee was sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 He gave himselfe for us Ephes. 5.2 Now he suffered for us in divers respects as First to make satisfaction unto the justice of God for our sinnes and to appease the wrath of God toward us as the former places shew His sufferings were a sacrifice for sinne He bare the curses of the Law which were due to us Gal. 3.10 And thus he paid our ransome and pacified God especially in his death and buriall He nayled the hand-writing that was against us to his crosse Col. 2.15 And as Ionas was cast into the bowels of the sea to still the raging of it so was Christ cast into the bowels of the earth to make the seas of Gods wrath quiet for us Secondly he suffered as to make satisfaction for our sinnes so together with that satisfaction to remove from us the many miseries might have falne upon us for our sinnes Thus he was judged and condemned at the barre of Pilate that we might be acquirted at the barre of God He endured all sorts of paines and torments in soule and body that wee might be delivered from eternall torments in hell He died that hee might deliver us from death and the feare of it and from him which had the power of death which is the divell Heb. 2.13 He was crucified that he might abolish the power of sinne in us Rom. 6.10 Thirdly he suffered for us that so by his sufferings he might merit the supply of our wants and the possession of happinesse Hee suffered to make us blessed Thus he died to ratifie the eternall counsell Heb. 9.15.16.17 He was poore to make us rich 2 Cor. 8.9 He was bound to make us free Hee was unclothed to cover our nakednesse He was forsaken of God for a time that we might be received to everlasting mercy Hee was crowned with a crowne of thornes that he might merit for us a crowne of glory Hee found no mercy from the Priests and Jewes that we might finde sure mercy with God He was cast out of the earthly Jerusalem and suffered without the gates that he might provide a place for us in the heavenly Jerusalem Fourthly he suffered for us in this that he suffered that so he might have a sympathy of our sufferings and have a feeiing of our miseries He suffered being tempted that he might be able to secure us being tempted Heb. 2.17 18. and 4.15 The consideration hereof may serve for divers uses Uses First it should breed in us an admiration of the love of Christ to us that could ever be willing to become surety for us and suffer for us especially considering what we were viz. unjust men 1 Pet. 3.18 wicked men Rom. 5.6 enemies to him Rom. 5.8 10. That one should die for a good or righteous man or for one that is a common good for or to other men is very rare But it might be Ionathan might die for David or a subject be willing to die for a good Prince about no man would die for his enemies as Christ died for us Secondly it should worke in us sorrow and hearty griefe for our sins wee should now mourne as heartily for piercing Christ by our sinnes as if we had lost an only childe c. We complaine of the Jewes and Iudas and Pilate for
repented It is a signe of true mortification when 1. A man hath seriously condemned himselfe before God for his sin 2. When he feeles the wonted violence of affections after sinne and the world to be deaded and his heart growne dull and out of taste in matters of sin and the world He is crucified that hath his lusts and affections crucified Gal. 5.24 3. That he is weary of life is selfe by reason of the remainders of sin in his flesh Rom. 7. 4. That hath felt as sensible sorrowes for his sinnes as he was wont to doe for his crosses sorrowes I say that are voluntary and for sinne as it is sinne Doâ—t 4. The Passion of Christ is the best medicine to kill sin in us he died that we might die to sin There is a vertue in the death of Christ to kill sin Rom. 6. Now the death of Christ may be said to kill sin First in respect of the guilt of sin Christ in his death paid all that was needfull for satisfaction and â—o destroyed the imputation of it and stilled the clamour of it It cannot cry against us in heaven because God is fully satisfied and the bond discharged and cancelled the plea of our sins died in the Passion of Christ. Secondly in respect of the hatefulnesse of it or the demonstration of the hatefulnesse of it The Passion of Christ gives all men occasion to see how unworthy sin is to live that made him die when it was only imputed to him and not done by him Thirdly in respect of the power of it in us actually There is a secret vertue in the wounds of Christ to wound sin and in the death of Christ to kill sinne and therefore the Scripture speakes not only of the merit but of the vertue of his death Rom. 6. Phil. 3. which vertue is secretly derived unto the penitent sinner by the ordinances of Christ his Word Prayer and Sacraments Uses The Use should be for triall men may know whether as yet they have any part in the death of Christ by inquiring whether they be dead in their sins First they have no interest in the merit of his death that have not experience of the vertue of his death in killing their corruptions Secondly for instruction When godly men find any corruption begin to be too strong for them they must flye to Christ for this medicine and then there is no sin so strong in them but by constant prayer to Christ for the vertue of his death will be subdued if they pray in faith Prayer gets the medicine and faith applies it to the disease Doct. 5. True mortification doth not encounter one sin only but sins in the plurall number and indefinitely It notes that in true repeâ—tance there is a respect had to amendment of all sins To amend only one or two faults is not true repentance for he that is truely dead is dead to sins there is no sin but the true Convert desires and endeavours to be rid of it so far as hee knowes it to be a sin Herâ—d did mend in some things but yet was not sound because in one sin he minded no repentance And this point doth give an infallible rule of triall of mens estates in Christ for no wicked man on earth doth so much as in true desire forsake all sin There be some corruptions he knowes that he would upon no conditions part with To desire and endeavour to be rid of all sins is an infallible mark of a child of God Doct. 6. Mortification makes a man dead only to sins it doth not make him of a dead and lumpish disposition in doing good duties Heb. 9.14 nor doth it require that it should destroy his nature or naturall temper or the parts of his body but his sin only nor doth it kill his contentment in the creatures of God and the use of lawfull things nor doth it destroy his liberty in lawfull delights and recreations it kils his sin only Might live unto righteousnesse These words containe the second effect of Christs death and passion viz. the raising of us unto a righteous life his death makes us live and live righteously Divers Doctrines may be hence observed Doct. 1. First that men truely mortified shall live happily These dead men will live there is no danger in great sorrow and the other workes of mortification It kils sin but the soule lives by that meanes He is sure to live that is dead to his sins Rom. 8.13 Esay 26.19 1 Pet. 4.6 Ezek. 18. Hos. 14.2 The reasons are first because God hath promised comfort to such as mourne for sin Mat. 5.4 Pro. 14.10 Secondly Christ hath a speciall charge given him to looke to those mourners that they miscarry not Esay 61.1 2 3. Thirdly they are freed from eternall death they cannot be condemned 1 Cor. 11.31 32. Iob 33.27 28. Fourthly because the fruit of the lips is peace to these they are ever after interessed in the comforts of the Word Esay 57. 15 18. Fiftly the nature of godly sorrow is only to tend to repentance it is worldly sorrow that tends to death 2 Cor. 7.10 Sixtly they that are conformed to the similitude of Christs death by mortification shall be conformed to Christs life by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 6.5 8 11. Uses The Use may be first for confutation of such as think that mortification is a way full of danger and makes many men come to great extremities whereas they may here see there is no danger in it Hellish terrours and despaire and some kinde of diseases may make strange effects in some men but never was any hurt by godly sorrow for sin if we will beleeve the Scriptures and therefore it should incourage men to fall to worke soundly about searching their wayes and confessing their sins and judging themselves in secret for their sinnes Iames 4.7 2 Cor. 7.10 11. But here men must looke to some few rules First that they see the warrant of the course in the Word and know the places that require these duties that they lay up such promises made to the duties of mortification as may uphold their hearts in the practice of them Thirdly that they refuse not consolation but when they have found true humiliation for their sins and comfort from God in his ordinances that they turne their sorrow into joy and their prayers into thanksgiving and spend their dayes alwayes rejoycing in the Lord. Doct. 2. It is not enough to die to sinne unlesse wee also live to righteousnesse it is not enough to forsake our sinnes but wee must spend our dayes in good workes we are so charged to cease to doe evill as withall we are charged to learne to doe well Esay 1.16 we must bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life as well as confesse our sinnes Matth. 3.8 A man will cut downe his fig-tree for want of good fruit though it beare no ill fruit Luke 13.6 It will not please any
husbandman that his land beare no thornes not briers not weeds if it beare him not good graine It is not enough for a servant that he do his Master no hurt but he must â—ee to it that he do his Masters worke For first obedience and good fruits are required at our hands in the Law of God besides the prohibition of sinne Secondly Christ dyed to this end that we might live righteously as well as die to sinne Thirdly because all the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on us in our regeneration are given to profit withall not to lay them up in a napkin 1 Cor. 12. Fourthly because we shall be judged at the last day according to our works Rom. 2.6 Use. And therefore this shewes the dangerous folly of such carnall people as think if they come to Church and live civilly and doe nobody no wrong they are out of all question in a right course And besides it should awake carelesse and sluggish Christians to look to their gifts and remember what accounts they will give to God for their unprofitablenesse and unfruitfulnesse 2 Pet. 1.8 Doct. 3. It is from hence evident that the only living is to live righteously He is worthy to be sayd to live that lives to righteousnesse a religious life is the best life And these are the reasons First because it is the most honorable life For to live to righteousnesse makes a man highly in the favour of God Psa. 11.7 Prov. 15.9 and it shewes that a man is borne of God 1 Ioh. 2.29 and besides it helps a man to the best and most blessed memoriall Prov. 10.7 and the fruits of righteousnesse are the best means of glorifying God Phil. 1.11 And therefore Salomon sayd well that the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Pro. 12.26 And David saith They are the only excellent Ones Ps. 16. whereas every wicked man is lothsome and a sinfull life is a shamefull life Prov. 1â— 5 c. 14.34 Secondly because it is the most profitable life and the most gainfull for blessings are upon the head of the righteous Pro. 10.6 The wicked worketh a deceitâ—ull work but to him that â—oweth righteousnes shall be a sure reward Pro. 11.18 And righteousnesse is both the best riches and the most durable Pro. 8.18 19 20. And it hath the promise of this life as well as the life to come 1 Tim. 6. Iob 8 6. And the profit of righteousnesse will help a man when he is to die when the treasures of the wicked will profit nothing Pro. 10.2 Yea a good man lacketh not an inheritance for his childrens children and the wealth of the sinner is many times layd up for the juit Thi rely because it is the safest and quietest life Hee that walketh uprightly walketh surely Prov. 10.19 and the fruit of righteousnesse is peace Iam. 3.18 For Gods promise is that no evill shall happen to the just whereas the wicked shall be filled with mischiefe Pro. 12.21 And Gods blessing makes them rich and he mingles no sorrow with it Pro. 10.21 and 15.6 And righteousnesse is reckoned as an impenetrable aâ—mour 2 Cor. â— 7 And God doth marke every one that doth righteousnesse and solaceth his heart Esay 64.5 And the very doing of good is sweetnesse to the â—ouâ—e Pro. 13.19 And whereas there is no peace to the wicked the righteous is at peace with God with Angels with the creatures and with all godly men Fourthly because it is the most durable life for the feare of the Lord prolongeth the dayes but the yeeres of the wicked shall be shortned Pro. 10. 27.30 The way of righteousnesse is life and in the path-way thereof is no death Pro. 12.28 As a whirl-winde so is the wicked seene no more but the righteous is an everlasting foundation Prov. 10.25 Fiftly because it is a life that ends the best of all mens lives for the wicked is driven away in his wickednesse but the righteous hath hope in his death and great hope too having the promises of a better life and so much glory as the eye of mortall man never saw nor eare of man heard nor came into the heart of a naturall man Pro. 14.32 1 Tim. 6. 1 Cor. 2.9 Sixtly because righteousnesse is more proper to the soule What is riches or honour or any outward thing to the soule of man or what shall it profit a man to provide the whole world to be his estate if hee provide not grace for his soule Riches profit but the outward estates of a man whereas righteousnesse profits the man himselfe And therefore Adams losse was greater in losing his innocency than in losing of Paradise What can it profit a man to have all other things good about him if he be not good himselfe Use. The Use should be first for triall Men should throughly search themselves whether they be indeed righteous men and the more carefully should they search because the most righteous on earth have their many ignorances and frailties There is no man but sinneth daily and in many things And besides a man may attaine to some kinde of righteousnesse and yet not enter into the Kingdome of heaven as there is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet are not cleansed from their sins And the Pharisees had a righteousnesse that had many praises they gave almes and fasted and prayed long prayers and did that which was warrantable in respect of the Law outwardly and yet if our righteousnesse exceed not the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees we cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven Quest. But how may a man know all his infirmities notwithstanding he be truely righteous and have such a righteousnesse as doth exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees Ans. For answer hereunto I will cast the signes of a righteous man into two rankes First such as describe him in himselfe secondly such as describe him in the difference from Pharisaicall righteousnesse The signes that describe him in himselfe either appeare upon him in his infancy or in his ripe age In the very infancy of the just man even when God first changeth his heart and cleanseth him and raiseth him up to live righteously there be divers things by which he may discerne the truth of his sanctification as First by the dissolving of the stoninesse of his heart When God comes effectually to cleanse a man he takes away the stony heart out of the body and gives him a heart of flesh he may feele his heart melt within him especially when he stands before the Lord when the Lord is fashioning of him for himselfe by his Ordinances Ezek. 36.25 26. He hath a new heart that hath not a stony heart Secondly by the rising of the day-starre in his heart The Father of lights when he renueth the heart of a man causeth a sudden and heavenly light as it were a starre to shine in the understanding by vertue of which men see more into
meant carnall Christians that had turned from Gentilisme and received the profession of Christian religion but yet followed their carnall courses we may then note that the bare change from a false religion to the profession of the true is not sufficient to salvation A man that hath professed a false religion had need of two conversions the one is from his false religion to the true and the other from profanenesse to sincerity in that religion The corne must be fetched from the field into the barne but that is not enough for so is the chaffe but it must then be taken from the barne into the garner To leave Popery and turne Protestant is not in it selfe sufficient unlesse a man turne from the profanenesse that is in the multitude in true Churches to embrace the sincere profession of the Gospel And there is reason for it for in changing from a false religion to a true a man doth but change his profession or his mind at best but he that will be changed effectually must change his heart and whole conversation and become a new creature So that then these words describe a carnall man viz. that he is such a one as doth not obey the word of God By the Word he meanes here the doctrine published by the Prophets and Apostles and now contained in the Scriptures Many Doctrines may be hence observed 1 The Scripture is Gods Word because God thereby doth expresse the sense of his mind as men doe by their words The Scripture is not the word which God the Father begate but is the word which God the Father uttered and is the word which God uttered to us bodily creatures God though he be a Spirit yet doth speake both to spirits and bodies to spirits by a way unknowne to us to bodies he hath spoken many wayes as by signes dreames visions and the like so by printing the sense of his mind in the minds of creatures that could speake and by them uttered in word or writing what he would have knowne Thus he spake by the Patriarks Prophets Christ and the Apostles They that deny that God hath any words either deny that God is as Psal. 14.11 or else that conceive him to be like stockes or stones or beasts as Rom. 1.23 or else thinke he can speake but will not because hee takes no care of humane things as Iob 22.23 These are Atheists 2. The Scripture is called the Word by an excellency because it is the only word we should delight in God since the fall did never speake unto man more exactly than by the Scriptures and we were better heare God talke to us out of the Scriptures than â—eare any man on earth yea or Angell in heaven yea it imports that we should be so devoted to the study of the Scriptures as if we desired to heare no other sound in our eares but that as if all the use of our eares were to heare this Word Let him that hath eares to heare heare 3. This Word of God now in the time of the New Testament belongs to all men in the right application of the true meaning of it Once it was the portionof Iacob and God did not deale so with other Nations to give them his Word but now that the partition wall is broken downe the Gospel is sent to every creature That is here imported in that unbeleeving husbands are blamed for not obeying the Word which should teach all sorts of men to search the Scriptures and â—o heare the Word devoutly and withall know that the comforts terrours and precepts coâ—â—ained in it will take hold upon all sorts of men respectively 4. The Word of God ought to rule all sorts of men That is implied here in that fault is found with these unbeleevers that they obeyed it not It was given of God to that end to instruct reprove and direct men in all their waies 2 Tim. 3.16 17. It is the Canon or rule of mens actions Gal. 6. 16. It is the light and lanthorne God hath given to men it hath divine authority If we will shew any respect to God we must be ruled by the Scripture which is his Word 5. Unregenerate men have no mind to obey the Word and the reason is because they are guided by other rules which aâ—e false as their owne reason the customes of the world the suggestions of the divell and the like and because too the Word is contrary to their carnall desires and therefore they yeeld themselves to be guided by such rules as are most pleasing to their corrupt natures and besides too the light of the Word is too glorious for his eyes he cannot see into the mysteries contained in it because they are spiritually to be discerned and the naturall man therefore cannot perceive the things of God 6. It is a dangerous thing not to obey the Word of God they are accounted for lost and forlorne men here that doe not obey the Word Men be deceived if they thinke it is a course may be safe for to disobey Gods Word for Gods Word will take hold of them and destroy them and it will judge them at the last day Zech. 1.4 5. 2 Thes. 1.8 They are but lost men cast-awaies that care not for Gods Word 7. Nothing is to be reckoned a sin which is not disobedience to the Word That which is not contrary to some Scripture is no transgression and therefore men should take heed of burthening themselves with the vaine feare of sinning when they breake no commandement of God but only unwarranted traditions either on the left hand or the right 8. The constant omission of religious duties and good workes proves a man to be a carnall person as well as the committing of manifest injuries or grosse offences Here the Periphrasis of a carnall person is That he did not doe what the Word required 9. Men that obey not the Word may be won which should be a great comfort to penitent sinners It is true that disobedience clothed with some circumstances or adjuncts is very dangerous as when men have the means and love darknesse rather than light Iohn 3.20 and when men are smitten with remorse and have blessing and cursing set before them and see their sins and feele the axe of Gods Word and yet will on in transgression Deut. 11. 28. Mat. 3 10. or when men are called at the third or sixth or ninth houre and will put off and delay upon pretence of repenting at the eleventh houre Ma. 20. or when men are powerfully convinced and will raile and blaspheme and contradict the Word Acts 13.45 46. 18.6 and when God pursues men with his judgements and they refuse to returne Ier. 5.2 3 or lastly when men despight the spirit of God and sin of malice against the truth Heb. 10. 26 27 28 29 30. 10. The chiefe doctrine is That sound obedience to the Word of God is the Character of a true Christian a marke to distinguish the true
if we knew no more but that it pleased God to have it so it is his will it should be so But yet that it is a wise providence of God so to order it it may appeare in divers things for by continuing the meanes to call his owne Elect thus by degrees the wicked are left without excuse Besides the godly while they looke for the daily discovery of new converts are thereby put to the exercise of many graces and duties as diligence compassion charity a winning conversation meeknesse prayer exhortation and the like And besides the outward peace of the Church is thereby preserved for if it were knowne once that all the Elect in any place were called there would follow such violent opposition from the greater and worser sort as there would be no place of rest for the Church in the world They would all bee of Caines minde if God had declared his testimony on both sides from heaven And therefore at the day of judgement assoone as hee hath parted the Elect and Reprobate and sentenced them hee disposeth so of them as they shall never live together againe And further if all the Elect were gathered at once the world would bee at an end for then Christ would deliver up the kingdome to his father 1 Cor. 15.24 and therefore Ministers should continue painefull in their labours as remembring that they are set to worke for edification of the Church till Christ come againe Eph. 4.12 And though the most of their present hearers have refused the Word of God and are hardened yet they may see cause of constancie because God still supplies their Auditories with new generations that rise up by degrees in the roome of those hardned ones And withall they must thinke that all the yeere is not harvest they are Gods husbandmen and must not thinke much to labour and toile many daies and weekes before they see the fruit of their labours as hoping that in the end God may grant them a comfortable harvest and if Israel should not be gathered yet their reward is with God Thus of the first point imported in this word Also Secondly we may hence gather further that the Apostle would have us to account all that are won to religion to be safe He imples so much in that hee treats about winning of more to them as if hee accounted them safe that were won already And it is true of such as are won to the outward profession of religion that in charity wee are bound to hope the best of each one particularly but for such as are won to sound sanctification the signes whereof were noted before it is certaine of them they can never bee lost which is cleare by these proofes 1 Cor. 1.8 9. Phil. 1.6 Rom. 8. ult 1 Pet. 1.5 Iohn 6. 10.29 30. And it must needs be so for God will not cast off the people whom he hath chosen Psal. 94.14 Rom. 11. And besides Christ lives in the hearts of those that are truely sanctified Gal. 2.20 and Christ can die no more Rom. 6.10 He may as well die at the right hand of his Father as die in the heart of a Christian. And further God hath given us his spirit as the earnest of our eternall salvation sealing to us thereby all the promises he hath made us Eph. 1.14 15. and it is a known principle that whom God loveth he loveth to the end and finally Gods decree is unalterable 2 Tim. 2.29 Ob. This may be true of the most but alas how know I that God will looke so carefully to me in particular I may be lost Sol. Gods promise is universall Not one of them saith the Prophet shall be lacking Ier. 23.4 and God hath charged Christ to see to the keeping of the bodies and soules of every true beleever Iohn 6.39 40. Ob. It is true God will never depart from us but we may depart from him and so perish Sol. The Lords covenant is that neither he will depart from us nor we shall depart from him for hee will put his feare within us to that end Ier. 32.41 Ob. But I feele my selfe so weake and ignorant I cannot hold out Sol. The smoaking flaxe shall not be quenched nor the bruised reed broken Esay 42. Ob. But we are in continuall danger by reason of temptations within and infections of all sorts from without Sol. God is faithfull and will keepe you from evill for all that 2 Thes. 3.3 and Christ hath made intercession to his Father for that very thing that you may be kept from those evills Iohn 17. and God hath put his Spirit within you of purpose to make you keepe his statutes and to hold on your way Ezek. 36.27 Ob. But the Apostle Iohn seemes to say that we may lose what we have wrought 2 Iohn 8. Sol. The words of the Apostle Iohn are these Looke to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward Which words may be understood as spoken to such as were hypocrites had but temporary grace not sound sanctification for he saith in the next words He that transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God They never had God then that lose what they have wrought and so this toucheth not such as are sure now they have God in that they have saving grace Again it is true that the godly may lose what they have wrought when they fall into scandalls or by weakenesse fall from the profession of the truth I say they may lose what they have wrought in those sins first in respect of the praise of men all their former honour may be laid in the dust secondly in respect of the inward sense and comfort of what good they have done and thirdly in respect of the fulnesse of the reward in heaven for their glory may be much lessened by their falls but it doth not therefore follow that they may fall finally away from God for they will recover againe Ob. But we see that Christians of greater gifts than we have fallen away and never recover again but die in their Apostacie as Hymeneus and Philetus did in the Apostles times Sol. The Apostle in that place answers that Gods foundation remaines sure and hath this seale he knoweth who are his which evidently importeth that God did never know them to be his what shewes soever they made amongst men and therefore their fall need not discourage such as are sure by the former markes that they are Gods Object But wee see that the godly themselves doe fall as David and Peter did Sol. First they did recover againe and so were not lost Secondly though they fall they shall not be utterly cast downe for God staies them from falling wholly away though they fall away in some particular act Psal. 37.23 Thirdly in the worst fals of the Saints there is ever still an holy seed of grace and faith and knowledge that abideth in
free women altogether from sin in these frailties because since the fall the naturall defects are tainted and there is in them a speciall kinde of defectivenesse or infirmity which cleaves to their sexe which is not so usually in men or not accompanying the nature of men Quest. What are the things wherein women are more usually fraile or defective or infirme than men 1. In capacity and judgement They are not capable of so large a measure of knowledge as men in equall comparison nor so able to teach the depths and mysteries of knowledge 2. In respect of their insufficiencie for the greatest imploiments of life as that sexe is not ordinarily capable of the great services of God in Church and Common-wealth the workes cannot be done by women 3. They are apter to be seduced than men as the Apostle implies in the case of all women as well as Eve 1 Tim. 2.14 4. In respect of dependancies They cannot make shift for themselves their desire is naturally subject to men in respect of depending upon them for provision and protection Gen. 3. This weaknesse is stamped upon the whole sexe 5. In respect of their aptnesse to feares and amazement and other perturbations more unconstant and not so stable in heart as man 6. In respect of the discovery of their hearts and natures whether in good or evill It is harder to find out throughly the perfect disposition of a woman in good or evill than of men Solomon could find out the temper of one man among a thousand men but not the heart of one woman among so many and that I take to be the true sense of that place Ecolâ—s 7.28 29. compared with ver 25.27 7. In respect of their pronenesse to vanity and pride in apparell which I gather from this that all the expresse directions about apparell that I remember in Scripture are given rather to women than to men especially in the New Testament as 1 Tim. 2.9 1 Pet. 3.3 The Use may be first to give us occasion to magnifie the power and mercy of God His mercy that despiseth not his weake creatures but bestoweth the grace of life upon them His power in that he keeps them in life and preserveth his owne worke of grace unto the possession of eternall life Secondly it should stirre up women so much the more to use all the Ordinances of God and all helps to make themselves strong in the power of the gifts of grace especially they should get a strong faith in God that they may trust in the power of God that giveth strength to the weake Esay 40.29 31. 1 Pet. 3.5 It will be their greater glory if they can overcome their naturall weaknesses especially if they can excell men in the things of the kingdome of God as many times it comes to passe Thirdly all Christians should have those women in great estimation that have overcome their frailties and doe excell in knowledge and piety and mercy and trust in God Fourthly all women should be therefore the more humble and apt to feare and judge themselves and more willing to be taught or admonished and more frequent in prayer to God to help them and keep them and in particular they should be the more willing to be ruled by their husbands as knowing it is a mercy of God considering their weaknesse to give them husbands to support them and provide for them And finally they should be the more faithfull and diligent to doe all the good they can in domesticall affaires seeing by nature they are not fit to manage the greater and more publike services of God The third Doctrine concernes husbands and so they are taught from hence to give the more honour to their wives because of their naturall weaknesse For as it is in the naturall body those members of the body which we think lesse honourable upon them we bestow the more aboundant honour 1 Cor. 12.23 24. so it should be in the Oeconomicall body for the wife is unto the husband bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and this honour he should give her and shew it both by taking the more care to provide for her and by cherishing and encouraging her the more and by hiding and covering her frailties as much as he may and by not exacting more from her than she is able to performe and by helping her all he can by instruction or otherwise Only we must note that he is not bound to honour her the more for sinfull infirmities but for naturall defects How he must carry himselfe towards her in respect of sinfull infirmities or personall faults hath beene shewed before in the maner of his carriage towards her as a man of knowledge And thus of the first reason As being heires together of the grace of life In these words is contained the second reason taken from the generall dignity of Christians which also extends to Christian wives And concerning the dignity of Christians five things may be noted out of these words 1. The title of their dignitie They are heires 2. What they inherit Life 3. What the cause of this dignitie is viz. Grace 4. In what maner they possesse it viz. Together 5. The persons capable of it Woman as well as men From the coherence we may note That if women will have their husbands to honour them they must be religious women and true Christians that have grace as well as worldly portion God requires religion and grace in all wives and the rather should they be carefull to get grace and become truely religious because it was long of their sexe that sin came into the world and as by one womans bearing of a child salvation was brought againe into the world so should they every one in particular strive to recover their honour by expressing the sound power of a religious life in all faith and charitie and holinesse and sobrietie 1 Tim. 2.14 15. And besides what shall it profit wives to get them jointures on earth and husbands to provide for them while they live here if their soules and bodies perish when they die and lose the inheritance in heaven and perish they will if they get not true grace And further if they be gracious women if their husbands be so profane as not to make much of them yet they shall be greatly set by of God as was shewed vers 4. But on the other side if they be ignorant and irreligious women it is just with God to deprive them of the comforts of this life and to let their husbands neglect them or abuse them For though their husbands sin in so doing yet God is just in permitting such a thing for their punishment Secondly another doctrine may be noted from the coherence and that is That inheaven there shall bee no difference betweene husbands and wives but they shall bee all one in Christ alike heires of eternall life Which is to be noted the more to perswade them to submit themselves and
endure to be under the rule and authority of their husbands in this world for that estate of inferiority shall not last ever for in heaven God shall be all in all they shall be ruled by God and the Lambe Thus from the Coherence The first thing to be observed about the dignitie of Christians in generall is That they are heires Heires The doctrine is That all true Christians are heires Now for the opening of this doctrine two things must be considered 1. How they come to be heires 2. What their glory is in being so For the first Christians are not borne Heires I meane not heirs to God as is intended in this place but have it by the grace of adoption God hath but one Heire by generation and that is Christ all his other heires are by adoption such as hee chooseth of his meere Grace and makes them his heirs Now the mysterie of our adoption must be considered of in this manner A Christian by the Gospel is made a believer Now saith after an unspeakable manner engrafts him into the body of Jesus Christ Now being engrafted into Jesus Christ who is Gods Sonne hee thereby comes to the power to bee the Sonne of God and to be an heire with Christ. Christ is Gods Heire and so is all that is grafted upon Christ Ioh. 1.12 Now there is a double adoption the one imperfect in this life the other perfect which wee shall have after the Resurrection of the dead By the one wee have the promise of inheritance and by the other we shall have full possession Of the first is mention made Rom. 8.15 and the other Rom. 8.23 the first adoption is meant here For the second Adoption is called a glory by an excellence because there is no glory like to it even the adoption to be heires as it is in this life is the greatest glory in the world Now the glory of our adoption may appeare to be very great if we consider 1. By whom we are adopted viz. God If is be such a glory to be the Heire to any great Prince in the world what a surpassing glory is it to be the Sonne and Heire of God Rom. 8.17 and that if we respect either the excellence of God who is the King of all the earth and aâ—ove all kings or his eternitie he is such a Father as lives ever Hos. 1.10 An everlasting Father Esay 9.6 Other fathers that adopt may die before they passe the estate or at the best it is a kind of infelicity to enjoy the inheritance without the presence and love of the Father But not so here 2. The great price was laid downe to make us capable of this honour to be Gods Heires viz. the blood of Christ. There was never so much paid for all the inheritances in the world besides Gal 4.4 5. Heb. 9.14 15. 3. The great things we are heires to which I will but briefly touch here we are heires not only to all our eyes can see but to all things our hearts can thinke of Wee shall inherite the earth Mat. 5.5 Wee shall bee heires of the world Rom. 4. God will give us all the world yea we shall inherite eternall life as is to be shewed afterwards yea we are coheires with Christ Rom. 8.17 And what would we aske more 4. The great priviledges which Gods adopted children doe enjoy even in this life as 1. They have within them the spirit of Christ in their hearts therefore called the spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 16. Gal. 4.6 The spirit of Christ I say to drive away regall terrours and to testifie to their spirits that they are the sons of God and that he hath adopted them to heaven and to make them able to treat with God as a Father by affectionate prayer and as other Scriptures shew to lead them into all truth and to be the guide of their lives to tell them when they goe our either on the right hand or on the left And lastly to be their continuall comforter Iohn 16. Esay 30. 2. By the right of their adoption in Christ both their persons and their works are accepted before God so as they stand alwayes high in Gods favour howsoever they are entertained in the world Eph. 1.6 3. They have a name and honour shall never be taken from them an everlasting name no preferment so high as theirs Esay 56.4 5. And this is the greater priviledge because no meannesse or contemptiblenesse of condition on earth can bar them from the enjoying of this prerogative as the coherence of that place shewes 4. They have the Angels of heaven to attend them God shewes by that that he will have them looked unto as his sons and heires Heb. 1. ult 5. They may aske whatsoever they will of God and are sure to have it that may get any suit of God and he is so far from not granting that he rather complaines that they will not aske him often enough Iohn 16.23 6. If at any time they fall into distresse they have such interest in Gods speciall providence that a haire of their heads shall not fall to the ground without the providence of their heavenly Father And besides God will make himselfe marvellous in their deliverance if all worldly helps faile Esay 43.18 19 20 21. 5. If we consider the wonderfull maner of their communion with Christ and that foure wayes For first we have communion of nature with him and that by his Incarnation for he tooke our nature and so became our Brother And this doth nothing at all belong to Reprobates because Christ tooke not nature polluted with sin Heb. 2.14 Yeâ— we have communion with him in his divine nature as that nature doth dwell graciously in us and we are made like unto it 2 Pet. 1.4 Secondly they have communion of state with him which the Scripture acknowledgeth as a great mysterie for so they are said to live with him to suffer with him to die with him to be buried with him yea to rise with him to ascend to heaven with him and to sit together with him Eph. 2. yea to judge the world with him only preserving the difference betweene the head and the members in all this Thirdly they have communion of offices with him for he hath made them Kings and Priests with him The oile that was poured on his head hath run downe upon his members Rev. 1.5 6. so that Gods heires are all Kings and Priests A royall nation and a kingdome of Priests 1 Pet. 2.10 Fourthly they have communion in benefits with him for God as a Father hath blessed them in him with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things Ephes. 1.3 Communion they have with him in grace in this life and in glory in the life to come Lastly if we consider the assurance that Christians have given them for their right of adoption for first they have an Act for it in Gods eternall councell Eph. 1.5 Men that have an Act of
heed that wee provoke not God by carelesnesse and boldnesse in favouring any corruption Deut. 32.18 19. Thirdly our adoption should be a singular consolation to us against all the miseries of this life It matters not though our life be hid and though it doe not appeare to the world what we are and though we have many crosses and losses and persecutions yet the thought of our inheritance with God should swallow up all Whatsoever we are now yet when Christ appeares we shall appeare in glory and there can be no comparison betweene the suffering of this life and the glory to be revealed upon us Rom. 8.17 Mat. 19.29 Col. 3.2 4. 1 Iohn 3.2 And that we may be the more comforted we should often pray to God to shew us by degrees and to make us know the riches of our inheritance both in what we possesse in this world and what we looke for in heaven And thus of the title of our dignities We are heires Of life Now follows to consider what we inherit and that is life wee are heires of life It is somewhat a strange speech but yet if we consider of it life is a most sweet thing there can be no happinesse without it A living Dog is better than a dead Lyon But as life is to be taken here it is a treasure above all treasures in the world But the enquirie into it is very difficult it is wonderfull hard to find out what life is especially to describe or define the life here mentioned as the glory of Gods adopted ones Life in Scripture is either naturall or spirituall as for naturall life especially since the fall that is so poore a thing as to be an heire to it is no great preferment By naturall life I meane that life that men live while they are unregenerate I say that life is a very poore thing which will appeare if we consider the qualitie of it or the meanes of preserving it or the short continuance of it or the subject of it or the things with which it is opprest or the whole nature of it 1. For the qualitie of it what is life It is but a winde or breath God breathed into man the breath of life as if his life were but his breath Gen. 2.7 and so it is said Every thing that had the breath of life Gen. 6.17 7. 15.22 My life is a wind saith Iob chap. 7.7 What is your life saith S. Iames it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away Jam. 4.14 2. If we consider the short continuance of it It will vanish away of it selfe after a while as we see in that place It is compared to a Weavers Shuttle or at the best every houre of our life or every action addes secretly a threed till the web be woven and then we are cut off So Hezekiah compares himselfe to a Weaver in that respect Esay 38.12 Our life is scarce a span long for to live is but to die to begin to live is to begin to die for death takes away time past and every moment we yeeld something to death 3. If wee consider the poore meanes of preserving life It is such a weake thing that if wee doe not daily give it food it will faile us and if it be not kept with rayment it will be extinguished And for the meanes we use how silly are they Our life is called the life of our hands Esay 57.10 because it will not last unlesse wee make hard shift with our hands to preserve it 4. If wee consider the subject of it it is but our bodies for our soules in our naturall condition according to the sense of Scripture are dead in trespasses and sinnes They have as it were a being but not a life Our soules in respect of the substance of them are excellent things because invisible and spirituall existences but yet are destitute of that life is proper to them They are things indeed will last long but are void of that life which is spirituall 5. If we consider the miseries with which this life is infested both by sin and the punishments of it As for sinne it is leprous from the womb and charged with Adams fault and erres so often as cannot be numbred the faults of it are more than the haires of our heads As for punishment how hath God avenged himselfe upon thy wretched life to thrust thee out of Paradise and would not let thee enjoy life in any place that was not accursed The Divels also compasse about thy life to destroy it 2 Cor. 10.5 What deformities and infirmities are found in all the Vessels of life even in all the parts of thy bodie in which it dwells And without thee in the objects of life how is it frighted with cares plagues or vexed with particular crosses How doth God passe by thee in many blessings he gives before thy face to others and will not to thee And what thou hast to comfort thy life is it not cursed to thee so as thou feelest vanity and vexation in the use of it But above all how is thy life frighted with the danger of eternall death 6. Lastly if we consider the whole nature of life The Apostle here thinkes it is not worth the naming by the name of life when he saith only of the godly that they are heires of life as if there were no living men but they and as if they had beene dead all the time they were till they were adopted But it is not naturall life is here meant but spirituall life called in Scripture new life and the life of God and eternall life The words of the Apostle Paul Tit. 3.7 when he saith We are heires according to the hope of eternall life serve to expound these words of the Apostle Peter Now concerning this life it is above the reach of all mortall creatures to describe it as it is especially in the perfection of it in heaven for Saint Paul saith of what he saw in heaven that he saw things that could not be uttered 2 Cor. 12. and Saint Iohn saith it doth not appeare what we shall be â— Ioh. 3. 2. And in 1 Cor. 2.9 it is said that eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him Yea Christ himselfe doth seeme to grant that as man he did not fully see the glory of this eternall life in his mortall condition where speaking of his estate after death he said Thou wilt shew me the paths of life Acts 2. And for so much as is revealed concerning this spirituall and eternall life two things must be remembred the one That the doctrine of this life lieth hid from ages and generations in extreme darknesse and when the Gospel treats of it it brings it as it were out of a darke dungeon into the light 2 Tim. 1.10 the other is That when it is
brought to light none can reach to it but such as God endues with speciall wisedome for Solomon long since had observed that life is above to the wise only Pro. 15.24 The things I would consider of about this life are these 1. The degrees of it 2. The originall of it 3. A ghesse at the nature of it 4. The things that nourish it 5. The differences betweene this life on earth and as it is in heaven 6. The meanes to attaine it or what we must doe if wee would enter into life 7. The signes to know whether it be in us 8. The properties of it 9. Lastly the Uses of it 1. For first we must understand that this life hath three degrees into which we enter in at three gates as it were The first degree of eternall life begins at the first spirituall acquaintance with God in this life when his favour is made knowne to us in Jesus Christ by the Gospel so as we are truely justified and sanctified being reconciled unto God having all our sins forgiven us and our natures made new and into this degree we enter by the gate of regeneration Thus our Saviour saith This is eternall life to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ Iohn 17.3 Thus he that heareth Christs words and beleeveth is passed from death to life Iohn 5.24 The second degree begins at our death and continueth the life that the soule separated from the body enjoyes till the resurrection at the last day And concerning the estate of the soule in this degree of life we have no absolute revelation but yet are taught in Scripture that it returnes to God that gave it to the body at first Eccles. 12.7 and that it is with Christ Phil. 1.23 that it is in the hands of God and in Paradise Luke 23.43 and lives in unspeakable joy Luke 16.25 and is freed from all miseries of this life and enjoyes the honour of all good workes Rev. 14.13 the bodie resting in the grave from all paine and labour as in a bed of rest till the resurrection Esay 57.2 And into this degree of life eternall we enter in by the gate of death The third degree of life eternall begins at the resurrection of our bodies at the last day and is enjoyed by body and soule for ever comprehending all possible consummation of felicity and glory in the heavens And into this we enter by the gate of resurrection which is a kind of new begetting of us and therefore is called the resurrection of life Iohn 11.25 and so the blessed in heaven are called the children of the resurrection and by that way the children of God Luke 20.36 In the first degree life is imperfect in the second it is perfect in the third it is consummate And the Use of this first point should be to warne men to looke to it that they enter into the first degree of eternall life while they are in this world or else they shall never get to heaven when they die and therefore should strive for saving knowledge and to become new creatures or else it is in vain to hope for heaven 2. For the second which is the originall of life it is greatly for the praise of it that it flowes from that life which is in God himselfe which is an unspeakable glory to the creatures that enjoy it With thee is the fountaine of life saith David Psal. 36.9 So he calls him the God of his life Psal. 42.8 Naturall life is but a sparkle that flowes from the life of our Parents but spirituall and eternall life is kindled from that infinite light and life of God but yet not as Christ received we this life for he had it by naturall generation we have it by a way unspeakable from God but yet by Jesus Christ. In him was life as the life was the light of men Iohn 14. He that hath the Son hath life Iohn 5.12 and he it is that is eternall life viz. to us ver 20. As there is no light in the visible world but from the Sun in the firmament so there is no life in the spirituall world but from God in heaven which hath caused it to shine in our hearts by the Son of righteousnesse Christ Jesus Thus our life is called the life of God Ephes. 4.18 and Christ is said to live in us Gal. 2.20 Which should teach us greatly to admire and adore the excellency of Gods goodnesse and make us to rest our selves for ever under the shadow of his wings Psal. 36.7 8 9. But that this point may be more cleerely understood we must consider of the originall of this life from God three waies First in respect of ordination and so it flowes from Gods decree he hath ordained us unto life Acts 13.48 and our names are written in the booke of life Phil. 4.3 Secondly in respect of merit it was bought of God by the death of the flesh of Christ. I give my flesh for the life of the world Iohn 6.51 This life will not be had without his death that we might live in eternall life he must die a temporall death And shall not this greatly inflame our hearts to love the Lord Jesus that gave himselfe for us that we should not perish but have everlasting life Thirdly in respect of operation or inchoation and so the fountaine of life is either without us or within us without us is the Word of Christ that is the immortall seed by which we are begotten unto life 1 Pet. 1.24 and so is called the Word of life Phil. 2.15 And the Word is so as it is the Word of Christ that is Gospel My words saith he are spirit and life Iohn 6.63 And that Word considered as it is preached to the dead soules of men the dead shall heare the voice of Christ and live Shall heare it note that Iohn 5.25 which should make us greatly to esteeme the preaching of the Gospel Within us the fountaine of life is the Spirit of Christ which is called the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 Now the Spirit of Christ that we may live doth two things viz. it quickens the seed of the Word and unites us unto Christ as members of the mysticall body and then looke how the soule of man doth give life to every member of the body so doth the Spirit of Christ to every soule as a severall member of the mysticall body 3. For the third Wee shall not exactly know what the nature of eternall life is still it be perfected in us or consummate yet by divers words God hath let fal in Scripture we may ghesse at the nature of this life and in generall I thinke it is a kind of celestiall light falling into the soule that doth to it that which naturall life doth to the body This Saint Iohn shewing how Christ was the life of men saith he was the light of men Iohn 1.4 And David having said
yet it is so rich as the tongue of man cannot utter if it be in any measure true and sincere Besides how should this fire our desires after wisedome and spirituall understanding in the world of Christ seeing it is our life and in the same degree we encrease in eternall life that we encrease in acquaintance with God in Christ and therefore above all gettings we should be getting understanding And finally it shewes the wofull estate of ignorant persons that are carelesse of the studie of the Word of God and of hearing of the Gospel preached This is their death and will be their eternall death if they prevent it not by repentance and sound redeeming of the time for the service of the soule about this sacred knowledge Now for the fourth point the things that nourish life are greatly to be heeded both to shew us what we should apply our selves to and with what thankfulnesse to receive the meanes of our good herein 1. We must know that the principall cause of the nourishment and increase of spirituall life is the influence of vertue from Christ our mysticall head by the secret and unutterable working of the spirit of Christ which is therefore called the spirit of life because it both frees us by degrees from the feares of death and from the power and blots of sin Rom. 8.2 and withall it quickens and encreaseth life in us for the better exercise of righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 2. The contemplation of Gods favour and presence doth wonderfully extend and inflame life in us To marke God any where or by any experience to find effectually his love and to taste of the sweetnesse of his goodnesse this is life from the dead better than all things in naturall life it doth a godly mans heart more good than all things in the world can doe as these places shew Psal. 30.5 63.7 8. 36.3 16. ult with coherence 3. The entertainment God gives his people in his house is one speciall cause of encrease of this life in us as it encreaseth both knowledge and joy and all goodnesse and satisfies the heart of man especially amongst all the things that are without us the Word of God as it is powerfully preached in Gods house is the food of this life called the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.16 Christ words are the words of eternall life Iohn 6. see Psal. 36. 8. Iohn 12.50 Pro. 4.22 4. Fellowship with the godly is singular to quicken and excite the life of grace and joy and knowledge in us therefore it is an amiable thing for brethren to dwell together in unity because there God hath commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psal. 133. ult Pro. 2.20 The mouth of the righteous is a veine of life Pro. 10.11 Yea the very reproofes of instruction are the way of life Pro. 6.23 And therefore weake Christians should be instructed from hence with faith to rest upon the God of their lives who by the spirit of Christ can enable them to eternall life and with thankfulnesse to embrace all signes of Gods favour and presence and above all things in life to provide for themselves powerfull meanes in publike and good societie in private and not to be turned off from either of these by slight either objections or difficulties and to resolve to labour more for these than carnall persons would doe to have their naturall lives if they were in distresse or danger It is also excellent counsell which Saint Iude gives in this point concerning eternall life he would have us looke to foure things The first is to edifie our selves in our most holy faith striving to get in more store of Gods promises and divine knowledges and to strive to establish our hearts in our assurance of our right to them The second is to pray in the holy Ghost for he knew that powerfull prayer doth greatly further eternall life in us The third is to keepe our selves in the love of God avoiding all things might displease him chusing rather to live under the hatred of all the world than to anger God by working iniquity The fourth is to looke as often and as earnestly as we can after that highest degree of mercy and glory we shall have in the comming of Christ Iud. 1.19 20. I will conclude this point with that one counsell of Solomon Keepe thy heart with all diligence for thereout come the issues of life Christians that would prosper in spirituall life should be very carefull of the first beginnings of sin in their thoughts and desires and be very diligent in nourishing all good motions of the holy Ghost preserving their peace and joy in beleeving with all good consciences Pro. 4.23 Thus of the fourth point 5. Now for the differences of life in these degrees especially the first and last degree they are very great for though eternall life in the first degree be a treasure of singulaâ— value yet the glory of this life doth greatly excell as it is to be held in another world I intend not to compare life in heaven with naturall life here for that is not worthy to be mentioned in the ballance with that eternall life of glory but with eternall life it selfe as it is held by the godly only in this world And so the difference is very great 1. In respect of the place where the godly live in each degree 2. In respect of the meanes of preservation of life in each degree 3. In respect of the company with whom we live in each degree 4. In respect of the quality of life it selfe 5. In respect of the effects of life eternall in each degree For the first There is great difference betweene the life of grace and the life of glory in the very place of living Here we live in an earthly tabernacle in houses of clay there we shall live in eternall mansions buildings that God hath made without hands 2 Cor. 5.1 Here we live on earth there in heaven Here we are strangers and pilgrims far from home Hâ—b 11. there we shall live in our Fathers house Here we are in Egypt there we shall live in Canaan Here wee live where death sorrow and sin and Divels dwell there we shall live in a place where God and immortality and all holinesse dwels 2 Pet. 3.13 Here we are but banished men there we shall live in the celestiall Paradise Here we have no abiding City but there we shall abide in the new Jerâ—sâ—lem that is above The glory of the whole earth can but shadow out by similiâ—ude the very walls and gates of that Citie Rev. 21. Here wee can but enter into the holy place there we shall enter into the most holy place Heb. 10.19 To conclude there we shall enter into the heaven of heavens which for lightnesse largenesse purenesse delightfulnesse and all praises almost infinitely excells the heavens we enjoy in this visible world For the second In this life unto the
then we shall see God by direct vision Moses that saw as much of God as a mortall man then could saw but his backe parts he saw God as we see a man going from us but then we shall see him face to face as he is comming to us yea as he is possessed by us Wee shall not need helpe to shew God to us as we doe now for God himselfe shall be our everlasting light as was shewed before There is a foure-fold vision of God the one is natuâ—all as when wee see him in the creatures the other is speculous or Symbolicall when we see God in certaine signes of his presence as in the burning fire in the Bush or in the Cloud or Pillar of fire at the Tabernacle The third is the vision of Faith when we know how good God is by the promises of his word to us in Christ. The last is the vision of â—lory which differs from all the former in a way of seeing unknowne to us Thirdly our knowledge will differ in the measure Now wee know bâ—t in part there are many things wee know not and what wee doe know wee know but obscurely and darkly then wee shall know perfectly even as wee are now knowne perfectly of God 1 Cor. 13.10 11. c. and so wee shall know both God and the Creatâ—res There is a world of most delightfull and rare knowledge of the Creatures which wee attaine not to in this life but the chiefe glory of our knowledge then shall bee in the perfect vision of God and those unspeakable beauties of his nature when wee shall behold perfectly the glory of every propertie or attribute in God which will be sufficient to breed everlasting wonder and delight In a word the knowledge of the meanest Christian in heaven shall be above the knowledge of Prophets or Apostles on earth The first difference is in the effect of our knowledge for from our knowledge and this celestiall light flowes righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost which the Apostle Paul makes to be the parts of the Kingdome of God and so both in this life and in heaven Rom. 14.17 And unto these three heads may bee referred all things that concerne the glory of eternall life and all these are held with great difference in each degree of eternall life For though we have righteousnesse and peace and joy now in the truth of them yet wee have â—hem not as we shall have them in heaven as will appeare if we consider of them distinctly First for righteousnesse Here it is the greatest burthen of life unto the godly that they are not able to serve God as they desire the imperfections of their gifts the corruption of their natures the daily infirmities that discover themselves in their conversations make life many times more bitter than death would be to them as appeareth by St. Paul Rom. 7. But there all that is imperfect shall be done away there shall be no danger of displeasing God for we shall be made perfect in all parts and degrees of holinesse our nature shall be perfect like the nature of God our members shall never more be servants unto unrighteousnesse and our soules shall exactly resemble God in all perfection of goodnesse and gifts Here the glory of mans inheritance lieth in the goodnesse of things without them there it shall consist principally in an everlasting goodnesse confirmed upon themselves We shall be without spot and wrinkle Eph 5.27 We shall be as he is in holinesse 1 Iohn 3.2 Here is our griefe that our hearts cannot be so filled with the love of God and the godly as they should be there our hearts shall burne with an eternall inflammation of affections towards God and the blessed ones without any interruption or decay we shall never morâ— be troubled with hardnesse of heart discouragement feare distractions inordinate desires and perturbations Yea our holinesse shall be better than Adams in Paradise for he had a power not to sin but we shall have no power at all to sin Yea in relation to Christ it shall be better with us then than it is now for now we are reckoned just men only by the benefit of Christs righteousnesse imputed to us but then we shall be made so perfectly holy by inherent righteousnesse that we shall stand everlastingly righteous before God by the righteousnesse that is in us Imputation shall there cease for ever when Christ hath delivered up the kingdome to God the Father and when faith shall be done away Lastly the difference in this point may further appeare in the freedome of our wills In this life many times our wills are not free to desire to doe the good we should doe and most an end want power to execute what we desire but there shall be all libertie so as we shall never want either desire or power to accomplish what may be for Gods everlasting glory or our owne felicity Secondly for peace there is great difference for first in this life we have but little peace in respect of the miseries of life Sometimes we have but little inward peace our hearts being unquiet with feare or griefe or discouragement or passions or else our consciences are unquiet either because God fights against us to trie us or to humble us or we fight against our selves through ignorance and unbeliefe or distresse for sin Sometimes when our spirits are quiet and there is a truce from inward war we then want out vard peace either men are unreasonable and molest us without cause in our estates or names or else God afflicts us in body with paine and weaknesse or in estate sometimes with easie crosses like small rain sometimes with greater crosses like some fierce storms Now in heaven there shall be an eternall cessation of all miserie there shall be no curse and affliction shall be cast into the Sea Rev. 22.23 Secondly our Sabbaths or dayes of rest which Gâ—d hath consecrated and blessed to us as the chiefe joy of our lives prove many times daies of sorrow affliction because either our bodies are molested with pain or our soules distressed for want of powerfull meanes or for want of abilitie to keepe a Sabbath unto God or for want of joy in our soules but in heaven we shall have an eternall Sabbath not one day in seven but all our dayes rest without labour and solace of heart without any difficultie in our selves or interruption without us God and the Lamb will be an eternall Temple to make our rest for ever glorious Wee shall be freed from all the labours of life and from all paine and difficultie in serving God and our works shall be all easie and full of delight even the praising of God for ever Rev. 14.12 Heb 4.9 Thirdly for joy There is great difference both in the causes and in the measure and in the continuance of it The causes of our joy shall be the highest can befall a
creature Here while we are present with the bodie and the blessings of life we are absent from the Lord the infinite life of our lives but there we shall enjoy him as fully as our hearts can desire 2 Cor. 5.8 Here we want our crowne whatsoever else we enjoy but there our honour and glory and majestie shall be so great as if all the Kings of the earth did bring their glory to one man it would not equall what every one shall have there 2 Tim. 4.8 Rev. 2.24 3.21 we shall reigne in life Rom. 5. And this Crowne is the more glorious because it shall not consist of some precious thing without us but of royall excellency with which our soules and bodies shall shine as the Sun in the firmament our very bodies in qualitie being altered to such an expression of majestie and beautie and Angelicall excellencie as now exceeds all mortall language being rather like spirits than earthly bodies And for the measure now we have but little tastes of joy and if these tastes be unspeakable and glorious what are those rivers of joy at Gods right hand Psal. 16. ult And for continuance they are for evermore as the Psalmist there speakes whereas now they are gone from us like lightning in an instant and our lives are afterward assaulted almost continually with causes or occasion of sorrow so as the world in the best place is but like a vale of teares but there shall be no sorrow no death no crying nor paine but God shall wipe away all teares from our eyes for ever Rev. 21.4 6. Thus of the differences of life on earth and life in heaven What men must doe that they may enter into life followes And about this point our Saviour tells us two things before hand First that the way to life is a narrow way and the gate is exceeding strait men may be mis-led by a thousand by-wayes and the worke to be done is a very hard worke Secondly that there are but few that finde the right way yea but few amongst those that seeke it and seeme desirous to know what they should doe for either they understand not the directions when they are given or by taking time to thinke of them they forget them or else when they have the answer they goe their waies like the young man in the Gospel and are sorrie the conditions be so hard and so give over all further care and rest in the estate they were in before And therefore we had need to attend the more carefully and resolve to doe whatsoever God requires of us whatsoever it cost us and not be troubled at the difficulty of the worke considering the excellency of eternall life and the many helps we have to further the worke Of which afterwards This then is the question What should a man or woman doe that he might be sure to enter into life Answ. 1. Thou must lay the foundation of all in Jesus Christ thou must disclaime all trust in any thing in heaven or earth in thy selfe or thy owne workes or any other creature and relie upon the merits of Jesus Christ as the onely meanes of pacifying Gods anger or procuring eternall life Acts 4.12 Iohn 3.16 and thou must inwardly lay up Christ in thy heart so as spiritually ever to eat his flesh and drinke his bloud by applying all he hath done or suffered for thee in particular Iohn 6.53 1 Iohn 5.12 2. Thou must pray hard to the God of life Psal. 42.8 and with great importunity beseech him to give thee the spirit of life that is Jesus Christ and with the more encouragement because he hath promised to give even his holy Spirit to them that aske him Luke 11.13 3. There will be no life in the soule if thou dost not repent thee of thy sins Acts 11.18 And this is the harder worke because first to confesse thy sins will not serve turne unlesse thou forsake them and overcome them Rev. 2.7 so as the power of them be mastered and thou doe from thy heart desire and resolve to leave them If thy lusts passions disorders of life in drunkennesse swearing sinnes of deceit or the like be not mended thou canst not live this life 1 Cor. 6.9 Gal. 5.22 23. At the best without an apparent victorie there will be little comfort in life Secondly in turning thou must turne from all thy transgressions so as thou be sure thou leave no sin thou knowest but thou wilt endevour to judge thy selfe for it and strive to forsake it Thy heart must be turned from it Ezek. 18.21 Yea if some of thy sinnes for profit or pleasure be to thee like thy right eye or right hand thou must cut them off or pull them out or else thou canst never enter into life Mat. 18.8 9. As in the case of rich men the way of life is compared to the eye of a needle and their hearts to a great cable now there is no way for thee to enter into life but by untwisting the great cable till it be made like small threeds which is done by great humiliation Iames 1.10 And withall thy heart must continue affraid in the least thing to offeâ—d God This feare of the Lord is required to the very beginning of this life Pro. 14.27 4. Thou must deny thy selfe extremely in outward things thou must look for persecution yea and perhaps be put to it to forsake father and mother house and lands wife and children yea and life it selfe so as to hate and lose this naturall life in comparison of the gaining of eternall life Marke 10.30 Iohn 12.25 5. Thou must be tied to walke in a strict course of life all thy dayes resolving to walke in the way of righteousnesse and let the word of God be the rule of allâ—thy actions and by patient continuance in well-doing to seeke encrease of happinesse and holinesse for life is only in the way of righteousnesse Pro. 12.28 Rom. 2.7 8. Ezek. 33.15 16. Now though this worke be very hard yet thou hast many helps if thy heart be right and willing to obey for 1. God will give thee his holy Spirit to worke all thy worke for thee and to cause thee to walke in his statutes and keepe his judgements and to doe them and will mortifie the deeds of the flesh and teach thee in all truth and comfort and support thee and make thy workes acceptable to God as hath beene shewed before 2. Thou hast the help of spirituall armour that is mighty through God to cast downe strong holds 2 Cor. 10.3 4. thou wilt find a strong supply from every ordinance of God the Word and Prayer and Sacraments all sâ—rve to help against the difficultie of this worke and so will the societie of the godly as was shewed before 3. Thou wilt have the benefit of Christs prayers and intercession for thee in heaven Iohn 17.15 which is of unspeakable force and power to helpe thee 4. The greatnesse of
also in respect of their falling by infirmities when it proves a griefe and affliction to them Gal. 6.1 Iude 22. 2 Cor. 11.29 So likewise in the case of the prosperity of others we ought to rejoice with them that rejoice and be affected as if the blessing had beene ours Rom. 12.15 3. The reasons are manifest First because hereby we prove our selves to be fellow members in the mysticall bodie of Christ which is to be doubted if this sympathie be not in us in some measure 1 Cor. 12.12 25 26. Secondly because hereby we shew our selves conformable and like to Christ our Head who excelled in this vertue Heb. 4.15 Mat. 25.40 Thirdly because that which is the case of others now may be our case hereafter as the Apostle shewes in the case of temptation Gal. 6.1 Fourthly a reason may be drawn from the excellency of the grace it excells almes and outward workes of mercy for when a man gives an almes he gives somewhat without himselfe but when we shew compassion we relieve another by somewhat that is within our selves and from our selves And lastly the coherence shewes that this may be a meanes to keepe us from trouble our selves The Use may be first to import the miserie of living in this world This life must needs be a vale of teares when we have not only occasion of sorrow many wayes from our own estates but also such varietie of occasions of sorrow from the condition of others deere unto us Neither is our case the better but the worse if we doe not sorrow with others Secondly this may greatly humble all sorts of men for their Apathie or want of care or feeling or sympathie in the distresses of others and the rather now when whole Churches are in great distresse Amos 6.6 Thirdly this should greatly move true Christians to strive after this vertue and to expresse it lively and shew it forth in all the fruits of it as first by declaring our affection to the afflicted with all tendernesse of heart and words of comfort secondly by using all our meanes and power to relieve them and help them out of distresse thirdly by pouring out our soules before God for them Love as brethren This is the third dutie charged upon them viz. the exercise of brotherly love This is vehemently urged in many Scriptures Rom. 12.10 Heb. 13.1 Iohn 13.34 1 Iohn 2.7 4.21 Now for the explication of this doctrine foure things would be distinctly considered of viz. 1. Who are brethren 2. What priviledge they have by the brotherhood or by being brethren 3. For what reasons we should so love them 4. With what kind of love we should love them For the first Men become brethren one to another many wayes as first by propagation when they are borne of the same bloud and so the children of the same parents are brethren and in a remoter sense kinsmen of the same bloud are brethren Luke 8.19 Secondly by Nation When men are countreymen they are called brethren especially when they descend originally from the fountaine of the same ancient families and so the people of the twelve Tribes were brethren Exod. 2.11 Thirdly by profession especially the profession of religion makes all professors brethren Acts 11.1 1.16 And this was one of the first titles of love and relation in the Christian world Fourthly communion with Christ and so we become brethren either by his incarnation Heb. 2.16.17 or in respect of our mysticall union with him in his mysticall bodie Col. 1.2 Mat. 25.40 and so we are brethren with the Angels as they also are joined under this head Christ Jesus Rev. 19.10 22. So then if any aske who are the brethren here meant that we must so love I answer they are such as are professors with us of the same religion and fellow members of the body of Christ. But that we may more plainely see who are meant by brethren in the Scriptures it will be profitable to observe that they are described by their holinesse The brethren we must love are such as are partakers of the holy calling Heb. 3.1 such as are begotten of God 1 Iohn 5.1 such as will doe the will of God by sound practice Mat. 12.47 49. They are the holy brethren wee are here charged to love 1 Thes. 5.27 For the second Our relation to the godly as brethren ought not to be despised for as we are brethren by religion we enjoy many excellent prerogatives for thereby we partake of a heavenly calling Heb. 3.1 we stand all in relation to God as his owne children by adoption Eph. 4.6 and so peace and the blessing of God as a Father is upon us all Eph. 6.23 Gal. 6.16 and wee are greatly beloved of God Rom. 1.7 and brought up in the same familie Eph. 3.17 fed with the same diet and entertainment in Gods house and estated into an inheritance better than all the kingdomes of the world Rom. 9.17 And hereby also we enjoy the fruit of the love of all the godly in the world even those that know us not in the face For the third There are many reasons why we should love the godly as our brethren above all the people in the world For first if to be all the children of one father have such a power over the naturall affections of men then should it not be without power in religion Secondly this is charged upon us above many other things yea above all things we should put on love Col. 3.14 and yet he had reckoned many excellent vertues before This was the speciall and one of the last Commandements of our blessed Saviour which he gave in charge when he was going to his death 1 Iohn 3.23 Iohn 13.34 Thirdly because this love comes of God and is a signe that God is in us and dwells in us and that we doe indeed love God himselfe 1 Iohn 4.7 8 12 16 20 21. Fourthly we have the example of God himselfe and Christ his Son that love them as their peculiar treasure above all the world and he shewed them love by unspeakable benefits 1 Iohn 4.10 11. Fiftly because our soules will thrive and be edified as brotherly love is continued and encreased in us Eph. 4.16 Sixtly because the godly must be our everlasting companions in heaven 1 Pet. 4.8 1 Cor. 13.8 and if we cannot see so much it is because we are puâ—blinde 2 Pet. 1. For the fourth point If any aske with what kinde of love we should love them I answer that our love must have many properties in it 1. It must be a naturall love that is such a love as is not by constraint but ariseth out of our dispositions and inclinations as we are made new Creatures in Jesus Christ Cor. 8.8 2. It must be a sincere love a love without dissimulation Rom. 12.10 not in word but in deed 1 Iohn 3.18 3. It must be a fervent love we must love them earnestly and with great
as God can curse the very blessings of the wicked so can he and doth blesse the seeming curses of the godly All shall worke together for the best to them that love God Rom. 2.28 All things are to bee measured for good or ill according to the use of them to us That which doth us hurt cannot be a blessing and that which doth us good cannot be a curse Now for the particular unfolding of this blessing they inherit we must know that godly Christians inherit blessing divers wayes 1. From other men and so the poore blesse them for their charity The blessing of him that is ready to perish many times comes upon them Iob 29.13 Their very loynes blesse them Iob 31.20 and their neighbours blesse them for peace making Mat. 5.8 and the godly blesse them for their gifts of grace and pray for Gods blessings upon them Psal. 134.3 and if they have any publike employments for God in Church or Common-wealth the eare that heareth them blesseth them Iob 29.11 And at some times God doth so guide and prosper the wayes of his servants that all sorts of men doe acknowledge them for the seed which the Lord hath blessed Esay 61.8 2. From their owne consciences if the world at any time testifie against him or revile him yea if Divells and men set against him yet he inherits this blessing that his owne conscience will witnesse for him to his singular joy 2 Cor. 1.12 The daily encouragements of a good conscience are like a continuall feaâ—â— within 3. From God and so they have Gods blessing certaine and this is a great inheritance and hath so much happinesse in it as it should swallow up all the grievance of afflictions and the contempts and scornes of the world It is enough if we have Gods blessing Now that this point may be distinctly beaten out we must understand that true Christians may be said to inherit Gods blessing first in a more restrained sense and then in a more large sense In a restrained sense blessing may here be taken for Gods comfortable speaking for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies blessing by words and so it answers to the coherence If they will use good words to men God will speake good words to them And in this sense we may hence gather That Gods naturall language to the called of Jesus Christ is blessing or comfortable words God will speake to his people peace Psal. 84.5 and therefore he gives a charge to his Ministers to speake comfortably to Jerusalem Esay 40.1 2. Secondly that Gods Elect never find this till they have their calling Thirdly that it is a great inheritance in this life to have God to speake well to us Fourthly that if the fault be not in us we shall never have God speake otherwise It is our inheritance to comfort us against all the miseries of life And therefore Ministers that are the mouth of God should studie comfort much and those Christians that desire to have the fruit of their inheritance in this thing should provide to live in such places where God speakes to men And those Ministers have a great account to make that set themselves to speake disgracefully and terribly to such as feare God striving to discourage their hearts and to strengthen the hands of the wicked Thus of the restrained sense onely note by the way That God speaks good words both for his people behind their backs and to his people before their faces They inherit Gods good word for them in their absence Thus God speakes excellently in the praise of Iob to the Divell before the Angels Iob 1. 2. and thus he can speake in the consciences of the greatest on earth in praise of his people as Esay 41.9 Now in the generall sense Gods people enjoy this blessing many waies and that both in this life and in the life to come In this life they have his blessing 1. In temporall things of all sorts he makes the earth blesse them and the heavens and the waters Gen. 49.25 he blesseth them in the Citie and in the field in the fruit of their bodies and of the ground and of their cattell in their basket and in their store when they come in and when they goe out yea God will command the blessing upon them in their store-houses and upon all they set their hands to and he will open his good treasures unto them and blesse all the worke of their hands Deut. 28.2 3 4 5 6 8 12. And if they enjoy not so much in quality of these things as some wicked men yet they have a faire portion and a good blessing because that they have is blessed both in the originall of it and in the nature of it and in the use of it and in their right to it 2. In the meanes of grace and salvation and so they enjoy the blessing of God in his house-keeping and great is that blessing wherewith God blesseth his people in his house on his holy hill and round about The Lord hath long since promised to make all the places about his holy hill blessings Yea there Gods people doe receive showers of blessing every powerfull Sermon is a shower of blessing every doctrine being as a blessed drop of instruction or comfort Ezek. 34.26 Exod. 20.24 Psal. 132.15 3. In the gifts of grace and so he hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things A poore Christian carrieth about with him in his heart more treasure than all the Monarchs of the world being not true Christians can any way possesse or command Eph. 1.3 Thus of Gods blessing in this life After this life who can recount the glory of their inheritance in the blessing they shall have then from God Oh that our hearts could be enlarged to thinke of the power of these words of Christ at the last day Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world The Use should be for great comfort to all true Christians They have great cause to rejoyce in their fathers blessing all their dayes and the rather if they consider that Gods blessing as a Father is better than the blessing of any earthly father for an earthly fathers blessingis most an end but verball in words Gods blessing is reall indeeds A father on earth cannot derive blessing to his child from himselfe but from God whereas Gods blessing is from himselfe Besides if an earthly father would blesse his childe yet he wants power to give him what he desires but God our Father is Almighty able to give as much as he wisheth Gen. 28.3 Finally an earthly fathers blessing may be lost as Chams was but Gods blessing cannot be lost he will blesse with everlasting mercy Secondly such as yet enjoy not the priviledge of Gods called ones should be greatly stirred up with desire to get this blessing even to have Gods blessing Let no man be
beare it 396 The wicked usually speake Evill of the godly 456 Example Excellent documents from the word Example 519 520 Ten things for us to follow in the Example of Christs sufferings 521 In what cases Christs Examples binde not 522 Two singular vertues in a good Example 620 When an Example binds 621 Excell The godly Excell others in divers respects 313 F FAith It doth ten things to further our preservation 45 46 What Faith will not preserve us 47 How to shew it in affliction 65 The praises of it then ibid. Seven things should move us to trust on God in affliction 60 Faith is onely seated in the hearts of the Elect 155 God is the object of our Faith and that not only in his nature but in his mercies and promises also 156 It is Faith that makes difference among men before God 282 Its necessitie ibid. Markes of true saving Faith 290 Signes of a true though weake Faith in a weake Christian 291 The Christians continuall use of Faith 157 What we should doe for comfort when the sense of Faith is gone 158 Seven rules for the daily use of Faith ibid. The difference between Faith and Hope 160 Helpes to continue in the Faith 161 All Faith and Hope in other than in God iâ— vaine 162 Faithfull The life of the Faithfull is a joyfull life 54 Seven things should move â—â— to be Faithfull in affliction 66 The Faithfull bow precious in Gods sight ibid. Familie Vide Houshold What makes a Familie happie 484 We are bound of God to care for Familie duties ibid. Why inferiours are first commanded Familie duties 485 Fashion Fashioning our selves to sinne hath seven things in it 115 Father How God is a Father to Christ Angels and Man 11 12 His affection is Fatherly that is first Free secondly Tender thirdly Constant 12 So iâ— his provision both in respect of first Attendance secondly Diet thirdly Preservation in trouble fourthly Portion ibid. Of what excellencie Gods Fatherly love iâ— first 〈◊〉 godly men secondly to carnall men thirdly to earthly Fathers 13 14 The name of Father given to divers sorts 492 Feare Three sorts of it first worldly secondly servile thirdly filiall 134 Our conversation must be coupled with Feare ibid. The Feare of God what 480 Sixe things in God of which we are to stand in awe 480 481 Motives to get this Feare 481 What kinds of men doe not Feare God 481 482 The signes of it 482 Reasons why wicked men are stricken with a servile Feare 597 598 A conversation coupled with Feare required of all Christians 598 599 How we should shew this Feare 600 What sorts of men have not Gods Feare 601 Wherein wives should shew Feare to their Husbands 601 602 Fight Vide Warre The Flesh fighteth against the Soule five waies 384 Why God doth suffer this Fight 385 How we may get victorie in this Fight 387 Flesh. Lusts are Fleshly in divers respects 365 Eight evill properties and effects of the Flesh ibid. How they hurt the soules of wicked men 366. as also of the godly ibid. The Flesh fights against the Soule five waies 384 Fooles Unregenerate men are Fooles 459 Signes of spirituall Follie ibid. Wherein godly men sometimes shew Follie 462 463 Fore-knowledge Vide Prescience 3. Vide Foresight 149 Fore-sight Vide Fore-knowledge 8 Three kinds of Fore-sight 149 150 Foundation diversly accepted 151 Christ the maine Foundation of all grace and holinesse 247 With the use of it ibid. c. The only Foundation of his Church 250 That Christ is laid as a Foundation stone imports many things 276 Freedome Vide Libertie From what Christ is made Free 467 To what a godly man is made Free 468 The Freedome of the Old and New Testaments 469 In what respects we are But as Free 469 470 Hypocrites in bondage whilst they seeme Free-men 471 Frowardnesse Reasons against Frowardnesse both in Masters and Servants 494 495 Helpes against it ibid. Frowardnesse how odious shewed by the causes and effects 615 G GEneration It is threefold first corporeall secondly metaphysicall thirdly singular 30 Three things wherein Christs and our Generation is not alike 31 The acceptation of the word Generation 316 Onely Christians come of the best Generation 317 Gentiles Of the Calling of the Gentiles in generall 345 Gird We must Gird up our minds and that divers wayes 103. c. Eight rules for it ibid. Glorie Glorifie How God is glorified by himselfe 404 How of us in generall how in particular 406 Motives to the care of glorifying God 408 409 Helpes thereto ibid. The thoughts of Gods glory two wayes established 411 Foure caveats for making others to Glorifie God ibid. c. Vaine-glory wherein it is seene 512 Wherein true Glorie doth consist ibid. The Glory of man but vaine in sixe respects 196 What is his true Glory 197 God Of his fore-knowledge 8 9 10 How a Father to Christ Angels and Men 11 12 Gods power in keeping us 43 Excellent uses of it 44 Wherein Gods graciousnesse is seene 238 By what meanes God may be brought to our minds 410 Helpes to conceive of God aright ibid. By what meanes he is to be magnified in our hearts 411 God is a Iudge 529 And thereby terrible to wicked men 530 Comfortable to the godly 531 Rules of committing our selves to God ib. Godly The Godly dispersed and the good that comes thereby 6 The Godly are Priests in many respects 264 The Godly excell others in divers respects 313 314 How the Godly come to be Gods heirs 645 That the Godly are Brethren 178 Godlinesse It hath many lets 102 The use of it ibid. Foureteene internall lets of Godlinesse 102 103 Gospel The word taken divers wayes 90 91 Eight effects of this Gospel 91 Eight things required of every one that would have part in it ibid. How it differs from the Law 92 Excellent uses of it both to Priest and People 92 93 Grace what and how it and Peace is multiplied 27 28 What we must doe that it might be multiplied 28 That we may not faile of the Grace of God we must doe foure things 8 How we frustrate the grace of God ibid. We must labour to walke worthy of that grace by doing foure things ibid. c. The divers acceptations of the word Grace 109 The glory of heaven called Grace in three respects 110 111 Seven things in which we should imitate Gods Grace in shewing mercy 111 Why God giveth not heaven as soone as he giveth Grace 112 Wherein Gods Graciousnesse is seene 238 The state of such as have but temporary Grace 338 Grace is either a gift in us or an attribute in God 665 Grace as it is in God considered two waies 666 What priviledges such have as enjoy Gods Grace ibid. Men transgresse against the Grace of God many wayes 667 Grasse Mans life is but Grasse 193 194. c. Grow Growth Divers kinds of it 232 In what graces Christians ought to grow 233 234 Helpes thereto 234 Lâ—ts
no light in them Ier. 4.24 Ob. But we see wicked men have joy and comfort many times Sol. They have certaine sparkes of light like the light smitten out of the flint first they cannot warme themselves by it nor see how to direct their wayes secondly it will quickly goe out thirdly howsoever it be for a time here yet at length they must lie downe in sorrow Esa. 50.10 And the consideration hereof should in the second place much reprove the perversnesse of wicked men and that in divers respects and considerations First that they can be silent in darknesse as the phrase is 1 Sam. 2.9 that they can live so securely and never make mone or humble themselves in their distresse Secondly that they dare which is worse many times call darknesse light and light darknesse and defend it that they are in as great liberty and safetie as the best of them all Oh woe unto them because they call darknesse light Esa. 5.20 Thirdly that they will not come into the light when the doore is opened and while there is spirituall meanes of light What a thing is this that light is come into the world and the darknesse comprehendeth it not Ioh. 1.5 Fourthly this is their condemnation that they love darknesse more than light and preferre their vile condition before the condition of the children of the light Ioh. 3.21 Thirdly let these poore wretches be instructed if it be possible First to embrace the meanes of light Secondly to pray to God to bee intreated of them to lighten their darknesse Doth not he justly perish that may enjoy the light for asking for iâ— and yet will not Ob. If any aske how may they know that they are in darknesse Ans. I answer First by the uncapablenesse and insensiblenesse of the soule in the things of the Kingdome of God Eph. 4.17 1 Cor. 2.14 Secondly by the workes of darknesse by the continuall practise of sinne without sound repentance Rom. 13. 1 Ioh. 1.6 7. Thirdly in particular by the habituall hatred of the godly because they follow goodnesse 1 Ioh. 2.9 11. Fourthly by the absence of God in the use of his ordinances who is as the simne to the godly Psal. 84.12 And thus of the use that concernes the wicked Use 2. Godly men should from hence gather encrease of consolation in their hearts from the consideration of Gods mercy in translating them from the Kingdome of darknesse into the Kingdome of his deare Love Col. 1.12 13. they are the men upon whom God hath accomplished the prophesie and promise of his grace They are the deafe men that are made to heare the word of the booke and the blind men that see out of obscurity and darknesse Esa. 29.18 19. The Lord hath made darknesse light before them and brought them being but blind men by a way they knew not Esa. 42.16 The people that sate in darknesse have seene great light Esa. 9.1 These men are the prisoners that once were in darknesse and God sent his owne Sonne to the prison doore to bid them come forth and shew themselves Esa. 49.9 And their deliverance from darknesse should bee the more comfortable if they consider First what a world of people are yet covered with darknesse Esa. 61.1 Secondly that darknesse shall never returne They enjoy a day that never shall have night following Ob. But is there not darknesse still in godly men as well as in other men Sol. I answer in some respects there is and in some respects there is not It is true that in respect of the ignorance yet upon godly men in this life they may say as it is in Iob 19.8 God hath set darknesse in our pathes and fenced up our waies or Iob 37.19 Teach us what we shall say unto him for we cannot order our selves because of darknesse and sometimes in their afflictions they may say as aforesaid But yet notwithstanding there is great difference betweene the state of the godly and the state of the wicked for First the godly are delivered from utter darknesse altogether Secondly for their darknesse in this life it is true they may be subject to such darknesse as clouds may make or an eclipse but the night is cleane passed with them Rom. 13.12 Thirdly though they have darknesse yet they are not under the power of darknesse Col. 1.13 He that beleeveth cannot abide in darknesse but is getting out as one made free and set at liberty Ioh. 12.46 Fourthly their darknesse is not a grosse and palpable darknesse they can see their way and are all taught of God It is no darknesse can â—inder their salvation Fifthly though their afflictions may increase upon them yet God will not forsake them but will shew them great lights the Lord will be light unâ—o them for comfort for the present and will send them the light of deliverance in due time Esa. 50.10 Mich. 7.8 Psal. 112.4 Sixthly they have their Patent drawne and sealed and delivered them whereby they are appointed to enjoy unspeakable light and an absolute freedome from all darknesse They are children of light and are borne to singular priviledges in that respect the time will come when there shall be no igrance no affliction no discomfort any more Thus of their misery and so of the estate from which they are called Now followeth to be considered their happinesse to which they are called exprest by the metaphoricall tearme of light and commended by the Epitheton of marvellous Light Light is either uncreated or created the uncreated light is the shining essence of God infinitely above the shining light of the Sunne Thus God is light and dwells in that unapproachable light 1 Ioh. 1.6 1 Tim. 6.16 The created light is that which is made and begotten by God whence he is called The Father of lights Iam. 1.17 And this created light is either naturall or spirituall naturall is the light of the Sunne in the firmament the spirituall light since the fall was all collected and seated in Christ. As God gathered the light of the two first dayes and placed it in the body of the Sunne as the originall vessell of light so did the Lord collect and gather the light together after man had fallen and placed it in Christ that hee as the Sunne of righteousnesse might be the fountaine of light unto the spirituall world And thus Christ is said to be light Ioh. 8.12 the light of the world that lightneth every man that commeth into the world Ioh. 1.9 The beames of this light in Christ are diffused all abroad upon men and so the light communicated from Christ is either temporall or eternall Temporall light is either the blessing of God in Christ making the outward estates of Gods servants glorious and prosperous Iob 29.3 Hest. 8.16 or else it is that light that shines upon the soules of men which must be distinguished according to the instruments of conveying or receiving it The instrument of conveying it is outwardly the