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
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 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
implied is that God will passe by these workmen and reject their service This I gather from hence that whereas these builders would not make use of Christ in the building it is here repeated that the building doth goe on and Christ is laid as the Head of the corner which imports that God had rejected them Now God rejects wicked Ministers two waies First one when he curseth or blasteth their gifts and refuseth to be glorified by them when he causeth the night to come upon their divination and puts out their right eyes Secondly the other is when he roots them out by death and makes their places spue them out The first is here chiefly intended and so it notes that it is a great curse of God upon learned men in the Ministery when God will not imploy them or make use of their gifts A learned man that either laboureth not or proposeth not in his labours Gods glory is a publike and standing Monument of Gods displeasure for men to stand and gaze at as it is a great argument of disgrace done to a Carpenter or Mason to stand by while the house is builded and they not intreated or suffered to work and yet have their tooles readie Oh it is a marvellous justice of God to see learned but not godly men passe by so as they have not the honour to doe any work in the Church for the salvation of the souls of men and contrariwise it should rejoyce the hearts of godly Ministers that God as Paul saith of himselfe will account them faithfull to put them into his service and to give their labours any successe Secondly the exprest punishment is the preferment of Christ and the promoting of his Kingdome Hee is made the Head of the corner which words must be considered either in relation to the builders or in themselves as they concerne the exaltation of Christ. First in relation to the builders it imports that it is a punishment to wicked Ministers that love not the Lord Jesus that Christ and his Kingdome should flourish As it fretted the Pharises so it doth and will fret the heart of wicked men till the day of Christ and it is a punishment because of their envie at it and because they finde that they have no part in Christ or the happinesse of his Kingdome their consciences accusing them and besides because they are openly crossed in their oppositions and so ashamed before men Which observation may serve for triall For it is a certaine note of a wicked man who loves not the Lord Jesus that he is crossed and accounts himselfe afflicted or ashamed because the Kingdome of Christ prospers The words in themselves concern the exaltation of Christ and shew how God raised him out of the heap of rubbish as it were and carried him up to heaven and made him their Head and King Head I say over all things giving him power over all things and in particular in respect of the Angels head of principalities and powers and in respect of men head of the Church Nor is it barely said he is head but head of the corner which is a Metaphor borrowed from the building where the holy Ghost intends to shew that he is the onely foundation of the Church as hath been shewed in the first verse of this Chapter And he is well said to be Head of the corner because upon Christ meet as the two sides meet in the corner stone both Angels and men and amongst men both the Saints in heaven and the godly on earth and amongst men on earth both Jewes and Gentiles even all the Elect of all nations ages and conditions in the world The uses of the exaltation of Christ briefly follow First it should teach us to strive by all means to get into his service that is so powerfull and able to doe so much for his servants Secondly It shews us the end of the oppositions of all wicked men Christ shall increase and prosper and they shall be confounded and perish Thirdly it should especially enforce the necessity of beleeving in Christ wee should lie upon him with all our waight as the building doth on the foundation Fourthly it should comfort us in all distresses considering what end God gave to the sufferings of Christ and so it is urged Heb. 12.2 The consideration of the manner and the time followes Is become or is made He doth not tell how but leaves that as granted to be effected without hands even by the speciall providence of God which gives us occasion to take speciall notice of the truth that in things of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ God is pleased to make his worke or to worke sometimes without using any of the meanes which the world takes notice of hee neglects all those meanes which fall within the expectation Psal. 118.20 21. as here for the proclaiming of the Messias there was not any one order or rank of men eminent in the world which God made use of But by a way altogether strange to the world erected the Christian Monarchie which should teach us not to limit God to the meanes which is likeliest to us but to live in all things by faith and where means seeme to faile then with Abraham above hope and under hope to give glory to God and cast our selves and all our care upon God Thus of the manner The time followes In that he said It is become Christ was Head of the corner according to the present time First if we consider the type of it Christ was become head of the corner in that David was made King of Israel as a type of Christs Kingdome over the Church Secondly Christ was head in that in the Apostles time he had received power after his Ascension over all things though as yet the Gentiles were not so fully converted Thirdly that hee is become the head may be taken prophetically For the Prophets to expresse the certainty of a thing to come utter it in the words of the present tense It is so because it shall as surely be so as if it were already done VERSE 8. And a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence even to them which stumble at the Word being disobedient unto the which thing they were even ordained HItherto of the punishments upon the builders The punishment upon the whole body of unbeleevers is contained in this verse Wherein note first the kindes of punishment Christ is a rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling Secondly the causes both in themselves and in God in the words that follow A rocke of offence and a stone of stumbling Since wicked men have refused Christ and will not beleeve in him hee that may not be a stone of foundation will prove a stone of stumbling and a rocke for them to dash on till they be dashed to pieces which words import the fearefull judgements of God spiritually afflicted upon unbeleevers which is two-fold First they shall be given up to
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
the contrary ibid. c. In what cases we may not be of one mind with the Church of Rome 678 W WArre Warfare Vide Fight The Christian condition is military 42 He must keepe a fivefold garison 43 Foure kinds of Warre against the soule 384 The flesh warres against the soule five wayes ibid. Why God doth suffer this Ware 385 Our armour in this Warre what 386 How we may get victorie in this Warre 387 Weake Priviledges of Weake Christians 229 Encouragement for Weake Christians 237 Well-doing Well-doing is the best way to stop the 〈◊〉 of wicked man â—65 Excellent uses of it ibid. How we are said to doe well 639 631 Reasons why we ought alwayes to be Well-doing 631 Whisperers Vide Bacâ—biters 216 217 Wicked Wickednesse What Wicked men in particular are not under mercie 354 God doth oft suffer his children to live among Wicked men 391 In what case we may converse with wickedmen 392 Wife Sixteene motives for Husbands and Wives to live together quietly in marriage 576 Five speciall causes of disorder betweene Husband and Wife 577 Why the Apostle is so large in setting down the Wives duty 579 Eight reasons of the Wives subjection 581 In what 582 How and in what cases not ibid. Particular sins of the Wife in case of subjection 583 What meanes a Wife must use to win her Husband 595 596 Chastity in marriage is specially charged on the Wife 596 How chaste wife may be discerned 597 Wherein Wives should shew their feare to their Husbands 601 602 What is a Wives best ornament 627 Obedience and reverence are a Wives ornaments 628 Will. The Will of God is first Personall secondly Essentiall First Legall secondly Evangelicall 451 Gods Word is his Will in two respects 452 The Will is the rule of our actions 452 Whether a Christian can exactly doe Gods Will 453 Winne Divers kinds of Winning 590 What a Minister must doe to win soules 591 To be won what it 〈◊〉 ibid. Why all are not won at once 592 By what meanes we may win wicked men in our conversation 594 Wise Wisedome Why many Wise men are rather confounders than founders in grace and goodnesse 296 How the ignorant may herein notwithstanding be supported 297 Five waye 's we should shew forth the Wisdome of Christ 329 What this Wisedome must not have in is ibid. Woman In what things a Woman is more fraile than man 643 Word How powerfull 55 Vide Scripture How many wayes sin hinders the growth of the Word 200 How to be desired 221 How our affections to it may be discerned 222 Other signes of it ibid. c. Impediments thereof both externall and internall 223 224 Meanes to get desire to it 225 How to preserve our desires to it 226 Foure motives of getting it 227 How farre wicked men may desire the Word 230 The sweetnesse of the Word 240 Rules for applying the Word aright 288 When and how a man is said to be offended at the Word 310 The Word must be the warrant for all our actions 422 Its praise 189 The only outward meanes to beget the seed of grace in us 190 Eight things needfull in us to heare the Word of God as the Word of God ibid. How the Word is said to live 191 Sixe wayes to shew the life of the Word in our conversation ibid. c. Gods Word should be our maine care 199 The power of the Word Preached 200 Workes How men shall be judged according to their Workes 129 130 How infants 130 How poore men 131 Manifold distinctions of Gods works 148 How wonderfull Gods Workes are 274 The uses of it 275 To be a Worker of iniquity signifies three things 397 Wherein Workes are good 398 Rules to be observed in doing good Works 399 400 The divers kinds of good Works 400 401 How any man that is not absolutely good can be said to doe good Workes 401 402 What Workes are good for 402 How a man may lose his Workes 403 What Works may and ought to bee shewed 404 We should by good workes silence the wicked 454 World Contempt of the World shewed in foure things 331 Worship Actions about Gods Worship of two sorts 432 433 Many defects in Gods Worship 548 Wrongs Reasons against righting Wrongs by our owne private revenge 498 We may not in some cases resist but endure Wrongs ibid. To suffer Wrongs is profitable ibid. Places of Scripture herein expounded occasionally GEnesis 10. ver 9. p. 428 Exodus 26. ver 8. p. 98 Leviticus 14. à ver 4. ad 32. p. 165 ad 173. Cap. 16. ver 12 13 17 p. 26 Numbers 19. à ver 1 2. ad 7. p. 23. Psalme 19. ver 10. p. 240 Psalme 119. ver 103. ibid. Psalme 145. ver 8 9. p. 32 Proverbs 15. ver 30. p. 447 448 Proverbs 22. ver 1. p. 447 Esay 53. ver 7. ibid. Jeremiah 11. ver 19. ibid. Matthew 16. ver 18. p. 250 John 1. ver 29. 36. 147 Acts 5. ver 10 28 29. p. 435 Acts 17. ver 30. p. 127 Romans 2. ver 10. p. 449 Romans 12. ver 3. p. 104 2 Cor. 2. ver 14 15. p. 241 Ephesians 4. ver 17 18. p. 458 1 Thess. 5. ver 15. p. 686 Hebrewes 4. ver 12. p. 55 Hebrewes 12. ver 9. p. 374 2 Epist. Johan ver 8. p. 593 FINIS Verse 1. PETER an Apostle of Iesus Chr to the strangers scattred throughout Pontus Galatia Capadocia Asia Bithinia Verse 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinckling of the blood of Iesus Christ Grace unto you and peace be multiplied Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his aboundant meâ—cy hath begotten us aâ—aine unto a lively hope by the resurrectiâ—n of Jesus Christ from the dead Verse 4. To an inheâ—â—â—ance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you Verse 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time Verse 6. Wherein yee greatly rejoice though now for a season if neede be you are in heavinesse through manifold tentations Verse 7. That the tryall of your faith being much more precious then of gold that perisheth though it be tryed by the fire might be sound unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. Verse 8 Whom having not seene yee love in whom though now yee see him not yet beleeving yee rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Verse 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules Verse 10. Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you Verse 11. Searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Ver 12. Vnto whom
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
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
greatnesse with his Father by obtaining our requests at his hands For thereby the Father is glorified in his son and God loves us so much the better because wee love Christ and beleeve that he came from his Father and shew it by using him as our Mediator and indeed what need we any other to the King then the Kings son And thirdly it may comfort us in respect of the hope of preferment by his service we cannot serve a more honourable Lord. Many times if we serve earthly Princes they may neglect us For we seldome see all the followers of the greatest Princes come to preferment but if Princes on earth were never so honourable that they did purpose to exalt every one of their servants yet under that hope men may consume all their meanes and in the end die beggers because the Prince may dye before they get their preferment but it is not so with Christians in their service of Christ. For as for greatnesse he is the King of all kings and himselfe Lord of all lords so for well he never neglected any that served in truth and sincerity and besides he cannot die For hee hath life in himselfe and therefore blessed are they that serve him and trust in his goodnesse For he ever liveth to make request for 〈…〉 have â—â—tten them to himselfe that where hee is there they may be also Thus of the maner of propounding The places or arguments of Consolation follow The first is taken from their regeneration which is amplified here 1. by the impulsive cause the abundant mercy of God 2. by the effect a lively hope 3. by the cause of merit or efficacy the resurrection of Iesus Christ. Two things may be noted from the coherence 1. the necessity of the new birth 2. the honor of it The necessity in that it is so chained and linked that it is apparant we can no way have mercy from God nor glory in heaven unlesse we be borne againe 2. The honor of it may appeare in that it is a worke that stands in relation to the mercy of God the glory of heaven the resurrection of Christ the power of God c. all which belong to this admirable worke of the new birth In the handling of these words I consider of them as they lye in order and so here are foure generall heads of doctrine to be thought of 1. The mercy of God 2. The regeneration of man 3. A lively hope 4. The resurrection of Christ Jesus Which according to his abundant mercy c. The main proposition is that there is abundance of mercy in God he is full of compassion and of great mercy his mercy is over all his workes It is so great it cannot be expressed The clouds may commend the extent of his faithfulnesse and the mountaines may shadow out his righteousnesse and the deepes resemble his judgements but who or what can expresse the excellencie of his goodnesse It cannot be fully discerned any way but in heaven Gods mercy is abundant 1. In the fountaine in himselfe there is an Ocean of mercy in God It is infinite in him as his nature is yea it is his nature it selfe to be so 2. In the streames and that either generally considered and so it flowes to all the creatures reasonable and unreasonable good and bad The whole earth is full of his goodnesse or more specially as it flowes to the faithfull Now Gods mercy is abundant to the faithfull 3. wayes 1. In the kindes of mercy for the Lord compasseth them about with variety of all sorts of mercy 2. In the extent of mercy Hee did not spend all his mercy on David or Abraham or the like but he keepes and reserves mercy for thousands even for all the thousands in all ages that beleeve with faithfull Abraham and will heare and doe all Gods will with obedient David He is plenteous in mercy to all that call upon him 3. In the continuance of mercy for his mercy is as himselfe everlasting and it must needs appeare to be so that God is wonderfull abundant in mercy because it is he that is the father of all the mercy in the world and it is he that requireth mercy in men The use that may be made of the meditation of Gods abundance of mercy may be both for instruction and consolation 1. For instruction two wayes principally For first it may teach us therefore to run unto God in all misery to seeke desire pray for waite for and trust upon his mercy Here is enough and therefore woe unto us if we will not seeke it when it may thus plentifully be had Our confusion is just if we neglect and forsake our owne mercy it being opened and offered in such plenty and secondly this should teach us how to shew mercy even to doe it in all possible abundance both for continuance and extent and for all the kindes both of corporall and spirituall mercies for we should bee mercifâ—ll as our heavenly father is mercifull But especially this doctrine is intended for the singular comfort of all humble and godly Christians and how can it but be comfortable if they consider how exceeding abundant it is 〈…〉 iâ— how â—â—â—der his pitty is how full his goodnesse is how constant and large his treasures of grace are how slow he is to anger how willing he is to forgive all sorts of sinnes yea and to multiply pardon too how he passeth by transgression and taketh away iniquity how wonderfully he is pleased in himselfe with shâ—wing mercy and how he quieteth himselfe and rests in his love Ob. But some man may say that this is a doctrine of liberty Answ. It is not For this doctrine is restrained for that both if we respect godly men and if we respect wicked men If we respect godly men It is certaine that though the Lord will not deny his mercy or take away his goodnesse from them yet if they breake his commandements he will visite them with the rod and make them to know by his strokes how bitterâ— thing it is to abate of their care to feare and serve God 1. And for wicked men it is wonderfull cleare that the Lord for all this goodnesse in himselfe or unto good men will not by any meanes cleare the wicked If they blesse their hearts against his threatnings he will not be mercifull to them It is true that power and mercy belongeth to God yet it is as true that he will give to every man according to his worke they onely shall finde mercy that confesse and forsake their sinnes while they follow foolish vanities they forsake their owne mercies He that made them will not pitty them and he that formed them will not have mercy upon them God is gracious and mercifull slow to anger c. but it is onely to such
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
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
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
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
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
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
preaching of the Gospell he being diversly shaked to and fro in the divers manners of propounding of Christ in the Gospell 3. The moving of the lips of the sinner in his confession and prayer before God 4. It might note the trembling of the Christian when hee comes first unto God and the various conflicts in his soule with which he is shaken and yet Christ is accepted as an offering for them before the Lord for all their feare and doubtings and tossings of temptations for the Christian holds his sacrifice in his hands for all his feares 3. The pinte of oyle that was to be waved also may note 1. That there is abundance of joyes will follow care and conscience in faith and repentance for trespasses 2. That before we can get abundance of joy it must be waved before the Lord that is Christ must beg it for us in heaven and preach it often to us in earth we must heare joy and gladnesse 3. It may perhaps note that marvellous feare and sorrow of heart for sinne which a Christian feeles when he is most joyed by the holy Ghost He rejoyceth with trembling Psal. 2.11 VERSE 13. The killing of the lambe followes amplifyed by the place and the person to whom it belonged and the worth of it Foure things were here signified 1. That Christ must be killed for us and in his death is our sacrifice 2. That the place where being the holy place notes 1. That Christ was slaine onely by and for the Elect. 2. That Christ crucified is taught and knowne onely in the Church 3. In that the Priest must have all the offerings is noted 1. That Christ onely can make an atonement 2. That the honour of our sanctification belongs to the Ministers 4. In that it was most holy is noted that this way of holinesse in Christ is an absolute way as ever was devised VERSE 14. The sprinkling followeth and is twofold 1. Of the bloud ver 14. 2. Of oyle ver 15. to 19. 1. The sprinkling of bloud noted the worke of God and the Gospell applying CHRISTS bloud to the distressed sinner 2. The sprinkling of the eare hand and toe noted that our hearing of the Word the principall meanes is sanctified by the bloud of Jesus Christ so as our unworthinesse shall be no barre to our successe in the meanes Secondly that our practice likewise is sanctified in the bloud of Christ. Thirdly that our progresse also and perseverance depends upon the merit and vertue of Christs passion and these are the three things Christ undertakes for the penitent sinner VERSE 15 16 17 18. The sprinkling of oyle followes where note 1. Who doth it viz. the Priest 2. How he doth it He poureth into his left hand and dippeth his finger 3. How many wayes he doth it 4. Where he doth it 5. Whâ—t he doth with the remainder 1. The Priests sprinkling of the oyle noted that Christ and his Ministers are the chiefe fountaine of our joy 2. The warinesse of the Priest in the manner shewes that God would have his consolations warily propoundâ—d unto men 3. He was to sprinkle both before the Lord and upon the party 1. The sprinkling before the Lord noted the joyes of Gods presence and that he is privie to all the comforts befall us 2. In that it was done many times is noted 1. The perfection of the joyes God hath prepared c. 2. Our imperfection in beleeving it 3. The sprinckling upon the partie noted the particular interest of the penitent in the joyes of Christ. 4. The sprinkling of the eare thumb and toe assured comfort in hearing practice and perseverance and in that it must be put upon the bloud of the trespasse offering it signified that wee cannot have true joy but in the sacrifice of Christ and the application thereof It is all merited in his death and to be applyed by Pâ—ith 5. The remainder was to be poured out upon the head of the person which might note either 1. The fulnesse of joy which Christ our head hath in heaven the same with ours saving in the measure 2. That our consolations are given us that we might comfort others by the running downe of our c. 3. That we were abundantly consecrated unto God and annointed as Priests Kings and Prophets unto the Lord and shall have everlasting joy in our callings Esay 35. ult So that that joy upon their heads was shadowed by this type Quest. But why joy upon their heads Answ. Though the seat of joy be the heart yet the cause of joy is in the head and that is the understanding of our happy estate in Christ. Where he addes that the Priest shall make an attonement for him wee must understand it thus that the Priest hereby shall ratifie the attonement 〈◊〉 in the sacrifice of Christ c. These joyes shall abundantly settle his heart in the assurance of Gods favouâ— in Christ and so it notes that usually Gods servants have not that setled peâ—swasion of their happinesse in reconciliation with God untill they have had abundance of experience of the joyes of the holy Ghost in the knowledge of their calling in Jesus Christ. VERSE 19 20. Quest. Now that the 〈◊〉 iâ— satisfied in Gods goodnesse and favour what is more to be done Answ. There must be yet a sinne offering and a burnt offering For after he hath taken a course for outward sins by which he trespassed against God and man he returnes and finds a marvellous deale of drosse in his nature and of secret corruptions that hang upon him daily and therefore now he needs a new application of the sacrifice of Christ to comfort him against his sinnes that hang on so fast though he be freed from grosse sins or outward trespasses that men take notice of The repetition of his clensing from his uncleannesse imports that for sinnes after calling a child of God is afresh humbled with a loathing of his impurities of heart as he was at his first setting out his daily corruptions and frailties make him seeme wonderfull uncleane in his owne eyes and therefore he seeks a new atonement Now when he addes And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering it was to signifie either 1. That God in this life after long conflicts doth at length reveale Jesus Christ in a great measure so as the Christian is fully satisfied in the application of all the merits of Jesus Christ as knowing his discharge from all his sinnes in him 2. That at our death Christs sacrifice shall fully free us from all the guilt and staine of sinne The repetition that the Priest must offer all these offerings shews wee need still both Christs intercession in heaven and the ministery of Christs servants to preach him crucified while we live in the world The meat offering annexed to the burnt offering shews either that Christians grow marvellously in this life after they have full assurance of their pardon for all sins or else that Christ will
Christ and to carrie him into the presence of God and laying hands upon his head to plead their interest in his death who was offered up as a whole burnt sacrifice for their sinnes Wee are Christs and Christ is given unto us as our ransome we must every day then lay hold upon him and see him bleed to death for our sinnes and be consumed in the fire of Gods wrath for our sinnes Secondly A broken and contrite heart is a sacrifice God will not despise yea such hearts are the sacrifices God especially calls for from men He ever loved them better then all the outward sacrifices in the Law Psal. 51.17 It is the heart God calls for and yet not every heart but a heart wounded with the knife of mortification that is cut and bleedeth in it selfe with godly sorrow for sinne and is broken and contrite with the daily confession of sin This is required of all Christians and this very thing makes a great deale of difference betweene Christian and Christian. Thirdly Prayer and thanksgiving to God are Christian and holy Sacrifices as many Scriptures shew Psal. 141.2 Heb. 13.15 Hos. 14.4 Psal. 51.21 Fourthly We must offer our selves our soules and bodies as a living sacrifice to God Rom. 12.2 2 Cor. 8.5 and that First in respect of obedience devoting our selves unto God living to him and wholly resolved to be at his appointment Psal. 40.6 Loe I come to doe thy will this is instead of all burnt offerings Secondly in respect of willingnes to suffer affliction of what kind soever as resolving that through many afflictions as through so many flames wee must ascend up to heaven as the smoake of the incense or sacrifice on the Altar Acts 14.21 Hence are tryals called fiery tryals 1 Pet. 4.12 Thus of the kinds of sacrifices which remain unto Christians The lawes about those sacrifices follow For there bee many things to bee observed by Christians in their sacrifices if they would euer have them acceptable to God which the shadowes in the old law did evidently signifie as First the sacrifice must be without blemish Malach. 1.7 which the same Prophet expounds Malaâ—h 3.11 Our offrings must bee pure offrings wee must tender them in the sincerity of our hearts Our sacrifices are without fault when we judge our selves for the faultinesse of them and desire they might have no fault Secondly it must be presented before the Lord and consecrated to hâ—m which signified that we must walk in Gods presence and do all in the sight of God devoting all to his glory Gen. 17.1 Mic. 6.8 Thirdly our sacrifices must be daily some kindes of them There were Sacrifices every day in the Temple and it was an extreme desolâ—tion when the sacrifices ceased so it must be our every daies work to imploy ourselves in some of those spirituall sacrifices Heb. 13.15 Fourthly There must bee an Altar to consecrate the gifts Matth. 23.19 This Altar is Christ who is the onely Altar of Christians Heb. 13 1â— Rev. 8.3 No service can be acceptable to God but as the Apostle here faith by Jesus Christ We must doe all in the name of Christ Col. 3.17 Fiftly there must be fire to burne the sacrifice This fire is holy zeale and the power and fervencie of the spirit in doing good duties The fire on the Altar first came downe from heaven to signifie that true zeale is kindled in heaven and comes downe from above It is no ordinarie humor nor a rash fury It is no wilde fire And it was required about this fire that they should preserve it and never let it goe out but put fuell still to it and so it was kept for many yeares so must wee doe with our zeale wee must labour by all meanes to preserve the fervencie of our hearts that wee never want fire to burne our sacrifices Our zeale should be as the love mentioned Câ—â—t 7.10 that much water could not quench it Every sacrifice must have fire Mark 9. Sixtly the sacrifices must be salted with salt so must our Christian sacrifices as our Saviour Christ shewes Mark 9.49 50. And thus we must have the salt of mortification and the salt of discretion and we must looke to it that our salt lose no his faltnes but that it have a draining power in it to extract corruption out of our sacrifices our words to God and men must bee powdred with salt Col. 4.6 and so must all our actions Seventhly the Sacrifices must bee without leaven Levit. 2 1â— Leaven in wickednes or malice or sowrenes or deadnes of heart or worldly griefe even whatsoever leaveneth that is infecteth or maketh the meat offring to be heavie or sowâ—e 1 Cor. 5.8 Eighthly in the same place of Leviticus 2.12 Hony likewise is forbidden to be mingled with their sacrifices and by bony may be meant our beloved sinnes or particular corruptions wee should especially watch against them in the time of 〈◊〉 of holy duties that they miâ—gle not themselves with our sacrifices by infecting our â—â—gitations Ninthly the offring must be waved and shaken to and fro before the Lord Levit. 7.3 And this signified the waving of our lips in praier to God for his acceptation our sacrifices should be soundly tossed to and fro in praier before the Lord Iob praied before he sacrificed Iob 42. Tenthly on the Sabbath the sacrifices were to be doubled to signify that in a special manner wee should consecrate our selves to piety and mercy on the Sabbath day Eleventhly our sacrifices must be offred upwith all gladnes of heart and spirituall delight Thus Gods people were said to bee a free-hearted and willing people Psal. 47.9 110.3 And this was shadowed out partly by the oilâ— that was poured into the meat offrings which is expounded to be the oile of gladnes and partly by the feast they made at the end of their solemne sacrifices unto which they invited their friends to joine with them in rejoicing before the Lord and it is likely David alludes to this feast when hee faith hee would take the cup of salvation and praise the name of the Lord For as yet the Lords Supper was not instituted nor do we read of any use of a cup in the sacrifices or Sacraments themselves Ex. 18.12 1 Chron. 16.1 2 3 4. Psal. 116.13 Twelfthly if we be called to it we must not deny unto God thâ—fat of the kidneis and the inwards By the fat was meant the things which are dearest to us most beloved and that most delight us and if the service of God and the Church and the poore require it we must deny our selves and sacrifice what is most deare to us Thirteenthly the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 13.13 addes that wee must not leave off well-doing for reproach sake but be contented to be like Christ who suffered without the gate as scorned of men and like the sacrifice was burnt without the campe Though all men hate us and speak evill of us and
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
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
high in our unworthy conceptions of his Justice Power Eternity Wisedome and Mercy For the second way of glorifying God What heart could stand before his holy presence if he should examine us in justice 1 For our language What man is hee that hath not cause to mourne for his want of language daily in expressing of the praises of God! When did we make his praise glorious have our mouthes been filled with his praise all the day long 2 For our extreame unthankfulnesse when wee meet with God himselfe we have beene healed with the nine Lepers but which of us have returned to give glory to God in the sound acknowledgment of his goodnesse to us It is required we should in all things give thankes and yet we have scarce used one word of praise for a thousand benefits 3 Our slight acknowledgments of sin our backwardnesse to search our waies our carelesnesse when wee know divers grievous faults by our selves either avoiding Gods presence and making confession for fashions â—ake neither out of true griefe for our sinnes and in a speciall manner doe we faile in those cases of trespasse or sinne that comâ— to the knowledge of others Do we knowledge our sinnes one to another Oh how hard it is to bring us to bee easie to give glory to God herein What man is hee that liveth and hath not failed of the glory of God about the Sabbath Do wee delight in Gods work Have we consecrated that day as glorious to the Lord Have not our mindes run upon our own waies After what an unspeakable manner have we slighted God in his Ordinances Lastly what shall we answer to the Lord for our neglects of Jesus Christ Have we glorified the Son or rather have we not shamefull wants still in our faith Which of us can say that he lives by the faith of the Sonne of God And are not our affections to the Lord Jesus extreamly dull and adverse Where is the longing desire after him and the fervent love of his appearing And for the last way of glorifying God by effect How unprofitably and unfruitfully doe the most of us live Who hath praised God in our behalfe Whom have we won to the love of God and the truth Where are our witnesses that might testifie that our good works have caused them to glorifie God But especially woe be to scandalous Christians that have either caused wicked men to blaspheme or Gods little ones to take offence and conceive ill of the good way of God if they repent not it had beene better for them they had never beene borne And as for wicked men that are openly so to give a touch of them and their estate they have reason to repent in sackcloth and ashes if their eyes were but open to see what terrour is implied in this doctrine and how God will avenge himselfe upon them both for their not glorifying of him and for changing his glory and for the opposing of his glory 1 In not glorifying God they have spent their daies without God they have either not conceived of him at all or in a most meane and vile manner they have not honoured him in his ordinances or in his Sabbaths they never loved the Lord Jesus in their hearts c. 2 In changing the glory of God they have done shamefully Some of them have turned Gods glory into the similitude of an Oxe or a Calfe that eareth hay Some of them have given his praise to Images and the workes of their hands Some of them have fixed the glory of their affections upon riches pleasures and favour of men Some of them have made their belly their god and some have given their bodies to harlots Thirdly in opposing Gods glory they have likewise offended grievously they have spoken evill of the good way of God they have abused his servants and so despised him they have set themselves against his Sabbaths c. to omit that they have opposed Gods glory in their hearts by setting up Idols there by allowing striving to maintain Atheisticall conceits against God The second use should be therefore to beget in us a care to use all means to dispose of and fit our selves that we might make God glorious and so amend and redresse our waies herein and that wee may the more effectually bee wrought upon herein I will consider of two things First I will briefly shew the reasons should stirre us to all possible care and diligence herein Secondly I would shew how wee may distinctly attaine to the glorifying of God in all the three waies before mentioned For the first Divers considerations should move us to the care of magnifying or glorifying of God by all the waies we can First it is a great honour that God doth unto us to account himselfe to receive glory any way from our endeavours Shall the creature be admitted in any sense to that glory to make his Creator to make him I say in his excellencie or glory God doth account himselfe to receive a new Beeing as it were by those inward conceptions of his glory and by those outward honours done unto him Shall the King of glory vouchsafe to dwell in our hearts and shall we not be exceedingly desirous to entertaine him Secondly not to glorifie God is to sinne grievously it is not arbitrary but most dangerous to allow our selves either in inward neglects of God or in outward unfruitfulnesse Shall wee attribute so much every day to the creatures we deale with and shall we know or acknowledge so little of the Creator It cannot be safe to slight God Thirdly it is one of the first things that breakes out in the new Converts so soone as any of the Gentiles are visited of God in the same day they glorifie him by conceiving gloriously of him and by magnifying God in himselfe and his servants and service c. And therefore without singular danger of losing our evidence of our calling we must attend to this Doctrine how hard soever it seeme Fourthly wee are bought with a price and are Gods and therefore now both in soule and body we should be wholly devoted to his glory 1 Cor. 6 ult as God hath glorified us in our creation and the many treasures he hath given us in Jesus Christ and we hope the accomplishment of maâ—chlesse glory in heaven and shall wee not bee zealous for the glory of the Lord Many glorious things bee spoken of us through his grace and shall wee thinke or speake meanely of God Fifthly the Lord our God exceeds all things in glory and therefore wee should extoll his praise above the heavens and the whole earth should shew it selfe to be full of his glory Sixthly he is our heavenly Father and can we thinke too well of him or doe too much to win him praise Matth. 5.16 Lastly thinke with our selves What make wee in Gods Vineyard or Orchard If we be trees of his planting ought we not to be filled with the
the Inhabitants that the common priviledges might be maintained that courses for raising of riches and trades might be held Each man did looke to his owne wealth but the King was to looke to the Common-wealth And thus much of the Originall of Kings Their excellencie above other men followes Secondly it must needs appeare that Kings are of all men most excellent in respect of their outward condition and calling 1. Because God himselfe was a King and is delighted to ranke himselfe among men of that degree 2. Because their creation is from God they are a speciall sort of men raised in a peculiar manner to their places by God who pleads it as his glory that Kings raigne by him Prov. 8. Rom. 13. 3. Because God hath communicated to Kings the image of his owne Majestie and printed in the natures of men a naturall forme of Kings as the Vice-gerents to God himselfe 4. Because a divine sentence is in the mouth of the King as Salomon faith their judgement is God's judgement and God would have the people to beleeve that what they say in judgement God himselfe saith it 5. Because they have a power above all other men of which when I come to treat of the word Superiour 6. Because they take accounts of all other men but give accounts onely to God 7. Because they have the treasure of honour they give all the honour which is possessed by any of their subjects and so doe they all offices of honour and government in their Dominions 8. Because they are the Basis or the foundation or stay of all their subjects who are maintained in Religion Justice and Peace by their meanes And thus of their excellencie Thirdly it is to be noted that the word is set downe indefinitely and so it shewes that this honour belongeth to all Kings in the substance of it whether he be a King of one City or many whether he be a Jew or Gentile a Christian or Pagan Hereticall or Orthodoxall Caesar or Herod young or old vertuous or vitious Use. Fourthly the use should bee therefore from hence to inforce upon our hearts an increase of care and conscience in acknowledging the honour and right of Kings and in loyall and sincere observance and obedience to their Lawes It should not seeme grievous to men to bee held under the yoke of obedience and to bee subject to others that are but men as well as themselves There are many things may encourage the hearts of subjects without grievance to beare the superiority of Princes and not to be discontented for First Kings have nothing but what they have received Secondly if Kings doe wrong they must give account to God for all the wrongs that they have done Thirdly God hath charged Princes to bee carefull of their subjects hee hath given them lawes though they bee Kings Fourthly Princes subjects are first bound to God and therefore they are not tied to Princes in any thing contrary to Gods Word Fifthly though the outward man be subjected to the power of Princes yet their consciences are free in spirit they are subject onely to the God of spirits Sixthly the hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord and he turneth them as he pleaseth Prov. 21. Seventhly though God hath set up Kings yet he hath not put downe himselfe but he ruleth in all these things he is King of heaven Dan. 4.34 and he is King of all the earth Psal. 47.8 He is a King immortall 1 Tim. 1.12 Eighthly whereas thousands of subjects cannot attaine to the sight of the King nor obtaine any particular suit from him nor can the King provide for them in particular yet may they goe to God and Jesus Christ who is King of righteousnesse and peace they may get great suits in heaven and shall bee provided for in all needfull things Psal. 23.1 and 5.3 and 48.15 and 74.12 and 80.2 Esay 49.10 Mat. 2.6 Revel 7.17 Lastly though they be subjects now in respect of earthly Princes yet in respect of God they are anointed to be Kings themselves and shall receive a Kingdome better than all the kingdomes of the earth The Princes of this world are but mortall Kings but every godly man is a King immortall hee partakes the title of God himselfe God is a King immortall by nature and he is a King immortall by adoption and grace and besides the poorest subject that is a true Christian entertaineth the King of glory every day Psal. 24 7 9. As superiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth one that hath above the havings of other men and so the King hath more than all his subjects not onely in matter of maintenance but also in matter of authoritie and supremacie this his having in supremacie is here meant That the King is supreme is so manifest by this text as it needs no proofe Princes are called therefore in the Old Testament Heads of the Tribes or of the people to signifie that they were not onely higher in place but had soveraigne and supreme authoritie over all the people This supremacie of Kings gives them authoritie in all causes both ecclesiaâ—ticall and civill and over all persons Church-men as well as Lay-men as hath beene proved at large before in the former parts of this verse The use is therefore to coufute the damnable pleadings of the Popes of Rome and their adherents that claime to have the right of supremacie above the Kings and Princes of the world There are divers manifest arguments to overthrow the supremacie of the Pope First this expresse text that acknowledgeth the Kings to be superiour this was the Doctrine in the Apostles times Secondlyâ— it is more to bee noted that Peter himselfe who by the opinion of the Papists had the height of place in the Church that even Peter I say is so far from claiming this to himselfe that hee directs Christians to acknowledge supremacie onely as the right of Kings yea and flatly forbids dominion in the Clergie 1 Pet. 5.5 Thirdly our Saviour Christ at large beats downe this primacie or supremacie in his Apostles and all Church-men shewing that they had not authoritie as the Kings of the earth had it must not bee so with them and much lesse had they authoritie over the Kings of the earth Matth. 20.25 Luke 22.25 Fourthly every soule must bee subject to the higher powers If every soule then Church-men if they have soules must be subject and therefore may not rule Rom. 13.1 Fifthly Christ and the Apostles never claimed any such supremacie but shewed the contrary by their doctrine and practice Sixthly it is made the expresse marke of that man of sinne that hee lifts up himselfe above all that is called God that is above Magistrates 2 Thess. 2. This hath beene the constant Doctrine of the ancient Fathers Origen Homil. 7. in Isai. faith Hee that is called to a Bishoprick is not called to principality but to the service of the Church Tertullian lib. ad
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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