know this Stone is laid but see whether you are built on it by faith The multitude of imaginary believers ly round about it but they are never the better nor the surer for that no more than stones that ly loose in heaps near unto a foundation but are not joyned to 't there is no benefit to us by Christ without union with him No comfort in his riches without interest in them and title to them by that union then is the soul right when it can say He is altogether lovely and as the spouse there He is mine my welbeloved And this union is the spring of all Spiritual consolations and faith by which we are thus united is a divine work he that laid this foundation in Sion with his own hand works likewise with the same hand faith in the heart by which it is knit to this corner stone ' its not so easy a thing as we imagine to believe Eph. 1.19 Many that think they believe are amongst the others quite contrary that the Prophet there speaks of hardened in sin and carnally secure which he calls to be in covenant with hell and death walking in sin and yet promising themselves impunity 4. There is the firmness of this building Namely He that believeth on him shall not be Confounded This firmness is answerable to the nature of the foundation Not only the whole frame but every stone of it abideth sure 'T is a simple mistake to judge the perswasion of perseverance to be self-presumption they that have it are far from building it on themselves but their foundation is that which makes them sure because it doth not only remain firm it self but indissolubly supports all that are once built on it In the Prophet whence this is cited 't is shall not make hast but the sense is one they that are disappointed and ashamed in their hopes run to and fro and seek after some new recourse This they shall not need to do that come to Christ. The believing soul makes hast to Christ but it never finds cause to hasten from him and though the comfort it expects and longs for be for a time deferr'd yet it gives not over knowing that in due time it shall rejoyce and shall not have cause to blush and think shame of its confidence in him David expresseth this distrust by making haste Psal. 31.22 and 116.11 I was too hasty when I said so Hopes frustrated especially where they have been rais'd high and continued long do reproach Men with folly and so shame them And thus do all earthly hopes serve us when we lean much upon them We find these things usually that have promis'd us most content pay us with vexation not only prove broken reeds deceiving our trust but hurtful running their broken spinters into our hand that lean'd on them This sure Foundation is laid for us that our souls may be establish'd on it and be as Mount Sion that cannot be removed Such times may come as will shake all other supports but this holds out against all Psal. 46.2 Though the earth be removed yet will not we fear Though the frame of the World were cracking about a Mans ears he may hear it unaffrighted that is built on this Foundation Why then do we chuse to build upon the sand Believe it wheresoever we lay our confidence and affection besides Christ it shall once repent us and ashame us either hapily in time while we may change them for him and have recourse to him or miserably when 't is too late Remember that we must die and must appear before the Judgment Sent of God and that the things we dote on here have neither Power to stay us here nor have we power to take them along with us nor if we could would they at all profit us there and therefore when we look back upon them all at parting we shall wonder what fools we were to make so poor a Choyce and then in that great day wherein all faces shall gather blackness and be fill'd with confusion that have neglected to make Christ their stay when he was offer'd them then it shall appear how happy they are that have trusted in him they shall not be confounded but shall lift up their faces and be acquitted in him In their present estate they may be founded and exercis'd but they shall not be confounded nor ashamed a double negation in the Original by no means they shall in all be more than Conquerours through him that hath loved them Behold The last thing Obs. is in that first word importing this work to be great and remarkable and caullng the eyes to behold it The Lord is marvellous in the least of his works but in this he hath manifested more of his wisdom and power and let out more of his love to Mankind than in all the rest but we are foolish and childishly gaze about us upon trifles and let this great work pass unregarded scarce afford it half an Eye Turn your wandring Eyes this way Look upon this precious Stone and behold him not in mere speculation but so behold him as to lay hold on him For we see he is therefore here set forth that we may believe on him and so not be confounded that we may attain this blessed union that cannot be dissolv'd all other unions are dissoluble A Man may be pluckt from his dwelling House and Lands or they from him though he have never so good title to them may be removed from his dearest friends the Husband from the Wife if not by other accidents in their lifetime yet sure by death the great dissolver of all those unions and of that straitest of the Soul with the Body but it can do nothing against this union but perfects it for I am perswaded sayes St. Paul that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principallities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to sâ—perate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. There is a twofold mistake concerning faith 1st They that are altogether void of it abusing and flattering themselves in a vain opinion that they have it and on the other side they that have it mis-judging their own Condition and so prejudging themselves of much comfort and sweetness that they might find in their believing The former is the worse and yet the far commoner evil and as one sayes of Wisdom 't is true of Faith Many would seek after it and attain it if they did not falsly imagine that they have attained it already There is nothing more contrary to the lively nature of Faith than for the soul not to be at all busied with the thoughts of its own Spiritual condition and yet this very character of unbelief passes with a great many for believing they doubt not that is indeed they consider not what they are their minds are not all in these things are not
this Fear is twofold 1. Their Relation to God 2. Their Relation to the world First To God as their Father as their Judge because you do call him father and profess your selves his Children begotten again by him for this looks back to that it becomes you as obedient Children to stand in awe and fear to offend him your father and a father so full of Goodness and tender love but as he is the best father so consider that he is withall the greatest and justest judge Iudges according to every mans work God allwayes sees and discerns Men and all their work and judgeth that is accounteth of them as they are and sometimes in this life declares this his judgement of them to their own Consciences and in some to the view of others in visible punshments and rewards but the most solemn judgement of all is reserv'd to that Great day which he hath appointed Wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by his son Iesus Act. 17 32. There is here The Soveraignty of this judge the universality of his Judgement and the Equity of it all must answer at his great Court he is supreme Judge of the world he made it and hath therefore unquestionable right to Judge it he judgeth everyman and 't is a most righteous Judgement which hath these two in it First an exact and perfect knowledge of all Mens works 2. impartiall judgement of them so known This Second is express'd negatively by removing the crooked Rule which mans judgement often follows ' its without Consideration of those personall differences that men eye so much And the first is according to the work it self Iob. 34.19 He accepteh not the person of princes nor regardeth the rich more than the poor and the reason is added therefore they are all the work of his hands He made all the persons and he makes all those differences himself as it pleaseth him therefore he doth not admire them as we do no nor at all regard them we find very great odds betwixt stately palaces and poor Cottages betwixt a Princes Robes and a Beggars Cloak but to God they are all one all these petty differences vanish in Comparison of his own greatness Men are great and small compar'd one with another but they all together amount to just nothing in respect of him We find high mountains and low valleys on this Earth but compar'd with the vast compass of the heavens 't is all but as a point and hath no sensible greatness at all Nor regards he any other differences to byasse his Judgement from the works of men to their persons You profess the true Religion and call him Father but if you live devoid of his fear and be disobedient Children he will not spare you because of that Relation but rather punish you the more severely because you pretended to be his Children and yet obeyed him not therefore you shall find him your Judge and an impartiall Judge of your works Remember therefore that your father is this Judge and fear to offend him But then indeed a Believer may look back to the other for comfort that abuses it not to a sinfull security He resolves thus willingly I will not sin because my father is this just Judge but for my frailties I will hope for mercy because the Judge is my father Their works comprehends all actions and words yea thoughts and each work intirely taken outside and inside together for he sees all alike and judgeth according to all together he looks on the wheels and paces within as well as on the handle without and therefore ought we to fear the least crookedness of our intentions in the best works for if we entertain any such and study not singleness of heart this will cast all though we pray and hear the word and preach it and live outwardly unblameably And in that great Judgement all secret things shall be manifest as they are alwayes open to the eye of this Judge so he shall then open them before Men and Angels therefore let the Remembrance and frequent Consideration of this all-seeing Judge and of that great Judgement wean our hearts and beget in us this fear 2 Cor. 5.10.11 If you would have confidence in that day and not fear it when it comes fear it now so as to avoid sin for they that now tremble at it shall then when it comes lift up their faces with joy and they that will not fear it now shall then be overwhelm'd with fears and terrour they shall have such a burden of fear then as that they shall account the hills and mountains lighter than it Pass the time of your Sojourning here in Fear In this I conceive is Implied another persuasive of this fear You are Sojurners and Strangers as here the word signifies and a warry circumspect carriage becomes strangers because they are most expos'd to wrongs and hard accidents You are encompassed with enemies and snares how can you be secure in the midst of them this is not your rest watchfull fear becomes this your sojurning Perfect peace and security is reserved for you at home and that 's the last term of this fear it continues all the time of this sojurning life dyes not before us we and it shall expire together Blessed is he that feareth alwayes says Salomon in secret and in society in his own house and in Gods we must hear the word with fear and preach it with fear affraid to miscarry in our Intentions and Manners Serve the Lord with fear yea in times of inward comfort and joy yet rejoyce with trembling Psa. 2.11 Not onely when he feels most his own weakness but when he finds himself strongest None so high advanc'd in Grace here below as to be out of need of this Grace but when their sojourning shall be done and they are come home to their fathers house above then no more fearing No entry for dangers there and therefore no fear A holy Reverence of the Majesty of God they shall indeed have then most of all as the Angels still have because they shall see him most clearly and the more he is known the more Revernc'd but this Fear that relates to danger shall then vanish For there there is neither sin nor sorrow for sin nor tentation to sin no more Conflicts but after a full and finall victory an Eternall peace an Everlasting Triumph Not onely fear but faith and hope do imply some Imperfection not consistent with that blessed Estate and therefore all of them having obtained their End shall end Faith in sight and Hope in possession and fear in perfect safety and Everlasting Love and delight shall fill the whole soul in the vision of God Verse 18. For as much as ye know that ye were not Redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain Conversation received by tradition from your fathers IT is Impossible for a Christian to give himself to conforme with the world's ungodliness unless first
he had never seen light and were brought forth on a sudden or not to need that imagination take the Man that was born blind at his first sight after Christ had cur'd him what wonder think we would seize upon him to behold on a sudden the beauty of this visible World especially of that Sun and that Light that makes it both Visible and Beautiful But much more matter of Admiration is there in this Light to the Soul that is brought newly from the darkness of corrupt Nature They see as it were a new World and in it such wonders of the rich Grace and Love of God such matchless worth in Jesus Christ the Sun of Righteousness that their Souls are fill'd with admiration and if this Light of Grace be so Marvellous how much more Marvellous shall the Light of Glory be in which it ends Hence learn 1. To Esteem highly of the Gospel in which this Light shines unto us the Apostle calls it therefore the Glorious Gospel 2 Cor. 4. sure we have no cause to be asham'd of it but of our selves that we are so unlike it 2. Think not you that are grosly ignorant of God and his Son Christ and the Mysteries of Salvation that you have any Portion as yet in his Grace for the first Character of his renewed Image in the Soul is Light as it was his first work in the World What availes it us to live in the Noon-day-light of the Gospel if our hearts be still shut against it and so within we be nothing but darkness as a House that is close shut up and hath no entry for light though 't is day without still 't is night within 3. Consider your delight in the works of Darkness and be affraid of that great Condemnation this is the Condemnation of the World that light is come into it and Men love darkness rather than Light Joh. 3.19 4. You that are indeed partakers of this happy change Let your hearts be habitations of light Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Study much to increase in Spiritual light and knowledge and withal in holiness and obedience if your light be this Light of God truly Spiritual Light these will accompany it Consider the rich Love of God and account His Light marvellous as in it self so in this that he hath bestow'd it on you and seeing you were once darkness but now are light in the Lord I beseech you nay 't is the Apostle and in him the Spirit of God does it Walk as Children of the Light But to proceed to speak to the other parts of this Verse 'T is known and confess'd to be a chief point of Wisdom in a Man to consider what he is from whom he hath that his being and to what end When a Christian hath thought on this in his Natural being as he is a Man he hath the same to consider over again of his Spiritual being as he is a Christian and so a New Creature And in this notion all the three are very clearly represented to him in these words 1. What he is First by these Titles of Dignity in the first words of this Verse And again by an estate of Light in the last clause of it 2. Whence a Christian hath this Excellent being is very expresse here He hath called That God who is the Author of all kind of being hath given you this called you from darkness to his marvellous Light if you be a Chosen Generation it is he that hath chosen you 1 Pet. 1.2 if you be a Royal Priesthood you know that 't is he that hath anointed you If a Holy Nation he hath sanctified you Iob. 17.17 If a Peculiar or Purchasd People 'T is he that hath bought you 1 Cor. 6.20 All are in this calling and they are all one thing 3. To what end to shew forth his Praises Of the first of these in all the several expressions of it we have spoken before now are to be considered the other two 2. Called you They that live in the Society and profess the faith of Christians are called unto Light the light of the Gospel that shines in the Church of God Now this is no small Favour and Priviledge while many People are left in darkness and in the shaddow of death to have this Light arise upon us and to be in the Region of it the Church the Goshen of the World for by this outward light we are invited to this happy State of saving inward Light and that is here to be understood as the means of this These Jewes that were called to the Profession of the Christian Faith to whom our Apostle writes were even in that called unto a Light hid from the rest of their Nation and from many other Nations in the World But because the Apostle doth out of doubt describe here the lively Spiritual Estate of true Believers therefore this calling doth further import the effectual work of conversion making the day-light of Salvation not only without but within them the day star to arise in their hearts as he speaks 2 Ep. 1.19 When the Sun is arisen yet if a Man be lying fast in a dark Prison and in a deep sleep too 't is not day to him he is not call'd to Light till some open the doors and awake him and bring him forth to it this God doth in the calling here meant That which is here called Calling in regard of the way of Gods working with the Soul in regard of the power of it is called a rescuing bringing forth of the soul so the Apostle St. Paul speaks of it Col. 1.13 Delivered from the power of darkness and translated to the Kingdom of his dear Son That delivering and translating is this calling and 't is from the Power of Darkness a forcible Power that detains the Soul Captive as there are chaines of Eternal darkness upon damned Spirits which shall never be taken off wherein they are said to be reserv'd to the judgment of the great day so there are chaines of Spiritual darkness upon the Soul unconverted that can be taken off by no other hand but the Powerful hand of God He calls the sinner to come forth and withal causes by the power of that his voyce the bolts and fetters to fall off and inables the Soul to come forth into the Light 't is an operative word that effects what it bids as that in the creation He said let there be Light and it was Light To which the Apostle hath reference 2 Cor. 4.6 God calls Man he works with him indeed as with a reasonable creature but sure he likewise works as himself as an Almighty Creator He works strongly and sweetly with an Almighty easiness One Man may call another to this Light and if there be no more he may call long enough to no purpose as they tell of Mahomet's miracle that misgave he call'd a mountain to come to him but it stirr'd
that all the Torments of the cross and revilings of the multitude that as it were rack't him for some answer yet could draw no other from him but this father forgive them for they know not what they do But for those to whom this mercy belong'd not the Apostle tells us what he did in stead of Revilings and Threatnings he committed all to him that judgeth righteously And this is the true method of Christian patience that which quiets the mind and keeps it from the boyling Tumultuous thoughts of revenge to turne the whole matter into Gods hand to resign it over to him to prosecute when and as he thinks good Not as the most that had rather if they had power do for themselves and be their own avengers and because they have not power do offer up such bitter curses and prayers for revenge unto God as are most hateful to him and are far from this calm and holy way of committing matters to his judgment The common way of referring things to God is indeed impious and dishonourable to him being really no other but a calling of him to be a Servant and executioner to our passion We ordinarily mistake his justice and judge of it according to our own precipitant distemper'd minds If wicked Men be not cross'd in their designes and their wickedness evidently crush'd just when we would have it we are ready to give up the matter as desperate or at least abate of those confident and reverent thoughts of divine justice that we owe him Howsoever things go this ought to be fixed in our hearts that he that sits in Heaven judgeth righteously and executes that his righteous judgement in the fittest season We poor wormes whose whole life is but an hand-breadth in it self and is as nothing unto God we think a few months or years a great matter but to him that inhabites Eternity a thousand years are but as one day as our Apostle teaches us Our Saviour in that time of his Humiliation and Suffering committed himself and his cause for that is best express'd in that nothing is express'd but he committed and the issue shall be that all his enemies shall become his footstool and he himself shall judge them But that which is given us here to learn from his carriage toward them in his Suffering is that quietness and moderation of mind even under unjust Sufferings make us like him Not to reply reproach with reproach as our custom is to give an ill word for another or two for one to be sure not to be behind Men take a pride in this and think it ridiculous simplicity to suffer and this make strifes and contention so abound but 't is a great mistake you think it greatness of spirit to bear nothing to put up no wrong Whereas it is indeed great weakness and baseness 't is true greatness of Spirit to despise the most of those things that set you usually on fire one against another especially being done after a Christian manner 't were a part of the Spirit of Christ in you and is there any Spirit greater than that think you Oh! that there were less of the Spirit of the Dragon and more of that Spirit of the Dove amongst us Our obligement to the example of Christ besides its own excellency is in these two things in the words 1. The intendment of his behaviour for this use to be as an example to us 2. Our Interest in him and those his Sufferings wherein he so carried himself Leaving us an Example c. He left his footsteps as a Copy as the word is to follow every step of his a letter of this Copy and particularly in this point of Suffering he writ us a pure and perfect Copy of obedience in clear and great letters in his own blood His whole life is our Rule not his Miraculous works his footsteps walking on the Sea and such like are not for our following But his obedience and Holiness and Meekenss and Humility are our Copy which we should continualy study The shorter and more effectual way they say of teaching is by example but above all this matchless example is the happiest way of teaching He that followes me sayes he shall not walk in darkness He that aimes high shoot's the higher for 't though he shoot not so high as he aimes This is that which ennobles the Spirit of a Christian the propounding of this our high Patterne the example of Jesus Christ. The Imitation of Men in worthless things is low and servile the Imitation of their vertues is commendable but if we seek no higher 't is both imperfect and unsafe The Apostle St. Paul will have no Imitation but with regard to this Supreme Patterne be ye follewers of me as I am of Christ One Christian may take the example of Christ in many things in another but still examining all by the Original primitive Copy the footsteps of Christ himself following nothing but as it conformes with that and looking most on him as both the perfectest and most effectual example Heb. 12.2 there is a cloud of wittnesses and examples but look above them all to him that is as high above them as the Sun is above the clouds As the way is better a lively one indeed so there is this advantage in the Covenant of grace that we are not left to our own skill for following of it but taught by the Spirit In the delivery of the Law God shewed his glory and greatness by the manner of it but the Law was written only in dead Tables but Christ the living Law teaches by obeying it how to obey it and this is the advantage of the Gospel that the Law is Twice written over unto believers first in the example of Christ and then inwardly in their hearts by his Spirit There is together with that Copy of all grace in him a Spirit deriv'd from him enabling believers to follow him in their measure they may not only see him as the only begotten Son of God full of grace and truth as it is Io. 6. But as there it followes they receive of his fulness grace for grace The love of Christ makes the Soul delight to converse with him and converse and Love together makes it learn his behaviour as Men that live much together especially if they do much affect one another will insensibly contract anothers habitudes and customes The other thing obliging us is our interest in him and his Sufferings he suffer'd for us and this the Apostle returnes to Ver. 24. Observe only from the Tye of these two that if we neglect his example set before us we cannot enjoy any right assurance of his suffâ—ring for us but if we do seriously endeavour to follow him then we may be perswaded of life through his death and those steps of his wherein we walk will bring us ere long to be where he is Verse 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree
equally from every Minister alike yet it must be acknowledged that there is something we know not what to call it more acceptable reception of those who at first were the means of bringing men to God then others like the opinion some have of Physitians whom they love The Apostle comforts these strangers of this dispersion by the spiritual union which they obtained by Effectual calling and so calls off their eyes from their outward dispersed and dispised condition to look above that as high as the spring of their happiness the free love and Election of God Scattered in the Countries and yet gathered in Gods Election chosen or pickt out Stangers to men amongst whom they dwelt but known and foreknown to God removed from their own Country to which men have naturally an unalterable affection but made heirs of a better as followes verse 3.4 And having within them the evidence both of Eternal Election and that expected salvaâ—ion the Spirit of holiness verse 2. At the best a Christian is bâ—t a Stranger here set him where you will as our Apostle teacheth after and 't is his priviledge that he is so and when he thinks not so he forgets and disparages himself and descends far below his quallity when he is much taken with any thing in this place of his Exile But this is the wisdom of a Christian when he can solace himself against the meaness and any kind of discomfort of his outward condition with the comfortable assurance of the love of God that he hath called him to holiness given him some measure of it and an endeavour after more and by this may he conclude that he hath ordained him unto salvation if either he is a Stranger where he lives or as a stranger deserted of his friends and very near stript of all outward comforts yet may he rejoyce in this that the Eternal unchangable Love of God that is from Everlasting to Everlasting is sealed to his soul O what will it avail a man to be compassed about with the favour of the world to sit unmolested in his own home and possessions and to have them very great and pleasant well moneyed and landed and befriended and yet estranged and sever'd from God not having any token of his special Love To the Elect The Apostle here denominates all the Christians to whom he writes by the condition of true Believers calling them Elect and sanctified c. And the Apostle St. Paul writes in the same stile in his Epistles to the Churches not that all in these Churches were such indeed but because they professed to be such and by that their profession and Calling as Christians they were obliged to be such and as many of them as were in any measure true to that their Calling and profession were really such Besides it would seem not unworthy of Consideration that in all probability there would be fewer false Christians and the number of true believers usually greater in the Churches in those Primitive times then now in the best reformed Churches because there could not then be many of them that were from their Infancy bred in the Christian Faith but for the greatest part were such as being of years of discretion were by the hearing of the Gospel converted from Paganisme and Iuduisme to the Christian Religion first and made a deliberate choise of it to which there were at that time no great outward Encouragements and therefore the lesse danger of multitudes of hypocrites which as Vermine in Summer breed most in the time of the Churches Prosperity Tho no Nation or Kingdom had then universally received the faith but rather hated and persecuted it yet were there even then amongst them as the writings of the Apostles testifie false Brethren and inordinate walkers and men of corrupt minds earthly minded and led with a spirit of envy and contention and vainglory Howsoever the question that is moved concerning the necessary qualifications of all the members of a true visible Church can no way as I conceive be decided from the Inscriptions of the Epistle but eertainly they are useful to teach Christians and Christian Churches what they ought to be and what their holy profession requires of them and sharply to reprove the gross unlikeness and inconformity that is in the most part of man to the description of Christians As there be some that are too strait in their Judgement concerning the being and nature of the visible Church so certainly the greatest part of Churches are too loose in their practice From the dissimilitude betwixt our Churches and those we may make this use of reproof That if aâ— Apostolical Epistle were to be directed to us it behoved to be Inscribed to the Ignorant prophane maliâ—ious c. As he who at the hearing of the Gospel read said Either this is not the Gospel or we are not Christians So either these Charâ—cters given in the Inscription of these Epistles are not true Characters or we are not true Christians 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. IN this verse we have their Condition and Causes of it Their Condition Sanctified and Iustified the former expressed by Obedience the latter by sprinkling of the blood of Christ. The Causes 1 Eternal Election 2. The Execution of that Decree Their Effectual Calling which I conceive is meant by Election here the selecting them out of the World and joyning them to the fellowship of the Children of God so Ioh. 15.19 The former Election particularly ascribed to God the Father the latter to the Holy Spirit And the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God is here the cause of their Justification and so the whole Trinity concurring dignifie them with this their Spiritual and happy estate First I shall discourse of these seperately and then of their Connection 1. Of the state it selfe and first of Iustification tho named last This sprinkling has respect to the Rite of the Legal Purification by the sprinkling of Blood and that appositely for these Rites of sprinkling and Blood did all point out this Blood and this Sprinkling and exhibited this true ransome of souls which was only shadowed by them As the use and end of Sprinkling was Purification and Expiation because sin merited death and that the pollutions and staines of human nature was by sin Such is the pollution that it can be no manner of way washt off but by Blood Heb. 9. â—2 Neither is there any Blood able to purge from sin except the most precious Blood of Jesus Christ which is called the blood of God Act. 20.28 That the stain of sin can only be washt off by Blood inâ—imates that it merits Death And that no Blood but that of the Son of God can do it intimates that this stain merits Eternal Death and it had been our portion except the death of the Eternal Lord of life had freed
not away The latter in the last words of this verse and in the following Reserved in heaven for you c. God is bountiful to all gives to all men all that they have Health Riches Honour Strength Beauty and Wit but those things he scatters as it were with an Indifferent hand Upon others he lookes as well as on his beloved Children but the Inheritance is peculiarly theirs Inheritance is convertible with Sonship for Gen. 25.5 Abraham gave gifts to Keturah's Sons and dismiss'd them but the Inheritance was for the Son of the Promise When we see Men rising in Preferment Estate or admir'd for Excellent Gifts and Endowments of mind we think there 's a happy man but we consider not that none of all those things are matter of Inheritance within a while he is to be turn'd out of all and if he have not somewhat beyond all those to look to he is but a Miserable man and so much the more Miserable that once he seem'd and was reputed happy There is a certain time wherein heirs come to possess thus it is with this inheritance too there is by the Apostle mention made of a perfect man unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes. 4.13 And though the Inheritance is Rich and honourable yet the heir being young is held under discipline and is more strictly dealt with possibly then the Servants sharply corrected for that which is let pass in them yet still even then in regard of that which he is born to his Condition is much better then theirs and all the Correction he suffers prejudices him not but fits him for inheriting The Love of our heavenly Father is beyond the Love of Mothers in tenderness and yet beyond the Love of Fathers which are usually said to Love more wisely in point of wisdom He will not undo his Children his Heirs with too much Indulgence 't is one of his heavy Judgments upon the foolish children of disobedience that ease shall slay them and their Prosperity shall prove their destruction While the Children of God are childish and weak in faith they are like some great Heirs before they come to years of understanding they consider not their Inheritance and what they are to come to have not their Spirits Elevated to thoughts worthy of their Estate and their behaviour Conformed to 't but as they grow up in years they come by litle and litle to be sensible of those things and the nearer they come to possession the more apprehensive they are of their Quality and what doth answerably become them to do and this is the duty of such as are indeed Heirs of Glory to grow in the understanding and consideration of that which is prepared for them and to suite themselves as they are able to those great Hopes This is that the Apostle St. Paul prayes for for his Ephesians Chap. 1. v. 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his Calling and what the riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints this would make them holy and heavenly to have their Conversation in Heaven from whence they look for a Saviour that we may then the better know somewhat of the Dignity and Riches of this Inheritance Let us Consider the description that is here given us of it And first Incorruptible Although this seems to be much one with the 3d. that fadeth not away which is a borrowed Expression for the illustrating of its Uncorruptibleness yet I conceive there is some difference and that in these three qualities there is a Gradation Thus it s called Incorruptible that is it perisheth not cannot come to nothing is an Estate that cannot be spent but though it were abiding yet it might be such as the Continuance of it were not very desirable this Life at the best were but a misery to continue alwayes in it Plotinus thanked God that his Soul was not tyed to an Immortal body Then Vndefiled 't is not stained with the least spot this signifies the purity and perfection of it that the perpetuity of it it doth not only abide and iâ— pure but those together it abideth alwayes in its Integrity And lastly it Fadeth not away it doth not fade nor wither at all is not sometimes more sometimes less pleasant but ever the same still like it selfe and that 's the Immutability of it As it is Incorruptible It carries it away from all Earthly Possessions and Inheritances for so all those Epithits are intended to signifie in opposition to the things of this World and shewing how far it excels them all and thus comparatively we are to Consider it for as Divines say of the knowledge of God that we have here the Negative Notion makes up a great part of it we know rather what he is not than what He is Infinite Incomprehensible Immutable c. so 't is of this Happiness this Inheritance and indeed 't is no other but God We cannot tell you what it is but we can say so far what it is not as declares 't is unspeakably above all the most excellent things of the inferiour World and this present life 't is by privatives by removing Imperfections from it that we describe it and can go no further viz. Incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away All things that we see being Compounded may be dissolved again the very visible Heavens that are the purest piece of the material World notwithstanding the pains the Philosopher takes to exempt them the Scriptures teach us that they are Corruptible Psal. 102.26 They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a Garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed And from thence the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 1. v. 10. And our Apostle in his other Epistle cap. 3.11 use the same expression But 't is needless to fetch too great a Compass to evince the Corruptibleness of all Inheritances Besides what they are in themselves 't is a shorter way to prove them Corruptible in Relation to us and our Possessing them by our own Corruptibleness and Corruption or perishing out of this life in which we enjoy them we are here inter peritura perituri the things are passing we enjoy and we are passing who enjoy them Earthly Inheritance is so called in regard of Succession but to every one 't is but at the most for term of life as one of the Kings of Spain answered to one of his Courtiers who thinking to please his Master wished that Kings were Immortal If that had been said he I should never have been King When Death comes that removes a Man out of all his Possessions to give place to another therefore are these Inheritances Decaying and and dying in Relation to us because we decay and dye and when a Man dyes his Inheritances and Honours and all things here are at an end in respect of him Yea we
before Search the Scriptures sayes he himself for they testify of of me Namely the Scriptures of the Old Testament which were only then written and to evidence this both himself and his Apostles make so frequent use of their testimony and we find so much of them inserted into the New as being both one in substance their lines meeting in the same Jesus Christ as their center The Apostle here having express'd the happy Estate and Dignity of Christians under a double notion 1. Of a Spiritual House or Temple 2. Of a Spiritual Priesthood he amplifies and confirmes both from the Writings of the Prophets The former Verse 6 7 8. The latter Verse 9. These places that he cites touching this building are most pertinent for they have clearly in them all that he spoke of it both concerning the foundation and the Edifice as the first in these words of Esay 28.16 Behold I lay in Sion a chief Corner stone c. Let this commend the Scriptures much to our diligence and affection that their great Theme is our Redeemer and Redemption wrought by him that they contain the Doctrine of his excellencies are the lively picture of his matchless beauty were we more in them we would daily see more of him in them and so of necessity love him more but we must look within them the Letter is but the case the Spiritual sense is that we should desire to see We usualy huddle them over and see no further than their outside and therefore find so little sweetness in them we read them but we search them not as he requires Would we digg into those Golden Mines we would find treasures of comfort that cannot be spent but would furnish us in the hardest times The prophecy here cited if we look upon it in its own place we shall find it cast in in the middle of a very sad denounciation of judgement against the Jewes And this is usual with the Prophets particularly with this Evangelicall Prophet Esay to uphold the spirits of the godly in the worst times with this one great consolation the promise of the Messiah as weighing down all both temporal distresses and deliverances Hence are those sudden ascents so frequent in the Prophets from their present subject to this great hope of Israel And if this expectation of a Saviour was so pertinent a comfort in all estates so many ages before the accomplishment of it how wrongfully do we undervalue it being accomplish'd that cannot live upon it and answer all with it sweeten all our griefs in this advantage that there is a foundation stone laid in Sion on which they that are builded shall be sure not to be ashamed In the words there are 4 things 1. This foundation stone 2. The laying of it 3. The building on it 4. The greatness and Excellency of the work 1. For the foundation called here a Cheif corner stone Though the Prophet's words are not precisely render'd yet the substance and sense is one There both the foundation and corner stone is express'd the corner stone in the foundation being the main support of the building and throughout the corner stones uniting and knitting the building together and therefore this same word of a corner is frequently taken in Scripture for Princes or Heads of people Iud. 20.2 1 Sam. 14.38 because good governours and government are that which upholds and unites the societies of people in states or kingdomes as one building And Jesus Christ is indeed the alone head and King of his Church that gives it lawes and rules it in wisdom and righteousness the alone rock on which his Church is built not Peter if we will belâ—eve S. Peter himself as here he teaches us much less his pretended Successors he is the foundation and corner stone that knitts together the walls of Jews and Gentiles having made of both one as S. Paul speaks and unites the whole number of believers into one everlasting temple and bears the weight of the whole fabrick Elected or chosen out for the purpose and altogether fit for it Isaiah hath it a stone of triall or a tryed stone As things amongst Men are best chosen after trial so Jesus Christ certainly known by the father as most fit for that work to which he chose him before he try'd him as after upon tryal in his Life and death and resurrection he prov'd fully answerable to his fathers purpose in all that was appointed him All the streâ—gth of Angels combin'd had not suffic'd for that business but the wise architect of this building knew both what it would cost and what a foundation was needful to bear so great and so lasting a structure as he intended Sin having defac'd and demolish'd the first building of Man in th' integrity of his creation it was Gods design out of the very ruines of fallen Man to raise a more lasting edifice than the former one that should not be subject to decay and therefore fitted a foundation that might be everlasting The sure founding is the main therefore that it might stand for the true honour of his Majesty which Nebuchadnezzar vainly boasted of his Babel he chose his own son made flesh he was God that he might be a strong foundation he was Man that he might be sutable to the nature of the stones whereof the building was to consist that they might joyn and cement together Precious Inestimably precious by all the conditions that can give worth to any by rareness and by inward excellency and useful vertues Rare he is out of doubt there is not such a person in the world again Therefore called by the same Prophet wonderful full of wonders the power of God and the frailty of Man dwelling together in his person the ancient of dayes becoming an Infant He that stretch'd forth the Heavens bound up in swadling cloaths in that his Infancy and in his full age stretch'd forth on the crosse altogether spotless and Innocent and yet suffering not only the unjust cruelties of Men but the just wrath of God his Father the Lord of life and yet dying His excellency appears in the same things In that he is the Lord of life God blessed for ever equal with the father the sparkling brightness of this precious stone is no less than this that he is the brightness of the fathers glory so bright that Men could not have beheld him appearing in himself therefore he vailed it with our flesh and yet through that it shined and sparkled so that the Apostle S. Iohn saves of himself and those others that had eyes opened and look'd right upon him he dwelt amongst us and he had a â—ent like ours and yet through that wee saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten son of God full of grace and truth The Deity filling his humane nature with all manner of grace in its highest perfection And not only thus Excellent in himself but of precious vertue which he lets forth and imparts to
is Gods ordinance and therefore for his sake submit your selves 1. God hath in general instituted Civil government for the good of humane society and still there is good in it tyranny is better than Anarchy 2. 'T is by his providence that Men are advanc'd to places of authority Psa. 75.6 7. Dan. 4.25 Iohn 19 11. 3 ly 'T is his command that obedience be yeelded to them Rom. 13.1 Tit. 3.1 c. And the consideration of this tyes a Christian to all Loyalty and due obedience which being still for the Lords sake cannot hold in any thing that 's against the Lords own command for Then Kings and Rulers leave their station Now the Subjection here is be subject to them as it were in your rank still in subordination to God but if they go out of that even line follow them not They that obey the unlawfull commands of Kings do it in regard to their God no question but that their God is their belly or their ambition or their avarice But not only ought the exercise of authority and submission to it be in things just and lawful in themselves but the very purpose of the heart both in command and obedience should be in the Lord and for his sake this is the only straight and only safe rule both for Rulers and for people to walk by Would Kings and the other powers of the world consider the supremacy and greatness of that King of whom they hold all their Crownes and dignities they would be no less carefull of their submission and homage to him than they are desirous of their Peoples submission unto them I will not speak at all of their civil obligations to their people and the Covenant of justice that with good reason is betwixt them in the fundamentall constitutions of all well ordered Kingdomes nor meddle with that point of the dependance that Humane Authority hath upon the Societies of Men over whom it is according to which it is here call'd Mans ordinance or creature This is a thing that the greatest and most absolute of Princes cannot deny that all their authority is dependent upon the great God both as the Author of it in the generall and the Soveraigne disposer of it to particular Men giving the kingdomes of the earth to whom he will and therefore he may most justly require obedience and fealty of them that they serve the Lord in fear and it they rejoyce in their dignities over Men yet do it with trembling in sense of their duty to God and that they throw down their Crownes at the feet of Christ the Lords anointed And to this they are the more oblig'd considering that Religion and the Gospel of Christ doth so much press the duty of their peoples obedience to them so that they wrong both it and themselves very far in mistaking it as an enemy to their authority when it doth not only not prejudge it but confirms it and pleads for it Sure they do most ingratefuly requite the Lord and his Christ When they say as Psal. 2. Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us Whereas the Lord binds the cords of Kings and their Authority fast upon their People not the cords of Tyrany indeed to bind the Subjects as Beasts to be Sacrifices to the Passion of their Rulers But the cords of just and due Obedience to their Kings and Governours The Lord doth as you see here bind it upon all that profess his Name and strengthens it by the respect his People carry to himself enjoyning them that for his sake they would obey their Rulers so that Kings need not fear true Religion that it will ever favour any thing that can be call'd Rebellion but on the contrary still urges Loyalty and Obedience so that as they ought in Duty they may in true Policy and Wisdom befriend true Religion as a special friend to their Authority and hate that Religion of Rome which is indeed Rebellion and that Mother of abominations that makes the Kings of the Earth drunk with her cup and makes them dream of increase of Authority while they are truly on the loosing hand But besides that they owe their Power to the advancement of Christs Kingdom so employing themselves by strengthening it and doing themselves good they confirm their own Thrones when they erect his as it was said of Cesar that by setting up Pompey's Statue he setled and fastened his own But it is an evil too natural to Men to forget the true end and use of any good the Lord conferr's on them And thus Kings and Rulers consider not readily for what they are exalted think 't is for themselves to honour and please themseves and not to honour God and benefit their People to encourage and reward the good as here it is and punish the wicked they are set on high for the good of those that are below them that they may be refresh'd with their light and influence as the Lights of Heaven are set there in the highest parts of the World for the use and benefit of the very lowest God set them in the Firmament of Heaven but to what end is added to give light upon the earth and the Mountains are rais'd above the rest of the earth not to be places of prey and robbery as sometimes they are turn'd to be but to send forth streams from their Springs into the Valleys and make them fertile the Mountains and Hills greater and lesser Rulers higher and lower are to send forth to the People the streams of Righteousness and Peace Psal. 72.3 But 't is the corruption and misery of Mans nature that he doth not know and can hardly be persuaded to learn either how to command aright or how to obey and no doubt many of those that can see and blame the Injustice of others in Authority Would be more guilty that way themselves if they had the same power 'T is the Pride and self-love of our Nature that begets disobedience in Inferiours and violence and inâ—ustice in Superiours That depraved humour that â—ies to every kind of Government a propension to a particular disease that makes Royalty easily degenerate into tyranny and Nobles Government into faction and popular into confusion As civil Authority and subjection to it is the institution of God so the peaceable correspondence of those two just Government and due obedience is the especial gift of Gods own hand and a prime blessing to States and Kingdomes and the troubling and interruption of their Course is one of the highest Publick Judgments by which the Lord punishes oftentimes the other sins both of Rulers and People And whatsoever be the cause and on which side soever be the justice of the cause it cannot be look'd upon but as a heavy Plague and the fruit of many and great provocations when Kings and their People that should be a mutual blessing and honour each to other are turn'd into scourges one to another or into a
both it and your selves when you silence it in your Families Obs. 2. The Apostle having spoken of subjection to publick Authority addes this of subjection to private Domestick Authority 't is a thing much of concernment the right ordering of Families for all other Societies Civil and Religious are made up of these Villages and Cities and Churches and Commonwealths and Kingdomes are but a Collection of Families and therefore such as these are for the most part such must the whole Societies predominantly be one particular House is but a very small part of a Kingdom yet the wickedness and lewdness of that House be it but of the meanest in it of Servants one or more though it seem but a small thing yet goes in to make up that heap of sin that provokes the wrath of God and drawes on publick Calamity And this particularly when it declines into disorder proves a publick evil when Servants grow generally corrupt and disobedient and unfaithful though they be the lowest part yet the whole Body of a Commonwealth cannot but feel very much the evil of it as a Man does when his Legs and feet grow diseas'd and begin to fail him We have here 1. Their Duty 2. The due extent of it 3. The right Principle of it Be subject 1. Keep your Order and Station under your Masters and that with fear and inward reverence of mind and respect to them that is the very Life of all Obedience Then their Obedience hath in it diligent doing and patient suffering Both these are in that word be subject do faithfully to your utmost that which is concredited to you and obey all their just Commands for Action indeed goes no further but suffer patiently even their unjust Rigours and severities And this being the harder part of the two and yet a part that the Servants of those times bore many of them being more hardly and slavishly us'd than any with us especially those that were Christian Servants under unchristian Masters therefore the Apostle insists most on this and this is the extent of the Obedience here requir'd that it be to all kind of Masters not to the good only but the evil not only to obey but to suffer and suffer patiently and not only deserv'd but even wrongful and unjust punishment Now because this particular concerns Servants Let them reflect upon their own carriage and examine it by this Rule and truly the greatest part of them will be found very unconform to it being either closely fraudulent and deceitful or grosly stubborn and disobedient abusing the lenity and mildness of their Masters or murmuring at their just severity so far are they from the patient endurance of the least undue word of reproof much less of sharper punishment either truly or in their opinion undeserv'd And truly if any that profess Religion dispence themselves in this thy mistake the matter very much for it tyes them more whether Children or Servants to be most submissive and obedient even to the worst kind of Parents and Masters alwayes in the Lord not obeying any unjust Command though they may and ought to suffer patiently as it is here their unjust reproofes or punishments But on the other side this does not justify nor at all excuse the unmerciful Austerities and unbridled Passion of Masters 't is still a perversness and crookedness in them as the word is here and must have its own Name and shall have its proper reward from the Soveraign Master and Lord of all the World 2. There is here also the due extent of this Duty Namely to the Froward 'T is a more deformed thing to have a distorted crooked mind or a froward spirit than any crookedness of the Body How can he that hath Servants under him expect their Obedience when he cannot command his own Passion but is a slave to it And unless much Conscience of Duty possess Servants more than is readily to be found with them it cannot but work a Master into much disaffection and disesteem with them when he is of a turbulent Spirit a troubler of his own House embittering his affairs and Commands with rigidness and Passions and taking things readily by that side that may offend and trouble him thinking his Servant slights his call when he may as well think he heard him not and upon every light occasion real or imagin'd flying out into reproachful speeches or proud threats contrary to the Apostle St. Pauls rule which he sets over against the Duty of Servants Eph. 6. Forbearing threatning knowing that your Master also is in Heaven and that there is no respect of Persons with him think therefore when you shall appear before the Judgment Seat of God that your carriage shall be examin'd and judg'd as theirs and think that we regard those differences much of Masters and Servants but they are nothing with God they evanish Consider who made thee to differ might he not have made your Stations just contrary with a turn of his hand and made thee the Servant and thy Servant the Master But we willingly forget those things that should compose our minds to humility and meekness and blow them up with such fancies as please and feed our natural vanity and make us some body in our own account However that Christian Servant that falls into the hands of a froward Master will not be beaten out of his Station and Duty of Obedience by all the hard and wrongful usage he meets withal but will take that as an opportunity of exercising the more Obedience and Patience and will be the more cheerfully Patient because of his Innocency as the Apostle here exhorts Men do indeed look sometimes upon this as a just plea for impatience that they suffer unjustly which yet is very ill Logick for as he said would any Man that frets because he suffers unjusty wish to deserve it that he might be patient Now to hear them they seem to speak so when they exclaim that the thing which vexeth them most is that they have not deserv'd any such thing as is inflicted on them truly desert of punishment may make a Man more silent upon it but innocency right considered makes him more Patient guiltiness stops a Mans mouth indeed in suffering But sure it doth not quiet his mind on the contrary it is that which mainly disturbs and grieves him 't is the sting of suffering as sin is said to be of Death and therefore when that is not the pain of the sufferings cannot but be much abated by it Yea the Apostle here declares that to suffer undeservedly and withal patiently is glorious to a Man and acceptable to God It is commendable indeed to be truly patient even in deserved sufferings but the deserving them tarnishes the lustre of that Patience and makes it look more constrain'd-like which is the Apostles meaning preferring it much before spotless suffering and that is indeed the true glory of it that it pleaseth God so that it is render'd in