become God man in person These Natures are personally vnited this vnion is personall but not of persons and it is a vnion of Natures not naturall In these words the Apostle speakes of the Nature assumed viz. his Humane Nature And there are two things to be noted in these words First that hee saith that body not the body Secondly that he saith not simply his body but that body of his flesh That body Heere hee points out a speciall excellency in the body of Christ aboue all other bodies in Heauen and Earth for his body was without sinne formed by the ouershadowing power of the holy Ghost so is no mans else 2. It is assumed into personall vnion with the diuine Nature 3. It was honoured with speciall Prophecies Types and Sacrifices 4. This body was offered vp as a full expiatory Sacrifice 5. It is to be remembred to the end of the word in the Sacrament Body of his flesh To note that it was a true Body like vnto ours and to distinguish it from his Sacramentall and misticall body In two things Christ body was not like ours and in three things it was like It was not like first in the manner of subsisting it was not independent or a person of it selfe 2. In the vitious actions of the substance of it no sinne eyther could or ought to infect it Could not because originall sinne was restrained by the Holy Ghost Ought not because in it a purgation for our sinnes must be made In three things it was like ours first in substance he tooke our whole Nature he was the seed of the Woman of Abraham of Dauid the Sonne of man c. And hee tooke the parts of our Nature both soule and body 2. In properties and thus hee assumed both the properties of the whole Nature in that hee was finite and create And in the parts as in the soule hee assumed Vnderstanding Will Memory and in the Body Figure Quantitie and Circumscription c. 3. In infirmities for hee assumed not onely our Nature but the infirmities of Nature But wee must know that hee tooke the defects or infirmities they call miserable not those they call damnable Thus of the Doctrine of his Nature his Sufferings follow Through death The death of Christ doth reconcile vs in as much as it ratifies the couenant and takes away the guilt of the sinnes of the former Testament and the vertue of it eats downe the power of present sinnes and destroyes the power of our naturall death Christs death differs from the death of all the Elect in three things First in that in death he sustained not his owne person but dyes as our suretie and so is a sacrifice for sinne Secondly he was in death a whole burnt offering for as hee died in body so his soule was an offering for sinne in as much as he sustained the sence of the infinite wrath of God in his Agonies Thirdly in that his death was the death of him that was the Sonne of God Hitherto of the doctrine of the Nature and sufferings of CHRIST the Vses follow First for Instruction The consideration of all this should teach vs 1. to vallew reconciliation with all the graces that flow from it according to the worth of the meanes by which they are procured If there were no other way to know the worth of Gods Fauour Knowledge Spirituall refreshings and Graces yet by the price paid for the purchase of them we may discerne they are worth more then all the world 2. It is not possible for vs to hate sinne vpon the consideration of so pregnant an example of the odiousnesse of it when the imputation of sinne brought the Sonne of God on his knees to his death O the soule Lethargie that hath ouergrowen vs 3. That wee may haue the profit of the Incarnation and Passion of CHRIST in his naturall body wee must be carefull to get into his misticall body 4. The Apostle vseth the Meditation of Christs humiliation to the death as an argument to perswade vs to Compassion Mercy Fellowship in the Spirit Vnitie Humilitie Clemency and meekenesse of minde Phil. 2.1 to 9. Secondly wicked men may here see what smart they are like to feele from the vnpartiall iustice of God Doth hee not spare the body the flesh the bloud the life of his owne Sonne when he became but a suretie for sinne How shall vngodly men euer enemies and neuer sonnes that themselues haue committed sinne escape when the day of wrath shall come Thirdly godly men may heere see great reason of comfort not onely by considering the great loue of Christ and the great benefits must needes flow from his death but if but two things be weighed 1. the honour done to our Nature in that in the humanitie of Christ it is ioyned to the diuine Nature This makes amends for that breach that is made by the damnation of millians in our nature 2. The great certainty of Gods couenant of Grace and Mercy For a mans couenant if it be once confirmed no man abrogates it or addeth or taketh from it therefore much more Gods Couenant shall stand vnchangeable being ratified and confirmed by the death of Christ. Thus of the Meanes The end followes in these words To present you holy and without spot and vnblameable in his sight And in these words is both the presentation and the sanctification of Christians to be considered To present you The originall word is very significant and diuersly accepted it signifies to restore so Asts 9.41 to assemble Acts 2.26 to make present so Acts 23 33. to make ready furnish purge or make cleane Acts 23.24 to make acceptable 1 Cor. 8.8 to make manifest 2 Tim. 2.15 to proue euidently Acts 24.13 to assist and stand too Rom. 16.2 2 Tim. 4 16. to offer by way of dedication or gift to God 2 Cor. 11.2 Luke 2.22 Col. 1.28 It is true that Christ restores vs collects vs brings vs into Gods presence clenseth vs makes vs acceptable assists and defends vs and manifests vs to be holy But I take it principally in the last sence he presents vs by dedication to God Thus Christ shall present vs wholy both at the day of iudgement and in the day of death when he shall deliuer the soule to God Thus also Christ doth present vs in this life 1. When by the preaching of the Gospell he seuers and segregates vs from the world and brings vs into Gods household 2. In Iustification when clothing vs with his owne righteousnesse hee becomes our Iustification 3. in new obedience and that two wayes first when hee presents our workes couered with his intercession Secondly when hee causeth vs to present our selues to GOD both by Prayer consecration of our selues to Gods Seruice and holines of life It must be euery mans care then to seeke his presentation from Christ and to that end by Couenant Prayer and practise deuote himselfe to
Chyrographe a bill of debt and it accuseth by ordinances that is it taketh conclusions from the law of God to arrest or condemne the sinner But most vsuallie it is referred to the ceremoniall law by some of them men did enter into bond as by circumcision so saith the Apostle he that is circumcised is bound to keepe the whole law Gal. 5.5 By others of them men made bills of debt circumcision confesseth corruption of nature by propagation The washings were open confessions of the foulenesse of our liues in the sacrifices men subscribed to their owne death and damnation for they confessed they had deserued to die in steed of the beast The words may be true of all but most principally of the ceremoniall law In generall he here intreateth of deliuerâ—nce from the ceremonies of Moses then two things may in particular be noted 1. What the ceremonies were in themselues 2. The manner or meanes how the Church was discharged of them For the 1. if we require what they were They were 1. for honor ordinances of God 2. for vse hand-writings 3. for effect they were against vs or contrary to vs. Ordinances Some read for ordinances some read by ordinances some with ordinances and some of ordinances They that read for ordinances say the hand-writing was for ordinances that is either in fauor of the decrees that were against vs or for the better assureing of the keeping of the ordinances it was by ordinances viz. euangelicall for they say the decrees of Christ did euacuate the lawes of Moses They that read with ordinances say that the hand-writing was the debt of death which Christ tooke away with the ordinance that is the externall rites and rudiments of Moses But I thinke the sense is cleere as it is here rendred of ordinances And so the point to be obserued is that the ceremonies imposed vpon the Iewes were Gods ordinances which may shew vs that God did take vpon him the right to binde the conscience of men by ceremonies 2. Seeing Christians are freed from them by God himselfe therefore the Apostle would haue them stand to their libertie 3. This should exalt the praise of the morrall law if they were bound to obserue the very ceremonies because they were Gods ordinances then much more should wee bee carefull to keepe the morrall Hand-writings This word notes their vse because men are by nature wonderfull slow to acknowledge their misery therefore the Lord in all ages did driue men vnder their hands as it were openly to make profession of their owne sin-guiltinesse and fall that so Gods iustice might be clered Therefore were the sacrifices required presently after the fall and baptisme now is of like nature to shew vs our naturall vncleannesse that need to be washed Against vs In effect they were against vs. The ceremonies were against vs that is against the Iewes 4. waies 1. As they were bills of debt 2. As they told the longing wife that her husband was long after to come 3. As they proclaimed God infinitely hating sinne so as he must haue attonement in bloud and that daily 4. As they were transgressed in respect of the right manner of obseruing them Now though these ceremonies belong not to vs Christians yet we are in the same debt by nature that they were though wee haue not that way of expressing our debt Quest. But how could that which God commanded them to do be against them Answ. Many waies 1. When they failed in the matter as when they offered strange fire or sacrificed their sonnes 2. When they did anger God by omissions or delaies as when Moses triâ—led out the circumcision of his sonne 3. When they did it for wrong ends as when the whore would sacrifice to colour her whoredomes Pro. 5. or when men did thinke thereby to make amends for their sinnes Ier. 7. or when they vsed them for the hurt of Gods children as Balaam vsed his sacrifice 4. When they mingle their owne inuentions with Gods ordinances and their feare towards God was taught by the precepts of men 5. When they did vse them as a burthen and it was a wearinesse to them Lastly when they that vsed them were wicked men and did vse them without knowledge or faith or repentance for their sinnes or the care of the due manner as many places of scripture shew And thus may the very law of God be against vs still aswell as against them The vse of all this cheifly may be to shew the miserie of euery impenitent sinner his sinnes are vpon record there is the hand-writing against him let him looke vpon sacrificing Iewes and there he may behold man daily in effect saying thus Thus must it be done to the man that repenteth not of his sins the obligation lies forfeited and the Lord may call vpon him for his debt of 10000. talents when he hath not a farthing to pay and then he will be cast into prison Againe when he saith vs he shewes that this is the estate of all men by nature there was a hand-writing against the very Apostle himselfe and such as were in the visible Church therefore he saith against vs. Thus of what the ceremonies were in themselues Now of the discharge from them there two things may be noted 1. The manner Christ put them out tooke them away fastned them 2. The meanes viz. the Crosse. The summe is that Christ Iesus by his sufferings on the Crosse paid our debt and freed vs from the hand-writing that was against vs the anger of God conceiued against vs for the forfeiture was thereon by the bloud of Christ appeased and forgiuenesse of sinnes and debts therein merited And by the bloud of Iesus the faithfull ouercome the deuill that had power to destroy by reason of the forfeiture and because none of the former agreements would serue by reason of mans weaknes therefore God makes a new couenant and seales it by the bloud of Christ vpon the Crosse and if we would be assured of our release in particular First for the forfeiture in Paradice we receiue an atonement in the bloud of Christ And he that from the curse in Paradice had power ouer death was now by Christ destroyed And for the law of Moses we are by Christ deliuered both from the rigor of it and from the curse of it his owne sacrifice being the propitiatorie to still the cry of the Law and to hide it from the eyes of Gods iustice h and as for the writing of the conscience the bloud of Christ cleanseth it from dead workes and quieteth it in the declaration of forgiuenes and it maketh intercession for sinne after calling to keep it quiet and as for the ceremoniall hand-writings they were both fulfilled and abolished in the sacrifice of Christ on the crosse hee himselfe saying It was finished And the more to assure vs of our safetie from these forfeitures he vseth those diuers phrases of putting
Children against the scornes and hates of the World and all sorts of carnall people the World will loue his owne Obiect Oh but why should they hate vs Ans. Because you are not of the world and Christ hath chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you And therefore both prouide for it and beare it when you finde it Obiect But wee will not be so rash and indiscreete to prouoke men to hate and reproach Sol. Vers. 20. They haue persecuted Christ who was the fountaine of all wisedome and therefore it is a vaine perswasion for any childe of God to thinke by any discretion wholy to still the clamours and hates of wicked men And those men are grossely deceiued and preiudiced that thinke the true cause of the troubles of Gods children is their owne indiscretion Obiect It is strange they should hate vs so wee neuer did them wrong Sol. Vers. 21. All these things will they doe vnto you for my name sake it is not your euill doing but your holy profession of the Name of Christ which is named vpon you that they hate Quest. But how comes it they should dare to be so presumptious and so palpable malicious Ans. It is because they haue not knowne my Father ver 21. their ignorance of the Maiestie and Iustice of God is the cause of it Obiect If it be of ignorance it may be easily pardoned them Sol. Vers. 22. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should haue had no sinne but now there is no cloake for their sinne that is if Christ by the preaching of the Word had not discouered their sinnes and set before them the way of godlinesse then it had beene no such grieuous and monstrous sinne but in as much as many men doe lye in wilfull ignorance and will not be informed of the vilenesse of their course therefore before God of all sinners they are without colour or excuse Obiect But may they not haue good hearts to God though they doe thus intemperately and vniustly maligne and abuse the Preachers and Children of God Sol. Vers. 23. He that hateth Christ in his Ministers and members hateth the Father also and cannot haue a good heart to God Obiect But it may be that Christ and Christians are hated the more securely by wicked worldlings because they see nothing but their basenesse and humiliation Sol. Vers. 24. If I had not done workes among them which none other did c. By which words our Sauiour shewes that no workes of God for by or amongst Gods Seruants can be so great testimonies of the vndoubted certainetie of the goodnesse and holinesse of their cause but wicked men will still against all right hate them And therefore we should so informe our selues by this and other Scriptures vers 25. as to set downe our rest that in the world we must haue troubles and in Christ and heauen peace and therefore lay vp hope in our hearts as God hath locked vp our treasures in heauen Thus of Hope Thus also of the Grace for which he giues thankes Whereof yee haue heard before by the Word of truth which is the Gospell Vers. 6. Which is come vnto you euen as it is vnto all the world and is fruitfull as it is also among you from the day that yee heard and truely knew the grace of God IN these words with those that follow to the ninth Verse is contayned the second part of the Thankesgiuing viz. his praise to God for their meanes of Grace The meanes is eyther Principall Vers. 5.6 Or Instrumentall Vers. 7.8 The principall meanes is the Word and this is described by sixe things First by the ordinance in which it was most effectuall viz. Hearing Secondly by the propertie which was most eminent in the working of it viz. Truth Thirdly by the kinde of Word viz. the Gospell Fourthly by the prouidence of God in planting it amongst them is come vnto you Fiftly by the subiect persons vpon whom it wrought You the Colossians and the whole world Sixtly by the efficacie It is fruitfull from the day Thus for the order of the words From the generall I obserue out of all the words two things First that Nature directs not to the apprehension eyther of Grace or Glory The Naturall man cannot perceiue the things of God these Colossians had neuer knowne the face of God nor gained the grace of Christ had not God sent them the meanes Briefely this may informe vs of the lamentable condition of such as liue in their naturall estate onely pleased with the desire or possession of the riches or gifts of Nature and withall shewes vs the Fountaine of the want of Sence or care of Grace and holinesse in the most Sence comes not from Nature but from the Word and he is a Naturall man that is still lapped and couered with the vaile of Ignorance whose wisedome is crosse to Gods Wisedome that lyeth in grosse sinnes like a dead man without sence that serues some particular gainefull or pleasing sinne without vsing aright any ordinance of God against it and is without the spirit of Adoption his heart neuer broken for sinne and without desire of righteousnesse Secondly it is a worthy blessing of God to any people to haue the Word of God amongst them This is that men should be exceeding thankefull for to God Psal. 147.19.20 Esa. 2.3 And by the contrary the want of the Word is a terrible famine Vse 1. For reproofe both of mens prophanenesse in neglecting and contemning of the Word as also of our great vnthankefulnesse for such a mercie 2. For comfort to Gods children that enioy the Word and esteeme it The Word should satisfie vs whatsoeuer else wee want both because it doth abundantly make amends for all other wants and besides it fits vs with strength patience and comfort to make vse of other wants 3. For instruction not onely to such people as want the Word to seeke for it and to plant themselues where they may haue it but also to such Landlords and great men and rulers of the people as would be thought louers of their Countreyes to vse all meanes to see the Countrey and the Parishes vnder their power prouided of this holy treasure Thus of the generall Doctrines out of the whole Verses The first thing in speciall is the kind of ordinance in which the word was effectuall viz. Hearing Whereof That is of which Heauen or Hope It is a great mercy of God to heare of Heauen before the time come it should be enioyed or lost If wee heard not of Heauen till death or iudgement we should continue still in our slumber drowned in the lust after profit or pleasures we should be so farre from finishing our mortification as wee should hardly beginne to set about the washing of our owne vncleannesse both of hands and life wee
the Common-wealth of Israell 5. In respect of the Life of God And that if wee consider eyther the rule of life they account the Law a strange thing or the fountaine of life viz. Regeneration They are dead in sinne or the Obedience of holy life Their imaginations are onely euill continually But if any aske how this strangenesse comes the word in the originall seemes to note it for it is estranged which is more then Strangers for it imports they were not so created but made so They were made so 1. Originally by the transgression of the first man from whence flowed the first strangenesse betweene God and Man man running from God and God refusing to delight in the sonnes of men 2. By their owne actuall sinnes which seperate betweene God aâ—â— them Alienation is to the workers of iniquitie Quest. But what hurt is it to carnall men to be thus estranged Ans. There is no safetie against dangers where God is not to protect men there is no comfort in affliction where one can neyther looke to God nor the Saints for succour and comfort The God of this world doth rule effectually in all the Children of disobedience they are in bondage to the world they are in bondage to their owne flesh euen to a passionate blinde hard hart and rebellious nature They want the delightfull refreshing of all the blessings of God his ordinances graces or outward fauours All glory is departed from men when God is gone Besides obstinacie may cast them into a reprobate sence and eternall death may swallow them vp That wee may be deliuered from this strange estate of separation the bloud of Christ must be applyed wee must become new Creatures our peace must be preached accesse must be had to God by prayer wee must be ioyned to Gods Children we must be built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and our soules must become Temples for the holy Ghost to dwell in all this is set downe in the second of the Ephesians from Vers. 13. to the end of the Chapter And to this end we must take heed of working iniquitie of Ignorance of an vncircumcised and an vnmortified Heart of strange Doctrine of the strange woman of strange Fire that is Will-worship and of the Manners of strange Children for all these by effects will estrange Lastly if it be so great a misery to be estranged woe be to them that lye in this misery and regard it not the lesse sense the more danger and most faultie is that frowardnesse in any that professe to feare Gods Name that voluntarily bring a curse vpon themselues by estranging themselues from the societie of the faithfull But let all that know Gods mercie in their reconciliation reioyce in their deliuerance from this miserie Enemies Vnregenerate men are enemies both actiuely and passiuely Actiuely they are enemies to their owne soules for hee that loues iniquitie hates his owne soule 2. to holinesse of life they hate to be reformed 3. to Gods children for it is certaine they shall be hated of all carnall men for Christs names sake 4. to the light hee that doth euill hates the light 5. one to another they are hatefull and hating one another 6. to God Obiect Sure no man hates God Sol. Many men doe hate God as appeareth by the threatning in the second Commandement and the Scripture else-where note such as in Gods account hate him such are these 1. Such as with-stand the truth and labour to turne men from the Faith Acts 13.8 2. Such as are friends to the World Iames 4.4 3. The carnall wise men of the world whose wisedome is enmitie to God Rom. 8.7 4. All workers of iniquitie Psal. 37.18.20 92.9 5. All Scoffers that reproach Gods Name Truth or People Psal. 74.18.22 6. All that hate Gods Children Psal. 81.14.15 83.2.3 129.3.5 Iohn 15.18.23 7. All those that refuse to subiect their soules to the Scepter of Christ and will not be ruled by his ordinances These are called his enemies Luke 19.27 And among other such are those loose people that liue vnder no setled Ministery Lastly all Epicures whose God is their belly and minde onely earthly things and glory in their shame Phil. 3.17.18 Passiuely they are enemies to God who hates them Psal. 5.4 to Gods ordinances which smite and pursue or threaten them Psal. 45.4 to all the Creatures who are in armes against the sinner till hee be at peace with God and in particular to the Saints which hates the company and assemblies of the wicked Psal. 26.4 And all this shewes the great misery of wicked men and how can they but be miserable that are in the estate of enmitie All seueritie will be accounted Iustice all their vertuous prayses but fayre sinnes stript they are of all the peculiar priuiledges of the Saints and that which men would desire to doe to their enemies God will certainely by an vnauoydable prouidence doe to them All the Creatures are against him a wicked man is as hee that should alway goe vpon a Mine of Gunne-powder eyther by force or by stratagem the Creatures will surprise him O that men would therefore labour to mortifie actiue hatred in themselues that the passiue destroy them not and seeke to Christ in whom onely this enmitie can be remoued Againe this makes against merit for what could wee merit that were enemies And let such as are deliuered and haue felt the bitternesse of this enmitie take heede of secret sinnes after Calling vnrepented of least GOD returne and visite them with the strokes of an Enemie In the minde It greatly matters in the businesse of mans happnesse how the mindes of men are ordered 1. Man makes it the fountaine of all his actions it is his priuie Counsellor hee speakes first with his minde hee obeyes his minde it is the shop whence hee frames all his engines against God and Man 2. The Diuell especially labours to be possest of this fort and to haue it in his custodie 3. The godly man repenting first labours to be renewed in his minde 4. God especially lookes after mans minde which appeares in that hee gaue a Law to the minde setting as it were a Guard to rule and appoint it and the inward worship of God is here performed We must loue God with all our minde and pray in minde God makes a speciall search after mens mindes it is his speciall glory to search the heart and minde of man and if God be enraged the strength of the battaile is directed against the minde and his worst strokes light there one of his last curses is a reprobate minde The consideration hereof may serue for reproofe of the great carelesnesse that is in the most for the mind and the inward man and the purity thereof Thought is not free as many fondly thinke hee will neuer truely repent
is that wonderfully commends whatsoeuer it is in There is a kinde of seed of order sowen in the creatures This order in man is their eutaxie or well disposing of themselues The Apostle might commend their order generally both in relation to the common-wealth and to the Church and in their families as also in their particular conuersation That there might be order in Common-wealths God hath set man in auâ—thoritie for by him Kings raigne and haue their power and hath communiâ—cated a part of the honour of his owne diuine lawes to their ciuill lawes viz. That they should binde mens consciences so farre as they are not disagreeing from his word Besides hee hath recorded threatnings against the disobedient and acknowledgeth Magistrates to beare his image to be as it were Gods by representation and hee guides them by his spirit for the time many times qualifying them with gifts and guiding their mouthes in iudgement for a â—â—uine sentence in the mouth of a King yea hee himselfe drew a plat-forme of rules for Common-weales to giue them a taste of gouernment Now that men may attaine to this Eutaxie and good order in Common-weales they must reade the law of God and let that be a generall guide to them and they must propound sanctitie as well as felicitie as the end of their gouernment and in calling to office they must be carefull not to set the feet where the head should be but to chuse men that feare God and hate couetousnesse and are men of courage The feare of God and courage is wonderfully wanting in all sorts of Magistrates And as for courage in respect of the people what are they the better if they haue a good man that will doe no good then if they had euill men that would doe no euill Yet in truth Magistrates whether good or euill men doe much euill by suffering euill to be vnpunished But to returne to the point Magistrates that would preserue order must giue good example themselues and mend the disorders of their own housholds and bring such a sympathie and loue of the people as they should both preserue their authoritie and yet remember that they rule their brethren And in their gouernment they cannot obserue order vnlesse they punish vice as well as command or prouide for vertue and wealth Besides they must take away the persons or places that are occasions of disorder and they must charge and remunerate as well as punish Finally the people out of the obligation of conscience must striue to liue in order with reuerence and feare yeelding ready obedience and furtherance to those that are placed in authoritie ouer them There is order also in the Church and thus there is order in doctrine for milke must be propounded before strong meat or with sufficient reference to the parties to be taught There is order also to be obserued in the time places and manner of celebration of Gods worship There is order also to be respected in the vse of things ecclesiastically indifferent There is order in the subordination of persons in the ministerie some to rule some to teach some to exhort some to distribute There is order also to be obserued in the discipline of the Church proceeding by degrees with offenders so long as they are cureable Neither may our families be without order order I say not only in the duties that concerne the maintenance of the familie but also in the exercises that concerne religion and the seruice of God in the familie In families there must be a care also of reformation especially that openly profane persons only for temporall aduantage be not retained or admitted there In the familie also there must be a daily exercise of patience humilitie knowledge and all other Christian graces that concerne mutual edification What should I say There is a mutuall relation in all the members of the familie one to another and the discharge of their seuerall duties one to another is charged with a daily care of order But I thinke the Apostle commends the order of holy life vnto which euery Christian is bound It is certaine we can neuer soundly proceed in godlinesse without a care of a settled frame and order of liuing Wee may not liue at a venture in religion T is not enough to doe good now or then by flashes There is an order in holy conuersation We must walke by rule There is an holy disposing of our waies required It is required of vs that we should ponder the pathes of our feet We must order our affaires with discretion This is called the way of prudence or vnderstanding There is a guiding of our feet vnto the waies of peace T is a wonderfull curse to be left to our securitie to walke in darke and vncertaine waies and contrariwise the vision of the saluation of God is promised to such as dispose of their waies aright And to be carefull oâ— an orderly course of life is to keepe our soules and peace shall be vnto such But alas men haue corrupted their waies and their vnderstandings are darkened and they are strangers from the life of God neither will men cease from their rebellious waies The ciuillest men walke after the way of their owne hearts yea the most men hate those that are right in their waies and are like Dan that would bite the heeles of such as endeuour to walke in sinceritie Some hypocrites there are that will know the way of the Lord and aske of him the ordinance of iustice as if they would be carefull to please God but alas they were neuer washed from their old sinnes and they quickly returne with the dogge to their vomit and corrupt their waies being of purpose set on by the deuill to make a clamorous profession that so their fall might more dishonour the glorie of an exact and circumspect conuersation Alas what should I say There is wonderfull want of order in the very liues of Gods children Scarce the tithe of professors of sinceritie of the Gospell that haue gathered a catalogue of holy duties and obserued out of the word that frame and order of settled holy conuersation There are 10. helpes of order in holy life 1. knowledge 2. vprightnesse that is an vnfained resolution to shew respect to all Gods Commandements 3. constant diligence 4. watchfulnesse 5. contemplation or meditation 6. praier 7. reading the word daily 8. frequent hearing of the Gospell preached in the power of it 9. a tender conscience 10. societie and fellowship with gracious Christians in the Gospell There are many impediments of an orderly conuersation 1. Men are not reconciled to God and so not being in Christ they receiue not influence of grace from Christ to enable them to walke in an holy course 2. In others t is negligent mortification the staine of former sinnes being not washed away there remaines in them an ill disposition to sinne 3. Many are
wade into them only a word or two of it This losse is incureable two wayes sometimes in the crosse or iudgement it brought vpon the offender sometimes in the vnstedfastnesse it selfe for sometimes though the Lord restore inward ioy and assurance yet hee will not remooue the outward signe of his wrath sometimes hee drawes backe the outward affliction but doth not restore the inward comfort or not in so great a measure so as some of Gods children may die without the sense of the ioy of Gods saluation till they come to heauen yea they may die in great terror and despaire yet the Lord may be reconciled and they may truely repent though these terrors or iudgements bee not released because God many times will thereby purge the publike scandall and cleere his owne iustice Besides such spectacles doe giue warning to a carelesse world to let them know that God hath treasures of wrath for sinne if they repent not Thus of the doctrine of stedfastnesse of faith and vnstedfastnesse also now briefely for some vses of it It may serue for great reproofe of the great neglect of seeking this stedfastnesse of faith We may complaine aswell of the common Protestant as of the Papists heerein for they are alike aduersaries to the assurance of faith let such as are touched with feare of God and desire to beleeue trauell more and more for attainement heereof and to this end cleaue to the sure word of the Prophets and Apostles and labour in the practise and exercise of all holy and Christian graces And for particular consideration of the troubles and losses of Gods children we may note 1. That it is a wonderfull fearfull thing to fall into Gods hands and that the promises of God yeeld no protection to a willing offender woe vnto prophane beasts if sinne make God angry towards his owne children and make them also vile before men then where shall those beasts that wallow in sinne appeare if they bee iustly abased that fall once into one sinne what shall be the confusion of face and heart in those men when all the sinnes they euer committed shall be reuealed before Gods Angels and men at the last day 2. They that stand haue great reason to take heede lest they fall from their stedfastnesse and bee carried away with the errour of the wicked 3. We should be wonderfull thankefull if God hath kept vs from falling it is his singular grace to keepe the scot of his Saints VERS 6.7 As yee haue therefore receiued Christ Iesus the Lord so walke yee in him 7. Rooted and built vp in him and stablished in the faith as yee haue beene taught abounding therein with thankesgiuing In these two verses the Apostle concludes the exhortation begunne in the 23. verse of the former chapter for whereas after all these reasons and the answer of sundry obiections they might finally haue sayd tell vs then at once what it is you would haue vs to doe the Apostle answers summarily that concerning holy life hee would haue them walke as they haue receiued the Lord Iesus Christ and concerning faith hee would haue them to bee rooted and soundly edified and established in the faith especially to abound in thankfulnesse to God for their happy estate in Christ Iesus The 6. verse containes a precept concerning holy life viz. to walke on in Christ and a rule by which that precept is to be squared and determined viz as they haue receiued Christ Iesus the Lord. As yee haue receiued Christ Iesus the Lord c. These words may bee diuersly vrged vpon them according to the diuers sences may be conceiued of them For 1. To walke as we haue receiued Christ may beare this sence namely to frame our obedience according to the measure of the knowledge of Christ we haue receiued it shall be to vs according to what we haue to whom God hath giuen much of them he requireth much and iudgement certainely abideth for him that hath receiued the knowledge of his masters will and doth it not if our practice bee according to the knowledge wee haue this may bee our comfort God will accept of vs and otherwise they are but in a miserable case that are barren and vnfruitefull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Such a sence as this may be gathered viz. So liue with care of a godly life as ye neglect not to preserue the doctrine concerning Christ ye haue receiued Certainely it ought to bee the care of euery godly minde to doe his best to preserue the purity of the doctrine hee receiued together with Iesus Christ great is the generall neglect of many sorts of people heerein 3. Or thus Let the doctrine you haue receiued from Christ Iesus bee your onely rule both for life and manners So liue and walke as you haue receiued The Apostle commandeth to separate from euery brother that walketh inordinately and not after the traditions which they had receiued of the Apostle By tradition he meaneth the holy word of God deliuered by liuely voice vnto the Churches while yet it was not written euen the same which now is written The elect Lady and her children are commended for walking in the truth as they had receiued commandement of the Father Yea so must wee sticke vnto the word receiued as if any man teach otherwise he should be accounted accursed For the Apostles receiued it not of men but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ And as they haue receiued of the Lord so haue they deliuered vnto vs Therefore wee must conclude with the Apostle These things which wee haue learned and receiued and heard out of the holy word those things we must doe 4. The sence may bee thus as yee were affected when yee first receiued Christ so walke on and continue at first men receiue Christ with singlenesse of heart with great estimation of the truth with wonderfull ioy with feruent loue to Gods children with a longing desire after spirituall things with endeauour to beare fruit and without the mixtures of mens traditions and inuentions Now then they are exhorted to take heed that they lose not what they haue wrought but preserue those holy affections and desires still striuing against the witchcrafts of Sathan and the world that they be not beguiled from the simplicity that is in Christ Iesus The doctrines hence to be noted are 1. That Christians doe receiue Christ and that not onely publikely into their countries and Churches which yet is a great priuiledge for Christ bringeth with him many blessings and staies many iudgements brings a publike light to men that sit in darknesse and shadow of death and raiseth immortality as it were to light and life againe but priuately and particularly into their hearts and soules This is the happiest receiuing of Christ. Oh the glory of a Christian in receiuing Christ for he that receiueth Christ into his hart receiueth excellent illumination vnspeakable ioy
in sinne doe not lie still rotting in the graues of iniquitie but rise so soone as thou hearest the trumpet of the Gospell the voice of Christ sounding in thine eares and pierce thy heart 4. Lastly here is consolation implied vnto weake Christians If thou canst feele thy miserie and struggle in any measure of true constancie against the corruption of nature and the transgressions of thy heart and life thou art not dead there is some breath of life in thee there is motion and therefore life Thus of their actuall sinnes Their miserie in respect of originall sinne is exprest in these words And in the vncircumcision of the flesh These words be diuersly interpreted some thus In the vncircumcision of the flesh that is in the flesh which is vncircumcision that is a thing hatefull vnto God Some make these words to be the signe of their death in sinne as if he would say your very vncircumcision that is in your flesh which are Gentiles is a token that you are strangers from the life of God Some thus And you hath hee quickned which were dead in respect of your sinnes and carnall life which ye liue in the vncircumcision that is in your estate of gentilisme Some make these words expresse the cause of their death in sinne Thus in the vncircumcision of the flesh that is for your fleshly vices which caused that death in sinne But I thinke with those that vnderstand by the flesh originall sinne and by the vncircumcision their miserie in respect of it implied in the allusion to the circumcision literally taken Originall sinne is called flesh because the flesh is the instrument by which it is propagated 2. Because it is the subiect in which it is 3. Because it is the end it driues vs to viz. to satisfie the flesh and to seeke fleshly things This originall sinne here called flesh is a spirituall kinde of disease gall leauen and poyson which daily diffuseth it selfe throughout the whole man and still infecteth it though this be not the whole nature of the sinne for to speake distinctly in originall sinne there are three things 1. The guiltines of Adams fact deriued vnto vs by iust imputation 2. The want of that originall iustice was in vs in the creation 3. The deprauation and corrupt disposition of our natures Here the word vncircumcision imports our miserie in respect of our very corruption of nature for it imports 1. That we are hatefull to God children of wrath 2. That we haue no portion in the heauenly Canaan 3. That we haue no fellowship in the communion of Saints 4. That we haue no part in the promised Messias for all these were shadowed out by the want of circumcision in the time of the Law The vses follow First from hence wee may informe our selues in diuers things as first we may see why the faire works of wicked men as their almes prayers teares sacrifices prophecyings preaching fasting and professing are not accepted of God for the fountaine is poysoned the flesh infects all it puts to either ill ends or ill effects or ill meanes besides that it keeps the person still loathsome to God Oh what cause haue ciuill honest men to know that though they come to Church and pay euery man his owne and be no drunkards nor adulterers c. yet their case cannot be good for though they liued neuer so honestly outwardly yet the very vncircumcision of the flesh makes them miserable the inward corruption of nature is an abomination to God who searcheth the heart and reines yea what cause haue all men to be humbled and abased in themselues considering how vncleane a beginning they haue how can men be so quiet and yet be so diseased with so filthy a leprosie as is originall sinne if this disease were in the bodie as it is in the soule how would men lament their distresse Hence also may we see what a wofull estate all wicked men are in that take care for the lusts of this leprous flesh and sow to it What should I say may we not see hence the necessitie of regeneration assuredly except we be borne againe we can neuer enter into the kingdom of heauen this impure poysoned nature of ours may not enter into Gods holy place Secondly we may here discerne the fountaine of all actuall transgressions when we fall into euill courses we must not cry out of our ill fortune or of ill companie or of the deuill only but especially we must lay the fault vpon our ill natures t was thy wicked disposition made thee so to sinne Lastly from hence we may learne to know our selues and accordingly to keep a narrow watch ouer our wretched natures and daily striue and struggle against this infectious corruption and disease that hangs so fast vpon vs yea we should by confession and contrition indeuour the daily crucifying of our wicked flesh with the lusts thereof condemning our selues by a daily verdict and sentence as we are men according to the flesh so suffering in the flesh that we may cease from sinne yea we should learne constantly to denie our selues and not to giue way to the reasons or obiections or desires or excuses or delaies of the flesh yea and to this end we should be willing to suffer afflictions and to endure any hardship rather then the flesh should preuaile in vs. You hath he quickned Hitherto of mans miserie and the state of corruption now of Gods mercy in the state of grace In two things is their happinesse here described 1. In their quickning 2. In their forgiuenes We are quickned two waies 1. In Christ. 2. In ourselues when our head Christ Iesus was raised from the graue we were quickned in him In our selues we were quickned three waies 1. Sacramentally in baptisme 2. By inchoation in our conuersion 3. Perfectly by hope of perfection in heauen by baptisme by conuersion by hope The quickning he here speaketh of is the quickning of conuersion when we are begotten to God This life is called the life of God the life of grace the life of Iesus the life of immortalitie It is begotten in vs by the whole Trinitie the Father calleth vp these generations the Sonne giueth this life so doth the Spirit quicken also The meanes by which we are quickned is ordinarily only the word and that preached also which is therefore called the word of life Psal. 19.8 1. Pet. 1.22 Phil. 2.15 Ioh. 5. The necessitie of this quickning is such as without it wee cannot possibly enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3.5 They that are thus quickned and conuerted are stiled by diuers names or titles they are called the holy seede the called of Iesus the children of the most high the brood of immortalitie they that follow Christ in the regeneration and the heires of eternall life Many are the singular prerogatiues of such as are conuerted
and their profits and pleasures Yea they must denie and forsake and which is more rather then leaue Christ and the sincerity of the Gospell they must hate father and mother wife and children and brethren and sisters or else they cannot be Christs disciples But I restrain the sence as it is heerevnto sinnes onely And so it notes that euery man that will truely repent must resolue to part with all sins aswell as one hee must desire and endeauour to hate and put away euery sinne aswell the sinnes haue been named as the sinnes are to be named As we would haue God to receiue vs graciously and take away all iniquity aswell as one so wee must resolue sincerely to put away euery sinne aswell as one If the Lord should leaue one sinne vnforgiuen it might be enough to condemne vs and so if wee leaue but one sinne that we haue no desire nor will to repent of that one sinne would plead against vs that we had not truly repented of the rest If we marke the true catalogue of sinnes which heere followeth it shewes that wee must forsake all sorts of sinnes aswell as one For we must forsake and put away inward sinnes aswell as outward for he sayth put away anger and wrath wee must put away lesser sinnes aswell as greater for he saith put away filthie speaking aswell as before he had sayd mortifie fornication and vncleannesse Now that we may be encouraged to this sincerity in forsaking all sinne aswell as one wee may consider diuerse motiues First Christ suffered for all sinnes aswell as one and therefore we should arme our selues with the same minde in suffering in our flesh to cease from sinne indefinitely that is from all sinne Secondly we should haue God grant all our requests and not leaue one out Nay we haue a promise that we shall obtaine whatsoeuer we aske in Christs name and therefore it is reason when God cals for the repentance of all our sinnes we should doe it and not leaue one out Thirdly Christ is all in all things and â—illeth all in all things and therefore it is as easie for thee if thy heart bee right to receiue and procure from Christ vertue and strength against euery sinne as well as against any sinne 4. This is all fruit euen the taking away of euery sinne what pleasure or profit soeuer they might bring to vs. When God lookes for signes and markes of truth and vprightnesse this fruit of true desire to repent is all finite it is wonderfully liked of God and if he may finde this heart and desire in vs hee accounts it in steede of all other things 5. Christians are made partakers of euerie heauenly gift euen euery spirituall blessing in heauenly things Men as they would put on euery grace so they must put of euery sinne Lastly God will shew vs all his good he will with-hold from vs nothing that may be good for vs euen till he giue vs proofe of his glorie in euerie diuine attribute And why then should not we by serious and sound confession striue euen to shew him all our euill that we might obtaine pardon for them and strength against them but if none of these reasons may perswade with vs to be vpright and sincere then let vs know that though we fauour and hide and extenuate our sinnes yet the time will come when all shall bee naked and manifest before God euen all the sinnes that are found vpon vs. And therefore it were better to confesse them now that God might not charge them vpon vs then and to forsake them now that being washed from them by repentance and iustified from them by the spirit of the Lord Iesus we may then be accepted as if wee had neuer committed them Q. But can a Christian put away all his sinnes in this life Answ. He may and I will shew you how by a distribution 1. Vnwilling defects as belonging to originall sinnes are pardoned the first moment of conuersion 2. Sinnes of ignorance are remoued by generall repentance and by the daily sacrifice 3. Sinnes not loued nor rooted are done away by an absolute forsaking of them He that will continue any longer in sinnes that bring him no profit nor pleasure and such euils as he hath power to leaue if he will if these be not giuen absolutely ouer it is to no purpose for a man to talke of repentance 4. Particular sinnes that a man hath greatly loued they are put away by serious and distinct labour in praier and sencible sorrow and griefe of heart for them For lesse then this will not suffice for particular beloued sinnes Now lastly there will remaine certaine remnants of some sins that haue rootes in our corrupted dispositions euen after the first repentance Now these are said in Gods acceptation to be put away when a man prayes against them and mournes ouer them and daily iudgeth himselfe for them and so they may be in his nature and yet be truly though not perfitly put away And thus of the generall charge The catalogue followes And the sinnes are either sinnes of the heart or sinnes of the tongue The sinnes of the heart are anger wrath malice The sinnes of the tongue are blaspheming or cursed speaking filthy speaking and lying First of the sinnes of the heart Anger wrath I suppose these words expresse one and the same sinne it may be the two words import two degrees of anger For there is inward fretting without wordes or signes and there is open anger a signified passion that discouers it selfe by outward shewes both are iustly condemned Anger may be considered 1. as indifferent 2. As laudable 3. As a vice Anger is a naturall passion and so in it selfe neither good nor euill as it is a sence with dislike of iniurie So Adam might haue conceiued anger against the serpent The reason of the stoicks that condemne anger as a naturall passion for euill because it is a perturbation is without reason For all perturbation is not euil but vniust perturbation only for Christ was angrie and vexed and grieuouslie troubled as at the death of Lazarus and yet he was without sinne Now for the second anger may be considered as laudable and good for that there is such an anger I will not stand vpon the distinction of the schoolemen that there is anger of zeale and anger of vice the Scripture manifestly shewes there may be good anger The Apostle saith be angrie and sinne not And Salomon saith Anger is better then laughter and the Euangelist saith our Sauiour looked about vpon them angerly and Saint Mathew saith he that is angrie with his brother without a cause as if he would acknowledge a iust anger when there was a iust cause of anger Now this good anger is a godly passion of iust zeale of iustice conceiued against sinne in our selues or others that desireth
sanctified them by the spirit The doctrine of Election hath both consolation and instruction in it it is full of comfort if we consider the priuiledges of Gods chosen euen those great fauours he shewes them when he beginnes once to discouer his euerlasting choise of them the Lord doth euer after auouch them for his peculiar people to make them high in praise and in honor The men of their strife shall surely pâ—rish and come to nothing The Lord will helpe them and comfort them in all strife he wil be a wall of fire round about them and the glorie in the middest of them the Lord will owne them as his portion that he hath taken to himselfe out of the whole earth He will vse them as his friends hee will heare their praiers and communicate his secrets vnto them But who can count their priuiledges no tongue of men or Angels are able to doe it which since it is so we should take vnto vs continually the words of the Psalmist and say euery one of vs Remember me ô Lord with the fauour of thy people and visit me with thy saluation that I may see the felicitie of thy chosen and reioyce in the Ioy of thy people and glory with thine inheritance Especially wee should labour to make our calling and election sure for then we shall be safe in as much as thereby an entrance is ministred vnto vs into the kingdome of Iesus Christ. Now if any shall aske who they are that may be sure of their election I answere First with the Apostle Paul They that receiue the Gospell in power and much assurance with ioy in the holy Ghost though it should be with much affliction And with the Apostle Peter such as to whom God hath giuen precious promises and such as flie the corruptions of the world through lust that ioyne vertue with their faith and knowledge and temperance and patience and godlinesse and brotherly kindnesse and loue Lastly if wee be comforted in our election we should then labour to inflame our hearts out of the sence of this euerlasting goodnesse of God euen to set vp the Lord and to feare him and walke in his waies and particularly by the Apostles direction to be very carefull of these holy graces that follow Thus of the first motiue Holie They are holy diuers waies For they are holy first in the head 2. In their lawes 3. In their Sacraments in respect of which they are sacramentally holy 4. By imputation 5. By hope of that consummate are holines in heauen 6. In their calling so they are Saints by calling 7. As they are Temples of the holy Ghost But the holinesse of sanctification is heere meant and so they are holy by inchoation Holinesse is essentiall to a childe of God Gods elect are holy this is euery where proued in Scripture I will not stand vpon it only for instruction let vs from hence obserue That if euer we would haue comfort of our election we must labour to be holy and that both in bodie and in spirit we see they are here ioyned and we must not separate them But may some one say seeing no man is without his thousands of sinnes and infirmities what must wee doe that wee may haue comfort that we are holy in Gods account being so many waies faultie in our natures and actions For answere hereunto wee must know that there be foure things which if a man do attaine vnto though he hath otherwise many infirmities yet he is holy in Gods account yea in the holinesse of sanctification The first is this if a man can so farre forth subdue his corruptions that sinne raignes not in him so long as it is in him but as a rebell it doth not frustrate his comfort in his sanctification 2. If a mans praiers desires and indeuors be to respect all Gods commandements as well as one Iustice as well as Piety holy times as well as holy things inward obedience as well as outward secret obedience as well as open auoyding lesser sinnes as well as greater 3. If a man bee sincere in the vse of the meanes that make a man holy preparing his heart to seeke God in them esteeme them as his appointed food mourning for want of successe desired endeauouring to profit by euery ordinance of God and that at all times as well as sometimes at home as well as at Church Lastly if a man can finde comfort in the pardon of his sinnes hee needs not doubt of his acceptation to be holy Beloued In this word is lodged the third Motiue which is taken for Gods loue as if the Apostle would affirme that if Christians did seriously consider what it is to be loued of God they would find full incouragement to all grace and duty now this may be better opened if wee consider but the properties of Gods loue wherein it wonderfully excells As first if God loue them it is with a free loue he stands not vpon thy desert or worthinesse Againe he loues first p he loues before he be loued he loued vs when wee hated him he chose vs when we did not choose him 3. Gods loue is wonderfull tender which will appeare if we consider that he is not onely gratious but mercifull slow to anger of much kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill 4. Gods loue is naturall not forced and therfore he is said to quiet himselfe in his loue and himselfe loueth mercy Lastly his loue is an euerlasting loue where hee loueth he loueth to the end And therefore we should labour to know the loue of God to our selues euen to be particularly assured that we are Gods beloued or else this could not be a motiue to holinesse as heere it is And besides the meditation of Gods loue to vs should incourage vs against all crosses for God will giue his beloued rest They shall bee blessed and it shall be well with them They shall be deliuered for he will helpe with his right hand But especially it should harten vs against the scornes of the world and the hate of wicked men if God loue vs it mattereth not greatly who hate vs And in speciall the meditation of this loue of God should teach vs to tyre our selues with these worthy graces as so many ornaments for thus should the beloued of God bee decked And doth the Lord loue vs and shall not wee striue to shew our loue to him againe Euen by louing his word glory children presence and commandements Lastly we may heere learne how to loue for God loues First those that are holy Secondly those whom he had chosen so it should be with vs first we should choose for holinesse and then loue for our choice This may teach the people how to loue their Magistrates and Ministers and so wiues and seruants And contrariwise Thus of the motiues the