it should teach us divers things 1. If we desire the kingdome of God should come pray that the word of the Lord may run and have a free passage for it will worâ— mightily in gathering soules to the kingdome of God 2 Thes. 3.1 2. Would wee have life put into us Let us come to the word it liveth by effect If any thing in this world will either direct or comfort us it is the word 3. Looke to thy heart for uprightnesse make conscience of thy wayes harbour no secret sins For the word is lively in operation and is a discernes of the very thoughts and intents of the hearâ— Heb. 4.13 If thou wouldst have the fruit of the lips to be peace walk uprightly 4. Such as professe love to the word should hold forth this word of life and make it appeare in their conversation that it is a living word Quest. But how should wee shew the life of the word in our conversation Answ. Many waies 1. By practising it It seemes but a dead letter till thou put it in practice For there is the life of hearing 2. By living without rebuke Then thou shewest effectually that the word hath a lively power ever thee if it can make thee unrebukeable Phil. 1.15 16. 3. By the unmoveablenesse of thy conversation in all estates There is life in godlinesse when a man hath learned to be content with that he hath 4. By thy affectionatenesse and cheerefulnesse in the manner of doing holy duties 5. By the depending upon it as upon the life of thy life Psal. 119. 6. Lastly by thy confidence in beleeving all that is written in the word And thus for instruction Secondly this may serve for humiliation 1. To such as heare not the word at all they sit in darkenesse they want the very life of their lives that that should be the very joy of their hearts 2. To such as heare it but feele no life in it If the word of God have no life in it woe unto thee if the booke be sealed to thee when it is open to others feare lest the god of this world hath blinded thee that thou mightest perish search thy soule there is abundance of soule stuffe in thee if the word cannot quicken thee 3. To such as finde some kinde of life in the word and put it out by the cares of life such as by covetousnesse or voluptuous living extinguish that remorse was bred in them and so make the word an instrument of death inasmuch as such remorses or quicknings serve but to leave them without excuse 4. To all hypocrites For here they must know that which they have often found if they heare much that they cannot be hid though they may deceive men yet God and his Word will find them out the shame of their secrets of corruption shall be discovered this word of God will ransack them and give them a very glimpse of the judgement to come Heb. 4.13 5. This may in speciall smite dreaming and carelesse Preachers that doe the worke of the Lord negligently such must know their work shall never prosper for it is the word of God in the life of it that gathers soules to God a dead dull kinde of preaching the word will never do it Besides they dishonour the word as if it had no life in it whereas the fault is in their dull and dreaming kinde of handling of it Thirdly this may informe us 1. That the word is not a dead letter as many thinke of it and have blasphemously reported 2. That it is the Gospell that is that part of the word that settles the conscience in the assurance of Gods love in Christ that is the principallest treasure in the scripture For the Law is a killing letter and the ministry of it the ministration of death 3. That it is never likely that powerfull preaching and sincere practise shall have any long peace in the world For this life of the word makes such a stirre where it comes that wicked men will not be quiet but ever hate the godly for this very reason as experience shewes Ioh. 17.14 c. 4. That the wits of men and the wisdomes of mens words and conceits are not necessary unto the unfolding of the word for the word is a lively word in it selfe it needs not the conceits of mens braines to quicken it 1 Cor. 2.1 4 13. Fourthly this may be a great comfort to all the godly that love the word they may have sure recourse to it it is as full of life now as it was many hundred yeares agoe it shall abide for ever it is as mighty now to cast downe strong holds of sin or Satan as ever It is as able to refresh them in all afflictions as ever It will quicken them in all their dumps and distresses It lives and will live for ever And abideth for ever Of these words in the end of the 24. verse where they are repeated againe and thus much of the fift reason c. VERSE 24 25. 24. For all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower falleth away 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which is preached among you THese words containe the sixt and last reason for the inforcing of the exhortation in the 13. verse and it is taken cheefly from the mortality of the body where his drift is to set before us the marvelous vanity and brevity and transitorinesse of the naturall life and condition of all men amplified by the eternity of those spirituall effects which are wrought by the word of God preached that so wee might be induced with the more sincerity and earnestnes to deny the world and to provide an infallible assurance of hope in the grace to be brought in the day of Christ and so it impliedly shewes that the reason why the most men are so intangled with all sorts of impediments and why men so greedily and excessively seeke the profits and pleasures of this world and why men are so slenderly furnished with arguments of sound hope of a better life I say the reason of all this is the forgetfulnesse of our mortality and our transitory estate in this world The words in themselves containe a lively description of our transitory and mortall condition in this world amplified by the commendation of the word of God by which we are borne againe and fitted for a better world The vanity of man is set downe verse 24. the eternity of the word verse 25. The vanity of man is both propounded and repeated propounded in these words All flesh is grasse and all the glory of man as the flower of grasse repeated in these words the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away The proposition concernes either the persons of men or the condition of men For their persons all flesh is grasse For their condition the glory
suspect it Lastly this joy in the holy Ghost in some is an habituall gladnesse of heart which constantly after assurance is found in them though they feele not the passions of joy but in others there is felt at sometimes the vehement passions of joy but not the constant gladnesse Now eyther may be the true joy of the holy Ghost if it agree to the former signes But what should wee doe to get the joyes of God 1 Thou must be in the generall Gods servant and devote thy selfe to holinesse else thou canst never feele them Esay 65.13 2 Thou must voluntarily seeke godly sorrow for thy sins for these joyes are promised to and most felt by such as mourne for sin Psal. 126.2 3 5 6. Esay 61.3 Prov. 14.10 Mat. 5.5 3. Thou must labour after the affections of godlinesse till thou come to love Christ and the Word and holy exercises thou canst not get the joy in the holy Ghost if we did once love to be Gods servants the Lord would refresh us with the joyes of his presence Esay 56.6 7. But what should we doe to preserve the joyes of God that'wee might more constantly rejoyce in the holy Ghost Observe these rules 1. Thou must get a meeke spirit For passion and pride hinder the refreshings of God wonderfully Esay 29.19 2. Preserve uprightnesse the upright shall have an harvest of joy But if thou nourish the love of any sinne it is impossible to keep the joyes of God Psal. 96.11 Prov. 29.6 12.20 3. Lose not Gods presence but set him in thy sight and walk before him There is fulnesse of joy at his right hand Psal 16.11 4. Be much in well-doing For that will make our joy abound Col. 1. 9 10 11. 5. Hang upon the brests of the Churches consolation and sincerity Esay 66.11 6. Take heed of much carnall or outward reioycing For the immoderate liking of earthly things hardens the heart in the things of God Hence wee may briefly note the causes why many professors have no more ioy 1. Some neglect the meanes 2. Others are mastered by strong affections as Envy or Passions c. 3. Others have neglected mortification 4. In many their very unprofitablenesse is the cause 5. In some the love of some secret sinne blasts all grace and joy Thus of the 8. verse Verse 9. Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your soules THis Verse is a ratification of the former in which the Apostle labours to assure salvation to all such as have the former signes 1. The matter assured is the salvation of our soules 2. The certainty of the assurance is in the word receiving which imports it is as sure as if we had received it already 3. The instrumentall cause is faith for salvation is the end of faith Receiving If this word be marked in it selfe and the coherence foure things arise to be observed 1. First that wee should receive the graces and blessings of God with much joy and love of Christ who is the foundation of the merit of all This I note from the coherence with the former Verse 2. Secondly we are seldome glad at heart longer then we are receiving some blessing or promises from God Note that he joyns this word to the joyes of the holy Ghost in the end of the former Verse 3. Thirdly that salvation is received even in this life received I say 1. In the promises of it 2. In the graces which begin eternall life in this life 3. In the certainty of the assurance of it 4. The word in the Originall signifies to carry back againe or to fetch out of the field which imports we cannot get salvation nor any promises or graces that concerne it but we must fight for it there will be some bicketing before it can be carried away out of the field Of your faith Faith is here expresly made the instrument of our salvation This is a principle and should be unmoveable in the heart of every Christian that without faith our religion is to no end For wee cannot be saved without it which should teach us both to seek this faith and to account of it as most precious and to this end to make sure that our faith be right wee cannot be too oft urged hereunto I will instance but in foure signes of a true perswasion For I take it for granted that the most of us say we are perswaded God loves us and Christ died for us Now wee may try whether this perswasion be right foure waies 1. First if it will endure the tryall of manifold tentations as the coherence shews a true perswasion will If it will support us in adversity of all sorts in some measure especially if it will fence us against the scornes and oppositions of the world this will prove it to be a true perswasion 2. Secondly if it be such a faith as will beleeve all that is written Act. 24.14 so far as it sees it to be the will of God though it be against reason or affection or profit or the opinion of any other 3. Thirdly if it have the seale of the spirit For hee that truely beleeveth hath a witnesse in himselfe even the witnesse of the spirit of adoption testifying by unspeakable joyes the assurance of Gods love Eph. 1.14 1 Ioh. 5.10 4. Fourthly if it be accompanied with a sincere life and love of all that truely feare God for the image of God in them True faith will shew it selfe by this love Gal. 5.6 The end of your faith The word here rendred the end doth further signifie a reward or wages which is given at the end and so these things may be observed 1. First that in the end the Lord will take account of the use of all gifts or graces in men 2. Secondly that unlesse we hold out to the end we can never have reward 3. Thirdly that true faith will hold out to the end if it be true it will abide 4. Fourthly Faith it selfe will once have an end and therein love excels faith because that will never end 5. But the last and chiefest point is that it will be a glorious time when the end comes that God disposeth the rewards of beleeving which may serve for foure uses 1. First it may comfort Gods afflicted servants For the expectation of the poore shall not perish for ever Psal. 9.18 and God will certainly give an end and expectation Ier. 29.11 And have we not seene the end of the Lord in many things in our temporall troubles and can we doubt him for our last end why should any feare death Is it not the time of receiving wages No hireling is afraid of the time of receiving his wages 2. Secondly it should teach us therefore to wait upon God and possesse our soules with patience holding fast our confidence of assurance For the end shall come and it will not be long before it shall be 3. Thirdly for information we
that was himselfe the onely begotten Sonne and heire of God by 〈◊〉 that God and man might be one in covenant This one is made God and man in person 2. For instruction we may learne divers duties 1. To blesse God for our Saviour Christ as the foundation of all our happinesse Shall 〈…〉 talke of his righteousnesse all the day Shall not everlasting joy be upon our heads Psal. 103.1 2. 71.23 Esay 35.10 1 Cor. 30 31. Eph. 1.6 7. 2. To seeke redemption in him both from the guilt of our sins Rom. 3. 24 25 Esay 44.22 and from the power of them and from the punishment of them Psal. 1 30.7 Iob 19.25 Psal. 34.19 c. Esay 63.16 50.2 Psal. 31.7 55.18 Hos. 13.14 3. Therefore we must serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all our daies Luke 1.68 74. Esay 59.20 Tit. 2.14 4. Let us follow the example of his humility and let him that would be great amongst us be the servant of all Mat. 20.28 Coherence 5. Honour the redeemed of Jesus Christ and ever say what one Nation is like to Christs people By his bloud Hitherto of the person by whom we were redeemed now followes the manner We were redeemed 1. by the passion of Christ 2. by the obedience of Christ and well are they joyned together for the justice of God required both and it hath ever been the nature of the Devill and the world to powre out flouds of tribulation after innocency especially in the eminent As it was with Christ so it is with all his members who are conformed unto him both in sufferings and obedience and as any are more innocent so is their passion the greater but let that passe The first point here intended is that the Holy Ghost would have us to know and knowing to be deeply affected with it that wee were ransomed by bloud yea by the bloud of Iesus Christ God and man For the explication of this point foure things briefly would be considered 1. That it is 2. What it is 3. Why it is 4. How it is 1. The first that our ransome was to be payed in bloud was foretold continually from the very fall by sacrifices in bloud and is proved by expresse Scriptures Heb. 9.13 14. Act. 20.28 2. For the second The bloud of Christ is diversly taken sometimes sacramentally and so the wine in the Sacrament is his bloud Mat. 26. sometimes mystically and so the bloud of the Martyrs is the bloud of Christ and so they are said to fulfill the rest of the passion of Christ sometimes imputatively and so the Saints have their robes made white in the bloud of the Lambe Revel 7.14 but most an end properly for his naturall bloud and so it is taken here For no Saints nor bloud of Martyrs can make atonement for our sinnes But by his bloud He syneâ—dâ—chically meanes all his passion even all that hee suffered of the malediction of the law as the surety for our sinnes 3. For the third If any aske why Christ in suffering endured this kinde of suffering I answer 1. Expiation for sinne was a way universally conceived of to be fittest done in bloud 2. Hereby he fulfilled both the Scriptures of the Prophets and the types went before of him 3. It was not onely for example but also for the sanctification of the like sufferings in the Martyrs of all ages 4. It was one of the curses of the law 5. It was his good pleasure hereby to shew his matchlesse love to us If we aske why this part of the passion of Christ is so much stood upon and so often remembred I answer 1. To shew the extremity of Christs humiliation 2. To shew the full accomplishment of all types 3. To confirme our faith in the assurance of the compleatnesse of our ransome 4. To settle our hearts with more affection to him 4. For the fourth Christ shed his blood for us many times As first in his Circumcision as the first fruits and pledge of the rest 2. In his sweate in the garden 3. When hee was crowned with thornes and whipped 4. When he was nailed on the Crosse. 5. When his side was pierced with a speare The last is chiefly intended The Use may be divers 1. It may informe us of our extreame misery by nature men must think upon it their native condition is most servile else there had not needed such a ransome by such blood 2. It may import the horrible misery of wicked impenitent sinners when they shall fall into Gods hands If Christ being but a surety for others suffered such extreame things oh what mercy can wicked men expect The very dolours of Christ should teach them how miserable their case shall bee 3. To consider that Christ hath bought us to himselfe by his blood should compell our affections to resolve more unchangeably and unfainedly to devote our selves to his service that paid so deare for us Shall we not live to him in all sincerity that was faine to shed his blood before he could redeeme us to himselfe as a peculiar people If any thing will doe it this should kindle the zeale of good workes in us 4. It may comfort us many wayes 1. It shewes that Christ wonderfully loves us 2. That the satisfaction of our debt is fully made 3. That his intercession daily for us must prevaile since his blood cryes in heaven for us and speakes better things then did the blood of Abel 4. That our nourishment to eternall life shall bee surely effected because he hath given himselfe as bread and his blood as drinke for us 5. It should teach us patience in all our afflictions or combats with sin seeing we have not resisted unto blood as the author and finisher of our faith did Heb. 12.3 4. Precious blood The blood of Christ is commended for the marvellous preciousnesse of it which may appeare besides the expresse affirmations of Scripture 1. By the continuall view of the slaine sacrifices 2. By the amasement of the creatures when it was shed The Sunne eclipsed the vaile of the Temple rent the rockstorne the earth trembling c. 3. By the admirable effects of it it appeased Gods anger Rom. 3.25 it purchased the Church Acts 20. 28. which all the gold and silver could not doe it ratified the covenant therefore called the blood of the covenant Luke 22.20 Heb. 9.18 it is our drinke indeed Iohn 6. it makes a holy consanguinity betweene Iew and Gentile they are all allyed in the blood of Christ Eph. 2.13 it overcomes the Devill Rev. 12. it saves us from the destroying Angels Heb. 11.18 it makes intercession for sins after calling continually in heaven Heb. 12.24 it purgeth the conscience from dead workes Heb. 9.14 and it opens the holy of holies and gives an entrance into the kingdome of heaven Heb. 10.19 Quest. But whence comes this preciousnesse into the blood of Christ Answ. I answer many wayes 1. Because it
whether my obedience be right or no seeing I cannot have true grace else Answ. I might answer out of other Scriptures that a childe of God may know his obedience is right by two things 1. Because God heares his prayers Ioh. 9.39 Psal. 66.18 2. Because thou hast hyred thy selfe by covenant to doe Gods works as a servant of righteousnesse and thou dost worke as a servant every day Rom. 6. But I answer out of this text Thou maist know thy obedience iâ— right because thou hast these foure things 1. Thou makest the truth thy guide and dost obey for the truths sake and commest to the light as Ioh. 3.21 2. Thy obedience is from thy heart and with thy heart it is inward as well as outward 3. Thy obedience is in all things 1. Though it be against thy profit c. Heb. 11.8 2. In the least commandements 4. Thy obedience is in all places 1. As well absent as present Phil. 2.12 2. Before the wicked as well as the godly 3. Before the meanest Christian as well as the greatest Through the spirit Our sanctification was first wroâ—ght by the Spirit of God and it is of the assistance of the Spirit that we doe performe obedience to the truth of God For 1. It is the Spirit that quickens us and raiseth us in the first resurrection Ioh. 3.5 2. It is the Spirit that leads us into the truth â—â—d enlightens us Ioh. 14. 3. It is the spirit that sets us at liberty from the bondage of corruption we have lived in 2 Cor. 3.17 and kils the deeds of the flesh Rom. 10.11 4. It is the Spirit that makes us mourne when wee faile of â—bedience Zach. 12.12 5. It is the Spirit that sheds aâ—â—oad the love of God in our hearts by which we are inflamed with desire to obey Rom. 5.5 It baptizeth us with fire Mat. 3. 6. It is the Spirit that makes us finde a rellish and sweetnesse in spirituall things Rom. 8. 7. It is the Spirit that worketh in us the particular graces that adorne our obedience Gal. 5.22 yea by the Spirit the Lord works our works for us it causeth us to obey Ezech. 36. Esay 26. Psal. 90. 8. It is the Spirit that shews us the recompence of reward to incourage us to obey 1 Cor. 2.10 The Use is 1. For information for hereby it is evident 1. That the godly have Gods Spirit Rom. 8.9 2. That there can be no absolute free-will in man seeing it is not by his owne power that he doth obey Gods will 3. That the holinesse a Christian hath in this life is of singular worth Wee use to esteeme the work by the workman And if wee admire them that can make us faire houses clothes faces c. how much more should we admire the workmanship of the Spirit of grace that purifies and makes our soules faire It is a better piece of workmanship then is shewed in making of the world 2. It should teach us 1. To be more carefull of sinning seeing wee shall thereby vexe or grieve or tempt the Spirit of God in us yea and deface his workmanship 2. To stir up our selves to undertake the work of godlinesse seeing we have the Spirit to assist us which is a Spirit of power 2 Tim. 1.7 Vnto the unfained love of the brethren One chiefe end of our sanctification is that wee might ever after live with all holy love together God hath purifyed us to this end that wee might love the godly above all others after we are converted That which is chiefly to be done of us is the duty of brotherly love In these words three things are to be observed 1. That the godly are brethreâ— 2. That we must love the godly above all others and that we were converted to that end Our chiefest fruit after conversion is to shew our love to them 3. That God cannot abide faining in this love 1. For the first the godly are brethren Col. 1.2 1 Tim. 6.2 Mat. 23.8 borne of the same wombe 1 Pet. 1.23 adopted of the same Father Eph. 4.5 brought up in the same family Eph. 3.17 estated in the same inheritance Rom. 8.17 written amongst the living in the same City with the writing of the same house of Israel Esay 4.3 executing the same office of Prophets and Priests to God Rev. 1.7 1. The Use is first for information We see the godly though despised in the world yet are people of a great kindred The meanest Christian hath as good friends as the greatest Potentate Grace works as it were a consanguinity with all the Saints 2. For instruction and it should teach us divers things to doe and avoid Are the godly thy brethren Then 1. Live familiarly with them visit them be not a stranger unto them Act. 15.36 2. Doe what thou dost faithfully for them Ioh. 3.5 3. Defend one another by words and works ye are brethren let not a godly man be wronged if thou canst help it 4. Supply their wants with a brotherly affection Iam. 1.15 1. Ioh. 3.17 The things we must avoid 1. Wee must take heed of contention Gen. 13. and this contention is either 1. Publike suites 1 Cor. 6. 2. Private quarrels or discords Ob. But they doe me wrong Sol. 1. Admonish them of it Mat. 18.18 Lâ—v. 19.17 2. Be not unadvisedly angry Mat. 5.22 3. If they repent forgive them even seventy times Mat. 18.21 and be quickly reconciled Mat. â— 23 24. 2. Call no man Rabbi or father on earth Mâ—â— 23.8 9. The Angels refuse it Rev. 19.10 22.9 3. Speak not evill one of another Rom. 14.10 Iam. 5.9 4.11 It is the devils property to accuse the brethren Rev. 12.10 4. Be not ashamed of them for Christ is not ashamed to owne them as brethren Heb. 2.10 5. Have them not in respect of persons The poore are brethren as well as the rich Iam. 2. Though they be in tribulation yet they be companions in Gods kingdome as well as we Rev. 1.9 6. Lastly Superiours Magistrates Ministers Masters of families must take heed of tyranny and contempt for they rule their brethren The godly must be loved above all others this is a maine end of our sanctification Rom. 13.8 Col. 3.14 Eph. 4.16 1 Ioh. 3 11â— 4.21 The Use is first for reproofe of worlds of people that neglect this love of the godly which should be as the life of their lives yea contemne them yea and reproach them they love none worse then the godly Quest. But how shall I know who are godly Answ. Thou maist know them 1. By their innocency they beare their fathers image 2. By their love to Gods house and the Word 3. By their language 1 Ioh. 4.5 â— 4. By the opposition of the world Quest. What good should I get by them Answ. 1. By sorting with them thou wilt be protected from many judgments which else would fall on thee Sodome had been spared for ten
of the weak unto which wee are exhorted Rom. 15.1 2. and Eph. 4.2 and Christ practised it daily by bearing with the strange weaknesses of his Disciples Now these duties of humility we are the more bound unto more I say than Christ first because we are sinfull creatures and ought ever to beare upon us some part of the shame of our offences Secondly because wee are infinitely inferiour to him in respect of his greatnesse If he that was so great by relation to God equall to God and by birth and office c. if he I say carry himself so humbly how little reason have we to stand upon birth riches calling gifts or the like c. The fourth vertue that was eminent in Christ was contempt of the world an admirable thing that he who was Heire of all things could shew so little regard of worldly things and this he shewed First by living in such want of all things as he affirmes Luk. 9.57,58 Secondly by refusing the preferments were offred him upon sinfull termes whether by the divell who offred him all the glory of the Kingdomes of the world or by men who would have made him King Thirdly by knowing no man after the flesh by his neglect of earthly kinred his hearers were his father and mother brothers and sisters he esteemed of men according to their spirituall estate in Gods Kingdome and not according to their outward estate in the world Fourthly by seeking the things of others more than his owne his life was wholly devoted to the profiting of others Thus should we shew our contempt of the world also by using the world as though we used it not 1 Cor. 7.31 by not caring for the things of this life with distrustfull cares Matth. 6. by not seeking great things for our selves and by looking on the things of others as well as our owne things Phil. 2.4 and by acknowledging of spirituall relations with our best affections The fift vertue eminent in Christ was Mercy which hee shewed not onely by counsell perswading his hearers to all sorts of mercy upon all occasions but by his practise also by healing both the soules and bodies of all sorts of diseases in all sorts of men going about and doing good in all places where be came This is a vertue in many Scriptures much urged upon Christians Col. 2.12 Rom. 12.1 Tim. 6. Iam. 3.17 and our mercy should have the same praises his had First it should be all sorts of mercy to soule and body Secondly we should be full of mercy Thirdly we should be ready to communicate and distribute Fourthly it should be with pitty and bowels of mercy All this was in Christ and is required of us The sixt vertue in Christ was patience This vertue we are charged withall Heb. 12.1 2. and urged to it by the example of Christ And thus wee are to learne of him to be a patient people both for the matter that wee endure the crosse Luk. 9.23 1 Pet. 4.1 and 2.24 and for the manner we must suffer as he did First with silence hee was as a lambe dumbe before his shearer Secondly with subjection to Gods will Father thy will be done so David I should have beene patient because thou didst it Psal. 39. Thirdly with long suffering Christ bare his crosse daily and so should wee Fourthly with willingnesse wee must take up our crosse Luk. 9. Christ despised the shame Heb. 12. And the rather should we be formed unto patience in all tribulations because wee are first sinfull creatures and have deserved our crosses so did not Christ in his owne person secondly we suffer not such extreame things as Christ did thirdly we have reason to be silent in the evill day because we have not such wisedome to speake as Christ had The seventh vertue eminent in Christ was his compassion to his enemies which he shewed divers wayes as First by praying for them on the crosse when he suffered the extreamest things from them Father forgive them they know not what they doe Secondly by restraining reviling and revenge hee rendred not evill for evill he reviled not againe 1 Pet. 2.24 Rom. 15.3 Hee would not send fire from heaven upon them Luk. 9.55 Thirdly by doing them all the good he might He instructed them with patience He was the good Samaritane that healed their wound and was at cost with them Fourthly by receiving them with gladnesse when they repented as he did the theefe on the crosse Fifthly by mourning for the hardnesse of their hearts and impenitencie thus he weepes over Jerusalem All this is required of us We should pray for them that curse us Matth. 5. wee must not render reviling for reviling 1 Pet. 3.9 and 2.14 wee should mourne for them in their miseries so did David Psalm 35.13 14. and wee should overcome their evill with goodnesse as Rom. 12.19 20. The eighth vertue in Christ was harmelesnesse and inoffensivenesse and we are exhorted to unrebukeablenesse and to live without offence because we are the sonnes of God Phil. 2.15 and Christ requires in us the innocency of doves and for the same reason compares the godly to sheepe Where I say we should live without offence I meane without giving offence For Christ himselfe that most innocent Lambe of God was rebuked and reproached and reviled and so may the most godly Christians It is a blessed thing to bee reviled for following goodnesse and for the Gospels sake The last vertue which I reckon in Christ was his love to the godly which we are required to imitate Eph. 5.7 8. 1 Ioh. 3. Now there are divers things we should learne of Christ in our love to the godly First to love them with a preventing love for Christ loved us first Secondly to love them though they bee our inferiours so did Christ love us Thirdly to love them notwithstanding their infirmities Christ loved the Church though shee bee blacke Cantic 1. and full of spots and wrinkles Eph. 5. Fourthly to love them fervently Nothing should bee too deare to part with for them Christ shed his blood for our sakes Eph. 5.2 1 Ioh. 3. and withall we should shew the fervency of our love by defending them as Christ did his Disciples and by sympathy in all distresses and temptations as Christ hath a feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 so we should bee like affectioned one to another Rom. 12.15 And thus much of the first point The second thing hence to be noted is That it is not enough to have the vertues of Christ but we must shew forth the vertues of Christ. Now wee shew forth the vertues of Christ divers waies First by observing certaine publike solemnities as by the use of the Sacraments For therein we not onely remember the praises of Christ till he come againe but also wee enter into bond with God for the imitation of the holinesse which was in Christ. Secondly by Martyrdome when we
2.8 Now this love of God of Christ of the Angels of godly men and Ministers should serve to support us against the contempt and hatred of the world Wee have a love that is much better than the love of worldly men can be to us First because it is of better persons and secondly because it is of a better kinde for it is more servent and it is more pure and more constant Worldly men can shew no love that hath comparison to the love of God or Christ or any of those for the servencie of it And if worldly men love us it is to draw us unto one evill or other and besides it will not last for wicked men will agree with themselves no longer than so many Curres will agree they are alwaies contending hatefull and hating one another Secondly this point should much checke the unbeliefe of Christians and their unthankfulnesse for many times they are affected as if they were not beloved of any whereby they much dishonour the love of God and of Christ and of Christians towards them also and thereby they flatly contradict the Text which saith They are beloved Thirdly impenitent sinners should bee moved hereby to become true Christians because till then they are monstrous hatefull creatures God loathes them and their workes Ioh. 3.36 Esa. 1.11 c. And such vile persons are vile and odious in the eyes of the godly Psal. 24.4 Psalm 15. Fourthly Christians should labour to preserve this love unto themselves with increase of the comfort of it and so divers things would much advantage them in this love as 1 Faith To live by faith commends them wonderfully to Gods love as being the condition mentioned when he sent his Sonne into the world Ioh. 3.16 For without it it is impossible to please God 2 Humility would much commend them to the love of the Angels who rejoyce more in one sinner that is penitent than in ninety nine just men that need no repentance 3 The fruits of wisedome mentioned Iam. 3.17 have a marvellous force to win love among men To be pure in respect of sincere Religion to be gentle and peaceable free from passion and contention to be easie to be intreated to be also full of mercy and good workes and all this without judging or hypocrisie to be no censurers nor counterfeits Oh this is exceeding amiable if these things were carefully expressed 4 And for their Ministers two things would much increase their love to them First obedience to their doctrine for this will prevaile more than all the bounty in the world 1 Thess. 2.13 Heb. 13.18 Secondly to converse without back-biting or uncharitable judging of them By these two the Philippians and Thessalonians were highly advanced in the affection of the Apostle and through the want of these the Corinthians lost much in the love of the Apostle Thus of the persons dehorted The manner of the dehortation followes I beseech yee In that the Apostle in the name of God doth beseech them divers things are imported as First the marvellous gentlenesse and love of God to men hee that may command threaten punish yea cast off yet is pleased to beseech men Secondly the dignity and excellencie of a cleane heart and honest life It is a thing which God by his servants doth vehemently begge at our hands Thirdly the honour of a Christian hee is spoken to as to a great Prince as the two former reasons shew him to be Fourthly a rule of direction how to carry our selves towards others in the case of reformation wee must learne of the Apostle to expresse a Spirit of meeknesse and love and humility Passion and pride worke unspeakeable prejudice and hurt in the care of other mens faults Fifthly with what reverentnesse and earnestnesse we should speake to God when he speakes thus to us Thus of the manner of propounding the dehortation The matter to be avoided is lusts Abstaine from fleshly lusts By lusts are sometimes meant grosse sinnes and disorders which are the fruits of lust and so the sinnes mentioned chapter 4.4 of this Epistle are called lusts of the Gentiles By lust is sometimes meant corruption of nature But I thinke it is taken neither of these wayes here By lust is sometimes meant the filthy desire of the heart after bodily uncleannesse and so called the lusts of uncleannesse Col. 3.5 Rom. 1.24 But by lusts here I take it is meant all sorts of evill desires in the heart of man and so called worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 And in speciall these sorts of lusts are named in Scripture which Christians should especially avoid First the lusts of uncleannesse filthy desires Secondly the lusts of covetousnesse and worldly cares Thirdly the lusts of vain-glory whether of envie conceitednesse or desire of applause Fourthly the lusts of Epicurisme those desires after delicious or excessive fare or vaine apparell Fifthly the lusts of malice and revenge These and such like are the lusts which Christians must forsake The use is divers Uses First for information and so it may shew us 1 That outward honesty will not serve the turne It is not enough to bee free from grosse sinnes What case then are civill honest men in 2 That in reformation it is not enough to forsake the evils we have no desire after but we must leave our owne lusts Secondly for consolation Here is imported an excellent comfort to the godly in the case of inward and hatefull temptations When vile things come ento the mind of the godly if they dislike them and do not lust after theâ— nor entertaine them with spirituall dalliance they may be assured that those evils shall not be charged upon them For before a temptation can be a sin it must have somewhat of coveting in it Christ was tempted as wee are and yet hee sinned not because he liked them not but rejected them Abstaine from them The manner how they are to be avoided is contained in this word abstaine which doth import divers things First that without departing from iniquity we cannot have comfort of our repentance To come into the company of the godly to make shew of Religion to come to Church or use private meanes or barely to confesse sinne or to feele terrours for sinne is not enough unlesse wee leave sinne Iudas Demas Cain and the wicked Israelites could doe the former yet never repented Secondly that the occasions of lusts will be daily offered to us from the world or the divell or our owne corrupted nature Now it is not an argument of our misery to have them but to entertaine them Uses The use may bee 1 For information The true abstinence is to abstaine from sinne the other abstinence from meat or the like is but circumstantiall and not in it selfe acceptable to God Esa. 58. 2 For triall Those are sound Christians indeed that abstaine from fleshly lusts Quest. But are there not lusts in godly men as well as in wicked men Answ. There may be
all that are borne of God though in respect of outward fruits and the power or joy of inward gifts they may bee said to lose Ioh. 3.9 Without the word God hath divers meanes to further the salvation of men and he is pleased sometimes to worke by one meanes and sometimes by another sometimes by the Word preached sometimes by the Word read sometimes by Prayer sometimes by the Sacraments sometimes by the example of his Servants So that God doth worke our good sometime by one ordinance and not by another in the same thing and at the same time sometimes he will cure a man of a particular trespasse by the admonition of some private Christian Mat. 18.15 Iam. 5. ult sometimes he will bring a man to feele legall terrors by the doctrine of the Law and sometime hee will worke it by afflictions sometimes he will prepare a man to receive the grace of Christ by praier as he did Cornelius sometimes hee winnes him to it by the example of his servants as here And the reason is partly because God would shew the vertue that is in each ordinance and partly to teach us not to despise or neglect any of the meanes and partly to shew his owne power that workes freely by what meanes hee will as being not tyed to any And therefore they deale very corruptly and perversly that under pretence of commending one ordinance of God labour to abase the respect of another as they doe that say the house of God is a house of prayer and therefore there needs not so much preaching not considering that our Saviour Christ himselfe that alledged that place out of the Prophet to condemne buying and selling in the Temple yet did spend his greatest paines in preaching in the Temple and out of it thereby shewing the prime ordinance of God for the conversion of the soules of men was the preaching of the Gospel to them By the conversation of the Wives Great heed ought to be taken by such as professe Religion in looking carefully to their conversation especially towards such as are without Col. 4.5 Ephes. 5.15 1 Pet. 2.12 It is not enough to doe good duties but we must doe them as becommeth godlinesse T it 2. and so as may allure and win the very ungodly and therefore it is required that our works should shine Mat. 5.16 for by our practise wee resemble God himselfe and by our workes professe to shew not only what Gods Word is but what Gods nature is Our life must have the image of God printed upon it and therefore they doe fearefully that professe Religion amongst wicked men and by their workes order themselves so foolishly deceitfully conceitedly wickedly that they cause the name of God to be blasphemed Quest. But what should wee doe to our practise that by our conversation wee might allure and win wicked men to a love of the truth Answ. 1. First wee must avoide such things in our conversation as may irritate them as scandalous behaviour in any particular offence as deceit lying filthinesse drunkennesse pride covetousnesse passion or the like and withall take heed of mis-spending our zeale about such things wherof demonstration cannot be made to the conscience And besides in the good things we doe we must take heed of conceitednesse and ostentation but in meeknesse of wisedome have our conversations amongst men Iames 3.13 and further we must take heed of judging and censuring of others even of those that be without Iames 3.17 2. Mortification doth shine effectually into the conscience of wicked men it doth move them much if they see we be such as doe heartily judge our selves for the faults that hang upon us and doe not allow our selves in any sin Esay 61.3 3. A sound contempt of this world and the things thereof doth much affect the very naturall conscience of men if they see that not in words but in deed the love of this world and the glorie thereof be not in us and contrariwise it much vexeth them that we should professe the hope of heaven and contempt of the world and yet be as full of cares feares covetousnesse and such like ill affections as the very men of the world 4. Meeknesse and softnesse of nature exprest in our behaviour is very amiable as the coherence in this Text shewes and Tit. 3.1 2. 5. Mercie to the poore especially if we doe abound in it and be ready and cheerefull to it doth justifie us much before men Iames 1.26 Doct. 2. A good example even in inferiours may win men to Religion True Religion expressed in practise is amiable in all sorts of Christians women as well as men inferiours as well as superiours servants as well as masters children as well as parents Tit. 2.3.9.10 Luke 1. and the reason is because the true grace that is expressed by any Christian hath the likenesse of God printed upon it and so is amiable for his sake whom they by their works resemble And this may be a great encouragement to inferiours and should breed in them a great care of well-doing But the main thing intended in this Text is That religious wives ought to strive to win their husbands if they have such as are not religious or not in such soundnesse as they ought Quest. But what should a wife doe to win her husband Answ. She must in generall resolve to doe it not by her words but by her conversation as this Text shewes It is not her talking to her husband will doe it no nor her talking of religion to him that in it selfe is like to prevaile It concernes women very much to remember this point of the Apostle to seeke the reformation of their husbands by their conversation not by their words Ob. But Abraham was willed to heare his wife Gen. 16. Sol. What then hath every wife such an husband as will heare her as Abraham did his wife Besides the question is not what the husbands should doe but what the wives should doe when the husbands as not such as they should be Ob. But how shall a woman know when to speake to her husband and when not Sol. She must not speake to him no not of religion 1. when in the matter she would speake of she is not furnished to speake as becomes the Oracles of God 2. when by experience she hath found that her husband is irritated and provoked by her words 3. when she is not her selfe free from some fault as apparent in other things as that is she mislikes in her husband Qu. But what things must she looke to in her â—â—nversation that she may by her workes win her husband Answ. The first thing is that she be in all found subjection obedient to her husband in all things or else God may win him but she must have no part of the praise of it And this is strongly imported in the very scope of this place In generall she must strive to be to him even for conscience
make a man truely happy and therefore much lesse these silly parcells of the world we can attaine to Eccles. 1.3 2. These are all common things and that in two respects first there is nothing now new to be had which hath not beene had heretofore ordinarily What is now hath beene before and will be afterwards Thou canst enjoy no felicity of life that can be proper to thy selfe Eccles. 1.9 10. 3.15 And then further all these things a foole may enjoy as well as a wise man and a wicked man as well as a godly man A man shall never know love or hatred by these things for they fall alike to all sorts of men Eccles 2.14 3. All things are full of labour who can utter it If men doe reckon the paines and care and unquietnesse and wearinesse they are put to about the getting or keeping or using of these things they would find little cause to love them especially considering that unto the use of the most of these is required a daily labour with toile that men that possesse these things cannot possesse themselves they are so overburthened with the cares and labours of life Eccles. 1.8 4. If a man had never so much of these things yet they cannot satisfie him his soule will not be filled with good The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver Man walketh in a vaine shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine Eccles. 1.9 5.10 Psal. 39. A shadow is something in appearance but nothing in substance if a man would seeke to claspe it or receive it to himselfe 5. All these things are transitory and uncertaine and mutable which may be considered of three wayes First if thou love these things thou art not sure thou canst keepe them they may be lost suddenly and fearefully for either they may weare out of themselves or they may be taken from thee they are liable to vanitie in themselves or to violence from others Mat. 6.19 20. 1 Pet. 1.24 Secondly if thou be sure to enjoy them yet they will be suddenly lost to thee because thou canst not make thy heart to take delight in the same things still for not onely the world passeth away but the lusts thereof also 1 Iohn 2.15 Eccles. 6.1 7. 9.3 Thirdly if neither of these befall thee yet thou art mortall thou must be taken from them and thy life is short like a dreame and passeth away like the winde and thou art but a stranger and pilgrime here and thou must carry nothing out of the world but in all points as thou earnest in to the world so must thou goe hence Psal. 90. Iob 7.7 Eccles. 5.13 14 15. All flesh is grasse Esay 40.6 6. That a man may receive much hurt from them they may steale away our hearts from God The amitie of the world is the enmity with God Iames 4. They are like pitch to deâ—â—le there is a snare and temptation in all of them they fill mens hearts with foolish and noisome lusts and a man may damne his soule for too much loving of them 1 Tim. 6.9 Phil. 3.18 and they may serve to witnesse against a man at the day of judgement Iames 5.1 Lastly consider that there is no comparison betweene the commodities of this life and the commodities of the life to come There are rivers of pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. ult There are Crownes of honour and glorie such as will neither be held with envie nor lost with infamie there shall men possesse enduring substance Heb. 11. treasures not liable either to vanity or violence Mat. 6.20 an inheâ—itâ—â—â—e immortall and undâ—â—â—led and that withereth not and lieth in heaven 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Thus of 〈◊〉 second doctrine A third Doctrine may be gathered out of these words and that is That in some cases there is a permission of the love of life In that he gives rules to such as will love life it imports That God is contented to suffer or tolerate that humour in men Now this toleration may be considered of as it is granted to some men or as it extends in some sort to all sorts of men Some men that are high in place and have publike emploiments and are about some speciall service for the glory of God and good of the Church or Common-wealth in these men the desire to live longer in it selfe is not sinfull this was the case of David and Hezekiah Now further unto all sorts of men the Lord doth allow a certaine kind of liking of life so as they observe such cautions and rules as he appoints as namely that the cares of this life hinder not the preparation for death or the provision for a better life and withall that they limit not God for the time of life but be willing to die when God calls for their lives Now for a conclusion to this point I would advise those that have such a minde to live here to looke to certaine rules which will prevaile with God to grant them long life if any thing will prevaile as first they must be exhorted to take heed of overmuch desire of life they must moderate their desires after life If they could once attaine to it to be content to die when God will it may be they should find life prolonged according to that of our Saviour He that will lose his life shall finde it Secondly such as have Parents in nature or religion must be very carefull to give them due honour for to such God hath promised long life in the fift Commandement Thirdly godlinesse hath the promises of this present life as well as of the life to come and therefore ever the more godly we are in all manner of conversation the longer we may be likely to live and contrariwise a profane man hath no assurance to live out halfe his daies Thus of the first forme of speech The second forme of speech by which the persons he adviseth are described are such as will see good dayes And see good dayes Before I come to the observations here is worke of large enquirie and consideration about the sense for these words import That in the life of man there be some good daies and some evill daies Physicians tell us in their profession of some daies in the yeare that be good daies and some that be evill daies for their directions and superstitious and idle people in the world tell us that there are some good daies to begin businesses in and some evill It seemes here the Prophet David in Theologicall contemplation findes that in the life of man some daies be good and some be evill This would be enquired into And that we may finde out which be good daies we must first enquire which be evill daies and that by Scripture account And that we may distinctly understand this we must enquire which be evill daies 1. For wicked men 2. For godly men The daies of
the contrary ibid. c. In what cases we may not be of one mind with the Church of Rome 678 W WArre Warfare Vide Fight The Christian condition is military 42 He must keepe a fivefold garison 43 Foure kinds of Warre against the soule 384 The flesh warres against the soule five wayes ibid. Why God doth suffer this Ware 385 Our armour in this Warre what 386 How we may get victorie in this Warre 387 Weake Priviledges of Weake Christians 229 Encouragement for Weake Christians 237 Well-doing Well-doing is the best way to stop the 〈◊〉 of wicked man â—65 Excellent uses of it ibid. How we are said to doe well 639 631 Reasons why we ought alwayes to be Well-doing 631 Whisperers Vide Bacâ—biters 216 217 Wicked Wickednesse What Wicked men in particular are not under mercie 354 God doth oft suffer his children to live among Wicked men 391 In what case we may converse with wickedmen 392 Wife Sixteene motives for Husbands and Wives to live together quietly in marriage 576 Five speciall causes of disorder betweene Husband and Wife 577 Why the Apostle is so large in setting down the Wives duty 579 Eight reasons of the Wives subjection 581 In what 582 How and in what cases not ibid. Particular sins of the Wife in case of subjection 583 What meanes a Wife must use to win her Husband 595 596 Chastity in marriage is specially charged on the Wife 596 How chaste wife may be discerned 597 Wherein Wives should shew their feare to their Husbands 601 602 What is a Wives best ornament 627 Obedience and reverence are a Wives ornaments 628 Will. The Will of God is first Personall secondly Essentiall First Legall secondly Evangelicall 451 Gods Word is his Will in two respects 452 The Will is the rule of our actions 452 Whether a Christian can exactly doe Gods Will 453 Winne Divers kinds of Winning 590 What a Minister must doe to win soules 591 To be won what it 〈◊〉 ibid. Why all are not won at once 592 By what meanes we may win wicked men in our conversation 594 Wise Wisedome Why many Wise men are rather confounders than founders in grace and goodnesse 296 How the ignorant may herein notwithstanding be supported 297 Five waye 's we should shew forth the Wisdome of Christ 329 What this Wisedome must not have in is ibid. Woman In what things a Woman is more fraile than man 643 Word How powerfull 55 Vide Scripture How many wayes sin hinders the growth of the Word 200 How to be desired 221 How our affections to it may be discerned 222 Other signes of it ibid. c. Impediments thereof both externall and internall 223 224 Meanes to get desire to it 225 How to preserve our desires to it 226 Foure motives of getting it 227 How farre wicked men may desire the Word 230 The sweetnesse of the Word 240 Rules for applying the Word aright 288 When and how a man is said to be offended at the Word 310 The Word must be the warrant for all our actions 422 Its praise 189 The only outward meanes to beget the seed of grace in us 190 Eight things needfull in us to heare the Word of God as the Word of God ibid. How the Word is said to live 191 Sixe wayes to shew the life of the Word in our conversation ibid. c. Gods Word should be our maine care 199 The power of the Word Preached 200 Workes How men shall be judged according to their Workes 129 130 How infants 130 How poore men 131 Manifold distinctions of Gods works 148 How wonderfull Gods Workes are 274 The uses of it 275 To be a Worker of iniquity signifies three things 397 Wherein Workes are good 398 Rules to be observed in doing good Works 399 400 The divers kinds of good Works 400 401 How any man that is not absolutely good can be said to doe good Workes 401 402 What Workes are good for 402 How a man may lose his Workes 403 What Works may and ought to bee shewed 404 We should by good workes silence the wicked 454 World Contempt of the World shewed in foure things 331 Worship Actions about Gods Worship of two sorts 432 433 Many defects in Gods Worship 548 Wrongs Reasons against righting Wrongs by our owne private revenge 498 We may not in some cases resist but endure Wrongs ibid. To suffer Wrongs is profitable ibid. Places of Scripture herein expounded occasionally GEnesis 10. ver 9. p. 428 Exodus 26. ver 8. p. 98 Leviticus 14. à ver 4. ad 32. p. 165 ad 173. Cap. 16. ver 12 13 17 p. 26 Numbers 19. à ver 1 2. ad 7. p. 23. Psalme 19. ver 10. p. 240 Psalme 119. ver 103. ibid. Psalme 145. ver 8 9. p. 32 Proverbs 15. ver 30. p. 447 448 Proverbs 22. ver 1. p. 447 Esay 53. ver 7. ibid. Jeremiah 11. ver 19. ibid. Matthew 16. ver 18. p. 250 John 1. ver 29. 36. 147 Acts 5. ver 10 28 29. p. 435 Acts 17. ver 30. p. 127 Romans 2. ver 10. p. 449 Romans 12. ver 3. p. 104 2 Cor. 2. ver 14 15. p. 241 Ephesians 4. ver 17 18. p. 458 1 Thess. 5. ver 15. p. 686 Hebrewes 4. ver 12. p. 55 Hebrewes 12. ver 9. p. 374 2 Epist. Johan ver 8. p. 593 FINIS Verse 1. PETER an Apostle of Iesus Chr to the strangers scattred throughout Pontus Galatia Capadocia Asia Bithinia Verse 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinckling of the blood of Iesus Christ Grace unto you and peace be multiplied Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his aboundant meâ—cy hath begotten us aâ—aine unto a lively hope by the resurrectiâ—n of Jesus Christ from the dead Verse 4. To an inheâ—â—â—ance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you Verse 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time Verse 6. Wherein yee greatly rejoice though now for a season if neede be you are in heavinesse through manifold tentations Verse 7. That the tryall of your faith being much more precious then of gold that perisheth though it be tryed by the fire might be sound unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. Verse 8 Whom having not seene yee love in whom though now yee see him not yet beleeving yee rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Verse 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules Verse 10. Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you Verse 11. Searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Ver 12. Vnto whom