Christian love wherein we have 1. The ground of it The grace of God which they had received namely for that they were Justified and Sanctified which is set out by the part purified Their Souls the outward means whereby the word called Truth which they did obey and the inward worker the Spirit 2. The end of it which was as to all good duties so to true love amongst the rest as if he had said Seeing you are pardoned and purged to this end that you should love purely see that you do so This ground is a Reason of the Exhortation where it seemeth the Holy Ghost keeps a good order both in his Exhortations and Reasons Before he exhorted to the fear and love of God now to the love of the Brethren Before he had used Reasons both from the Godhead in general vers 15 16. and from the first two persons of the Trinity the Father vers 17. and the Son vers 18 19. Now he useth one taken from the third person the holy Spirit of God who had wrought grace in them and purified them to this end From the order which the holy Ghost useth Note we two things 1. Where there 's no love nor fear of God there can be no true Brotherly love that being indeed the root from whence this springeth 1. Therefore there can be no true love amongst the wicked Drunkards meet together and Pot-companionship is common but this is no love its conspiracy Love rejoyceth in good not evil No more is a company of Thieves and Traytors that conspire together or many or fewer that combine against a good part they may stick close and hold together in evil but this is no love nor in those Towns where there 's scarce any or but mean teaching where people meet twice or thrice a week to Bowls and women to Stool-ball or other games thus to spend out their time and to no good is far from love and yet if one speak against such things Oh say they You are an enemy to love and friendship and It was as a peaceable Town till such a one came as any other whatsoever now there 's no good-fellowship c. But our Savior Christ saith He came to bring no such peace in evil but rather debate The Devil is content with this peace because they strengthen one another in evil for if any good come to cross this merry prophane world then will it be opposed What hold is thereof their love they go arm in arm to the Tavern yet straight ready to stab one another or betray each other as Joab did Abner and it was between the men of Sechem and Abimelech if they be once out at deadly defiance it s seldom forgiven never forgotten 2. Nor can the wicked love the children of God truly they may be convinced in their conscience as Saul that they be the Servants of God innocent men and God may encline their hearts to favor them as Cyrus to set the people at liberty to return and build For if a mans ways please God his very enemies shall be at peace with them and Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes favored Ezra and Nehemiah yea as God kept Daniel among the Lyons so he can and doth keep his children among the wicked and as he made the Ravens bring Elijah meat so he can make even the wicked instruments for his childrens good but love them they cannot They may do a man outwardly some good and not amiss to take it but to do it aright they cannot as neither to pray or do any other duty and what hold of their favor If they cry Hosanna now within a while they will cry Crucifie him as those of Lystra would have sacrified to Paul and Barnabas as gods but by and by upon a lying report of some stoned them and as Herod reverenced John the Baptist yet at the perswasion of Herodias her Daughter cut off his head Judas betrayed Christ and David complained that it was his familiar friend that did him the greatest hurt If some great body shall say to them I perceive or hear you are a great favorer of Puritans they are gone and hide their heads if the multitude go the other way or it be any thing dangerous when there 's most need of them they are gone 2. Upon this coupling of these two together Note further that Wheresoever there 's the true fear and love of God there will be also love towards our Brethren 1. Therefore they that declare no love but that they are void of all bowels of compassion being all for themselves are also void of the love of God 2. They also that malign mock and persecute the better sort no worse brand of such that they have in them not the least dram of the love of God He that loveth him that begetteth loveth also him that is begotten and they that love God make much of them that fear the Lord having all their delight in such The contrary is a black mark and as bad as may be as bad a brand as any can bear as hereby we may know that we are translated from death unto life so by the contrary that we are yet under darkness 3. They that are contentious giving or embracing every trifling occasion conducing hereto and can fret and fall out and live in enmity and that day after day week after week moneth after moneth let these suspect themselves either the love of God hath no place in them or else it s in a very small measure and their corruption overgrows the same Having purified your souls These words are the Ground and Reason of the Exhortation namely That forasmuch as they were Justified and Sanctified by the Spirit of God to the exercise of all good duties and so of love that they would do that for which they had this cost bestowed upon them This presupposing a former impurity notes the uncleanness that is in Soul and Body They were created pure but are now defiled in the sight of God and that with sin which God who is of pure eyes cannot abide we are guilty of Adams sin born in Original sin therewith tainted throughout so with infinite actual sins Not only are our eyes full of adultery our feet swift to shed blood our mouthes full of cursing c. but our very souls defiled and every faculty thereof the thoughts of our heart being onely evil continually thereout proceeding Murthers Adulteries c. whereby we are defiled This is implyed in that of the Prophet Cease to do evil learn to do well and that of Saint James Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded We are not without filthy nakedness we are so corrupt that our nature taints all our actions be they never so good in themselves yea the best and most holy of Gods Ordinances the Word Sacraments and Prayer making them
nothing so bad as else they would be or at least they shall procure their own liberty to hear read pray c. when their Husbands shall observe that no hurt comes thereby but rather that all things prosper well O therfore let wives labor to be humble and meek that as David was renowned for delivering Israel out of Goliah's hand they may be much more by delivering their Husbands through their godly conversation out of the hands of Satan and Hell O this is the happiest gains to gain men unto God! Thus to put out our talents will be to our Masters greatest advantage and turn most to our glory some Christians scatter away from God through whose ill and undiscreet carriage God and the Gospel lose much Assuredly such can have but little joy of themselves And for Husbands that have such good and godly Wives let them be careful to be bettered by them and won to God else they shall be brought against them as their Judges yea and against such also as live near them and yet are not bettered by them They shall condemn them as Noah did the old world Verse 2. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear THis Verse is an exposition and opening of the former shewing how their Husbands should be won even by beholding their behavior and life to be pure holy honest and good and that not at some times nor in some things onely but at all times and in all things the neglect whereof doth occasion that their Husbands do often despise their forwardness and profession of Religion even because they do not observe them alike conscionably in every thing and at all times as also that they are of them reverenced and regarded and that there is in them a loathness at any time to displease them These things considered do much prevail with them So then our Apostle requireth two things of Wives Chastity and Reverence and that for that their Husbands would look into these things and that diligently While they behold A good reason to perswade wives to those vertues they professing Religion may be sure their Husbands which do not profess the same will look narrowly into their behavior measuring their Religion thereby Thus they that be of diverse Religions look into the lives one of another as the Papists do into ours and we into theirs we disliking their Religion because they make no conscience of an Oath of the Sabbath day of soundness in any duty c. as they ours for that they see many that profess our Religion to be dissolute and notoriously wicked yet have there been at all times some professors which have denyed the power of godliness so the common sort among our selves pry into the conversation of those which seem more forward and eminent in duties then others 1. Therefore It behoves us all to look well to our selves We are as a city set on an hill many eyes be open upon us the eyes of all the Canaanites and Perizzites in the Land when such observe our conversation not to be answerable unto our profession it sets them quite off from the love of Religion which though it be their fault yet we give the occasion 2. Let Wives that have ill Husbands look to themselves Their Husbands observe them at an inch and pry into their conversation to take them tardy for want of subjection and reverence for want of patience or of careful looking to houshold affairs c. that so they may reproach them for Profession and cut them short of their liberty But when after long looking they finde them sound and careful every way it overcomes their hearts and makes them have a reverent opinion of them and thereupon by little and little they are wrought upon and come to the Word and through Gods blessing grow unto a love thereof Happy are those Wives thrice happy those Husbands that have such Your chaste conversation Chastity is a part of temperance whereby we keep our bodies and souls pure and undefiled Temples of the Holy Ghost and Members of Christ Jesus This is to be observed through our whole life whether in single or married estate In single estate there must be abstaining from all uncleanness not onely of the outward act natural or unnatural but from all uncleanness of the ear delighting to hear beastly speech of the tongue to utter it of the eye so to behold any object as to lust after it as also a diligent use of all good means to preserve from these till God call to Marriage and then to embrace that holy and honorable remedy which God hath appointed for many good uses and ends In married estate Chastity must also be preserved Wives must be chaste not onely avoyding all outward and detestable acts of uncleanness with strange men but even of tongue or heart and all the least shews and appearances of immodesty in Countenance Gesture Apparel Speech Company or the like which might cause suspition or jealousie This condemns as all immodest behavior in Wives rowling eyes naked breasts laying out the hair painting the face wanton talk and delighting to be in company of strangers at home or abroad c. so especially that foul and odious sin of Adultery when the Wife breaking the Covenant of God and forsaking the guide of her youth gives her self to Strangers O how do such wrong God Gods Church their Husbands their own Souls O the Judgements whereunto such are lyable here and which shall be inflicted on them if they repent not hereafter As they have burnt in vile lusts against God and his Commandments so they shall burn in Hell for ever and ever Their paths tend to death their houses to Hell and destruction Coupled with fear Not a base fear as to do what she doth for fear of his anger who else would do as she list and cross him if she durst this is forbid in the end of the sixth Verse but a reverend regard of her husband as being her Head and from the love she bears to him being loath to grieve him in any thing but willing and careful to please him every way This rebukes those wives that set lightly by their husbands neither regarding how much they themselves do grieve them nor how much their servants do affording as it were continual matter of grief and unquietness unto them Well be the husband rich or poor wise or unwise the wife should so carry her self as whereby he may receive most content Verse 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold or putting on of apparel Verse 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price INasmuch as those that be given to pride and excess in apparel be none of the most dutiful
good work 117 Verse 18 19. 1. THe third reason of the foregoing Exhortation 118 2. A man may know himselfe redeemed 119 3. Redemption presupposeth bondage and slavery ibid. 4. There 's a way whereby to come out of our bondage 120 5. The whole life of an unregenerate man is vain 121 6. Children readily follow the evil example of their Parents ibid. 7. Whom we are here to understand by fathers ibid. 8. Popish Religion stands in patches 122 9. Parents must give their children good example ibid. 10. To follow the example of our Ancestors is no sure rule 123 11. The things of this world are insufficient to redeem any out of his spiritual bondage ibid. 12. The things of this world are corruptible vain and uncertain 125 13. Christs blood the true price of mans redemption 126 14. In what respects Christ is compared to a Lamb 129 15. We are not to listen to either believe all we hear 131 Verse 20 21. 1. THe prevention of an Objection 132 2. Christ was ordained before the world 133 3. The world shall not always continue 135 4. Christ how manifested ibid. 5. God is constant and unchangeable ibid. 6. Gods promises are unchangeable 136 7. Christ was then exhibited when God decreed he should so be ibid. 8. What God hath decreed shall be in dwe time accomplished 136 9. Three differences of times and why this called the last 137 10. God will no otherwise reveal his will then he hath already done ibid. 11. We now live in the latter end of the last times ibid. 12. Why Christ came towards the latter end of the world 138 13. What we are to do that others may think well of us ibid. 14. We cannot believe in God but by the Son ibid. 15. In Christs Resurrection the whole Trinity had a hand 139 16. The benefits which they reap that believe in Christ ibid. Verse 22. 1. VVHere there 's no love nor fear of God there can be no true brotherly love 140 2. Where there 's the true fear or love of God there 's also brotherly love ibid. 3. There 's uncleanness in us both in soul and body 142 4. Where there is sanctification of the soul there is also sanctification of the body 143 5. The Word of God is the outward instrument of our cleansing ibid. 6. Why the Word is called Truth ibid. 7. The Spirit is the inward worker of Sanctification 144 8. Till we be cleansed by the Spirit we are unfit for any duty ibid. 9. The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works ibid. 10. What love is ibid. 11. The properties of love 146 12. Two caveats to be observed of them that for redressing of wrongs make use of the Magigrate 147 13. There 's little love in the world 148 14. The causes of the want of love 150 15. The effects of the want of love 151 16. Reasons inciting to the duty of love 152 19. The fruits of love must accompany the profession thereof 153 20. Brotherly offices must proceed from brotherly affections ibid. 21. Love must reach to all ibid. 22. How we ought to love the wicked 155 23. Love must be without faining ibid. 24. Love must be mutual 156 25. The properties of pure love 157 26. A Christians love must be earnest 158 27. Love must be constant ibid. Verse 23. 1. NO unregenerate person can truly love 159 2. Such as are born again must needs love ibid. 3. What Regeneration is ibid. 4. The Lord the Author thereof 160 5. The Lords will the cause thereof 161 6. Without Regeneration all things else we have are nothing ibid. 7. Regeneration of absolute necessity 162 8. The effects of Regeneration 163 9. A regenerate man is not the same he was before ibid. 10. A regenerate man groweth by degrees 164 11. Why men grow no faster in goodness ibid. 12. A caveat for such as complain they do not grow 165 13. There 's no perfection here in this life ibid. 14. Regeneration cometh not by nature 167 15. Gods Spirit by the Word changeth mans heart ibid. 16. Gods Word is the instrumental cause of our conversion 168 17. God doth not always tye himself thereunto ibid. 18. The Ministers of the Word are appointed of God the instruments to convert souls 169 19. Whence it cometh to pass that the Word worketh Regeneration 170 Verse 24 25. 1. VVHerein mans life may be compared to grass 171 2. How to be prepared for death 172 3. The glory of a carnal man but a vain thing 174 4. Nothing in an unregenerate man can abide the Lords examination 175 5. Gods Word the means whereby to live for ever ibid. 6. The Word by preaching made the instrument of Regeneration 176 7. The Word ought to be preached in every Congregation 177 8. The Word must be so preached as that it may be avouched to be indeed the Word of God ibid. CHAP. II. THe Coherence of this Chapter with the former with the sum thereof and of the first three Verses 179 Verse 1 2 3. 1. REgeneration and the love of sin cannot stand together 180 2. There 's no perfection to be attained unto here ibid. 3. To be is a Christian a work of great difficulty 181 4. Under those here named all other corruptions are included ibid. 5. Most of the corruptions here named are inward 182 6. That 's nought which is forbidden in Gods Word ibid. 7. What malice is with the difference between it and anger 183 8. What we are to understand by guile ibid. 9. Guile is to be avoided as well in smal as great matters 184 10. What Hypocrisie is 185 11. What Envy ibid. 12. What evil speaking ibid. 13. The Word of God cannot thrive in an unsanctified heart 186 14. Our desire toward the Word must be earnest ibid. 15. Our desire toward the Word must be constant 187 16. Our desire toward the Word must be impartial 188 17. Ministers must have store of milk for their spiritual children and store of love and much patience ibid. 18. The Word why compared to milk 189 19. Nothing sweeter to Gods children then the Word 189 20. The Word is the common food of all Christians ibid. 21. The Word why called sincere ibid. 22. Why Christians are to desire after the Word 191 23. Christians must daily grow in grace ibid. 24. Such as finde the Word powerful for their Salvation do the more desire it and affect it 192 25. Christ is sweet to a Christian and sweetens all that he hath 193 26. Christ is every way bountiful to his ibid. Verse 4 5. 1. VVHerein Christs bounty doth appear 194 2. A comparison between the Temple of Jerusalem and that which Christ maketh of all that believe in him ibid. 3. Christ why compared to a stone ibid. 4. To believe in Christ which is to come to him is a great priviledge ibid. 5. Christians must come to Christ 195 6. Christ the foundation that bears up his Church 198
such liberty as will not stand with Christianity or a good conscience These cause that the Church of God cannot conceive so well nor give so full a testimony of them as were to be desired but are forced to speak doubtfully Oh let us so walk that by sincerity and constancy in godly courses we my get a large and full testimony in the conscience of those we live withal It 's a Crown and Garland to us whiles we live and a confirmation to us that we deceive not our selves It 's an honor when we die as the contrary even to be accounted vile a fearful punishment yea it 's a comfort and crown to our Wives Children Friends and a provocation to them to follow our steps whom they hear so well spoken of According to the foreknowledge of God God in his foreknowledge and eternal decree hath as ye heard appointed some to Salvation Q. Why did God before all worlds thus decree of men Ans. Of his own will which is the first and highest cause It 's not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will He hath power over us as the Potter over the clay As he did not therefore chuse some because he foresaw they would receive grace so neither is foreseen infidelity the cause why God refuseth any but because he would for though he neither hateth nor casteth away any but for their sin yet this was not the cause of the Lords decree but his own will which is that which maketh any thing just and good Our will indeed being so corrupt must not be a reason of our actions but in God his is whose will maketh a thing good and not because a thing is good therefore he willeth it Beyond this will of his we must not enquire but in humility lay our hand upon our mouth and admire the depth of his wisdom and be content to stay for further knowledge of these things in the world to come In the mean time sit we down quietly believing what God hath revealed in his Word It followeth 1. That if any can prove his election he must stand and admire at the unsearchableness of Gods free mercy that he should think upon him a poor worm before the beginning of the world and one that should be of the common stock of Adam a sinfull wretch think of him I say to choose him to life passing by so many Oh how should this ravish our hearts and inflame us with love 2. That if any be rejected they must not complain of cruelty in God for that they are rejected Is the clay to say to the Potter why hast thou made me thus Beside thou art not condemned but for the just deserts and sins which thou hast committed against God all that can be said is this He gives not his grace to them as he doth to his elect whereof who shall complain God is bound to none Unto the Sanctification of the Spirit The end why we were elected is 1. In respect of God his glory 2. In respect of our selves our Salvation which we come unto by Santificaction which is the end of our Redemption All that were elected in time he brings into the world we come in enemies to God children of wrath polluted but he lets us have the word whereby he effectually calleth us to faith and repentance and so purgeth and washeth us by his word outwardly and his spirit inwardly whereby our nature is cleansed from the love of all sin and made pure in Gods fight and we enabled to dye to sin and live righteously Hereby may every one examine and prove whether he be elect or no viz. Not by climbing to the top at first and flying unto the unsearchable counsels of God the way to dazle and confound us but by the lowest step our Sanctification Here 's also comfort to them that can prove their Sanctification in truth though imperfectly There 's no condemnation to them an infallible mark of their election which may the more soundly comfort them because it is unchangeable as God is so that all the Devils in Hell shall never be able to prevail against their Salvation which is a Bulwark and Castle against all temptations Once the childe of God and ever so onely labor to walk worthy of this love and grow in sanctification that we may have the more plentiful and strong argument of our election past and glory to come Here 's also terror to those that walk after the flesh and the lusts thereof that lie yet in their sins they need not make a question about their election they may know that as yet they have no mark of it such rather carry a mark of reprobation about them Break off your sins therefore and turn to God who would not leave any sin that would hinder assurance of Salvation and who would not do any duty that might assure him thereof Let this be a strong and sharp spur to move us to Repentance and be not desperately careless saying If I be elected I shall be saved let me do as I will and if I be rejected let me do never so well I shall be damned These are flat lies use thou in humility the ways and means to attain faith and sanctification that thou mayst be assured of thine election else if thou wilt desperately justle against God see who will go by the worst Yea not only the prophane bear a brand of reprobation but even those that have some shew of holiness such as like Hâ—rod hear gladly and amend many things or such as like the Pharisees make clean the outside of the platter the inside being full of filthiness such as have a shew of godliness yet by some sins deny the power of it or such holiness as stands in Ceremony the substance being neglected These kindes of holiness are no marks of Election therefore do not we content our selves with these but labor for true inward and sincere sanctification which is in the heart in one thing as in another in trouble as well as in prosperity Unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ The meritorious cause of our salvation is Christs obedience and sufferings and his obedience was chiefly in the offering up of himself for though the Father had Elected us to salvation and made us happy in Adam yet we wrought our own overthrow by sin and so deserved the curse of God here and for ever The only way then to deliver us from this and to save us was by the Lord Jesus God and man who suffered all the wrath that was due to us for our sins and so discharged us To appease this wrath there was in our selves no power no means else in the world would serve even the
Gods love is no want of any thing needful worldlings indeed do greatly seek after wealth for their children and rejoyce to see them wealthy and healthy though in the mean time they see in them no true tokens of Gods favor but alas what are these It should more glad us to see an humble godly heart turned from sin and embracing righteousness though sickly and poor then to flow in all the wealth of the world and be ungracious and to come home in a Gold chain or to hear that our childe were like Joseph the second man in the Kingdom without grace But men do for their children as for themselves labor more for goods then grace But what shall we say to those Ministers that check their people for forwardness and seek to discourage them what also to those Parents that are so far from desiring grace for their children as they check and discourage them for their forwardness thereunto such would like them rather if they saw them jolly as the world Oh a hard part of Parents Be multiplied He desires not that they be once taken into Gods favor and his other graces begun in them but that they be continued and daily encreased more and more He was covetous to have his spritual children thrive apace and grow very rich in grace Such covetousness even a desire to joyn grace to grace is both for our selves and others commendable So should a Minister desire that his people may not be a little better then the worst but to exceed others by far that they may answer the time and means and to this end as to pray so to call upon them continually and they not to think amiss of this but to rejoyce in it as a special fruit of his Love so must Parents to their Children God gives us leave to be covetous in these things and to joyn grace unto grace as men do house unto house so shall we honor him much for a little grace will go but a little way Thus shall we benefit our Neighbors much when our branches spread far and our lips feed many Thus shall we have a large Testimony to our selves of our Salvation while we live and make a wide entrance for our selves into the glorious Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead NOw followeth the substance of the Epistle consisting of Doctrine and Exhortation Doctrine to the thirteenth Verse Exhortations in the Verses following The Exhortations are to continue constant in the profession of the Gospel of Christ and to stick close to that Salvation purchased by Christ and revealed therein and that they would lead an holy and and godly life answerable to this profession and Gospel both in their general and particular callings yea now in their present troubles and notwithstanding any other they might meer with hereafter Now this being a very weighty building therefore he had need lay a foundation fitting for the same and so he doth which is this namely The singular benefits that we receive by Jesus Christ his Death and Resurrection viz. Assurance of Salvation Hope Joy Peace c. and at last everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven all which are revealed and wrought in us by the Gospel which is no new Doctrine but that which of old was revealed to all the Prophets though now more clearly and fully manifested Therefore seeing God hath done so great things for us by Christ Jesus and these things are revealed in the Gospel which is very ancient good reason they should cleave to Christ and be carried after no other way of Salvation accordingly walking worthy of the benefits they have both already reaped hereby and may further hereafter The Doctrine setteth forth the great benefit that we reap by Jesus Christ namely That we are begot to a lively hope of Salvation and of being partakers of such an inheritance as is without comparison which is every way set forth according to its excellency where we have 1. The benefit That we are begotten to a lively hope 2. The moving cause The abundant mercy of God 3. The means whereby namely The Resurrection of Jesus Christ 5. The end That we may partake of Salvation which he calls an Inheritance and describes it by several properties Blessed be God For the maner of speech we read of three kindes of blessing in Scripture 1. God blesseth man when he bestoweth upon him his favors and good things earthly and heavenly 2. Man blesseth man and that either ordinarily when he prayeth to God to bless him Thus Moses is appointed to bid Aaron bless the people and the form of prayer is set down Thus Parents bless their children and we are to bless them that curse us or extraordinarily when by the Spirit of Prophecie the Prophets of God have not onely prayed to God for a blessing on their posterity but have pronounced a blessing upon them foretelling what their state should be in time to come As Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau Iacob also his Sons and Moses the twelve Tribes at his death 3. Man blesseth God when he ascribeth that honor praise and thanksgiving which is due to him for his Mercy Wisdom Justice Truth not when we give him any thing he hath not that cannot be but when we ascribe and give that to him which is most justly due to him already Thus understand we the phrase here as elswhere often For the matter Being to repeat the great benefits that come to us by Jesus Christ he doth it not barely but begins with praise and thanksgiving for the same Blessed be God c. saith he as if he should have said For these unspeakable and great benefits bestowed on us unworthy ones Oh my soul Spirit and all that is in me come forth to render thanks to God Teaching us That When we speak or have any occasion to think as we ought often to speak and think of Gods mercies especially his special mercies that concern our Salvation we should do it with admiration and setting forth his praise Thus both David and Paul Even his outward benefits ought to stir us up unto thankfulness how much more ought we to be stirred up for spiritual favors and deliverances from the bondage and thraldom of Sin Satan and Hell how can we do any less All creatures Sun Moon Fouls praise God in their kinde and yet they have onely been created what we then that have been redeemed when we were lost They that have felt their bondage and finde themselves delivered cannot but break out into his praise Indeed the common sort that have those things but in their brain onely and never had the feeling of the one or of the other they can speak
be dismaid and dead as it were on the nest Through this they can even in Prison with Paul and Silas sing Psalms as through this the Martyrs endured the fire Daniel and the Three Children went cheerfully to suffer This also makes a Christian lively to serve God and in every duty to praise him as David Open thou my lips saith he namely with assurance of thy love and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise So to do good to others as being fitted to teach them as well the way of Gods justice against sin as the way of his mercy to them that repent yea hereby we shall be fit to every good duty I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge mine heart namely by the perswasion of thy love and by thy Spirit and the hope of Salvation It s a fault in Christians that they be no more cheerful in this hope but lumpish and soon daunted in afflictions a fault I say that we are no more active and lightsom in Gods business Let every one then labor for it till this we are not alive our soul never prospers nor sees good day This even this is the beginning of life and the first step to eternal life Would any man live and be cheerful and see good days and have that which might keep him from being daunted in adversity persecution death at the day of Judgement let him by all means get this Without this mens hopes are vain their stout courage will fail them in those times when God shall frown It s Faith onely which will carry a man through all things Hereby he shall have a heart to serve God yea both do and suffer the greatest things for him and his sake According to his abundant mercy The moving cause of this benefit of our calling to Faith and hope is Gods mercy nay hit abundant mercy The cause of all the good that ever came to us or ever shall come is no other but onely free favor Why did he elect us before the world but onely of his undeserved love According to the good pleasure of his own will not for works we had done it was before the world not for any we were like to do as who do none till he work them in us So also Why redeemed he us when we were all fallen into condemnation even for his meer mercy was there any thing in us could deserve it when we were utterly unable to do any good nay when his utter enemies why also hath he called us Did we or could we do any thing before our calling to deserve it We were not onely unable to think a good thought but serving the Devil with all our power walking in our lusts after the Prince that ruleth in the children of disobedience See our case in Ezek. 16. both in respect of our Parents sinners and our selves or any thing we can do Nay to cut the throat of all conceit of any merit less or more before or alter he saith His abundant mercy So that a little mercy such as is in man or some reasonable store as in Angels would not serve the turn nor was sufficient to save us or move the Lord to call us to this hope but an abundant deal of the mercy of God which is infinite Was it a small matter that moved God to chuse thee to Salvation rather then thousands of others or was it a small mercy to give us his onely Son to save and deliver us by suffering all the wrath due to us What Not his Servant nor his Friend but his Son his only begotten Son the wisdom of the Father the Image of the invisible God the engraven form of his Person to stoop so low as to become man nay in that base estate to be despised of men to be hated spitted upon mockt shamefully Crucified and he that knew no sin to stand in the stead of most vile sinners and so to be dealt with and that for us no friends but enemies no good persons but vile and wretched ones Was a little love enough to bring this to pass Oh no but a love without measure without example never such another even that any Father gave his only begotten Son to save traitors and enemies It was wonder that the Father did not rather suffer all mankinde to perish then to give his only most blessed Son to suffer the least of these indignites And it was no small love of Iesus Christ that moved him to leave the glory of the Father and stoop to the estate of a man and all his infirmities save sin and to endure all these tortures of men and his Fathers wrath especially It was no small love that made him give us his heart-blood when he shed a few tears for Lazarus the Jews said Behold how he loved him but having shed his blood for us what may we say So also is it a small measure of mercy to call us to the hope of Salvation from our wretched estate when we went on in sin and minded no good nay all evil It must needs be a great deal of mercy to move God to think well to us when we went on madly in our sins and did fight against him so also to forgive so many and horrible offences as we had committed no marvel though David craved the multitude of Gods mercies If they were not infinite our sins could not be forgiven for our sins come as neer infinite as number can make them then to cloath such wretches with the righteousness of his Son then to forget and forgive all that is past and take us into favor and make us here heirs of all his promises and priviledges and of life eternal hereafter who will not admire it Is not this abundant mercy to work this hope in us whom he might have justly condemned and when he might also have been glorified in our condemnation as he was in Pharoahs Plagues So also to adopt us for his children men adopt that have none of their own God had a natural beloved Son men adopt their kinsmen God us nothing of his kin yea his enemies men adopt for some good quality we had no such thing to move God was it not a great deal of mercy that moved God to call Paul that ran a persecuting of him in his members to forgive Mary Magdalen Manasses c. So every one of us What were we when God called us Must not we say that it was abundant mercy that ever we were called forgiven and saved They that have had their part in this abundant mercy must be stirred up to abundant thanksgiving saying with the Psalmist What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me We must testifie our love in â—ealous obedience all the days of our life shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous
it or look therein to read it What a contempt were this The Scripture yet is the Lords Letter sent to us to inform us of his will O what shall the condemnation of this Land be that having the light love darkness better and God having given us his Word which he gives not to all we make so light account thereof we will not bestow the searching of it Nay every toy proves sufficient to keep us from it O woful unthankfulness How did our Forefathers make account of the Word Job David they in Queen Maries time whereof some read it by stealth in Hay-gofes c. O how precious was it to them Cra threw away his Money but kept his New Testament when he suffered Ship-wrack Many poor Christians and dear servants of God in Spain and elsewhere do now read the Word of God and other good Books with peril of their lives O how shall they rise up against us which may with peace and much liberty and sundry encouragements read and be conversant in the Scriptures yet regard it not God sends his Letter to us we will not vouchsafe to open it What will we regard if we regard not the Scriptures I tell you God hath no greater blessing to bestow on Mortal man This little Book is the glory of the world without which all the world is but a dung-hill and if this were taken away it were better for us not to be then to be for we should do nothing but grope in darkness and be devoured of our lusts till Hell snatch us away le ts learn therefore at last to be wiser and that whilest we may Casting away our toys and vanities learn we to be better acquainted with the Word then at any time heretofore all that be strangers to it be strangers to true comfort Yea resolve we that no day shall pass us without reading some part of Scripture for our instruction else how shall we do our duties each to other how use prosperity and adversity how to learn either to live or dye Here as good housholders we may provide store both for our selves and others For the words themselves Be ye holy for I am holy They are taken as ye heard out of Leviticus Them the Lord used to his people whom he had chosen from all others on whom he bestowed many outward mercies and betrusted them with his Word who thought they should see round about them the Gentiles abounding with idolatry and all maner of sin yet they must not follow them therein But as I have set you out from all other for my self saith the Lord so set your selves apart to my use and service and be ye holy to me as ye observe me to be Hence learn That Where God bestows on a Land or Corner or Town more mercies then on others he looks they should not be as other places that have not had the same favors but have been left to themselves but abounding in holiness holy as he himself is holy Here I might speak of this Land what God hath done for it and what he expects at our hands even that we should be better then any other Nation and then how we are so far from being more holy then others that if any Nation have any sin we get it from them and appropriate it to our selves What should I speak of the common sins of the times The last Assizes and every one shews what state we are in what horrible incests the daughter being with childe by her own father and the Wife burning the childe another ravishing his own daughter being thereof accused by his own childe and wife What cruel murthers besides the common mother sins ignorance extream worldliness and that overspreading canker and leprosie of this Land the contempt of good persons If any be more forward careful zealous then the common sort he is hated mocked discouraged all that may be Not the simplest fellow in a Town though he cannot understand one petition of the Lords Prayer but will mock at those that be any thing toward in Religion or forward to hear the Word refrain from disorder and keep the Lords Day c. this sin abounds most fearfully in this Land In other Religions which are indeed false and irreligious look who is most zealous and forward he is most reverenced and regarded onely in the true Religion if any be but careful to bring into use and practise that which he hears knows and dare not do as others but rather reprove them he makes himself as a wondering stock and is hooted as an howl one that shal sure be hoysed up in charges huâ—cht at complained of and vexed This sin not repented of nor left wil be the moth confusion of this Land as we may justly fear God is every year upon us with one new punishment or other but they prevail nothing we are as bad stil or worse what therefore may we not look for How sped the Israelites at last we may fear lest God make us as famous for judgement as we have been for mercies we may fear that it shall be said of all that pass by How is this famous nation become thus desolate and answered Because they despised the Lord his Gospel and servants after many mercies bestowed upon them to have brought them in love therewith Be ye holy c. Some urge this exhortation and the like to establish Free-will but without cause They shew not what we can but what we should do and what God will require of the wicked or else condemn them and what he will enable his servants unto as give their endeavor thereto to the wicked they are commandments of conviction which God may justly require of them because he made them able to do the same to his servants they are not so but with the exhortation he conveys such grace as whereby they are enabled to do the same Lastly this place is abused by sundry to cry down the married estate to magnifie single life but there is no holiness in the one more then in the other for neither if we marry not have we the more as the Apostle speaketh about eating or marry have we the less the Kingdom of God not consisting in these things The benefit of the one more then the other consists onely in this That a single life hath freedom from many troubles and cares and so more liberty to every good duty but this gift is given but to few therefore rather then they should live discontentedly he perswades them to marry Let them therefore that live single take heed they put no holiness therein or think that thereby they please God the more but rather let them use it well and profit thereby in being so much the more zealous and forward in every good work publike and private else that their single life will one day be a witness against them but especially take heed of a filthy
abominable in the sight of God So impure that we cannot cleanse our selves nay nor desire it conceiving that even our uncleanness is purity and becomes us well So as all the water in the Seas all the help of Men and Angels cannot help us it must be the mighty work of God alone as the very water in Baptism teacheth us This should humble us and make us desire speedily to be cleansed which is by the Blood of Christ Jesus from sin past and from the taint of nature by the Spirit of Sanctification But how few are thus affected how few take knowledge of their uncleanness and that sin doth so defile them 1. There are even open prophane ones which yet seek no washing but refuse it yea think themselves clean enough yea hate them that wallow not in the mire as themselves thinking strange to see any cleanse themselves by the Word and Prayer yea think them strange that will not go on in their filthiness by companying and joyning with them 2. Civil persons can see no such thing therefore few of them are cleansed because few finde themselves leprous and desire to be cleansed let such take knowledge of their uncleanness yea let the civilest know that if they be not born again of water and the holy Ghost they cannot see the Kingdom of God Seek therefore to be purged in time that you may please God and see him for without holiness none shall see him He onely that hath innocent hands and a pure heart shall enter into his Tabernacle else person service and all is loathsom to God and what should such a man do living And the servants of God that are in some measure purged must desire to be more purged of these evils that cleave to them and prevail so much over them and defile even their best duties Your souls Hereby he means the whole man both Body and Soul for God sanctifieth throughout and there the body is Sanctified where there 's Sanctification of the Soul as from which comes the Sanctification of the Body In obeying the truth The Word of God is the outward instrument of our cleansing Thus were Zacheus Mary Magdalene and the Goaler thus also are we sanctified The Law pulling down the Gospel by degrees lifts up working an high prizing of the remedy vehement longing after it at last some perswasion which Faith unites to Christ whereby guiltiness and sin is pardoned in Christs death and corruption being taken away the grace of Sanctification is given which Faith sucketh from Christ the fountain of life so that as he that is out of Christ can do no good so united to him we receive sanctifying grace therefore Faith is said to purifie the heart namely by uniting us to Christ and the Word is the instrument to work Faith Besides the Word purgeth thus not onely setting before us as in a glass all our faults and what we should do but it worketh in us care and conscience to be obedient 1. Therefore thank God for the Word the instrument of purging Where it is not all lie in the mire O how we should desire the free passage of it 2. If we see our children and servants defiled we must bring them to the Word and pray and wait thereon 3. For our selves we are to try whether it hath been effectual to wash us both heart and hand if yea then there 's comfort it hath obtained the right end if not but that we remain in our filthiness or in any part of it willingly it s a fearful sign Many have been cleansed by it what hath it purged us of Hath it washed our mouthes from swearing lying our hands from wrong our eyes from wantonness our hearts from the love of all sin our master sin especially as Zacheus They obeying the Word their Souls and bodies were purged thereby else they could not This is better then Sacrifice and disobedience is that which the Lord cannot away withal but will grievously punish All the stir is about obeying the truth for men can be content to hear but to obey is death O how would the Word purifie men if they would obey it its just with God to take away the Truth from us because we obey it not Truth The Word is called Truth not true onely but Truth the Truth nothing but Truth and in matters of God and our Salvation all the Truth the rule of Truth 1. Then Traditions contrary to this are lyes and whatsoever else 2. It s Blasphemy to speak against this Truth or any part of it 3. Let Gods poor people get the Word on their sides humble persons get a promise and stay upon it against all contrary temptations They are lyes the Word is the truth yet they suffer themselves to be more carried away with a temptation of Satan or that riseth of their own unbelief then they are comforted by three or four plain promises of Gods Word 4. Let the wicked that make such slight account of Gods threatnings know that they shall prove all too true for them they shall not be held guiltless and they go in danger of all Gods wrath and curses every hour and hang over the pit of Hell c. These things move not but the Word ought to make their hearts ake and tremble as who shall one day finde whose word shall stand theirs or the Lords Through the Spirit The inward worker is the Spirit without which all will be in vain It s the Spirit that worketh all from first to last opens the understanding works Faith and then conveys power from Christ to dye to sin and live to righteousness without him we shall have but binde eyes ears stopt no hearing ears he opened the heart of Lydia We must not then trust to our selves or our wit learning and parts but acknowledge the very best thing in us the wisdom of the flesh to be enmity against God Nor must we trust to any Preacher in the world for its God onely that giveth the encrease but ever come in humility calling upon God both on our own and the Preachers behalf that God would give us his Spirit to make all effectual that through him we may understand believe and obey Unto unfained love of the brethren Hence note 1. That till a man be cleansed by the Spirit of Sanctification he is not fit to do any good no not for love for the heart must first be emptied of the love of all evil ere the love of any good can take place The garden must be rid of weeds and stones ere we sow and plant For those therefore that declare by their loosness that there remaineth the love of some lust in them it s as sure as God is in heaven for all the countenance they make of Religion and shew of profession and good things there
is not any dram of true grace in them and all the seeming good things they do are in hypocrisie and to no purpose for the love of evil and of good cannot be at one time in one heart O look to it will you lose all your comfort here and all your labor yea Heaven it self for some one sin 2. The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works and to set upon good duties Such therefore as profess themselves to be Sanctified must be more fruitful Touching the grace here exhorted unto speak we both in general and particular In general where consider 1. What Love is It s a Sanctified affection of the heart wherewith whoso is endued endeavoreth to do all the good he can to all but especially to them that be nearest unto him It s an affection seated as is said in the heart as the others of Hope Fear Joy Grief c. are They were all good and well ordered in Adam but ever since his fall wofully corrupted and utterly disordered and perverted as this of love is turned either into an hatred of that we should love or into self-love It s a Sanctified Affection For ere a man can love he must be Regenerate and Sanctified throughout which comes by being united to Christ by Faith whereby our affections are in some measure purged and restored to their former integrity as to hate evil and love good God and our Brethren for Gods cause Love is a fruit of the Spirit and must come from a pure Heart good Conscience and Faith unfained and therefore cannot be in an unregenerate person there may be indeed a shew and shadow of it but that 's no true love They do not love one another neither possibly can love the people of God There 's no trust in them they do but watch their opportunity when to do them mischief O the wretched condition of such how needful wert for them to be wearied thereof And for the people of God they must not trust them or too much open themselves to them He onely that fears God is to be trusted he dares not deceive Wherewith whoso is endued endeavoreth Though love be in the heart yet it must and will shew it self forth in the Life Words and Deeds to Soul and Body else it s like the love of bad men to God who yet keep not his commandments or like the worldlings Faith which is without Works To do good For it s the nature of love it can do no hurt but what good it can it will do to Soul and Body and wheresoever any true good is done to Soul or Body Goods or Name there was love love did it To all For though brotherly kindeness be to the people of God yet love reacheth to all whether near or far off to Strangers Enemies such as are not yet called under the Turk Pope Pagans c. for whom we are to pray and to do them all the good we can with the pitiful Samaritan But especially to them that be nearest So God gives leave nay commands that our love begin at our selves and ours and so go on forward to them that be nearest by nature Therefore they that prefer Strangers before Kinsmen and Kinsmen before Children are blame-worthy and to bestow upon any to the undoing of ones Family is not love but folly as in them which wil spend in lewd company their Wives and Children at home being in want So must it be to them that â—e nearest by grace This is often commanded and highly also commended in the Scriptures This is the bond of perfection It bindes up all the duties that we owe to our Neighbor which are many holds them together as the bond of a Fagot and makes every duty easie as where this is not every duty is irksome nothing comes well off hand It ties Societies together and Families O how it keeps out evil how it sets up good By it small things have become great and for want of it great things have come to nothing It s the fulfilling of the Law It s a most beneficial vertue other vertues benefit our selves but this doth good to others Faith draws all from Christ to us Love lays out it self for others good as the Sun that hath no light for it self other vertues be like the Bung of a Barrel Love like the Tap that sets it abroach to the benefit of them that need If a man be as full of gifts as a Tun of Liquor if he have no Tap others may starve so for Temporal things without this all gifts are nothing but as sounding Brass We are not born for our selves but the perfection of all we have is to employ This is the lasting vertue which when others as Faith and Hope shall end shall spring afresh abound and abide for ever that vertue that makes us like to God for he is Love and doth good to all even his enemies though he have a special affection to his Children O that I could paint out the face of this lovely vertue that every one of us might grow in love therewith 2. The properties thereof whereby we may try whether it be in us and in what measure They are laid down by the Apostle unto the Corinthians Charity suffereth long and is kinde Charity envyeth not Charity vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly c. Take we notice of a few of them 1. Love will interpret things doubtful to the best that is speeches or actions of men towards our selves or others and if they may be taken well will not take them ill Our nature is to take every thing in the worst part Love doth otherwise the Mother saith a pin pricks the Childe or it breeds teeth when it may be its of frowardnes that it cryes Thus Josephs Brethren sold him spitefully into Egypt afterward when by reason thereof they were afraid what construction made he thereof God saith he did send me before you to preserve life If a thing be plainly evil yet it will make it no worse then it is nor say it was done deliberately when it may be it was done rashly or maliciously when it may be it was done weakly and in temptation for one may do injury to a bad action in making it worse and its better to judge a little better of a thing then worse then it is Always provided this be understood not of palpable notorious foul evils nor of continued courses in sinning for what good or charitable construction can a man make of these Therefore such say foolishly when being informed hereof they Reply Oh ye must not judge what can be judged of this case but onely that there may be Repentance It s a fault in Ministers and others that will extenuate foul sins in bad persons and wicked livers in the mean time aggravating a
men contend for trifles Oppress use false weights and sleights as also hinders from inviting and meeting together 4. Envy at the thriving and wealth of others about them or equal to them as Labans sons did at Jacob Cain that Abels Sacrifice was better regarded then his Esau that Jacob was blessed and Ismael that Isaac was the son of the Promise 5. Frowardness and shortness of spirit breaks love very often for angry words stir up strife 6. These very days of peace make men grow hollow and strange and to set little one by another As when Sheep see a Dog they run all together so trouble makes men to make much one of another whereas its otherwise in peace These be woful causes 4. The effects of this want of love are lamentable every where both in Church and Commonwealth O what woful breaches and contentions what wrongs and enmities So in Families so among particular persons how break they out to the dishonor of God yea sometimes Professors one with another to the shame of their Profession the interrupting of their Prayers or either the hindring of themselves from the Sacrament as many a time it is or slubbering it over and coming with festred hearts and so depriving themselves of the benefit thereof nay provoking the Lord by their unworthy receiving Seeing these things be so O let every one of us finding our selves faulty humble our selves crave mercy and labor to be reformed herein To this end learn we to pluck out of our hearts those noysom weeds that this precious plant of love may grow We must strive against infidelity and labor for more faith In humbleness of minde we must labor to esteem every one better then our selves we must labor for a moderate affection to outward things setting more by peace then them we must also avoid envy We have more then we could have look'd for Is our eye evil because our Masters is good we must also cease from frowardness and be gentle and meek and labor we that this love to our brethren may shew forth it self in all good fruits as in judging the best departing from our right not provoking or being easily provoked but forbearing and forgiving Alas we have need that others should forgive us for who lives and is not subject to offend God forgives us many and great debts and shall we catch our neighbor by the throat God bids us ask forgiveness on no other condition but to forgive our offenders and there 's no better sign that a man is forgiven of God then to shew mercy to men none can be assured of that but they will forgive Let us therefore from the sea of compassion that God sheddeth out upon us let fall some drop thereof on our neighbors and not seek revenge which every bad man yea beast can do but pass by offences which is the glory of a man Besides revenge is the Lords Office and to revenge is indeed to resist the Lord without whose Providence nothing is done this kept David from revenging himself on Shimei Not to revenge is always the best way for us and the worst for him that wrongs us There 's no dealing with a man that commits his cause to God more safe to anger a Witch then an Innocent meek spirited man that hath his recourse to God thou hadst better deal with one that will take revenge on thee to the uttermost To this end keep we out anger if we can if not yet let it not rest in us as it were sowring in our hearts Let not the Sun go down upon it This indeed the world accounts a base thing but its honorable it makes us like God Neither must we labor for this a little or some few times but for a long skirted love that will cover even a multitude of offences And let our love shew it self in giving Spiritual and Temporal things for God gives to good and bad and makes us but Stewards of that he gives us that we may dispense the same yea the more we give the more we have as which encreaseth by giving and for Temporal things the high-way to thrive therein is to be merciful as to beggary to be pinching 5. The general reasons inciting to this duty of love 1. God requireth it of us who is love and if we perform it we do not so much serve our Neighbor as please God who takes it as done to himself If we neglect it we neglect not our Neigbor onely but God who takes himself wronged in this point 2. We are all one flesh and all have some part of the Image of God upon us But for the people of God 1. We be members of the same body The members of the Natural body not onely hurt not but help each other else quickly would the body be brought to confusion 2. Brethren not Natural ones but a better Brotherhood a nearer Bond Now between Brethren there must be no contention and it were a shame for such to contend 3. Both the Word requires it and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper calls for and puts us in minde of it 4. No better Argument that we are in the light love God are Christs Disciples and translated from death to life then this 5. The beauty of a Christian is love he 's the best Christian who loves most whose lips feed most whose branches spread widest 6. As it brings us much peace to our conscience and will comfort us not a little on our death-bed that we have not lived to our selves but to be useful to many especially to Souls so it procureth us love in the places we live in and in the Church of God where we have a good name No man is well beloved though he have good things in him if he be not loving Oh say they he is a good honest man but a harsh Censurer Contentious and so hasty that no man can tell how to speak to him he is a strait man no man is the better for him by counsel encouragement admonition so for other things But if a man be full of love Oh it shall procure him love again he shall be commended while he lives and mourned for when he dyes as they wept for Dorcas but a proud churlish close man he shall live without being desired and dye without being mourned for Many would have Love and Good-will and Credit but will not seek this way to procure it they live closely to themselves neither being useful or any way liberal to their Neighbors let them never look for it Many care not so they may scrape all to themselves for their good name let it go whether it will but these are bafounded and its a curse so to live Thus in general In particular Touching the love to the Children of God which is here chearfully called for consider we both the duty and the maner how it s to be performed For the duty it self it
he confirms out of Isa. 28. 16. which accordingly he applies as well for the comfort of the godly as the terror of unbelievers For this foundation consider what he is and how esteemed What he is A stone so compared for his firmness stability and continuance his nature a living stone whereby he differs from all other foundations How esteemed of men namely wicked ones disallowed but of God elect and chosen to be Mediator and to the godly precious To whom coming The first priviledge he gives us leave to come to him which is to believe in him and is indeed a very great priviledge He might scare us from him as Adam was kept out of Paradise by the blade of a sword but doth not and this is the beginning of all good from Christ till which we are never the better for him Hence observe That if ever we would receive good by Christ we must come to him But how can we come to him he is in Heaven and we on Earth Not with our bodily feet but with the feet of our minde and heart when we seeing our misery and finding our selves wholly lost come to him to seek for Salvation and relie on him and are ruled by him This is to come to him Such as go on Pilgrimage from this place to that and seek him bodily in the Sacrament do but deceive themselves being thus void of Faith when they think themselves nearest him they are as far off as ever To come to Christ and to believe in him are all one and then we come to him when we go out of our selves as being utterly undone and go to him as an All-sufficient Savior and relie on him and are willing to take up his yoke and forsake all other Saviors and Lords and this we must do because 1. Of our own utter misery in our selves by sin punishment and inability to help our selves out whereof if people were perswaded it were as easie to perswade them to come to Christ as to perswade a sick man to the Physician one overloaden to be eased of his burthen an hungry man to take meat 2. In Christ there is sufficient to make us as truly happy as we be utterly miserable in our selves Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption The sinner cannot complain of any thing but there is help for it in Christ do but ask the thing and it s to be had Oh I have deserved the wrath of God and Damnation but I saith Christ have dyed for thee and paid thy debt But how shall I come into the favor of God and be saved Oh saith Christ I have obeyed for thee and purchased it But I have no power to do any good but I have enough saith Christ to make thee a Sanctified man 3. Christ is willing to have us come to him and therefore also doth earnestly call us If one know himself poor and that such a rich man is both able and willing to help him and is also invited of him to accept hereof will he not thereupon go to him so is Christ to us and accordingly we must come to him 1. For those that are come to Christ and do believe in him with their hearts and are guided by him they may be of good comfort having done what God requires of them they shall finde fruit and benefit thereby more then they can express This serves to provoke on those that are coming and coming and yet draw back set one foot forward and pull the other back again fain would believe and yet cannot but fear Oh it s not for me and cannot be perswaded that they be of the number of such whom Christ will save Why what would you have Christ say to you He bids all without exception that are weary and heavy laden with their sins to come to him that is believe in him it s also the end of his coming into the world You stand in great need of mercy do ye not O yes above all the world and cannot indure to think but that I should have part therein and Christ hath need of some to shew his mercy on and therefore calls thee Therefore as in a Market one having need of a Commodity another that hath it of money me thinks these two should quickly agree the Buyer and the Seller who both come for that end so is it between Christ and the poor sinner wherefore else doth Christ set forth his stall of so rich mercies and call people to them to send them away empty no verily Christ hath said the contrary and so can assoon deny himself as not save thee therefore believe which is the great Commandment of the Gospel Oh but I am so unworthy If it be so thou art the more fit for Christ he came for such he accepts such Oh if I could weep as much as some or had been so long or so much humbled or could repent and serve God as I would What God doth he doth freely and when thou canst do nothing but feel thy misery then believe Christ will save thee What was the Jaylor when he did believe believing will break thy heart and bring Repentence O that we should so much so often and so earnestly be perswaded to believe and yet do not If a King shall call a poor Subject and reach him a handful of gold will he draw back and say I am unworthy that he should call me or I should come to him What am I I never deserved any such thing c. If it be great great gifts become a great God and seeing he will do it hinder not thy self thou shalt be the more bound to love and praise him here and for ever yet is it no easie matter to believe If a man had this Church lying upon his back it were not so easie a mater to rise and stand upright so when any have the wrath of the infinite God lying upon their Souls what can they do howsoever do your endeavor strive against unbelief discern between temptations that come from the Devil and the promises of God those how many soever reject as lyes but these apply diligently stand even upon one word of Gods mouth and let that comfort thee more then ten thousand temptations to dismay thee 3. This Rebuketh the most part of men that will not come at Christ though he call them and offer them wonderful fair He bids them come confess their sins seek to him for Salvation and be ruled by him and he will take all their burthen on him and save them But how few give ear to this gracious voyce and offer how many go on and are not at all moved though Christ be preached daily though they need him he be sufficient for them and willing to do them good and why few can be perswaded of their danger Civil persons Ignorant ones and a number of Worldlings are
c. on the contrary consider the woful estate of the wicked For what be they be they Kings Priests or Prophets no such matter Believers be so They be Kings Priests and Prophets but the wicked are the slaves of sin and Satan slaves to the flesh to their own lusts to the world What though they be rich yea though they be Emperors and not Believers they are the vassels of Satan and have nothing but their drudgery in sin and Hell for their own place as their desert Neither are they Priests but prophane ones let them stand off for the holy God cannot abide unholy persons they and their Sacrifice are abomination to the Lord They offer no Sacrifices at all of Prayer Praise or Alms or if they do its abominable because they offer not themselves soul and body to God first but they offer themselves to the Devil and him they serve with body and soul might and main Neither are they Prophets but dumb beasts not savoring of the mysteries of Gods Kingdom or if uttering any thing thereof yet their ill lives disgrace it again O that such considering their own base and the others happy estate would have an holy emulation to be as they and indeed nothing in this world is worthy to be envied but a Christian Humble therefore thy self for thy sin past turn to God for thy pardon in Christ and labor to have thy part in him and by him and by Faith in him thou shalt attain to be a Christian and so consequently a King Priest and Prophet and be enabled to the duties of the same An holy nation Here 's a third priviledge not meant of all the Jews but of the elect among them and of all believing Gentiles as Acts 2. 38 39. so called 1. Because they had the Oracles of God the Word and Sacraments which no other had This belonged to all the Jews True but it might be said that they onely had them which had the power of them to the conversion of their souls and Salvation and others had them not which had no fruit and benefit by them 2. Because they were sanctified and set aside by special grace to be holy ones to the Lords use Note then That All that be the Lords are holy persons that is Not onely having Christs holiness imputed to them but in whom God worketh inherent Righteousness and Holiness by his Spirit conveying vertue from Christs death to kill sin and from his Resurrection to raise them to newness of life to alter and change them throughout in soul spirit and body This though not perfect in any yet is sound and upright in them all therefore he gives them his holy Word and holy Spirit to work this and holy Sacraments to encrease it and its requisite that as God is holy so also all his should so be and these be they shall see his face with comfort no other and for these onely is Heaven prepared O let every man examine himself whether he be a sanctified person or not if yea Then 1. To thy comfort know hereby thou art one of the Lords number a greater priviledge then to be written among the Potentates of the earth There 's Consolation to thee thou wert elected and shalt be glorified 2. Seeing thou art set aside for the Lords use and sanctified in body and soul never defile thy self again or put any part of thy body and soul to any common or unholy use of sin or Satan In the Law it was ever most fearful to take any Consecrated thing as the Holy Oyl Shew-bread or Vessels and put them to any common use so is it that we should put Hand Foot or Tongue to any use of sin or corruption for any part of our souls or lives Oh many contrarily can let loose their tongue to impatient proud and most unseemly speeches yea and their bodies and mindes some to excessive following the world as they were wont and as worldlings do and some after their pleasures and vanities O that we would grow and abound in Sanctification that here having our fruit in holiness we may have the end everlasting life If not but contrarily you either live in prophaneness the open breach of some of the Commandments or be only superstitiously holy in some odde devotions and loose in other things as Papists and a number of old Folks or such as have a counterfeit holiness in the first Table and make no conscience of the duties of the second or contrarily civil persons that seem very just in the second Table but savor nothing of the duties of the first Table Know you are yet unsanctified persons and therefore out of Gods number you may be members of the visible Church where good and bad chaff and corn are but not of the invisible who onely are sanctified ones Let such be what they will be having Wit Learning Wealth Wisdom Civility all skill of Languages yea if they could measure the Heavens number the Stars c. and be not sanctified they are of the Devils rabble and shall perish everlastingly O that you would awake out of your courses What fruit have ye had or look ye to have therein The end of these things is death Come to the Word crave the Holy Spirit desire Pardon and Sanctification till this be you are not out of the state of Damnation and all things are impure to you Word Sacraments yea your Meat Drink Apparel c. A peculiar people That is a people proper to the Lord which he himself hath purchased and which he now takes as his own and sets great store by called therefore his secret ones whom he keeps under his protection to whom also he reveals his secrets his Beloved ones his Spouse his Love his undefiled as the Apple of his eye the Signet on his right hand whom he cannot forget In the flood he saved his Church when all others were drowned he saved Lot when Sodom was destroyed he makes more account of one Christian then of thousands of others If one of them pray it s so forcible that he says Let me alone and if thousands of wicked it s but as the howling of Dogs an abomination They are his glory all the world are dross to them vile persons and base The wicked though never so many are but servants to the Church as the seven Nations were to make the Land of Canaan fit for the people of God yea even then when they seem to dominier most over them they are but their drudges They as a wisp scour the Church to make it bright in the eyes of God but the wisp is to be cast into the fire they are Gods rod to bring it to obedience when that 's effected the rod is to be flung into the fire And No marvel though the Lord set such store by his Church seeing he hath been at such cost therewith as
where it may be they receive conversion and even that terror of conscience though it were occasioned by some outward thing yet it is the Word that indeed works it as which tells them both of their sin and danger The parts of it are 1. An enlightening of the understanding with a distinct knowledge of the principal points of Salvation 2. The opening of the heart to believe 3. The changing of the whole man from that ill nature that was in him to a quite contrary The Law prepares and make them see their deadly danger and by the Spirit makes to feel it grievously and then the Gospel works by little and little hope to comfort and so a change The cause that moves the Lord to do this to any is his meer mercy and no desert as is Election and Redemption so is our effectual calling free And this inward effectual calling is an infallible argument of Election past and glory to come They are links of the golden chain of mans Salvation that cannot by all the Devils be sundred but have one and have all Hereupon me thinks every mans heart should burn within him to prove his calling that hereby he might have a mark of his Election They that can prove it may have exceeding comfort and they must also beware lest being calling out of the world to God they look any more back or be more and more defiled with the fashions and maners thereof and every day in hearing the Word obey every part thereof and walk worthy of your holy Calling Much are they to be blamed that do no more honor their Calling but drop into things like men of this world yea are overcome of the world and covetousness But haply thou doubtest of thy Calling because thou findest not these fruits or not so plentifully as thou would'st be not discouraged though thou beest dull and full of infirmities and strong corruptions yet unfainedly hating and resisting them and being grieved at them and using the means against them thou art not to call thy foundation into question yet must thou humble thy self and as occasion requires set on more earnestly use the means more carefully and daily renew thy repentance But for those that shew no fruits of their Calling but though they have had the Word and been Hearers yet remain prophane and impenitent altogether or seeming to go some steps yet are not changed throughout through Faith they are not yet called for never imagine that every one that hears Sermons yea usually and with joy and mends many things and lives in some good fashion is straight truly called not onely the high-way ground but even the stony yea thorny which went far and beyond most in Congregations yet were not effectually called and numbers among our selves that think well of themselves are not truly called are not Believers nor turned to God Well let every man examine himself throughly being not called I dare not speak a word of comfort to you in this case you have not onely no mark of Election but the contrary when God hath by all means called as by promises threatnings c. and none have prevailed O now use the means with all diligence and though hitherto you have disobeyed the words of Gods calling yet let them now open the doors of your hearts If you do God will be merciful and blot out all if you will not when you shall hereafter call you shall not be heard and you which would not obey this gracious voyce of the Gospel to believe and repent that you might be saved shall one day hear another kinde of voyce from him which you shall obey nill you will you to your own confusion Out of darkness into his marvellous light Here are the parts of calling both from whence and whereto By darkness is meant ignorance of Christ Jesus and sin which are the works of darkness and tend to utter darkness In this case they were How could these Jews be said to be in darkness which had the Law and were skilful therein and stood not a little upon it They had knowledge of the Law but Christ Jesus the accomplishment of the Law they knew not to know whom aright is life everlasting All knowledge without this is nothing but darkness still so that he means not that they were without the means of knowledge as the Gentiles were for one may have the means and yet be in darkness nor that they were called out of ignorance to some knowledge by the means for one may have much knowledge and yet be in darkness but that they were called out of darkness that is out of ignorance of Christ and Salvation by him out of the state of corruption and sin and working the works of darkness and going to utter darkness To his light that is to know Christ by a saving particular and effectual knowledge to Sanctification and Holiness of life which are the works of the light and so to the hope of the eternal light of happiness Hereunto they were called out of the state of unbelief and sin which tend to death for so sin is called darkness and holiness light Sin is termed darkness because it comes from the Devil the Prince of darkness loves darkness and goes to darkness Holiness comes from light even God the Father of lights loves and can abide the light and goes to light and God the Fountain of Holiness is called light Here note What every mans estate is till he be called even that we are not onely darkened but darkness it self We were all made light in Adam full of knowledge and holiness since the fall we are all darkness and when God means to save any he pulls them out of darkness Darkness hath a power indeed which were it not for the Almighty power of God delivering us therefrom would hold us under for ever and as long as we be in this darkness we have no right to the Kingdom of God nay we have nothing to do with God we are neither his sons people nor servants The man that is not effectually called and sanctified what gifts soever he hath is yet in darkness and never wrought other then the works of darkness He may do good things and the works of light but they be not so in him being darkly performed by corrupt nature without Faith or the Spirit neither tending to the right end This may be said of every unregenerate person though never so old civil or of good parts 1. This confutes the Papists that teach that there are some such pure Naturals left in man some Free-will to goodness which if God stir up a little and help can work and that they can merit of Congruity which crosseth both this and other Scriptures as That the thoughts of mans heart are onely evil continually That the wisdom of the flesh is enmity with God and That
boyl with corrupt lusts First he begins with cleansing the heart as from whence must come good conversation the onely true discerner of the purity of the heart The parts of this Verse are two 1. An Exhortation where we have both the maner wherein it s delivered namely by way of beseeching and the matter exhorted to namely To abstain from filthy lusts whereby we are to understand not such sins as be acted by the body but the lusts of the heart for even body and soul is flesh naturally that is sinful and corrupt Fleshly lusts that is sinful and carnal corrupt lusts such as have place in the heart ere they break out from those we are to abstain even to take heed they prevail not in us but resist and mortifie the same 2. The Reasons thereof 1. Because they fight against the Soul 2. They were and we are Pilgrims here not of this world therefore not to follow the lusts of this world but to minde Heaven and be Spiritual Dearly beloved We must know he dissembled not but spake as he thought and meant and felt Hence note What affection of love Ministers ought to bear to the people they have taken charge of If people have chosen one and entrusted him with their souls he is then to be between God and them O what a near conjuction and what great love must there be The Apostle writeth to the Corinthians That he was their Father and to the Galathians That he travelled in birth till Christ was formed in them and to the Thessalonians That he was affectioned towards them as a nurse cherisheth her children He loved them at the heart root and was content not onely to take any pains for them but to lose his life for their good as a good Shepherd Love also being so necessary a duty in the people as without which nothing can go aright as it should and that most are full of self-love but very cold in love to their neighbor Ministers must be very much and often in perswading hereto and the several parts thereof consisting in giving forgiving patience and forbearance and doing all good both to their souls and bodies and that both by word and deed and that not onely by precept but also patern But chiefly this is the Reason he should be so full of love to the people that they may be moved the more by his Ministry and it may prevail the more effectually with them when they see that whether it be admonition or rebuke yet it cometh from one that entirely loves them in the Lord and is hungry of their souls and desires above all to win and gain them to God which would be above all riches to them if not our nature is sickly and full of self-love If we think our selves not to be loved we make little use of whatsoever we are taught though this be indeed a fault in us for the matter it self ought to move us But as if the sick person knew the Physitian to be one that besides his skill bears him good will it will make him willing to take physick of him whereas if he thinks he bears him no good will he cannot be brought to meddle with him or take any thing of him so it s with them that are well or ill perswaded of their Pastors love towards them Therefore the Minister ought to provide for this for what is the joy of a Minister but to see the fruit of his labors and that he does good and gains men home to God sees knowledge and conscience wrought and people converted Oh what man sows and looks not to see it come up grow and have a crop who plants a vineyard and looks not for the fruit thereof and shall we onely lose the most precious labor and seed and study and preach as we care not whether it do good or no and never look after it God forbid 1. This teacheth Ministers their duty to love the people tenderly them not theirs By reason of the contrary there 's so little good done some live altogether from them others live with them but so that it were better they were further off 2. It teacheth people to profit by that which they hear though not delivered haply with such hearty affection as it ought for its Gods Word however but especially look that being delivered in love and unfeigned care of your good you take heed that you despise not the same lest one day it rise up in judgement against you He had before described them as Believers and excellent ones now here he calls them Beloved yea Dearly beloved Hence note That The Saints or they that be endued with Grace and the Image of God are to be the objects of our love This is worthy love commands love wheresoever it be seen True we must love all because we know not who may be the Lords haply even such as are yet bad and love that part or parts of the Image of God we see in any but where we see the true Image of Grace and Sanctification in any they be the parties which are chiefly to be beloved we are to do good to all but especially to the houshold of Faith we must love all but brotherly kindeness is to the godly as our Brethren yea fellow-members yea among Christians we must love them most where we see most Grace and be most familiar with them affect them most and most regard them 1. As they be led by an ill Spirit who love either all alike or those worst which shew most tokens of towardness in Religion making as much or more account of a civil person then of one truly Religious 2. So let people strive to grow and exceed in grace that they may get the highest and largest room in their Ministers heart which be faithful which howsoever the world makes little account of yet they that are wise know that their sentence and love is to be regarded as the Testimony of the Church is a great matter either for a man or against a man so of a Faithful Minister and if such a one give a full and large Testimony of a man it s a Crown to his head above all his wealth if his Testimony be against a man or a weak doubtful Testimony it s an hard case If a Minister have joy of a people and may give a chearful account of them to God its profitable for the people The contrary is grievous I beseech you He had power to command them being from God in a thing for their own good and so necessary but he saw their toward disposition therefore chose rather to use entreaty Whence note That It s the duty of Gods Ministers to be wise in their delivery of the Word and when they see that loving beseechings and entreaties will be as profitable and prevail as much then so to do rather then use any other course True it is the
which should make us loath our selves that put the innocent Son of God to such things which we had justly deserved Oh! How should we hate sin and love God and Christ Jesus for ever and ever But how could it stand with Gods justice that he should suffer being every way innocent and we which were guilty persons should go free Christ was an able surety to dye and overcome death and he was willing and the Father could not refuse one in our own nature to undertake for us to satisfie his justice and free us Here also we may see how we stand righteous before Almighty God though we be not perfectly righteous though not at all till we be sanctified and then but in part How even by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and reckoned and made ours by Faith which is not an imaginary thing as the Papists scoff at it but a true and real righteousness for as Christ was no sinner yet was counted as a sinner and being so accounted bare the intollerable weight of our sins so we by his righteousness imputed stand verily and truly just before God and shall be saved 2. This should teach us to labor for innocency of life The more means we have and the more shew we make we must be the more careful to walk warily as they that have many observers some that will be grieved if we do ill and many as the Devil and the wicked that will rejoyce Let the forwardest Towns and persons take heed to themselves that they be innocent in their example you may do much good this way else much hurt look to your selves you are watcht and that narrowly 3. If he suffered and that patiently who never offended God nor man but was the most pure and innocent Son of God how much more should we who never suffer but our hearts can tell us we have deserved the same and ten thousand times more through our sins against God we have small cause to be impatient but must submit our selves hereto yea we have not onely sinned against God and so deserved all evil and that God should make us a Reproach a By-word a Scorn of men and a Threshold for all to tread on but we have sinned against our Magistrates against our neighbors yea against them that misuse us whosoever they be for want of reverencing them praying for them doing our duties to them not carrying our selves so innocently towards them nor so wisely patiently unblameably as we ought so that though we deserve not to be thus dealt with for this that we are punished for yet in many other things we do Submit we our selves therefore in all humbleness of minde and patience What are we sinful creatures too good to suffer when as the Lord of all and he that was the Son of God did yet suffer Verse 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously HEre 's our Saviors admirable patience both in what he did not and what he did being reviled and called a Samaritan a friend of Publicans and Sinners a glutton a wine bibber yea said that he had a Devil that he was a blasphemer that he cast out Devils through Beelzebub the prince of Devils that he was a deceiver and an enemy to Caesar being I say thus reviled and his Enemies having shot such arrows of most vile slanderous and cruel words against him and such as might not onely raze the skin but pierce him to the very heart yet he reviled not again he required them not like for like thereby to be revenged of them True it is in his publique Ministery he told them plainly of their sins and called them Blinde guides and Hypocrites and denounced Gods judgements against them but that was from conscience of his duty and of love to win them to repentance if it might be not upon spleen to revenge himself as the Ministers of God may rebuke sin severely and denounce Gods judgements against them that live thus and thus and yet not out of any malice or ill will but from an earnest desire of their amendment and therefore they do wickedly that call that railing yea when they posted him from the place where they took him with swords and staves brought him to Caiphas the high Priest and then led him into their counsel and then when they had bound him they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilat the Governor from him he was sent to Herod by whom being mocked and set at naught he was sent again to Pilat where he was mockt smitten scourged and misused beyond all measure yet when he thus suffered he threatned not He could have commanded fire as Elias to come down and consume them or Legions of Angels to destroy them He could also have served them as Corah and his Company were served but he did patiently put up all Here 's a fit patern for our imitation we must take heed of revenge The Heathens are accustomed hereunto but Christians must not be like to them This is often forbid say not I will do to him as he hath done to me give word for word taunt for taunt blow for blow c. For 1. This is a work of the flesh 2. God hath a hand in whatsoever is done against thee Job acknowledged it so David To use revenge were to resist God as the dog that bites the staff would be willing to bite the man if he could It s as if a Childe should pull the rod out of his Fathers hand and break it before his face What would we say of such a Childe The Magistrate indeed may take revenge for wrongs done us we our selves must not 3. It were in vain to fight with the world with the worlds weapons they will be too hard for us Prayers and patience are our proper wepons whereby we shall be too hard for them 4. Thus we hurt our selves more then them them a little in body goods or name our selves a great deal in our souls as the Bee by stinging loses her own life we have our wills a little but the wrath of God withal and that 's dearly bought 5. It proceeds of great weakness If we had Spiritual strength we would pass by great things we do therefore but proclaim our own weakness when we revenge Moses David and others of Gods dear servants would not give way hereunto especially beyond all comparison our Savior Christ who suffered so monstrous things of such base persons and that so unjustly as one that had never the least ill thought against God or man O this ought to move us to great patience yea of the Heathens themselves there were not a few which were admirable in patience This condemneth the monstrous practice of the world that is set upon nothing but revenge give taunt for
with our sins as the Jews dealt with Christ kill them bury them lay a great stone upon them set a watch over them Should live unto righteousness It s not enough to be dead to sin but we must be alive to God and to his Commandments in doing all good By righteousness is meant the whole duty of man in all godliness throughout his whole conversation to God and Men When it s joyned with holiness then it stands for the duties of the second Table but alone it stands for all as in that of the Apostle Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness and to this end hath Christ dyed for us even that we should not live after the lusts of the flesh but after the will of God serving him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life And what should we else do how else express our thankfulness we ought to be exceeding thankful even for earthly benefits how much more for this Christ dying for us O happy change We that were sometimes the slaves of sin and drudges of Satan doing base work for woful wages are now become the Servants of God employed in holy works whereof here the fruits are peace of Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost and the end everlasting life We ought therefore to give our selves to an holy life in all things shewing hereby whose we are and to whom we belong as it s said of the Merindolians That they were known by their godly behavior wheresoever they became It was a custom among the Romans that every one should carry some note of his Trade or Profession as he went in the streets a Carpenter his Rule a Taylor his Yard or Measure c. So ought we to carry a badge of our Profession every where about us whether we go to Church be at home in our Families go to Market to our Shops or Workfolks c. even holiness throughout our whole conversation In prosperity we must shew forth sobriety in adversity patience at all times the fruits of love faithfulness uprightness c. Are we in company our speeches must be gracious and godly if alone holy and heavenly minded And this we ought not to do a little by fits in a good mood and when we list but we must walk in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life we must be continually ready to every good work we must be a peculiar people zealous of good works If these things be in us and abound great profit will redound unto us and hereunto must we employ all our endeavors By whose stripes ye were healed Now he returns again to Servants applying the benefit of Christ to them By stripes or wales of the stripes he means not onely the stripes he had of men but all his sufferings he useth the word stripes in respect of Servants because they suffered stripes of their Masters and that for their especial comfort as who did not suffer alone and whose stripes were healed through the stripes which Christ suffered All that Christ suffered for us was wholesome and saving his shame our glory his condemnation our absolution his curse our blessing his strokes our peace his death our life The most grievous stripes that he suffered have healed the most ugly and deadly sores of our sins which otherwise had been incurable We ought therefore to be content to suffer some stripes for him and for his sake and for the profession of his Name he was mockt and reviled for us may not we then be content to suffer the like for him What are we to him He became poor to make us rich if we be cut short for his sake shall we not endure it Dost thou suffer any thing for Christ bear the same patiently and great reason Christ suffered much for thee Note further that Christ dyed even for poor Servants and that therefore the meanest are to labor after their part in Christ and yet who are more negligent then the poor are for the most part and those poor that have their part in him are to be highly thankful and bear their outward wants patiently and think that God hath dealt wonderfully for them having passed by so many great wise and learned ones In the words also these particulars are implied 1. That sin is a wound or disease as a disease weakens the body so doth sin every faculty of the soul As the former also brings deformity on the body causeth pain and thereupon followeth death so doth the latter on the soul. 2. That our bodies are subject to many sicknesses and the diseases thereof are oftentimes very grievous and if those be such what are the diseases and pains of the soul the one may put us in minde of the other 3. That Christ is our Physician both for body and soul He hath both skill will compassion healeth us freely and is ever near us he hath by his Passion purchased all good for us he wrought many cures and miracles in the days of his flesh now he worketh by means and his blessing thereon 4. That sin is hateful to God as for which Christ suffered stripes Seek we therefore help in Christ we are sick of many diseases we cannot help our selves by any Medicine we can devise Christ onely can cure us This Faith apprehends for that the wounding of one should heal another is above Nature Oh! how will men being sick in body bestir themselves that they may be cured but being inwardly diseased through sin how slack are they how do they defer it to the last when it s too late There be but certain seasons to be cured in as the man at the Pool of Bethesda observed miss we not our opportunity lest we perish altogether And that we may speed at the hands of this our Physician 1. We must feel our disease and be humbled confess also and bewail the same to him 2. Earnestly beg of him to heal us 3. Hurt our selves no more as near as we can 4. Believe he will heal us 5. Suffer the words of Exhortation the preaching of the Word being the means to cure our sinful Nature 6. Take heed of dawbers that cry Peace peace 7. Take heed of all false cures as by our selves Masses Pilgrimages Indulgencies c. 8. Abide the Lords leisure in the use of the means though we should be cured by threatnings of the Word or by afflictions yea being once cured do we acknowledge the same to his glory and be we thankful for it s he alone that hath satisfied for our sins he alone through whom our sinful Nature is cured Verse 25. For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the great Shepherd and Bishop of your souls THese words are a confirmation of those immediately going before that they were healed by Christ by comparing their former state wherein they were with their
great price Here 's the main Reason of the Exhortation A meek and quiet spirit is of greater value then all the gold of Ophir its precious in the sight of God and therefore must women endeavor for it None makes or gives it but God onely no Preacher Prophet nor Angel can give grace can bestow a meek Spirit it comes from above whence all other graces come it s bestowed on none but the Elect people of God Gold and Pearls are bestowed on Heathens and prophane people enemies of God but grace on none but Kings sons and daughters and such as shall be heirs of Heaven As for other outward apparel it s of no worth trash dung to this such is of no account in the countrey we go to no such base stuff enters in at Heavens gate But with whom is it of great price even with God and before him in his account who can rightly value things Costly apparel indeed is of value with men vain and carnal men but grace is in account with God Angels and all good and wise men God seeth not as man seeth God beholds all our actions we must therefore so carry our selves in our places as that what we do may be pleasing in Gods sight and accepted of him Verse 5. For after this maner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection unto their own husbands Verse 6. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well and are not afraid with any amazement HEre are Reasons to enforce the former Exhortations unto subjection sobriety in apparel and attiring themselves with grace 1. From the examples of godly women of former ages and times who were thus qualified 2. From the example of Sarah who thus behaved her self toward her husband whose daughters all such women shall be accounted as do imitate her and that for conscience doing their duties in a right maner as she did such shall be counted among the Saints of God in this life and in the life to come shall have the reward of such The former is amplified and strengthened by sundry circumstances 1. Of the number that so did not one but many women 2. Such as are worthy to be imitated as not being of the common sort but holy women 3. Their antiquity not of yesterday as though it were new but ancient in times past In the latter is set forth the maner how this duty is to be performed namely Not for fear of displeasure but for conscience towards God and love to their husbands For after this maner c. From the force of the Reason holy women have done so therefore so must you Note that The examples of Gods servants are to be followed in all their vertues The way of Gods Precepts is like an uncouth and bushy way the way of examples a beaten way and herein by setting up his servants as lights to direct us God hath condescended to our weakness Were it not thus we would say of precepts It s true we should do thus but who ever did so God shews us every where who they were All examples are written for our good the examples of the godly as Abels offering in Faith Enochs walking with God Noahs obedience Moses his mildeness Jobs patience c. for our imitation the examples of the ungodly and their punishment for our evitation yea even in our own times God presenteth divers unto us that they which belong unto him may be drawn on by the light of precepts and examples together as others left without excuse who do not such and such duties which are to their knowledge by others performed This rebuketh those that follow the evil but do not imitate good examples neither are any whit moved by them Those can make use of the frailties of Gods children mentioned in Scripture to encourage themselves in evil Did nor David commit adultery was not Noah drunk and did not Rebekah cause Jacob to lye c. will they say Such wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction So among our selves if any be bad and licentious they shall have enough to follow them but as for the examples of the godly they little prevail nay people are so far from following them that they mock and disdain them yea term them Hypocrites Precise fools and the like Well let such make as light of them as they will God will not lose his labor and his light set up They that make them not now their patern for imitation shall finde them one day their Judges to condemn them as Noah did the old world As the Ninivites against the Israelites so many a husband shall rise up against his wife on the day of Judgement and many wife against her husband as many a man against his neighbor and justly for its clear that those love darkness and to wander which will neither be guided by precept nor example whereas God might onely give us precepts and yet require obedience It s true all shine not alike some have their light dimmed for a time through some unbeseeming act howsoever there 's not the example of any whereby we may not receive some profit In the old time The Antiquity of the examples are an enforcement or inducement to follow them but how simply because they be ancient No but holy men did thus and well they did and that long ago He doth urge them to follow examples onely upon Antiquity but because they were good also Note then That Antiquity joyned with verity is reverend and to be followed If a truth in judgement or practice of life be ancient and gray-headed it s the more honorable and to be followed but if an opinion or practice be wicked though never so ancient its vile and to be detested and is not the better but much the worse for the antiquity of it The older the more time it were quite banisht out of the Land Town House and Heart This condemneth the Church of Rome and all such as plead bare antiquity onely it hath been thus and thus long will they say ours is the old Religion and yours is the new No ours is ancientest from the beginning whereof were the Patriarchs Prophets Christ and his Apostles Their stories mention when and how theirs began encreased and grew out of an heap of Ceremonies of the Jews and Gentiles mingled together one Pope devising one thing another adding another Though error and wickedness may be very ancient yet truth and goodness hath the start of it the truth was before sin entred into the world this therefore is no good rule this is ancient therefore it s to be followed nay is it also good It s else nothing Many Papists have nothing to say but thus did our Fathers and Grandfathers c. but they never enquire by the Word whether they did well or not whereas our
members If we shall do thus for others shall not they do the like for us Herein Nehemiah may be our patern though he were in great prosperity yet hearing of the miseries of Gods people he so mourned that it was seen in his face he used his best credit with the King and by his permission undertook a painful journey with much hazard to remedy the same 1. This rebuketh those which rejoyce at the destruction of the Church and members thereof as the Papists would have done had their Powder-treason been effected and as carnal people do when the godly fall either into any trouble or sin Thus did the Edomites in the day of Jerusalem but he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished Job rejoyced not at the destruction even of him that hated him who so thus doth the Lord will not turn away his wrath from him 2. It condemneth those which instead of grieving at the afflictions of their Brethren are the onely authors thereof by Oppression Bribery Extortion and such cruel dealing so was Pharaoh unto the Israelites as Paul a cruel persecuter till he was converted Now if they that grieve not with them and help them not in their miseries will be found guilty and condemned at the last day what shall become of those men of blood that have been the cause of their overthrow The cryes of Gods poor servants ascend against them and will bring destruction upon them as the Israelites upon Pharaoh 3. It condemneth those that whatsoever be the case of the Church or Christians or Neighbors have no regard thereof but give themselves over to Ease Pleasure Belly chear Thus did Ahasuerus and Haman thus the rich Glutton in the Gospel but there 's a curse prepared for such others are like stocks and stones neither grieve in heart pity in tongue nor afford any comfort to those that are in distress they may sink or swine for all them They think it well if they hurt no man but this will not serve their turn O what comfort can such look for either from God or men in their extremity yea it s also a great fault amongst Christians that they minde so much their own matters that they are little affected this way seldom pray for such as are in distress slowly visit them and slenderly relieve them Who knows what temptations they may meet with It s no easie thing to go alone through trouble without help it s an Argument such have shrewd obstruction by Self-love and Covetousness wherewith they are much benumb'd half dead through want of Spiritual moisture We must labor to put away those to be purged and rid of them and labor to finde our souls to be in a good state and plight by our sensisible sympathizing at our brothers miseries Are we guilty herein It concerns us to be much humbled for the same and to labor for Reformation then shall we with comfort look up to God in our afflictions and may be assured that if God shall lay his hand upon us not a few will help shore us up and that 's no small comfort in affliction Love as brethren Love as children of the same Father love each other as it becometh Christians love one another with a brotherly love Hereof I have spoken on Chap. 1. ver 22. Here onely consider whaâ— Christians are to do and what to avoid that they may love one another 1. We are 1. To provoke one another unto the duties of love 2. In all we do to or for the Saints we must strive to do the same in a loving maner 3. We must hide our brothers infirmities not blazing them abroad to their disgrace not estranging our selves from them for wrongs they do us but gently rebuking them for the same 4. If our brother trespass against us we must shew our selves easie to be entreated upon his acknowledgement thereof 2. We must avoid 1. Familiar society with the wicked of the world 2. Take heed of such as sow discord 3. Not desire worldly greatness whether in Church or Commonwealth 4. Not be wise in our own conceits but esteem of others judgement as well as our own 5. Not be altogether addicted to our own worldy affairs thereupon affecting retiredness from the society of others 1. This reproves those that love like and use all alike the loose and prophane give them as good content as the good and vertuous 2. It reproves them that like the godly worst or could like them well were they not so precise 3. It reproves the contentions between Christians we should love one another with brotherly affection and shew the same by brotherly actions but how do many fall out for trifles What a fearful thing is this How monstrous and prodigious for one member to offer violence unto another To see brethren contend before God their Father in the face of the Church their Mother and before their fellow-brothers and Christians in Christ that grieve at it yea before the wretches of the world that laugh at it how strange is it When two Christians fall out and be at variance do they not unchristian and unbrother each other O the strength and violence of our corruption breaking asunder this band What shall tye men together if the Spirit of Love be not strong enough O that we could remember with Abraham that there are Canaanites and Perizzites in the land O that the unregenerate would labor for Sanctification whereby they may begin to love God and their brethren and the regenerate labor to pull out all these weeds of Pride Covetousness Envy Frowardness c. that this tender plant of Love taking root in their hearts may so thrive that it may fructifie in their lives and conversation and they may abound more and more therein Be pitiful Pity is an holy compassion of the heart whereby we are ready to relieve them that are in misery whether our selves or others Herein there must be both the affection of the heart and help of the hand For our selves we are by nature in a most woful and fearful condition we are sinners and so under the curse of God and subject to eternal condemnation hereafter and therewithal the vassals and slaves of Sin and the Devil Now we are bound to love our selves first therefore to pity our selves in any misery If we be in any bodily misery as pains poverty or the like we moan our selves complain and grieving seek to relieve our selves so ought we to take knowledge of the miseries of our souls and labor to get our selves out of the same We must not be quiet till we have got the assurance of the pardon of our sins and that there is no condemnation unto us we must give no sleep to our eyes nor slumber to our eye-lids till we finde our selves thus delivered And considering that of our selves we have no strength to any thing that is
hereafter are made to well-doing as in Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. may appear 4. This brings us peace of conscience in this world How did David rejoyce when they offered willingly to the Temple Hezekiah when such care was used in keeping the Passover and the Eunuch when he was baptized 5. This brings us to eternal happiness in the world to come 6. It s the glory of a man when he is dead The godly Kings are yet commended That they did that which was good in the sight of the Lord this was their Crown and that which is to be desired of a man is his goodness For the extent of this we must do all good that we can and our places require having respect unto all Gods Commandments Thus did Josiah He did according to all the Law of Moses He that commanded one commanded another Whoso doth willingly pass by any one duty declares himself an hypocrite And who so lives in any one sin is guilty of the breach of the whole Law We must do good at all times Aguish fits of goodness as before the Communion or in afflictions c. God cares not for he will have us to be ever doing some good and ever fitting our selves to do more We must do good in all places not in the Church onely but at home in our Houses and Shops yea when we are furthest from home So in all companies we must do good or take good if we cannot do what we would we must do what we can it s some good to keep away evil We must do good to all persons all duties towards God publikely privately on his Sabbaths on other days so towards our Families Neighbors Friends Superiors Inferiors Equals We must do good as occasion offers it self yea towards our enemies that do us hurt as to our selves also and that in respect of body soul goods good name We must do good in our general callings as Christians by our holy conversation agreeable to our profession and by our Counsels Exhortatiâ—ns Admonitions Reproofs Prayers We must do good also in our particular callings as Magistrates Ministers Husbands Wives Parents Masters c. This is so necessary as that he which doth not good in his special calling is no good man We must do good also though it be hard and difficult so to do naturally we are prone unto evil and it comes off hand easily but to do good is harsh Gods Commandments are as a yoke to the flesh though easie to the Spirit a burthen to the flesh but light and comfortable to the Spirit To pray read instruct our families is painful so to study preach hunt out disorder set up goodness see the poor set on work and the like but as we would partake of the reward which is indeed great here and hereafter we must not shrink at this labor If one way will not serve the turn whereby to bring to pass our Religious purposes we must set upon another as they that carryed the man of the Palsie not being able for the preass to enter in at the door uncovered the roof of the house and through it let him down We must do good though we have no thank for our labor as Moses and Aaron on the peoples behalf whom they conducted out of Egypt though they were unthankfully dealt with yea though we have ill will and hard measure as they that seek to punish sin shall have of evil doers nay though the greatest be against it as Daniel prayed to God though the King forbade it and danger was to follow upon it Thus the Prophets spake the truth though with danger of their lives Elijah Micaiah John the Baptist c. Thus the Martyrs confessed the faith boldly though with loss of their lives We must do good also though we have few encouragements and small company such was Joshua's resolution nay though we be as it were alone as Noah in that generation Lot in Sodom Elias c. we must preach still though we see but little fruit of our labor We must do good while we may while life and means last yea and constantly and to that end many take up Prayers in their Family but quickly leave them off neither must we onely do good but we must do it well for even the best things in the world may be marred in the doing as Alms and Prayer by hypocrisie and opinion of merit and therefore we must be regenerate persons and by Faith be reconciled to God in Christ We must also do the same in a particular Faith and in uprightness of heart declaring the same by the reformation of our lives and this must be in obedience to God ayming at his glory and not seeking our selves either in our profit pleasure or credit c. all which must be done willingly 1. This sheweth the wretchedness of our corrupt nature that good being in it self so lovely and there being so many great Reasons to perswade us thereto yet our nature is most averse therefrom 2. This condemneth those which are so far from this that they be enemies to goodness The more Spiritual and holy any duty is the less they can away therewith as Prayer Meditation Conference with the godly c. nay they hate goodness in others whether Magistrates Ministers or private Christians yea are so wholly opposite to good as they are wholly given over to evil 3. This condemneth those who though they be restrained and break not out into evil yet have no heart nor love to that which is good They be no swearers nor disordered persons in their Families yet they do not pray instruct and do good in their Families they neither prophane the Sabbath nor yet keep it holy they keep not bad company yet love not the company of the Saints they spend not on wicked purposes and yet do no good with that they have they be no enemies to Religion but they be not zealous friends they be no maintainers of disorders in Towns yet do not zealously set themselves against such This is not sufficient to make a good man nor to see good days for Every tree that bears not good fruit shall be hewn down and the barren Figtree was cursed and the Servant that did no good with his Talent in the mean time he had done no hurt therewith was cast out It will not go for payment nor bear out any that they have done no hurt but what good have they done even we our selves will scarce keep a Cat or Dog meerly for this that they do no hurt except they do some good neither will we think well of those Servants who being negligent in our absence shall say We have done you no hurt have not robbed you of your goods railed at you wronged your children c. for that which they should also have been diligent
so called in the Scriptures he gave his Son to make our peace with him and loves that we should live in peace one with another and therefore gives us the Gospel of peace and Spirit of peace yea he so likes it that he pronounceth them blessed that helps it forward On the contrary the Devil delights in contentions and he onely gains thereby 2. This shall be a sign that we are taught of God and whereby our Prayers will become the more acceptable Our hands must be lifted up without wrath whosoever is addicted hereunto can neither pray aright nor duly partake of the Sacrament neither rightly perform any other duty 3. This is most comely like the oyntment which was poured on Aarons head which was made of most fragrant sweet things and to the dew upon new mowed grass O how sweet is it to them that do enjoy it how sweet to the lookers on what a comely thing is it to see a Land agree in it self so a Town a Family It s as an instrument whereof all the strings be in tune Better is a dry morsel with this then an house full of Sacrifices with strife Better is a dinner of herbs where love is then a stalled Ox and hatred therewith Better to be in the corner of the house top then with a contentious woman in a wide house 4. Great is the profit hereof as the rain makes the mown grass shoot out and grow so is peace exceeding fruitful O how doth a Land encrease by peace and how do Wars whether civil or forraign waste and consume the same little things by concord wax great great things through discord come to nothing when there 's peace in a Town between the Pastor and People what good may be done what evil avoided where there is not neither can evil be suppressed nor good established A Town knit together in peace is like a faggot fast bound that cannot be bent but divided like the several sticks of the faggot which may easily be broken the like may be said of Husbands and Wives Masters and Servants Parents and Children A Kingdom City or house divided against it self cannot stand 5. If we live in peace we are fit to do good one to another else we can do no good but all evil 1. This condemns all contentious and quarrellous Spirits that regard not peace but their own wil are never wel but when they are contending are so far from seeking peace as they cannot keep it when they have it nor accept it when it s offered and so far from following it as they flye from it as those of whom the Psalmist complained Others regard it not as they ought will fall out and break the peace even for trifles offer the occasion of strife and harm their Neighbors both by words and deeds in goods and good name yea if the least wrong be done them they will hear of no reconciliation but break off all love quarrel go to Law c. Every place abounds with such These bewray themselves not to be led by Gods Spirit nor endued with the wisdom from above nay that they are carnal and filled with devilish and fleshy wisdom these either never pray or lose their labors for as good not pray at all as pray in wrath These in stead of good days here shall have vexation neither shall they hereafter inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but shall meet with indignation and wrath 2. This rebuketh those that live at peace but it s after this maner they will have peace with some but not with others whereas we ought to be at peace with all not with the poor onely but with the rich also nor with the good onely but with the bad also some there are that fail every of those ways as a number that will be at peace with the bad not with the good and have peace with the wicked in their wickedness which is indeed fearful yea buy peace with hard and ill conditions as consenting to evil or neglecting good Some that they may be counted peaceable men will not stir against any disorder woful peace let men give of their own right for peace but not of the Lords 3. This serves to comfort them that love peace and desire it with all their hearts and can be content to seek it in any honest and lawful way and that for conscience and that they may serve God the better and for that God requires the same in the mean time being careful to avoid wrangling and jarring c. assuredly such are at peace with God and howsoever the world deals with them enjoy the peace of a good conscience 4. Let this encourage us all to set more by peace then pearls to seek it diligently and to be content rather to lose any reasonable thing then this This is pleasing to God is also comely so shall our Prayers be accepted so shall we be strong to all good and against all evil so shall we see good days here and eternal peace with God hereafter To this end we must avoid all the enemies of peace and labor for the contraries as 1. Pride which breaks peace many ways as when men have not more honor then is indeed their due as Haman or when any is honored besides themselves as Saul when David was commended in the dance Pride also makes men think so highly of themselves and meanly of others as they will be ready to offer injury and yet think it small and if the least wrong be done them think it so heinous as no recompence can be made for it They must forsooth by no means be blamed in any thing else they swell break peace and part company this we must avoid and labor for humility which is contrary hereunto 2. Covetousness the covertous man is angry if he have not every good bargain or if the least trespass be done him If but a Goose of their neighbors grase in their ground O it s such a loss such a wrong that they must not put it up They will part with no piece of right for all peace 3. Frowardness For a froward man soweth strife we must labor for a meek and patient spirit 4. Talebearers A whisperer separateth chief friends They be the Devils Pedlers let them not open their packs nor unlade their wares in our ears thereby to infect our mindes He that listens to them shall never have peace The world is full of such yea such as on both sides are Tale carriers which with some few truths intermingle numbers of lyes they are the Devils seedsmen to sow strife If God pronounce the Peace-makers blessed then wo to those Make-bates of this number we are not to repute those which inform Parents and Masters of some abuses in their children and servants unknown unto them provided it be done in love and that for the redress of the
all that are not as they should be whereas they should by a wise meek and moderate defence and kinde perswasions win credit to the truth which they defend and so do good they on the contrary cause them to speak evil and to think that it s but a preposterous hate and pride of heart in them so to speak and so do hurt Some sober Christians do much good and win on many that at first were opposite when they hear the wait of their reasons rather then the bigness of their words and seeing they do it in the fear of God and for conscience sake Some are not so milde as others but of an hotter nature this must in any wise be tempered with wisdom yet are not we to part from any part of the truth but to stick as close thereto as we may Verse 16. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ. TO our constancy in the confession of our faith we must have a good conscience not so onely as it may be known to our selves but we must so walk that others even our adversaries may perceive the same that thereupon changing their mindes and being ashamed that they have spoken so evil of us they may cease to blame such as walk in so good a conversation as becometh the Servants of Christ Before I come to handle the points particularly laid down herein I will shew 1. What conscience is 2. The offices thereof 3. Resolve some questions about it and 4. Treat of the kindes thereof For the 1. Conscience is a faculty or power placed by God in the soul of a man which determineth of his thoughts desires words and deeds either with him or against him in the sight of God I say It s a faculty or power not a bare act for many actions are ascribed thereto as to accuse excuse comfort terrifie c. Placed by God for God being the creator of the soul he must accordingly be the creator of all the faculties of it In the soul called also the heart and the Spirit of a man Herein there be diverse faculties as the understanding whereby we conceive what is true and what is false what is good and what is evil the will whereby we will or nill choose or refuse any thing whereto are joyned the affections joy grief love hope fear c. and the memory whereby we hold fast things conceived or else call to minde and remember things past So also is conscience another faculty thereof whereby the soul reflects upon it self whereby I know that I do know such a thing that I think this or that that I affect or desire love or hate this or that for its one thing to know a thing think a thing remember a thing c. and another to know that I know it think it remember it Now in which part of the soul it hath its place as whether in the understanding or will or in every part of the soul I will not stand it s enough for us to know that there is such a faculty in mans soul. True it is it not only gives witness of all the faculties tels what I think desire affect c. but it useth and worketh upon all the faculties as the understanding for by it it directs and according to it it doth accuse so as if the judgement be well informed the conscience will give right witness if ignorant or ill informed then it gives wrong testimony So the memory accusing or excusing for things past so it worketh upon the will by provoking it to choose or refuse this or that so it worketh upon the affections raising up in us comfort and joy upon well doing fear and grief upon ill-doing Now though it have to do with all yet it may have its proper place in the understanding and minde according to the judgement of most Divines Of a man for no Creature on earth hath Conscience but man True the Angels are not without it the good having a good comfortable excusing joyful Conscience the evil a woful ill accusing and tormenting Conscience which is so much the worse for that they know so much and be so maliciously bent against it so that even when they be not in the place of torment but have leave to range the world yet they carry Hell with them even a tormenting Conscience whereof their trembling according to Saint James is an evident testimony But no other Creature hath it for having no Reason they have no Conscience therefore we say in our speech of a bad and unconscionable man he hath no more Conscience then a Dog or as much Conscience as an Horse whereby we mean none at all for these Creatures have none Man then hath a Conscience yea every man yet as the use of Reason may be lost by folly phrensie c. so the use of Conscience in such So by notorious wickedness a man may lose the use of his Conscience for a time whereupon we say of such a one he hath no Conscience yes every man hath a Conscience though as the use of Reason is taken from one deeply drunk so custom of sinning hath taken away use of Conscience so that it doth not admonish him before he do ill nor check and accuse him after or hath such an erronious judgement thinking good evil and evil good that he hath also an erronious Conscience But this benummed or beguiled Conscience will be awakened at one time or other in life or death or at the day of Judgement for no mans Conscience dyes but lives and shall meet him at the last day and though his sins be now as words written with the juyce of Lemmons nothing to be seen yet when their Conscience comes to the fire of Gods Judgements then every little dash idle words vain thoughts c. will be perceived Though men choak and smother Conscience though they strangle it or so drown it in their cups yet it will and doth abide still what made Joseph's Brethren troubled in Egypt but Conscience which told them of the sin committed by them twenty years before So Conscience told Pharaoh that he and his people were wicked which determined of his thoughts desires words and deeds or more briefly beareth witness either with us or against us in the sight of God It meddles not with other folks actions for that is science or knowledge but with our own and that is Conscience Conscience that is knowledge with another that is either another knowledge when I knowing any thing do know that I know it and so know my self and what is in me or another person that knows with me what I know and that as well as I or rather far better namely God who made the Conscience and will judge it and is privy to all that is in it for so is no other neither man nor Angel and accordingly the
in our thoughts It s his will that we should be patient but we burst out upon small occasions It s his will that we should keep holy the Sabbath day but we do for the most part prophane the same Herein we do but foolishly for if we mark it as we do if we be of God and I speak to such we have ever checkings of conscience and smart for it as peace in cleaving close to his will O how often do we lose our comfort and pull crosses on our selves Note we further from these words 1. That to live after the lusts of men and to the will of God be opposite each to other our inward lusts with the desires and fruits thereof are enmity against God and as contrary to the holy will of God as light and darkness God and the Devil for the Devil and our corrupt hearts be much alike no marvel then if we think so well of our selves and make so much of our lusts 2. That we cannot at one and the same time both walk after our lusts and live to Gods will or live to Gods will and walk but after our lust God and Satan can never dwell in one heart together as neither the love of sin and goodness This well considered would discover some to be in a worse case then they think they think seeing they have renounced many lusts and most sins and are in many things obedient one sin is not so much but though they love that they do love God and goodness too Deceive not your selves its impossible it should be so one lust loved is sufficient to prove a man unconverted sufficient also to condemn him and all his other obedience is vain If thou wouldest indeed please God and be saved renounce the love of every lust and walk in obedience to all Gods Commandments 3. That in the course of Sanctification we must begin at renouncing our own will and the lusts of men None sow or plant till weeds be pulled up None put on new apparel till they have put off their rags So must we abandon all the love of evil ere we can entertain any good This rebukes the common course of the world that set upon goodness ere they have bid adew to their lusts All their service is abomination before God 4. That it s not sufficient that we do renounce our lusts and evil except we yield obedience to the will of God Thus the Scriptures run Cease to do evil and learn to do well abhor that which is evil and cleave unto that which is good deny godliness and worldly lusts and live holily and soberly c. dye to sin and live to righteousness put off the old man and put on the new cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light It s nothing or at least but half if a man hath renounced ill company if he hath not taken up the love of good It s not for il-doing that men shal be condemned but for the not doing good Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire It s not enough we have no disorder in our families or be no ryotors or ill example givers therein except we take up good orders in stead thereof It s not enough we do no hurt if we do no good He that gathereth not scattereth and he that doth no good in a Town doth hurt An house empty and swept if it be not garnished with goodness its fit to be possest of Satan again yet how many think highly of themselves because they have done no hurt have not wronged oppressed defrauded any who yet have done no good 5. That it s not one action or two whereby a man is discovered what he is but his constant course of walking or living The best man may be and is overtaken as Noah Lot David Peter doing according to his own lusts and will not Gods but such is not his constant course yea when he doth otherwise then is fit he is grieved and humbled unfainedly repenteth and earnestly desireth to be more watchful over his own ways We must not because of some corruptions conclude against our selves that we are not the Lords if in the mean time our hearts bear us witness that what we do is contrary to our intent and purpose our course and drift of life on the contrary it s not one good action or two that makes a good Christian if a mans course be contrary thereto for even a Thief will be sometimes in the Kings highway when it s for his advantage whereas usually he keeps in back lanes and blinde ways Thus many a bad man will come to hear the word this is one of Gods ways but all the day after he will be in his own course even lying swearing drinking deceiving without any reformation either in heart or life Verse 3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lusts excess of wine revellings banquettings and abominable idolatries HEre are more Reasons to perswade to holiness of life They had already spent a great deal of time in the service of sin and following their own lusts and therefore were not now to continue any longer therein Again whereas before the Gospel they lived in ignorance now having the light thereof another maner of behavior judgement and practice was looked for of them But one would think a few words might serve to disswade men from such filthy lusts so odious in themselves so hateful to God so harmful to the doers thereof and to perswade to holiness of life so beautiful in it self so acceptable to God and so profitable to those which did seek after the same True if we were as we should be or as we were in Adam but we are altogether corrupted and depraved and now we have no minde to that which is good nay its death and bonds to us but that which is evil we eagerly minde and seek after whereunto may be added that hereunto the Devil and the world egg us on as they hang on us to hold us back from goodness Hence it is that so few are converted that men count goodness a prison naughtiness their heaven that they mock at goodness and onely except against some men because they are good whom they could love for all other things but for that they hate him 1. Let us take knowledge of our vile disposition le ts not follow the bent thereof lest we perish It misleads us altogether let us use all diligence to mortifie our lusts and to strengthen us to good for it s no easie matter to attain this 2. Let us be perswaded that there is continual need of preaching and all other good means to bring this to pass and not say with most What need all this preaching c 3. Let Ministers be
then more sparingly to us more plentifully then under types to us the body is revealed 1. This confutes those that think that those before the Law were saved one way they under the Law another they under the Gospel another 2. It confutes them that hold That every man is saved by his own devotion and religion whatsoever it is so he be zealous in it and live orderly This they would prove hence namely That the Jews were saved by observing of a few Rites and Ceremonies a false foundation must needs lay the building under foot Do not we see that when they were even most zealous in Ceremonies that yet the Prophets cryed out that God was not content but called both for Faith and Love Besides what a folly is it to think that every man shall be saved by his own Religion Is any thing pleasing to God but that which himself hath appointed in his Word not our conceit but his wil is the rule of his Worship The Word sends us to Christ in whom alone God is well pleased without him there 's no Salvation for any 3. It confutes those among our selves which hope to be saved by their good meaning good prayers civil righteousness by their repenting and crying God mercy c. All these are blinde Sodomites they grope for a door where there 's none wil but hit their heads against the wal to their destruction O how happy are we that there being but one way of salvation known but to a few it should be so clearly made known to us were we so happy as to make it good to our selves That they might be judged according to men in the flesh c. Here note from the end of the Gospel that The Gospel calls for sanctification and all the parts thereof for as the Law hath Commandments so hath the Gospel it cals for faith and repentance and in this latter obedience to all the Commandments of the Law The differences are 1. The Law requires obedience but gives no power the Gospel doth both 2. The Law requires strict obedience to the utmost the Gospel requires an upright endeavor onely and to believe in him who hath performed it perfectly The Sacraments and Sacrifices of the old Testament called for this even for truth of heart for faith repentance God bade them circumcise the foreskin of their hearts and under that Law of purging all leaven out of their houses the people were called to repentance So Baptism and the Supper of the Lord the appurtenances of the Gospel call for Sanctification And doth any thing more cal for mortifying of our lusts living to God then the death of Christ for sin wherein we see how hainous a thing sin is in Gods account as also the unspeakable love of God to us in giving Christ thus to dye for us The death of Christ should be a great corrosive to eat our sin This was the end of Christs suffering for us Will Christ dye for a man and yet have no use of him after but that he may live as he list assuredly God would never cause his Gospel to be preached but to bring men to Sanctification 1. This confutes as well the Papists for affirming that we preaching Justification by Faith onely preach a doctrine of liberty to sin but on the contrary this doctrine doth notably establish good works as those among our selves that cry out upon going to sermons O say they we see none worse then they they will deceive they will cut their neighbors throat but of most this is a lye but if some be so let them know that the Gospel teacheth them not so to do 2. This rebuketh those carnal wretches which live under the Gospel yet abide still in their sins They think the Gospel brings onely tidings of salvation but requireth no amendment or mortification If Paul Tit. 2. had gone no further but stayed at Bring salvation we should have had a number of Christians but his other words teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly c. O this part they cannot away with so they could willingly hear Come unto me â—ll ye that are weary c. but not take up the Cross but God hath joyned them together and they cannot be separated he that hath the one must have the other as he that was to have the inheritance was to marry Ruth Hence it is that multitudes have in their mouthes They hope to be saved by Christ and yet remain in their lusts without mortifying the same or giving up themselves to God in an holy life Thus is it with ignorant persons prophane persons civil persons worldlings and hypocrites What impudent wretches are these They hope to be saved by Christ and yet live in their sins thus making Christs death to be a license to all evil Sundry deceive themselves in these days some content themselves with an outward profession some are haply at some times humbled and thereupon conceive themselves to be converted c. but let every man try himself by his Sanctification If this was required of them that lived before Christs coming who had dimmer light and more sparing means and promises then we then think what 's required of us that have heaven set open to us and all the Fathers minde revealed yea Christ dead risen ascended and all fulfilled 3. For Gods children which do indeed hope for Salvation by Christ and have yielded obedience to the Gospel in some measure there is nothing that can become us better then to labor to profit in mortifying our lusts and to shew the fruits of the Sprit more plentifully and powerfully in our lives Every Sermon and Sacrament should put new life in us For what is the profiting by the Gospel but to dye to sin and live to righteousness daily by an effectual knowledge of Christ Jesus O it s our great fault that we grow so slowly that we get not a full mastery of our lusts that sometimes we shrink at the yoke of Christ as thinking some part of it too strait and desiring more liberty who yet thought we could never do enough for the Lord O that our actions should favor so much of the flesh and so little of the Spirit O that we might encrease in our zealous affection to God for his love in Christ and for the Gospel and that our behavior may be daily more answerable thereto as our Salvation doth more nearly approach Vers. 7. But the end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer THe former part of this verse may be either a reason of the exhortation past and that from the shortness of the time to come or of the Exhortations ensuing unto sobriety watchfulness in prayer charity hospitality c. The end of all things is at hand The end of all things not of men onely or of some creatures not
s through too much earthly-mindedness 3. Le ts labor for such grace as whereby if God call us forth to suffer we may not onely not flee back but endure any thing and that with joy To this end we must 1. Endeavor for a sound Faith and assurance of Gods love to us in Christ that so we may so love him again as we may suffer for his Name and being assured of our deliverance from everlasting pain and that he hath freed us from shameful sufferings which for our sins he might have brought us to may endure these glorious sufferings for his Name joyfully Being thus assured of his love and thereupon of eternal happiness in heaven we will be content to suffer any thing to obtain it 2. Withdraw our mindes from earthly things and set them on heaven and heavenly things as our onely treasure 3. Mortifie and subdue our lusts and affections bringing our hearts in subjection to God in all things and bearing our present afflictions quietly and comfortably This joyfulness in sufferings doth well become Christians daunts their adversaries and puts a difference between them and all others whether hypocrites civil persons or Time-servers who will never thus do Christians must be like Davids Worthies even excel others do more then ordinary men If we do onely love our friends what singular thing do do not even Publicans the same If we profess Religion in prosperity what great matter do we do not even Hypocrites the same We must learn to take out higher lessons and be perfect as our Father which is in heaven is perfect It s an easie thing to rejoyce in prosperity but so to do in adversity is a good hard lesson and so the more worthy a Christians labor Inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings The first Reason of the Exhortation We are partners with Christ therefore we may think our selves advanced and so rejoyce The sufferings of Christians are called Christs sufferings 1. Because they are suffered for his sake which may be no small comfort to them that suffer for Religion for it s for Christs sake and so he counts it therefore he will put our tears in his bottle take our part defend and reward us as David took care of Abiathar having lost his Father for his sake 2. Because he bears a part of them with his Saints there 's so near a conjunction between him the Head and the Saints his Members as what 's done to the one whether good or ill is counted as done to the other as the godly hearing Christ railed on are so grieved that they had rather themselves had been so used much more doth Christ Jesus account their troubles his which as it may terrifie their adversaries so it may much comfort them But here they be called Christs sufferings in another sense namely as his own sufferings which he bare in his own person whereof we partake when we also suffer the like things we are set up to be like our Master Christ Jesus and is it not cause of rejoycing that he vouchsafeth to make us like himself to bring us into his order to pledge him of the same Cup he began to us He suffered his whole life was nothing else They misconstrued his words and mistook his deeds and said He cast out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils How often was he railed on how hardly used especially towards his latter end If we be so dealt with at any time we need not think hardly but rejoyce not think hardly He was the glorious Son of God we poor mortal Creatures dust and ashes He most holy and righteous and perfectly pure we miserable sinners which though not at mens hands which wrong us yet at Gods have deserved all evil both here and in Hell If God turn our opprobrious sufferings here and perpetual torments of Hell into a sew short and glorious sufferings we have no cause to think hardly yea he having suffered all for us we may well suffer for him we can never lose hereby nor can ever suffer so much for him as he hath done for us nay not onely we must not think hardly at our sufferings but we have cause to rejoyce that we are advanced to be like our Master made conformable to our head Christ Jesus He is a bold Servant that is not content to fare as his Master fares Those Worthies that have gone before us have accounted it their honor and a special favor that they have drunk of this Cup. When therefore we do at any time suffer for Religions sake let 's thus encourage our selves I am herein made like all the Prophets Apostles and chief of Gods Friends and Saints yea as his onely Son and thus our Savior comforted his Disciples That when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy The second Reason our sorrow shall be turn'd into joy as in part when we dye namely in our souls so perfectly when he shall be made glorious in all his Saints whilest he was here in the world he was put to an ignominious death but he rose again from the dead and ascended into Heaven and shall come one day to judge every man according to his deeds even to bring into happiness all those for whom he dyed and to confound all his Enemies He came the first time in meekness because he came to suffer but the second time he shall come with glory and magnificence even with thousands of his Angels in flaming fire c. which as it may comfort all those that have believed in him and stoopt to his yoke so it may terrifie all those that have not believed or repented through obeying the Gospel The end I say of the afflictions of Gods Servants will be joy for Christ will receive them all into eternal glory They that suffer with him shall reign with him and their joy shall none take from them See John 16. 33. Rom. 8. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Jam. 1. 12. O how should this not make us patient onely but joyful in persecution If we sow in tears we shall reap in joy If we suffer for Christ we may rejoyce and be glad for great is our reward in Heaven If we forsake father or mother or house or land c. for Christs sake we shall have life everlasting Is not this an happy change This made the holy Servants of God set light by all they had not that they were fools and knew not what they did or were senceless no the assurance of an eternal joy and inheritance in Heaven swallowed up all and so should it be with us Verse 14. And if ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified A Third Reason to
and then how will they answer that to God 2. It rebukes those also that living among their people yet care not thus but think themselves discharged that they meet them at Church on the Sabbath and then preach them a Sermon whereas all the week after they consider not of them nay scarce visit the sick but either are so entangled with cares and businesses of the world that they cannot or so addicted to their pleasures that they will not minde this Thus they are less fit for Preaching do the less good and receive all at a venture to the Sacrament which is a fearful thing 3. As people must be careful for their Ministers who had need of no worldly care hanging on them that they may attend on their care of them so they must be willing that their Ministers have a care of them and deal privately with them and theirs This many cannot away with but would that the Minister should content himself with seeing them at Church but not to look into their behavior in their Families or to pry into their lives or deal privately or particularly who yet if they have a shepherd look that he should diligently tend their sheep all day and look to them particularly as well as feed them they should be glad when the Minister will come to their Houses and sit with them conferring with them and theirs of heavenly things c. But if they should know when he would come they would be sure to be out of the way this is a sign of an ill conscience that they cannot abide the tryal and which is worse of a bad heart that is not willing to mend But there 's another extremity when people will expect too much at the Ministers hands as to visit them at their houses more often then the largeness of the place and his strength and time will permit which though it be a good fault and a rare therefore to be much born with for there is nothing more comely in the world then to see Ministers delight in their peoples company and people in theirs and thereupon to be much together yet it must be done as it may stand with the publique There must be convenient time to Preach that we may not come unpreparedly and if a Minister Preach also on the week days he cannot have much time for private especially in a great and wide Parish Not by constraint but willingly Now for the maner A Minister is not to perform the forementioned duties by constraint as for fear of Gods wrath mens Laws or shame c. but willingly To do by constraint is base and servile what any doth thus they do but homely no better then needs must and besides what hope of Gods blessing can they expect upon such work God loves a willing heart and a chearful doer There 's a constraint that is good whereof the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians The love of Christ hath constrained me c. namely because Christ hath pardoned my sins dyed for me hath called me to this high and holy calling to be his Ambassador to his people hath entrusted me with the souls of his People c. I will therefore in all and every these respects do my duty in the most faithful and careful maner that I can neither can I do otherwise other constraint is base A man cannot endure his Servant should thus do his work much less the Lord who hath no need of any man and if one do it not he can set up another at his pleasure 1. This rebukes those that never Preach but so often as they are bound by Law once a moneth or once a quarter as also those who for avoiding the shame of dumb idols step up and do a little but like hirelings who have no love to their work are at it in body their mindes being far therefrom 2. It may perswade all Ministers to readiness and willingnes in our duty private and publique when we finde any loathness to our study and drousiness therein le ts think what an honorable Calling ours is and that whereas others are employed on earthly things ours is in the Scriptures searching in the rich Treasures of the Word and dealing altogether in Spiritual and Holy things and again what a trust is laid up with us and what weight lyeth upon us and what a reward remaineth for us we serve a good Master in an excellent work in the assurance of most rich wages 3. People must learn also to do their duty not by constraint but willingly Thus must they reverence their Ministers hear them obey their Ministery allow them maintenance but how grudgingly do most pay their Tythes which is for want of finding good by the Word They should so take part of the Ministers Spiritual things as they may put themselves into his debt and see cause to allow him means O suffer not any of the tenth part to cleave to your fingers neither seek to enrich your selves hereby but by the remaining nine parts whoso think to enrich themselves by working on the Lords day or keeping back their Tythes deceive themselves they shall not prosper Be the Minister good or bad give him willingly all the Law gives him If he do not his duty he shall answer for it Be not you Trespassers also stoppage is no payment but if he be a sufficient and painful Minister your custom will not priviledge you from paying him his due by Gods appointment you must give him his due to the utmost and he is worthy of it But O the woful covetousness and corruption of men in this behalf They think any thing enough for a Minister though it be but from hand to mouth whereas they look to encrease themselves and think their Trade bad and themselves ill Husbands if they leave not store to their Posterity Not of filthy lucre but of a ready minde It s not enough to do our duty willingly for so we may do for filthy lucre and gain but it must be of a ready minde even the love of God and zeal of his glory and the care of the peoples Salvation and winning them to God It were a base thing that lucre should set us on work or any thing else but those high and holy ends Obj. None would preach but for their maintenance they look for it Sol. Suppose it to be so yet many preach and have not half the maintenance they spend where they live but either spend of that little God gave them by their friends or else rob other Churches as the Apostle speaketh to preach to them but it s one thing to be set on work for gain and another to expect an honest and necessary mainteinance which is a necessary help to the doing of the duty and without which it cannot be well done It comes in I say by the by as a necessary help to the duty not as the end that sets
the alarms either of mercies or judgements He sees not one step of the way to Heaven nor the danger he is in Though he wallow in the mire of foul sins that a good man will stop his nose at yet he smells nothing he cannot taste good and evil asunder but calls sweet sower The Word good Counsel good Company c. wherein Gods people take most delight are bitter to him Though the word hit him never so hard blows he feels not as neither though he wound his own conscience with never so foul sins And 2. As a man asleep loves not to be awaked so a natural man out of his sins and to be called upon to repent 3. As in sleep men dream of that they have not so a natural man dreams he is in a very good case hath faith repentance love c. when it s nothing so and when he awakes he confesseth it 4. As a man in sleep speaks some good words but knows not what and by and by is out so a natural man in good company will speak good words but hath no feeling of them and will again be quickly out of them 5. As a man before he sleeps gives direction that none awake him and turns from the one side to the other sleeping now on the one then on the other so a natural man will not be called upon to repentance having slept long enough on the one side in prodigality will haply turn on the other and lie as long in covetousness 6. As a man that hath been in a long deep sleep can hardly be awakened though it thunder though the winds be ready to blow down the house he hears nothing so it s hard to awaken any out of sin especially when they have lain long and lived therein no Preaching or calling on no Judgements of God though never so apparent can awake them from their security 7. As sleep is an image of the first death so is sleep in sin of the second Therefore we must endeavor for faith and set upon a good life we must learn to watch and keep us well while we be well To this end we must make use of the Trumpet of the Word daily sounding in our ears and take notice of Gods Judgements both on our selves and others What may not induce us hereunto Reasons are many 1. We are of the day and the light of the word shines in our faces It s enough for them in the night of Popery and where the word is not to sleep in sin he is a sluggard indeed that sleeps when the Sun shines his face Some of you have slept till nine a clok till high noon till three in the afternoon for shame awake 2. He that sleepeth in Harvest is the Son of confusion This is the plentiful harvest of the Gospel Now there is good to be done good gathering of faith knowledge repentance and such other graces 3. It s a shame to sleep when others be at work Many through Gods grace be awakened by the word and are busily working out their Salvation laboring for grace and using the means diligently and will you lie snorting in sin then will they be provided of necessaries when you will perish 4. It s a shame to sleep when all one's work lies to do but many among us have done just nothing of that that God hath set them here for nothing done towards their Salvation but all against it awake therefore ere night come when you cannot work 5. It were strange if a man should sleep when he were in great danger the house burning over their heads or in an hideous Tempest ready to be cast away but every natural man hangs as it were over the pit of Hell by a twined threed 6. It were strange if one should still sleep having many Messengers sent to awake him Some will say If any had called me I would have awaked with all my heart we are called by Sermon after Sermon by this Preacher that Preacher the other c. to whom the Lord will say Did not I send you and you to awake such a man c. you are now come under the means of awakening O that it might please God to bless his Word in piercing the ears of your soul to this end And be not half awaked and afterward when you be gone hence fall asleep again as a man in a deep sleep being called upon he begins to stir and lift up an eye and it may be his head from his pillow but hearing no more he lies down again and falls again as fast asleep as before let it not be so with us Some I doubt not begin to think with themselves about awaking and that it were good for them so to do but beware when you be gone hence you lay not your head down again but come and hear again and again till you be soundly awakened that you may not hereafter sleep any more if you be not awaked you must perish for ever A man would be loath to dye in his Natural sleep having gone well to bed and thinking of no such thing yet this cannot hurt a good man but to dye in the Spiritual sleep is damnable And I beseech you yong men and women be awakened betimes defer no longer the longer the worse Come to a man newly gone to bed ye may easily awake him come an hour after more hardly but come at midnight and then though you call and shout you can scarce awake him Sleep not till your middle age you can hardly be awaked then but if till your old age with exceeding difficulty if at all But of this also I have spoken before Because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour A Reason of the forementioned Exhortation By yielding thereto we shall take away advantage from the Devil who else will draw us into manifold temptations He is here described by all things that make a dangerous Enemy as Malice called therefore Our adversary the Devil Strength called therefore A Lyon A roaring Lyon Subtilty That he walketh about seeketh by all ways and means as by violence and craft to draw us into evil Diligence That he walketh about c. His malice is exceeding against God and man especially Gods people and against all goodness It hath been so from the beginning from his fall he was filled with malice against God laboring by all means that no reasonable creature might praise him on earth His envy also against mankinde continueth he is still a most deadly enemy against all goodness and means thereof against good persons good duties good meetings the Word Sacraments Prayer Fasting c. laboring to hinder these and the good success of them as the good Angels are filled with love and zeal to God and goodness rejoycing at the conversion of a sinner so is the Devil on the contrary yea his malice is deadly nothing will content him but our
their soul and so have these either they get no knowledge or if any onely a little swiming in the brain but not sinking down into the soul to the changing thereof 2. It teacheth all Ministers so to preach the Word as by all means possible they may win some what should our desire be but so to do whether we consider the love we owe to God or to our people that their salvation will be our crown To this end we must preach those points most diligently and carefully that be most effentially necessary to work conversion we must beat upon mens misery labor to bring them to Faith and Sanctification c. without these all other points will be unprofitable Unpreaching Ministers have no possibility of winning souls 3. People should so hear the Word as they labor and pray it may be powerful by the Spirit to their conversion and new birth they must have a Spiritual Father as well as a Natural Father must be born again ere they dye else happy had they been if they had never had their first birth le ts try our selves herein It s not hearing the Word yea with joy and reforming some things that is Regeneration it s not to be restrained from the gross evils of the world or to be somewhat changed in some things alas Regeneration is another matter then that wherein many deceive themselves and perish knowing no more what is Regeneration then Nicodemus when he first came unto Christ nor laboring after it to finde it with the fruits and signs thereof My Son He calls him so also of tender love as Paul One simus his own bowels Here note That The Ministers of God ought exceedingly to love all Gods people but chiefly such as have been won to God by their means They must cherish and further such all they can as the Hen when she hath hatched her Chickens broods and tends them and as the Mother after she hath brought forth her childe is careful to keep it from harm and to provide all necessaries for it they must watch over them preach to them pray for them not depart from them but in the case of absolute necessity as the Apostles having won any to God would come again to them exhorting them to continue in the grace of God confirming their hearts c. so must we they be our comfort and joy here and crown hereafter our Epistles of commendation the seals of our Ministery they that make us rejoyce and give thanks therefore we are much beholding to them and must love them most dearly and desire the work begun may be happily perfected knowing it s no less wisdom and thrift to hold that we have gotten then to get more Accordingly must the Spiritual Children love their Spiritual Fathers dearly They ought to love all Instructers but as Children their Parents so they them best by whom they have been begotten to God They ought to give them double honor to reverence them and not to suffer them want necessary comforts In doubtful cases of Conscience they must resort to them for counsel as Children to their Father They must obey all their godly precepts endure their severity be guided by all their godly directions receive no accusation against them under two or three witnesses c. A childe will not hear much less believe any evil reports of his Father For those people that set light by their Ministers can suffer them to want fall out with them if he be gone we shall have one as good as he c. its questionable whether ever they were converted by their Ministery for we see by experience that such as are converted their hearts be so knit to their Spiritual Father that they think best of his counsel praise God for him as the instrument of their conversion love him dearly c. we love the fathers of our bodies and ought so to do and yet they help us to a being in sin and into a sinful world and state and should we not love our Spiritual Fathers through whom we are changed therefrom The Separatists therefore are either unconverted persons as I doubt not but sundry are or else they be most unnatural and unthankful persons in railing against all the Ministers of England and so against their own Spiritual Fathers They spi on their faces and call their Mother Whore O most wretched requital Verse 14. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus Amen THe last part of the conclusion consisting 1. Of an Exhortation to embrace each other with love and to testifie the same by outward signs 2. Of a Prayer for them that all that be true Believers in Christ Jesus might have all prosperity and welfare to which he joyns the note of his faith and fervency Amen So concluding his Epistle with all signs of love In general That he contents not himself that he loved them but labors to further love among them we may note how needful this duty is where love is we must endeavor the continuance and encrease thereof where its crazy we must use means to heal it Blessed be the peace makers It s a sign they are endued with the wisdom which is from above All our words should tend to make love the Devils Cole-carriers and Bellows that blow up strife rejoyce in folks contentions and further encrease the same A woful office who gets hereby but the Devil except the Lawyers hap to get too Greet one another To Salute each other hath been an ancient custom in the Church of God whereof you may finde the forms Judg. 6. 12. Ruth 2. 4. Psal. 129. 8. Luke 1. 28. and 10. 5. John 20. 19. and elsewhere Ours also are commendable when we meet any we say God save you when any goes from us God be with you or Fare you well in the morning we say God give you a good morning in the afternoon God give you a good night when any is at meat we pray God that much good it may do them when one goes a journey we say God speed you in your journey when at work God speed your work when one is come newly to an office God give you joy of your office c. These ought we to use as occasion serveth both to our Superiors more reverently by the Titles that are due to them of worship honor c. our equals with good respect and somewhat familiarly as we look they should to us and to our inferiors that they may not think themselves despised and so be discontent with their place and with God and it s a base thing to tread under ones inferiors Thus we must salute not our friends onely but strangers but our enemies Even blessing them that curse us and praying for them persecute us Else we shall be but like the Publicans who salute those that salute them so we must salute not onely good men though
those most respectively but even the bad for we must have peace with them though not with their faults and give them their due though if we have occasion to speak of their sins we must deal plainly except we know them to be Gods Enemies then ought we to give them no countenance Reasons hereof may be these 1. It s a good testifying of our love which we should do upon all occasions 2. It s a part of urbanity and courtesie 3. It s a good means to procure love from them whom we do salute so did Absolom c. 4. The neglect hereof as it cannot but bewray some defect in us so it breeds suspicions and thoughts of emulation in our neighbors and works in them no small discontent for our nature can abide nothing less then to see our selves despised 1. This rebukes not so much those that of rudeness or for want of good maners go by and regard no Salutations seeming so to minde their businesses as they regard none but themselves but those that of a prophane minde neglect it especially towards those whom they think not to be of their disposition as some prophane rude wretches that will come by a Minister or godly Christian after a scornful maner without shewing any courtesie This being done in respect of their Religion is abominable and vile and a very bad sign 2. Such as of pride If they have a little more wealth or gay cloaths or any gift more then another they are so puft up that they pass by others scornfully or carelesly What is one worm to lift up himself thus against one that is his own flesh that it may be is as good or better then himself The more God hath given any the more humble they should be 3. Such as of frowardness malice and old hatred cannot speak at meeting are tongue-tyed They have a tongue but the malice of their heart taketh away the use of it They look like Tygers on each other and would as readily kill them if they could as safely and easily This is seen to God before whom he that hateth his brother is a man-slayer 4. Let us labor to purge our hearts hereof that we may give every one his due With a kiss of charity The maner of saluting among the Jews was by kissing Thus did Jacob and Esau at their meeting Laban and his Children at their parting so Joseph and his Brethren Jonathan and David c. we finde it also practised in the new Testament See Luke 7. 45. and Acts 20. 37. It was a Custom in some Churches before the Communion to kiss each other signifying the joyning of hearts this we retain in part But men Salute by uncovering and shaking hands the joyning of our hands signifying the joyning of our hearts This was the use till courtly Congeys and Crouchings have put them by taking one another by the knees and by the elbows c. Of charity But be the Salutation what it will kiss or shaking hands or uncovering head it must be of love and thence proceeds for as we must not be content to have love in our heart except we shew it by outward signs so must all outward tokens proceed from love as the ground and root else its lying diffimulation Those kisses they are elswhere termed holy not a wanton kiss not a dissembling kiss much less a treacherous kiss but such a one as proceeds from a Sanctified affection of love seated in the heart 1. This rebuketh the customary and formal saluting which wants this ground Many do thus greet one another who yet have but small love to the parties they salute This is a taking of Gods name in vain it s a dissembling with our neighbors whereas love should be unfained without dissimulation 2. Treacherous courtesies and greetings when there are fair speeches How do you I am glad to see you well c. when mischief is in the heart as did Joab and Judas Thus the Devil pretended love to Eve this is the note of a wicked man Many after kinde salutations will straight rail gibe slander plot mischief c. Those should rather make known their malice that others might beware of them then cloak their mischief with the shew of love 3. Let every one of us labor to possess our hearts of true love that so we may not onely salute one another but in a right maner do the same O let us labor for this most lovely vertue of love so often commanded of us so highly commended to us It s the bond of perfectness that tyes up all together without which all duties shatter asunder It s the fulfilling of the whole Law It s that vertue which is so pleasing to God that which so long continueth that wherein the Angels and Saints now shine To this end let us labor to be more and more assured of Gods love to us which will make us not onely to love him but our neighbors for his sake the godly best but all because God bids yea our Enemies as who loved us when we were Enemies we must also strive against and purge out the cankers of love as namely 1. Pride which esteems so highly of ones self and basely of others offereth occasions of offence readily and taketh occasion for every thing 2. Covetousness for this also hinders love he that 's covetous cares not how he gets by right or wrong nor how much he wrongs his Neighbor 3. Frowardness and hastiness This also stirs up strife If there have any things fallen out otherwise then well between us and any as there may be even between good persons let us take notice thereof acknowledge and be sorry for the same seek reconciliation be pacified forgive and forget as we are required and expect forgiveness from God O an unappeasable minde is a fearful thing a note of a Reprobate Such are unlike God who is slow to wrath ready to forgive like the Devil who is irreconcileable O woful a poor mortal man to bear immortal hatred How can he look God in the face little doth he think what fearful things he hath done against God did he he would think how ever he could look up to God for pardon of 10000 Talents when he catcheth and holdeth his neighbor by the throat for 300 pence nay it may be if it be truly examined for nothing Peace be with you all c. Now he prays for them by Peace is usually meant outward prosperity as health conveniency of outward things welfare of our selves and ours freedom from grievous evils and a quiet estate and condition in the comfortable enjoying of Gods blessings in our bodies wives children goods names c. also that which is the fountain hereof namely peace with God and our own conscience But I will speak here first of outward blessings Where note That We may lawfully desire for our selves and ours or any other