doctrine the word loue with all the foure former ends why he would haue their said loue so to abound in knowledge and iudgement are for exhortation And indeed loue to God and men will much erre without knowledge and iudgement to direct them and men also cannot discerne things that differ neither be sound at the heart nor free from offence much lesse filled with the fruits of righteousnes without the same knowledge and iudgement to shew them what is false what true what euill what good neither can they be sound and sincere except they know what soundnesse and sincerenesse is and how it is to be had and whereby to be retained Finally how can men abound in the fruits of righteousnes except they know what workes are righteous and what vnrighteous Moreouer doctrine is as it were the whole loafe or ioynt of meate exhortation is the diuiding of it aright and 2. Tim. 2. 15. the distribution thereof according to the diuers states and capacities of men and men to be instructed in doctrine are as children that cannot carue for themselues As therefore it is not enough for whole loaues of bread or ioynts of meate to be set before children except the same be cut and diuided to euery one according as their need requireth and as it were by parcels and seuerall porâ—ions so it is not enough for doctrine to be onely deliuered except also by exhortation the same be applied as euery man is capable thereof and hath need in respect of his place and calling and conuersation All this is not to be so vnderstood as though euery Minister of the word should be able to teach and exhort in the same measure For these faculties of teaching and exhorting are distinguished in this Chapter verse 7. 8. and Pastors and Teachers are reckoned as seuerall callings as well as Apostles Prophets and Euangelists and to one is Ephes 4. 14. 1. Cor. 12. 8. giuen by the same Spirit the word of wisedome and to another the word of knowledge This therefore is onely the meaning that doctrine alone is not to be taught but also to be applied by exhortation either by one and the same man or by diuers some teaching some exhorting some hauing a speciall gift in teaching that are but meane in exhortation and some being excellent for quickning men by exhortation that haue not the like facultie for doctrine The vse of all this is twofold 1. Reprehension 2. Instruction It reproueth all that content themselues with one only The vse of the former doctrine without the other Some with doctrine onely that neuer care to be pressed with exhortation for doing of that which doctrine teacheth and requireth Some for a time are moued with earnest exhortations and a while are hot on the spurre in their affections to the Preachers and swift to speake in commendation of such Sermons as do so on the sudden affect them who notwithstanding cannot beare doctrine though neuer so diuine at least who cannot endure much thereof but thinke it tedious and irksome So neither the one nor the other doth long giue them good content Such are like to those little children Math. 11. 16 17 18 19. that our Sauiour speaketh of and to whom he compareth the Iewes who were not pleased with the preaching either of Iohn the Baptist or of himselfe but had their exceptions against the one and the other Our Sauiour indeed saith that they were willing for a season to reioyce in Iohns Ioh. 5. 35. light But this word for a season bewrayeth their said ioy had no soliditie though the phrase vsed importeth great ioy but that it was quickly quenched like to the laughter of a foole compared to the cracking of thornes vnder a pot Eccles 7. 6. that maketh a great blaze for a time which suddenly is cleane out Some great schollers likewise and Doctors are alwayes reading of many bookes and day and night plod for doctrine and grow to be great clerks and learned men which seldome preach to other applying their doctrine by exhortation but keepe all in their bosomes to themselues no man else almost faring the better by all their learning yea Psal 42. 5 11. 43. 5. 103. 1. 2. 22. some neuer apply their said doctrine and knowledge to themselues in exhorting themselues and prouoking their soules to such duties as belong vnto them as Dauid often did his soule Now for the second vse of instruction let all learne to ioyne both together That which our Sauiour speaketh in the matter of mariage is to applied to all other things as spoken in the neuter gender That which God hath ioyned Math. 19. 6. together let no man dis-ioyne Let doctrine be highly regarded as the foundation and much laboured for as that whereby the Lord doth make knowne his manifold wisedome Ephes 3. 10. vnto principalities and powers in heauenly places that is vnto his holy Angels and whereinto they do greatly desire 1. Pet. 1. 12. to prie as sometimes the Cherubims were made with their faces towards the Mercie seate as it were to attend Exod. 25. 20. what oracles the Lord from thence would deliuer vnto his people As the Apostle in this Epistle and in many other especially the writer to the Hebrewes haue written most of doctrine so let euery man by doctrine lay a good foundation to eternall life There neuer was more need hereof then in these dayes wherein the Apostle hath foretold some should depart from the faith giuing heed to seducing 1. Tim. 4. 3. 4. spirits and doctrines of diuels and the which dayes therefore 2. Tim. 3. 1. he hath called perillous times and when also he hath said that men will not endure sound doctrine but after their 1. Tim. 4. 3. 4. owne lusts shall heape vp vnto themselues false teachers and hauing itching eares shall turne them away from the truth vnto fables such as these doctrines of Poperie are viz. of the nine Orders of Angels of the number of Angels of Limbus Patrum of Purgatorie and of many other the like yea the same Apostle hath said that he knew that after his departure should wolues yea grieuous wolues enter in Acts 20. 29. amongst the faithfull not sparing the flocke Who euer were such wolues as Iesuites Seminary Priests and the rest of that Popish rout Alas how euident is this to all the world in respect of the bodies of men as well as of their soules by the blood of the Saints shed by them heretofore and now dayly in France as also since by their crueltie to the West Indian Heathen Hath not the Apostle said there must be heresies that they 1. Cor. 11. 19. that are approued may be made manifest And are not many amongst vs made manifest to be Priests that before were accounted good Protestants Whence is this but from wnat of a good foundation of doctrine Certainly hereby men are as apt to take any impression and
know they shall be in heauen with him as they know himselfe to be there and whiles he was here to haue prayed for vs that we might be there where he should be yea by which vnion we do already sit with Ephes 2. 6. him in the heauenly places Tenthly the Apostle hath assured vs that he will make our vile bodies like vnto his glorious bodie and that when he Philip. 3. 21. Col. 3. 4. shall appeare we shall appeare with him in glorie and Iohn saith we shall be like him and see him as he is 1. Ioh. 3. 2. Eleuenthly the wicked souldiers that brake the bones of the theeues crucified with Christ could not breake his bones because it was written of the Passe-ouer a type of Christ A bone of him shall not be broken Was it not possible for a bone of his naturall bodie to be broken because it Ioh. 19. 33. 36. was so written and shall it be possible for any whole member of his mysticall bodie to be vtterly lost Twelfthly and lastly not to be tedious herein None of the sheepe of Christ that haue heard his voice and followed Ioh. 10. 28. 29. him can be taken out of Christs hand because the Father that hath giuen them vnto him is stronger then all And all the children of God begotten againe through the rich mercie of God are kept and guarded as I said before by the power of God c. Is it not blaspemous either to say that God is 1. Pet. 1. 5. In Chap. 1. at the end vnrighteous or to denie his omnipotencie that he is not able to keepe his owne May we not vpon these grounds crie out O the vnsearchable riches of Gods goodnesse as well as of his wisedome May we not breake out into admiration of the happie and blessed state and condition of all them that are partaker of such mercies of God Oh then how forcible an argument is this of the Apostle to prouoke vrge and presse all by these mercies to present their bodies a sacrifice vnto God Yea certainly this argument is greater then whatsoeuer can be vrged to this purpose from all the iudgements of God We are many times prouoked Ios 23. 8. c. and 24. 14. 1. Sam. 12. 24. to cleaue vnto God to feare God c. by consideration of the great works of his mercie for this life both performed and also promised how much more then ought these his great mercies of the life to come quicken vs thus to present our bodies a sacrifice liuing holy acceptable Therefore this Apostle from the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead in that glorious maner that he had described the same inferreth this exhortation to stedfastnes in iudgement and to abounding in all good workes with constancie Therefore my beloued brethren be stedfast 1. Cor. 15. 58. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is rest your selues in the former doctrine as in a seate or chaire of state after ye haue bin wearied with the errors of false Apostles to the contrary be vnmoueable let no man vnseate you abounding always in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as ye know euen certainly that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Doth not the Apostle Peter also from the same certaintie of Gods future mercies exhort the Christian Iews with all diligence to adde to their faith 2 Pet. 1. 5. 6. Vt virtus à nomine vir proforti strenuo ita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deriuatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autem est Mars quam Poetae imperunt Deum bâ—lli vertue or rather fortitude or courage according to the deriuation of the Greeke word and to their said courage knowledge for the better direction thereof and to knowledge temperance because men of courage are commonly intemperate and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse loue euen towards all men Doth not Iohn likewise exhort to loue one another vnfainedly and in deed as well as in word from our knowledge that we 1. Ioh. 3. 14. 18. 19. are translated from death vnto life and of our being in truth for the present and from assurance of our hearts before him for the time to come Away therefore with all doctrine of Poperie that teacheth the certaintie of Gods mercie to come to be the doctrine of securitie and libertie Away with all Arminianisme that teacheth that no man can be sure of his saluation and that men partaker of the former mercies may for all that lose all Heb. 6. 9. and vtterly and finally fall away from grace All obiections to the contrary are strawy watery and weake The mainest obiection of all other from Heb. 6. 4. c. is dog-lame yea the legs thereof are so cut off in the very 9. 10. same place vers 9. 10. that it must haue legs made of wood to support it that will be burnt with the fire For the Apostle adding that he was perswaded better things of them and such as did accompanie saluation prouing the same from the very righteousnesse of God in those respects that before I haue spoken doth by his said words plainly teach vs that he had not before spoken of such things as necessarily accompanie saluation Can there be any thing better then faith and these mercies of God apprehended by faith Therefore it is certaine that the Apostle had not before spoken of such things as in verse the 9. he calleth better things and such as accompanie saluation They that fall away from the communion of Saints and that lose their taste of those mercies they seemed to haue neuer were of the Saints neither euer indeed had receiued those 1. Ioh. 2. 19. mercies I haue seene a little dog-bolt booke lately published by some that style themselues falsly called Anabaptists but it is lamentable to see how the poore men moile themselues in their errors and how they are puzzled with the former place of Iohn labouring to answer it but most fouly abusing it saying themselues cannot tell what They multiply words indeed but in them not a word to purpose neither worth any answer But to returne and proceed doth not this our Apostle from the very promises of God made to the Iewes in old time mentioned in the end of the 2. Cor. 6. prouoke vs Gentiles engrafted into Christ to purge our selues from all 2. Cor. 7. 1. filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit c. As for the words following in the feare of God and the like elsewhere they are onely to be opposed to presumption and are to be vnderstood as motiues to the more watchfulnesse in respect Philip. 2. 12. of the weaknesse of our selues whiles we liue in the flesh and of other that in particulars haue deeply fallen and also as I said before of the manifold and mightie aduersaries of our saluation yea not onely in respect
should neuer see were not this iust with the Lord so to deale with vs that like to the sonnes in law of Lot haue thought them that haue preached Gen. 19. 14. iudgement to come thereby to moue vs to repentance to haue but mocked Verily it were most iust But let vs at the last make this right vse of the mercies of God for this life that Samuel commended to the Israelites saying 1. Sam. 12. 24. Feare ye the Lord and serue him c. and consider how great things the Lord hath done for you If we still go on in our sinnes and securitie and do wickedly not presenting our selues such a sacrifice vnto God as here the Apostle exhorteth vs vnto let vs beware of that which he threatneth vers 25. in the next verse As this argument from these outward mercies towards vs here in this Land is generally to be applied vnto all because all haue a share in them so let euery man particularly consider that the greater measure of these outward mercies the Lord hath bestowed vpon him the more he endeuours to present himselfe such a sacrifice to God as here we are called vpon to present For if to whom Luk. 12. 48. men haue committed much of him they will aske the more wil not the Lord do the like But doth euery man make this particular vse of Gods mercies for this life particularly receiued from the Lord Alas no but cleane contrary he withdraweth himselfe the more from God and the greater that any man for the most part is in outward blessings the more he hardneth his heart and face against God and the more he thinketh he may sin both against God and also against men Therefore if there be any goodnes in any great men though it be neuer so poore and little we vse to say Little is much in such a man Whereas indeed we should rather say It is nothing in such a man as for whom the Lord hath done so much For doubtlesse for the least of Gods blessings for this life a man is more in his debt and the more he dayly receiueth of that kind into the greater arrerages he runneth with him euen such as he shall neuer be able to discharge so that he may well say What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards Psal 116. 12. me And if we make this vse of such blessings for this life then shall they also be mercies of the life to come but if we do not then shall they be iudgements of this life and of the life to come And when we haue deliberated neuer so long what to render vnto the Lord for these or for other sorts of his mercies we must not dreame of making God any recompence for how can a man be profitable Iob 22. 2. vnto God but we must altogether thinke of receiuing more and euery one say with the Prophet in the former place I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon Psal 116. 13. the Name of the Lord. VVe must still prepare our selues to beg more at least heauenly and spirituall blessings and to magnifie his Name for those that already we haue receiued and not to boast or prate of any merits by any thing we haue done but acknowledge that whatsoeuer we haue done yet we are but vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17. 10. By the premises hitherto spoken we see that they do abuse the mercies of God that are made the more secure by them and that take libertie to commit sinne vpon sin either from the mercies already receiued or from the certaintie of Gods mercies to come For his said future mercies are not promised to any but to such as feare him and Psal 103. 11. 13. 17. 18. keep his couenant and remember his commandements to do them Yea certainly they that rightly consider of Gods mercies but towards other be they neuer so meane will thereby prouoke themselues though liuing and wallowing in their sinnes to confesse and forsake them and to returne Pro. 28. 13. Ier. 4. 6. vnto the Lord in hope they shall find mercie Did not the prodigall sonne so do by remembring the plentie of Luk. 15. 17. 18. the poorest seruant in his fathers house Oh that all prodigall and lasciuious sonnes would do the like such as are swaggerers drunkards or great drinkers though not vnto drunkennesse riotous waste-goods stubburne rebellious Isai 5. 11. Luk. 18. 2. neither fearing God nor reuerencing men no not their fathers that begat them nor their mothers that bare them with great paines and gaue them suck with many a pinch and in their age haue more sorow of heart by them then euer they had ioy before Oh that all other vngodly persons would do the like If they be very gracelesse children as there are too many that will not submit themselues to their parents and performe dutie vnto them from consideration of such before mentioned fatherly and motherly kindnesses how gracelesse are they to God how wicked how rebellious that from these his mercies will not be prouoked to yeeld their bodies a sacrifice vnto him They therefore are enemies to all pietie and to these mercies of God and to all grace of God that from the same do argue for all libertie and impietie saying being admonished of their sinne and exhorted to reformation What God is mercifull he is not so hard as you make him Moreouer if Gods mercies be so great and certain vnto men most vnworthy of them how should this prouoke one man to shew mercie to another in imitation of this mercie of God according to that of our Sauiour Be ye Luk. 6. 36. Math. 5. 7. Iam. 2. 13. mercifull as your Father also is mercifull And hath he not said Blessed are the mercifull for they shall receiue mercie Hath not the Apostle also said There shall be iudgement mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercie but mercie reioyceth against iudgement God hath no need of vs but we haue need one of another We cannot be profitable to God but Iob 22. 2. we may be beneficial one to another yea the poorest that is to the greatest as diuers other wayes so especially by praying for him as the Prophet of Iuda was vnto Ieroboam 1. King 13. 6. by his prayer curing his withered hand Yea we may deserue kindnesse one of another but as in part hath bin shewed before we cannot recompence God for that we haue had of him much lesse can we merit any new blessings Besides all the premises if Gods mercies be so great as we haue heard how highly are we to esteeme of the word of God the cabinet or casket wherein all the said mercies of God are contained and whereby likewise the Lord conueyeth them all vnto vs and the which it selfe is one of the principallest mercies Yea further how highly are all Gods Ministers to be regarded that faithfully bring those mercies vnto vs euen so
greatnesse of them as also our long continuance in them and let vs measure our said sorrow by the mercies of God towards vs by our knowledge by our callings by the offences we haue giuen to other by our said sinnes especially by our causing the name of God and his doctrine to be blasphemed and euill spoken of Yea in these and other the like respects let vs mourne Psal 37. 4. and 107. 37. c Ierem. 30. 15. more for our sinnes then for any outward losses indignities wrongs iniuries sicknesses or other afflictions of this life whatsoeuer because all such things come for sinne Of this sorrow for sin the Prophet saith The sacrifices of God Psal 51. 17. are a broken spirt a broken and contrite heart O God thouwilt not despise Notwithstanding in this sorrow for our sinnes we must always haue an eye to the mercies of God before mentioned lest we be swallowed vp of sorrow and fall into despaire Therefore the Apostle bâ—ddeth vs to Rom. 11. 22. behold the goodnesse and the seueritiâ— of God not the goodnes of God alone nor his seueritie alone but both together the one with the other the goodnes of God that we do not despaire the seueritie of God that we do not presume As hitherto I haue generally spoken of the actuall sacrificing The sacrifice of righteousnes and prayse Psal 4. 5. of our selues soules and bodies and as we are in this sacrificing of our selues to remember the generall sacrifice of all righteousnesse that is of all obedience to the first and second Table so let vs not forget to offer the sacrifice of praise vnto God which is called the calues of our Psal 50. 14. Hos 14. 2. â— lips The more the mercies of God haue abounded towards this land aboue all other lands in his word in our peace in our wealth c. the more must we abound in the calues of our lips in that behalfe yea so much the more must we abound therein because thereby we shall please the Lord better then they did in the Law that offered Psal 69. 31. 1. Cor. 13. 13. oxen and bullocks that had hoxnes and hoofes yea as the Apostle preferreth loue aboue faith and hope in respect of the continuance thereof when faith and hope shall haue Praises more excellent then prayers an end so in the same respect this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing may be preferred before prayers themselues because when prayers shall cease as whereof there shall be no need euen then shall thanksgiuings and prayses remaine and continue As the glorious Angels of heauen Luc. 2. 13. Reuel 5. 11. are already employed in this dutie and are alwayes readie to performe the same vpon euery occasion so shall all the elect being glorified glorifie God without ceasing for their said glorification The more difficult also any duâ—ie is and the more hardly performed the more excellent without question the same is to be acknowledged But the difficultie and hard performance of this dutie aboue prayers appeareth by the ten Leapers all ioyntly crauing Luk. 17. 12. c. helpe of our Sauiour and being healed one onely returning to giue thanks Yea this greater difficulty of thanksgiuing aboue prayers is manifest by all experience For who being vnder any affliction is not ready to craue release but release being granted who almost is as ready to giue thankes The more that God hath dignified any of his children with his mercies of this life or of the life to come the more such ought to abound in these sacrifices of praise and of the calues of their lips for the same With those notwithstanding in the second ranke of The sacrifice of prayers Col. 4. 2. 1. Tim 2. 1. 1. Thes 5. 17. 18 these particular sacrifices whiles we liue in this world let vs ioyne the sacrifice of prayers and supplications and intercessions as the Apostle ioyneth them together And although the Apostle to Timothie vseth more words touching this sacrifice then touching the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing yet that is not for the excellencie of prayers aboue praises or thanks but because whiles we liue here our wants are greater then the mercies we haue already and future mercies are more and greater then all that we haue receiued These prayers are by the Prophet called incense and the lifting vp of our hands an adiunct of Psal 141. 2. them and put for them is compared to the euening sacrifice As we are to praise God for his mercies receiued so we are to pray both for the increase of them and also that we may still enioy such as we haue and that God will alwayes so shut the gates of our kingdome and make the Psal 147. 13. barres thereof strong and so bolt them as Amnon commanded 2. Sam. 13. 17. his seruant against Antichrist and all his champions Iesuits Priests and other greater then they that hauing bin long from hence banished and abandoned they may neuer returne and be entertained by vs againe lest by their returne we become worse then before as our Sauiour speaketh of him out of whom the vncleane spirit being cast and returning againe and finding the place Mat. 12. 43. c. from whence he was cast swept and garnished he taketh seuen other spirits more wicked then himselfe and entreth again and so maketh the last state of that man worse then the first We haue the more cause to feare this because all the Iesuites and their consorts are euen of the same disposition that such vncleane spirits are yea euen possessed with 1. King 22. 22. them as the prophets of Ahab were possessed with that lying spirit whereby they deceiued Ahab to his ruine and ouerthrow With those our prayers oh that we would also ioyne Fasts holy fasts as the which haue bin often commanded and highly commended in the Scriptures by the admirable successe of them and which be reckoned also among the Leuit. 23. 27. feasts of the Lord and finally the which rightly performed haue alwayes ended with ioy and feasting Is not this 2. Chron. 20. Ezra 8. Nehem. 1. Ester 4. euident by the fasts of Iehosophat of Ezra of Nehemiah of Ester and diuers other Yea haue not we our selues often had experience hereof Oh therefore that we would turne some of our riotous feastings into such religious fastings lest as the Lord hath threatned he turne our feasts Amos 8. 10. into mournings and our songs into lamentations and bring vp sackcloth vpon all loines and baldnesse vpon euery head and make it as the mourning of an onely sonne and the end thereof as a bitter day Yet fie vpon all the hypocriticall and detestable fasts of the Papists which are plaine mockeries of the fasts of the Lord yea which are so much more detestable in the eyes of the Lord by how much the more in number they exceed the fasts of the Lord. For whereas the Lord
places Onely herein is the difference that in the one place he saith the mercies plurally and in the other the meeknesse and gentlenesse singularly secondly that in the one place there is the name of God in the other of Christ By mercies he meaneth also in this place Gods works of mercie onely concerning our soules and the life to come For this word therefore referreth vs onely to those things that the Apostle had before written euen to all those passages of Gods dealing before mentioned and before in part recapitulated by me as to iustification by faith without the workes of the Law c. In all the former part of the Epistle the Apostle had not mentioned any mercie of God concerning this life all before said concerneth euerlasting saluation Now by speaking plurally of mercies he noreth that all All the mercies of God do concurre in the saluation of any Ephes 4. 7. the former mercies of God do concurre and must concurre to the saluation of euery one appointed to saluation Whosoeuer hath one hath all One is not enough without all Yet this is to be vnderstood first of all common mercies I meane common to all the elect secondly of all such in seuerall measures There are many mercies of the life to come specially belonging to some speciall persons as appeareth by those particulars here mentioned in verses 6. 7. 8. All such graces are not necessarie for all neither do concurre in all The speciall workes 1. Cor. 12. 4. also of Gods mercie to speciall callings are not all alike and wrought in equall measure But to euery one is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ And there vers 6. are diuersities of gifts but the same Spirit And in this Chapter Hauing gifts differing c. And what need so graue an admonition in verse 3. by the grace giuen to Paul that euery man among these Christian Romanes should not thinke of himselfe more highly then he ought to thinks if all mercies or graces were alike in all Gods mercies to come greater then any past or present Not to stand any longer hereupon but to proceed by the mercies of God in this place he meaneth not onely mercies past and mercies present but also mercies to come which are greater then any we haue had or haue First because they shall be in heauen whereas these are all here below Secondly because they shall be without feare of any losse of any depriuation of any of diminution Thirdly they shall not be by degrees as here but all at once and euerlasting But are our mercies here vncertain Not so yet in respect of our weaknesse and of the multitude 2. Cor. 7. 1. and power of our aduersaries both without vs and Philip. 2. 12. 1. Pet. 1. 17. also within vs we are neuer without feare neither must be not of losing but of ceasing them and of weakning and obscuring our assurance of them Fourthly Gods mercies to come are greater then any past or present because they shall be without any misery at all And as in these respects they are greater so they are also as certaine as those that here already we haue And the mercies of God which here we haue are assurances Gods future mercies as sure as any past or present Numb 23. 19. Iam. 1. 17. Heb. 6. 17. 1. Pet. 1. 19. of those we shal haue And for our better assurance of them we are first of all to consider the immutable promise of God bound with a solemne oath euen by his owne name Secondly they are as sure as those that we haue in respect of the great price of our redemption euen the precious blood of Christ Iesus For hath Christ redeemed vs with so great a price and will he lose vs Thirdly in respect of Christs intercession in our behalfe for those mercies first whilest he was here in earth secondly Ioh. 17. 24. Rom. 8. 32. Ioh. 11. 42. now in heauen This reason is the stronger because Christ is heard alwayes and God cannot but heare him because he is his Sonne in whom he is well pleased Mat. 3. 17. 1. Pet. 3. 18. 1. Ioh. 2. 1. and he was alwayes iust neuer sinning either in any other thing or in praying Fourthly as before he did and now doth make intercession for vs so it was the end of his ascending into heauen to prepare a place for vs. Hath he prepared a place for Ioh. 14. 2. vs and shall we be frustrated of it Fiftly Christ hath not onely promised these future mercies but also vpon his promise and to bind himselfe the more to the performance thereof he hath giuen vs the earnest of his Spirit Will he lose his earnest Can any force 2. Cor. 1. 22. Ephes 1. 13 1â— withhold that from him for which he hath giuen earnest or can we withhold our selues Hereunto belongs our sealing by the Spirit of redemption Are not mens writings â— phes 4 30. sure that are sealed and shall not the writings of God and of Christ Iesus sealed in our hearts with a seale of such a price be much surer God Spirit is the seale of our redemption to assure vs both that we are already redeemed Tit. 2. 14. from all iniquitie and also that we shall be redeemed from all miseries of this life and from death it selfe as they are punishments of sinne so that we may say euen whiles we liue here Death is swallowed vp into victory O Hos 13. 14. 1. Cor. 15. 54. 55 death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory Sixtly the mercies of God to come are as sure as those that we haue because in the former respects God is not Heb. 6. 10. See more in Chap. 1. in the end Ioh. 13. 1. Rom. 11. 29. Gen. 27. 33. vnrighteous that he should forget our works and labour of loue c. Seuenthly whom God loueth he loueth to the end and the gifts and callings of God are without repentance Did Isaac say of Iacob I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed and wicked Pilat to the wicked Iewes of the title of Christ that he had written vpon the crosse What I haue written Ioh. 19. 19. 22. Luk 10. 20. Philip. 4. 3. Reuel 3. 5. I haue written and shall not God say the same much more of them whom he hath blessed and whose names he hath written in heauen and in the booke of life Eightly There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets Math. 24. 24. and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible the very elect shall be deceiued It is not therefore possible that they should be deceiued and consequently that they should perish Ergo they shall be most certainly saued Ninthly all partake of the mercies of God before spoken Ephes 5. 30. 1. Cor. 12. 14. of in this Epistle are one with Christ Iesus by which vnion they as certainly
highly that we should receiue them as the Galatians sometime did Paul Gal. 4. 14. 2. Cor. 5. 20. euen as an Angell of God yea as Christ Iesus himselfe for whom they are Ambassadours and finally that if it were possible as Paul speaketh in the former place to the Galatians we should plucke out our owne eyes and giue them vnto them if thereby we might do them good If as Christ laid downe his life for vs we ought to lay downe ours for the 1. Ioh. 3. 16. brethren should we not much more do the same for faithfull Ministers that teach vs and are Gods hands to deliuer Isai 52. 7. Rom. 10. 15. these mercies vnto vs How beautifull are the feet of them that bring glad tidings Shall their faces then be odious vnto vs so indeed they are to many especially if the Ministers preaching neuer so freely and without any charge vnto them do reproue them or theirs yea if from the guiltinesse of their consciences they do but thinke themselues or theirs reproued then they take them to be their enemies as Ahab did Eliah Sometime also they shake their 1. King 21. 20. Psal 22. 7. Math. 27. 39. heads at such Ministers as Dauids enemies did at him as a type of Christ and as they that passed by did at Christ himselfe vpon the crosse and as the bull doth at the dogs But of the regard of the Ministers of the word more afterwards Here also from these words the mercies of God let vs learne humilitie and acknowledge all that we haue to come from Gods mercie in respect of our miserie euen a pluralitie of mercies in respect of the pluralitie of our miseries How then can any boast of any merits in respect of any works How can any man glorie in himselfe Yea let all men giue all glorie to God for deliuering them from their manifold miseries by vouchsafing them so manifold mercies But it shall be sufficient thus briefly to haue pointed as it were with the finger at this point of humilitie by Gods mercies To conclude this argument from Gods mercies the more mercie that any man hath receiued the more let him present his bodie a sacrifice to God But wil some man say do you not forget your selfe by speaking of more mercie For did you not before say that all Gods mercies of the life to come go together and he that hath one hath all if therfore euery one haue all that hath any how can he haue more can there be more then all I said so indeed and so say againe and do not you forget your selfe that thinke to take me napping your selfe being napping For to omit that before in saying as now you charge me that all Gods mercies go together I spake onely of his mercies for the life to come I haue now spoken of the mercies of this life which are giuen more in number to one then to another to omit this I say I pray you remember that before I spake of mercies in the plurall number now I speake of mercie in the singular number Although therefore all Gods common mercies for the life to come and accompanying saluation do go together so that where there is one there are all yet I said also before that the mercies of God are giuen in seuerall measures touching the particulars knowledge faith hope loue patience humilitie temperance c. go all together yea so that he in whom any sinne reigneth hath none of all these notwithstanding though he that hath one of these hath all yet euery man hath not these in the same measure some haue knowledge in a greater measure then other so also faith the same is to be said of the rest This therefore is my meaning that euery man the more knowledge the more faith he hath the more hope the more loue and the more and greater measure he hath of any other mercie the more he giue himselfe a sacrifice to God for the more glorifying of God Let no man boast of greater mercies of God in him then are in other but let him consecrate himselfe the more vnto God and glorifie God the more Thus much of the three arguments prefixed to the exhortation CHAP. IIII. Coutaining an entrance into the exhortation and an explication of the words thereof Present your bodies a sacrifice NOw followeth the exhortation it selfe wherein I will first open the seuerall words and note some points of doctrine in them and then speake of the whole exhortation The words are these Present your bodies a sacrifice The word by some translated giue by our new Bibles present commonly signifieth and is vsed for adesse to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to present be present Sometimes for probare to proue as when Paul saith his aduersaries could not proue the things whereof Act. 24. 13. they accused him Sometimes for commendare to commend as Meate doth not commend vs vnto God and very often 1. Cor. 8. 8. to present as here it is translated viz. in the places noted in the margin and often elsewhere For I do but name Luc. 2. 22. Ro. 6. 16. 19. 2. Cor. 4. 14. 11. 2. Col. 2. 22. Eph. 5. 27. the places in haste to the words following So I take it in this place By bodies here synecdochically he meaneth the whole man * Bodies and our bodies bodies and soules and the pronoune yours is not altogether to be neglected but to be well obserued as excluding the bodies of beasts and the bodie of Christ The former law for sacrificing of beasts is abolished by the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ offered and sacrificed by himselfe and so accomplishing and performing all typically signified by the former sacrifices of beasts Touching Christs owne bodie and Christ himselfe none in heauen or in earth neither man nor Angell euer was or now is worthy or meete to offer the same but Christ himselfe Christ with once offering of himselfe did beare the sins Heb. 9. 28. Heb. 10. 10. of many c. And by his will are we sanctified through the offering of the bodie of Christ once for all c. And his bodie being now in heauen and there to remaine till his comming Act. 3. 22. to iudgement how can it be offered by any vpon the earth And who by the doctrine of the Papists themselues knoweth when it is offered For without the intention of the Priest for making thereof there is no offering of it as themselues affirme in the celebration of their Masse Now who knoweth or can know the intention of the Priest Whether also do they make the bodie of Christ as they speake in the state of humiliation or of glorification Is God also the onely maker of all other things euen of the least worme and can a shauen Priest make the bodie of Christ Did the onely mightie power of God raise the bodie of Christ out of the graue and afterward exalt it to heauen and shall euery such
commanded but one day in a whole yeare for such ordinarie humbling of the Israelites they command an hundred and an halfe at the least euery yeare and yet neuer appoint any day of such extraordinarie humbling our selues vpon extraordinarie occasions as the true Church of God hath alwayes in all ages vsed neither do they require any prayers with their fasts nor enioyne any preaching of the word for the better humbling of the people neither do they restraine any man from his ordinarie Isai 58. 5. worke and labour Is this such a fast as the Lord hath chosen Bellarmine a great champion for the Papists like to Goliah for the Philistims and according to his name a 1. Sam. 17. 4. man armed for warre against God and his truth mightily laboureth the vpholding of them and wresteth this place to his purpose in that behalfe saying that it speaketh Bellar. de bonis operibus â—n partie lib. 2. cap. 11. pag. 1100. of the suppressing of carnall concupiscences which is especially done by fasting and this suppression and mortification he calleth a sacrifice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is our reasonable sacrifice Then he concludeth that therfore a fast whereby to represse concupiscence is a seruice grateful Cap. 1. p. 1068. and acceptable to God And before that making foure sorts of fasts A spirituall fast from sinne A morall fast nothing but a Philosophicall temperance A naturall fast from all kind of meate and drinke vpon any reason And an Ecclesiasticall fast which he defineth to be abstinence from meate not forsooth from drinkes or medicines according to the rule of the Church forgetting the rule of the word whereby Church and all therein must be ordered In all the premises cleane leauing out all ciuil abstinence from some kinds of meate at some times of the yeare for the better increase of the said kinds In the second Chapter also he concludeth without any aduersary that in a fast there must be but one refreshing and that a supper not a dinner not restraining men from their ordinarie labour though he restraine them from meate Afterward but immediatly before pag. 1099. the first noted place he affirmeth a fast to be profitable for the pacifying of God for satisfying for sinnes for the obtaining of helpe and for the meriting of the heauenly reward But all this must be vnderstood of bare fasting For what serious prayers can there be of men labouring in their ordinarie callings yet still heâ— harpeth vpon this string amongst the benefits of such Ecclesiasticall fasts in the fourth place after three benefits before mentioned he saith it is profitable to satisfie God or to pacifie him as Ahab did and yet still denying that which we charge him with that this is ex opere operato though what he can say for 1. King 21. 29. Ahab otherwise that had neither faith nor repentance but onely opus operatum He addeth also a fift benefit of such fastings viz. to merit benefits of God both temporall and euerlasting as Anna by her fasting not mentioned in the Scripture 1. Sam. 1. 9. but the cleane contrary said and onely presumptuously affirmed by Bellarmine obtained Samuel and as Ierom saith lib. 2. in Iouinianum she merited to haue her belly p. 1 102. emptie of meate to be filled with a sonne Behold here a Popish fast Behold here how easily a man may merit both earthly and heauenly blessings Behold here how easily a woman of being barren may be made a mother of children Let her but keepe her belly emptie of meate and it shall be filled with children Alas how simple was Iacob not to thinke of this when Rahel contended with him Gen. 30. 1. and said Giue me children or else I die Who but mad men would be Papists yea who but mad men are Papists For what Christian heart can endure such blasphemous speeches of so easie meriting of heauenly earthly blessings And what is this kind of fasting other then yâ— of the Iews about which they contended with God as if they had merited at Gods hand and for which they quarelled chode with God saying Wherefore haue we fasted and thou seest Isay 58. 3. not wherefore haue we afflicted our soules and thou takest no knowledge What also differeth this Popish fast from the other fasts of the Iewes by themselues inuented in the fift and seuenth moneth during the time of their seuentie yeares captiuitie which notwithstanding the Lord by the Prophet Zechariah so sharply reproued Although therefore Zach. 7. 5. religious fasts from all kind of meares not from some as the Popish fasts are to be wished for ioyned with prayers for the quickning of our zeale in praying and for humbling our whole man vpon speciall occasion taken in hand either to remoue some present iudgement or to escape some wrath to come or to obtaine some speciall mercie and as solemnly to be obserued and sanctified during the time thereof as any Lords day with a serious couenant for reformation of our whole life afterward yet such Popish fasts are detestable to God and of no vse vnto men And yet the best fasts are not in this place or in any other required otherwise then need shall require the same But to returne and to proceed in the third place for Almes our particular sacrifices vnto God let vs adorne the former particulars with almes and brotherly kindnesse and such other duties of mercie as the Prophet commandeth Isay 58. 7. in all true fasts and at all other times and as the Apostle Heb. 13. 16. commendeth and saith of them that with such sacrifices the Lord is well pleased So also Paul calleth the kindnesse he had receiued from the Philippians an odour of a sweete Phil. 4. 18. smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God vsing the very same words sacrifice and well pleasing in the originall tongue that he doth here But let not these our almes and kindnesse be to such onely as are a far off but also to them that are neere vnto vs. This I do the rather adde because I haue obserued some reasonably forward to any good motion towards such as dwell a farre off that respect not their next neighbours whatsoeuer necessitie and distresse they know and see them to be in Some notwithstanding Prou. 11. 24. and 15. 27. 2. Cor. 9. 6. neither respect the one nor the other but are altogether for themselues and yet thereby altogether against themselues Herein men should be so forward as that they should not need to be sued vnto for their kindnesse Doth not God giue vs many things that we neuer aske If he did not alas how wofull would our state be Yea sometime 2. Cor. 8. 3. 4. also we should giue aboue our abilitie as the Macedonians did towards other Churches praying the Apostle with much intreatie that he would receiue their gift c. Where now shall we find such Yea
first also seemeth two-fold either for some speciall sinne or for the demonstration of some speciall worke of Gods power or mercie for the greater glorie of his name This distinction I gather from the answer of our Sauiour to his Disciples asking him of the man borne blind whether he or Ioh 9. 2. his parents had sinned that he was borne blind that is whether he or his parents had committed any speciall sinne for which the Lord had laid this blindnesse vpon him To this our Sauiour answereth Neither hath this man sinned ver 3. nor his parents but that the worke of God should be made manifest in him Our Sauiour thus answereth not altogether to free him and his parents from sinne for there is no man 1 King 8 46. Iam. 3. 2. that sinneth not and in many things we offend all and euery man must daily aske the forgiuenesse of his trespasses neither to teach that this blindnesse was not from sinne and for sinne For â—â— death entred by sinne so also all afflictions Rom. 5. 12. Psal 38. 3. 4. are the fruites of sinne This answer therefore was onely made according to the supposition and opinion of the Disciples and other that thought not onely all afflictions to come from sinne but also euery speciall affliction to haue some speciall sinne for the cause thereof and that the greater afflâ—ction any had the greater sinner he had bin as Iobs friends thought of him Howsoeuer the Lord afflicteth any man whether for some speciall or personall sinnes of himselfe or onely generally for sinne but yet for manifestation of some speciall worke of God for his owne further glorie thereby all must be patiently and without grudging or murmuring borne in respect both Heb. 11. 6. of the cause thereof in God namely his loue and also in respect of the desert thereof by mans sinne and in respect of the end of such afflictions namely that the person so chastised might either be reclaimed and conuerted from sinne wherein before he had altogether liued as Manasses the greatesâ— sinner that euer we reade to haue bin conuerted was notwithstanding by his captiuitie and bonds so 2. Chron. 32. 12 greatly humbled before the God of his fathers that he prayed vnto him and found mercie and became a most worthy conuert for euer after either I say that the person so afflicted Psal 94. 12. might be conuerted or that hauing before bin conuerted he might be better instructed in the law of Heb. 12. 1. Ioh. 5. 17. Psal 94. 12. God and made more plentifully partaker of the holinesse of God In all which respects a man so afflicted being said to be blessed what great reason hath euery man so afflicted patiently to beare such affliction This being added that such afflictions are as fire to purge vs of all our drosse as gold is tried and made finer by the fire whereby we may 1. Pet. 1 7. be the fitter sacrifices for God and the said triall of our faith may be found to our praise honour and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ Most cause especially haue such to be patient how many how great and how heauie soeuer their said afflictions are that before haue enioyed great mercies according to those excellent words of Iob to his Iob 2. 10. foolish and troublesome wife What shall we receiue â—ood at the hands of God and shall we not receiue euill In such afflictions also euery man ought to make so much more vse of them that by them he mâ—y more mortâ—fie his old man with all the lusts thereof in him and be the more renewed in the inward man that so his whole man may be a sacrifice to God more liuing holy and acceptable as here the Apostle speaketh Of this passiue kind of sacrifice Iob is a Iam. 5. 11. most worthy example highly commended to our imitation so also is Dauid who notwithstanding he had many Psal 39. 9. afflictions yet was dumbe and opened not his mouth because the Lord did it and though many sought after his life laying Psal 38. 12. snares for him and speaking mischieuous things against him yet as before he was as a deafe man not hearing and as a dumbe man not opening his mouth How did he manifest this euen when he was King and when wicked Shimei 2. Sam. 16. 5. not only most impudently railed of him and rauâ—d against him in the rebellion of Absolom but also most villanously cast stones at him All which was the more grieuous in respect of his other great calamitie by the rebellion of his owne sonne against him Thus much briefly of the first kind of our passiue sacrificing of our selues to God The second passiue sacrificing of our selues is by suffering The second passiue sacrificing of our selues persecution both in word and deed for Christ and his Gospell the which as it is often commanded to all that will be indeed his Disciples euen to take vp his crosse Math. 10. 38. 16 24. and follow him he being pronounced vnworthy to be his disciple that will not so do and that by the example of Christ himselfe suffering for sinnes and for the vniust himselfe 1. Pet. 3 18. being without all sinne and most iust as I say this is often commanded so is it likewise commended they being pronounced blessed that suffer persecution and be railed Maâ— 5. 10. 11. on for Christs sake because theirs is the kingdome of heauen 1. Pet. 4. 13. 14. and the Spirit of glorie resteth on them By such sufferings Christ himselfe entred into his glorie Would we be partaker of his glorie more easily then himselfe So indeed we shall Luk. 24 26. 1. Pet. 1. 11. be because our sufferings how great soeuer are but flea-bites in comparison of his For though we had the strength of all Angels we could not suffer so much for him as he hath suffered for vs. Notwithstanding if we will be glorified Rom 8. 17. ver 29. together with him we must also suffer with him And whom God before knew them he predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Sonne And alas what are the sufferings of this present time verily not worthy to be compared reckon ver 18. how we will or can to the glorie that shall be reuealed Yea the sufferings of Christ were the more in respect of the eminencie Phil. 2. 6. c. of his person he being in the forme of God c. and yet taking vpon him the forme of a seruant and humbling himselfe to the death of the crosse euen to such a death as would haue broken the backs of men and Angels The sufferings also of Christ for vs were the more because though he suffered them of necessitie as before we heard yet that necessitie was by the decree of himselfe with his Father and the holy Ghost neither was it by any coaction or constraint but most freely most
life It were better for vs to haue no wit no reason no vnderstanding no learning then not so to sacrifice and employ them Herein let vs not forget the sharp yet most iust sentence against him that had not employed Math. 25. 26. that one talent committed vnto him to the benefit of his Lord of whom he had receiued it though he had not wasted it neither by it oppressed or wronged any man but kept it without doing any good wiâ—h it Oh let vs I say remember this and learne by it to be the more careful to sacrifice the foresaid faculties of our soules as before hath bin said Our thoughts also must in like maner be sacrificed and The sacrifice of our thoughts Gen 6. 5. Math. 3. 9. and 9. 4. both restrained from all euill in which respect all euill thoughts are condemned and forbidden and also wholy set vpon God and all goodnesse both towards God himselfe and also towards our neighbor Such as our thoughts are such are our words for of the abundance of the heart Math. 12. 34. the mouth speaketh such also are our actions In this consideration therfore for the full sacrificing of our thoughts vnto God if we will be blessed we must meditate in the law of God day and night yea by such meditation our practice Psal 1. 2. will be according and we shall be wiser then our enemies and haue more vnderstanding then our teachers or ancients Psal 119. 97. 98. 99. As this concerneth all so principally them that are in greatest and highest places and yet for all that such doe Deut. 17. 19. Iosh 1. 8. most neglect it The worse is it for them that are vnder such and the greater shall be the woe of themselues in the end That which hath bin said of our thoughts is also to be To sacrifice our memorie said of our memorie It were better neuer to haue learned any thing then to forget it or remembring it not to make vse of it as occasions shall require Therefore our Sauiour reproued his disciples for their forgetfulnesse of his Math. 16 9. Mark 8. 17. two miracles in feeding many thousands with a few loaues or at lest for their not making vse of them For it is all one to forget a thing and remembring of it not to make vse of it This forgetfulnesse was the cause of Peters Math. 26. 75. fearfull fall and his remembrance of it the meanes of his recouerie Therefore our Sauiour also exhorteth the Angell of the Church of Ephesus to remember from whence Reuel 2. 5. he was fallen and so to repent c and the Angell of the Church of Sardi that hauing a name to be liuing and yet chap. 3. 3. was dying to remember how he had receiued and heard to hold fast and to repent These things teach vs that our memorie of our falls and of the things we haue heard and learned is to be sacrificed by sanctifying and applying the same to repentance Our will is sacrificed to God when it is conformed to The sacrifice of our will the reuealed will of God in his word yea also when it is subiected to the secret will of God by his prouidence either reuealed or to be reuealed so that touching the one we may say with Iob The Lord hath giuen and the Lord Iob 1. 21. hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord and touching Math. 26. 37. the other we may also say Not our will but thy will be done Touching the reuealed will of God in his word our will is sacrificed when it is alwayes framed thereunto and by prayer that this will of God may be done in earth as it is chap. 6. 10. and Luk. 2. in heauen so that not to endeuour to do all things accordingly is a great abusing of his name in so praying Touching our affections they must likewise be dedicated To sacrifice our affections and sacrificed vnto God otherwise being suffered to haue their swinge they many times ouer-rule wit reason vnderstanding iudgement thoughts memorie and will That these our affections therefore loue hatred anger c. may be sacrificed this is first to be obserued that they attend vpon the former and higher powers of the soule wit reason vnderstanding c. and that they be not suffered in any case to dominiere ouer them or to go without them They must not go before them but follow after them and be directed by them Therefore euen touching loue the most principall affection of all the rest the Apostle will haue it to abound in knowledge and in all iudgement Philip. 1. 9. Without knowledge and iudgment we may and wil loue either too much or too little yea we cannot but so do Knowledge and iudgement this iudgement is the application of knowledge vnto particulars must direct our loue both touching the obiect thereof and also touching the measure thereof The first and most chiefe obiect Mat. 22. 37. c. of our loue is God himselfe the next is our neighbour The one is not to be loued without the other Yet God is most to be loued and that for himselfe our neighbour for God In both these our loue may erre without direction from knowledge and iudgement By God himselfe we meane his word also and all his ordinances for he that loueth not these loueth not God and such as our loue to God is such will be our regard also Leuit. 19. 18. to these By our neighbour also our selues are to be vnderstood because our loue to our selues is the rule of our loue to our neighbour for so it is said in the former place and in the law And although our loue to God cannot be too great in respect of the measure yea not answerable to the measure yet it may swarue in respect of the effects namely when our loue to God shall be such that it carrieth vs beyond his word and not thinking the word to containe duties enough we shall do more then the word requireth and hence commeth all superstition But I may not thus amply discourse of euery affection Our hatred is sacrificed to God when it is bent against Hatred all that God hateth and when we hate no further then we haue warrant from the word of God The same is to be said of our anger envie feare griefe ioy c. The obiect of these and all other our affections must be such as the word warranteth and no other Neither must the cause measure or time exceed the rule of the word for them They must be employed for God not against God They must all be directed by God and by his word not by man or by the word or will of any man of ourselues or of any other In this sacrificing of our affections let vs especially remember to sacrifice our sorrow and griefe in mourning for and lamenting and bewailing our sinnes according to the number and