we had been yet in our sins yet under the curse as if he had suffered and had not conquered and entred into glory we had been never the better It was needful that Christ should suffer for us for we by Adams fall were plunged into sin and so in danger of the curse of God and lyable unto all wrath here and hereafter This Gods justice could not suffer him to remit but the death threatned must be paid To this end our Savior became man and suffering all that was due to us thereby discharged us He was arraigned before an earthly Judge that we might never be brought to our answer before the heavenly accused that we might be cleared condemned that we might be acquitted before God counted among vile sinners that we might be reckoned among the Angels spitted on that we which had deserved that God should for ever have spitted on our face shame and confusion might be received into favor did undergo the curse that we might be blessed dyed that we might live c. then this there was no other way whereby we could have been discharged See Isa. 53. 1 Pet. 1. 19. 2. 24. 1 Iohn 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. Hence perceive 1. The depth of our misery 2. The unspeakable love of God and Christ Jesus 3. Comfort to all that have their part in Christ all their sins and punishments are discharged crosses and death are now become blessings no punishments of sin whoso do not by Faith take hold on him must suffer for their own sins and that for ever 4. That as we are to hate sin with a deadly hatred so must we testifie our love to him that hath redeemed us at so high a price Numbers will talk of Christ that he dyed for their sins which yet are so far from being humbled to repentance hereby and to turn from sin to God as that they seem rather emboldened and heartened to run on in sin and sin more freely such vile wretches crucifie Christ again neither shall have any benefit by his death And the glory that should follow It was necessary that he should have overcome else had his death been in vain Hereof there were three degrees 1. His resurrection 2. His ascension 3. That he shall one day come into judgement bring all his servants into his glory whereunto may be annexed the consequents of each But how shall we come to glory even by the same way that our Head our Lord and Master hath gone before us namely by sufferings for through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God and God will have the Members made conformable to the Head It followeth hereupon 1. That afflictions or persecutions are no ill sign but rather of the way to Heaven and glory it should encourage us to suffer seeing glory follows and a great reward ensues thereupon 2. That those which will suffer no affliction nor persecution for Christ and the Gospel but shifting themselves therefrom aym at the glory of the World are not in the way to glory but shame hereafter will be their portion Verse 12. Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which things the Angels desire to look into YE have heard what the Prophets searched into and by what guide now see what was revealed unto them how far forth they were satisfied namely that the things which they sought into even the time of Christs coming should not be in their days but in ours They took the pains we have the gains They laid the cloath and we come to partake and feed on the dainties The fruit of their ministery was to our benefit So that we have the advantage of all our Forefathers of the Old Testament Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves c. Lo say the Anabaptists the Jews foretold many things of Christ but had no part in him themselves those concerning us They had Canaan and temporal benefits and looked no further But how absurd this is we have already shewed having sufficiently proved the contrary And these words are not to be understood of Christ or of the substance of salvation but of the time of his coming and of the maner and measure of revealing him to them more darkly to us more clearly to them more sparingly to us more fully They believed in Christ that was to come we hear of Christ already come and that he hath finished all things and how and thus are we to understand Heb. 11. 13 33 39. where there seems an opposition They received the promises that is the fruit of them and salvation by Christ and they received not the promises that is saw not the exhibiting of Christ who was promised to the World For more plainness there was never but one Covenant between God and his people from the beginning till now nor shall be which is the Covenant of Grace except we mean the Covenant of Works which was between God and all mankinde in Adam the foundation and matter whereof was our own strength and righteousness but this was soon at an end Adam had soon broken this and overthrown himself and with him all us The Covenant of Grace then the Lord entred in his great mercy with Adam in Paradise which was founded in Christ Jesus requiring of us to believe in him and repent of our sins and he would forgive us our sins and give us salvation and life eternal This for the substance thereof was never altered one jot onely the Lord hath revealed his Son more fully to us more sparingly to them more plainly to us more darkly to them Herein may be considered both the Author Matter Form and End The Author the same God to them and us The Matter Christ Jesus the same to them and us The Form was generally also the same for as God required Faith and Repentance of them as well as of us so he gave them the same means for the working thereof the Word and Sacraments The End the same viz. the Salvation of his Elect and Eternal life The difference is in the measure of his giving them as also in the persons to whom then was it to the Jews onely who were the peculiar people of God now the partition wall is broken down and the Covenant is to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews So also for the measure he spake to them by visions and dreams to us by his word and when to them by his word it was both more sparingly and more darkly Also our Sacraments compared with theirs are as fewer so more easie and more significant and for the Spirit they had him more sparingly except some extraordinary persons whereas it was promised that
opposites 1. Prophaneness when men dare live as they list and their lust is their Law 2. Security when men live carnally and wretchedly contenting themselves that they be none of the worst they be not such and such kinde of persons yet go on without regard either to God or his Word The evil they abstain from as it is not from the fear of God so if good come in their way they do it after their fashion and evil also as comes to hand they dare commit sin in hope of mercy and think they shall do well enough 3. Hypocrisie which hath more shew of Religion but resteth in the outward ceremonious performance of duties and looks not to do them in the right maner and so are not guided by the fear of God in their lives 4. Slavishness when men fear indeed but never but under or in expectation of the rod they then will flie to a book have good words golden promises c. at other times they care not what they do or at least be as before Contrarily the true fear of God is known by these notes 1. To hate evil and not leave it off onely for some sinister respects 2. Not onely gross and open evils of the hand but inward corruptions of the heart as Pride Arrogancy Hypocrisie Hardness Frowardness Wordliness of the heart c. spying them out mourning for them and striving against them as being seen to God as well as gross sins to men 3. All evil the evil way every evil way 4. Such evils as a man may go closely away withal as Joseph might with uncleanness with his Mistress but would not as fearing God 5. Such as a man may carry out by strong hand by might and authority and no body to control him yet dares not do it because there 's an higher who hath forbidden it 6. It will make a man watchful to avoid evil as the Hare hath an eye to passengers as she sits 7. It will make men avoid the occasions of evil 8. It is ever joyned with the fear of his Word and as is the one in us so is the other If it be thus then I may too truly and plainly conclude That there is but a little fear of God in this Land for how few hate evil secret corruptions all evil such as they can go cleanly away with such as they can carry away by might and colour of Law How many live prophanely as if there were no God no Law no Judgement day no reckoning to be made but do what their lust leads them too and that which some would not nor durst do for a world they make no bones of Another sort live securely and carelesly not so bad as the former but such as look not to God nor set him before their eyes in their deeds Others perform more duties to God but so as they regard not why nor in what maner but rest in the work wrought not casting with themselves how they may do them aright and thereby taking notice as well of their own weakness as Satans malice Others slavishly fear in their misery but in their prosperity regard nothing but their own will These being called out a few there be remaining that truly fear God for which he may justly have an heavy controversie with this Land that after so many happy means so few should be found that truly fear him though many think they do How few keep Gods commandments all alway with delight let every man examine himself carefully by these notes If any be loth and would have a wider sieve truly I can give no wider God hath given me no wider to let Hypocrites Prophane Persons c. scape through I try you but by the Word and by it you must be judged at the last day But for those that do indeed fear God there 's abundant comfort for them they have that which is better then all the world yea Gods mouth pronounceth them blessed Both the quoted Psalms are a storehouses of promises made to such there are others also in Psal. 25 12 14. 34. 9 10. 84. 11. Mal. 3. 16 17. which are duly to be weighed Such as fear God need fear neither Man Death Devils Hell Day of Judgement c. which are indeed the terror of the world only let them be provok'd to fear him more and more for even of Gods children not a few have but a small measure hereof whereby it comes to pass that they hate not sin so heartily in themselves and others as they should neither are such enemies to privy corruptions but that they break out often and so pull many a sorrow and gripe of Conscience upon themselves which more fear of God would have prevented Our often falls argue too little fear as may appear by our small zeal to duties and our little trembling at the Word of God therefore labor we for more that it may be said of us as of Obadiah That we fear God greatly that so we may be preserved from evil Oh this is the keeper of all vertues holding all in good order a watchman indeed to look to our heart if it be there and temptation comes up starts it and says Nay This will keep the heart clean hold out ill set us on to good Means to attain hereunto may be these Let us often set before our eyes our own baseness Gods greatness power and justice with the effects thereof on Adam the old world and others especially do we consider what God hath done for us that so our care and resolution may grow how to please God If this religious awe be in us O how it will keep our lives from innumerable evils and replenish them with all goodness that having finished them well we may come to the Lord in peace at our latter end O if we did consider the unspeakable mercies of God towards us we should see cause enough though there were no hell yet to fear more then death it self to offend God but because our nature is so exceeding lewd and prone to sin its good to think often that that God under whose power we live hates all sin and will not let any go unpunished What cause have we then to grow in the fear of God that have seen his greatness and just displeasure against sin so much every year one punishment or other What cause have we also to fear God that have such experiences of his goodness in 88. when he delivered us from the Spanish Armado and after from the Gun-powder Treason and now of late hath begun to relent towards us and gives us some showers of rain But alas if we will prove our selves by the notes before mentioned it will be evident that most have not the fear of God which is a fearful thing As no better testimony can be given of a man then this that he feareth God as Job and Obadiah so none more
As verily as we be unfeignedly humbled with desire of forgiveness and not to sin so verily may we believe our selves pardoned for which accordingly we are enjoyned daily to pray yea if we have been overtaken more foully for want of watchfulness yet let us not despair as Cain or run from God as Judas which is worst of all but address our selves to come with a heavy and bleeding heart to God with whom there is mercy David having confessed his sin Nathan said unto him The Lord also hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye Unto every penitent soul his Son will be a propitiation for their sins As the prodigal was embraced of his father so will our heavenly father receive us if we return unto him 3. May be a most effectual means to humble such as have run on in their sins without humiliation that at the length they may take this course Return ye backsliding Children saith the Lord and I will heal your backslidings See to this purpose Hos. 14. 1 2. Oh but I have been thus and thus bad will some say No matter what thou hast been so now thou with thy whole heart turnest to God and neither art now nor hereafter intendest to be as heretofore Time past shall not be remembred Oh but I have committed many great sins It 's not that shall stand between God and thee if thou be truly humbled Gods mercy and the merit of Christ is as well able to take away and heal great as small offences Though our Iniquities be encreased over our heads and our Trespass grown up unto the Heavens yet if with Ezra we be truly humbled there 's assured hope of pardon To the Strangers c. Though haply there might be some Gentiles amongst these yet it is more probable that they were most Jews which were principally his charge as the Gentiles the Apostle Pauls They are called Strangers not as all Christians be while they be here on Earth absent from their heavenly Countrey and Inheritance for so are we Strangers in our own Countrey Towns and Houses but Strangers as being in a strange Countery forced by persecution to leave their own and fly into another which might be either through the Wars and Troubles which were raised in their own Countrey or by the persecution raised in Jerusalem about the death of Steven Here see 1. That sundry of the Jews received our Saviour Christ and believed in him and were soundly converted though the body of them did not for he came unto his own and his own received him not those made a good progress in the course of Christianity who were contented even with the loss of their liberties to undergo such dangers as might befall them in a strange Land onely that they might keep faith and a good conscience 2. The estate of the Church of God here on Earth namely to be under persecution In the world saith our Saviour ye shall have tribulation Always there hath been enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent Thus was it when the Church was but in one Family in one Countrey one Nation The world having Power Authority Wealth is full of malice against the poor Church so that were it not that God Almighty defends it it could not endure It 's as a Sheep amongst wolves or a Ship among the waves Though God will exercise it to keep it from errors and corruptions which it is subject unto through much prosperity and peace though it have need of some peace to gather it self yet if 't be long in peace it gathers mud as standing waters rust as the ploughshare in the hedge yea settles it self on the lees therefore God pours it out from Vessel to Vessel Ever mark after long prosperity grew pride and thereupon errors and corruptions which like a canker brought destruction Contrarily the Church never shines so gloriously as either in or presently after persecution Then life zeal sincerity heavenly-mindedness and such like graces appear in their true lustre It followeth 1. That as we are not to conclude for a company because they have so much peace that therefore they are beloved of God so must not we against any because they be few in number and outwardly despised and slighted Four hundred false Prophets were maintained by Jezabel whereas Micaiah the onely true Prophet of the Lord was put in Prison Jeremiah and Baruch were the true servants of the Lord whom whole multitudes of proud men and false Prophets resisted 2. That we are to prepare our selves for persecution especially having had so long a time of peace To this end we must resolve to part with all for Christs sake and for his Cause and Religion Thus did these Jews thus the holy Martyrs and great reason For what would it advantage us if we should gain the whole world in the mean time losing our souls by denying Christ. On the contrary If we forsake any thing for Christ here we shall have a Crown of everlasting glory Great is our reward in Heaven But how far are most of us from any such matter many are destitute of knowledge and how can they suffer Many have no love to the truth but are carnal and prophane persons which never could yet be wrought upon by the word to embrace it or be ruled by it that will not leave their vile lusts for it and how shall these leave their goods and liberties Nay that which is most to be lamented how few professors be like to stand to it many are more likely a great deal to flinch Alas what poor faith is in most especially how are most given over to the world being too eager and earnest for these things neglecting good duties and slubbering them over for the worlds sake How wil these forsake it altogether and leave Houses and Lands when they will not lay aside their businesses for an hour or two to hear the word or a quarter of an hour for prayer in their Families O let 's therefore labor as for good store of Faith so to come to a contempt of this world In the mean time use we it moderately and in his place denying our selves by little and little else we shall never come to it all at once but for our livings sake shall be subject to fall from God and renounce our Religion a fearful state 3. The lawfulness of flying in time of persecution The Jews here did it to save themselves from danger It 's lawful for a Minister or any other tyed by calling either when persecution is onely or chiefly intended against him or having consent for a time to go aside seeing it to be best for the rest It 's lawful for any either when God makes a way for them that seems to call them thereto whereunto if they should not yield we are to think they
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
so did he that quickly which we could never have done Therefore let every man trust to this if this be not a sufficient way thou mayest say I am content to perish thou mayest well enough and I with thee for company 1. This confoundeth all other false and devised satisfactions by any other and sheweth the most fearful state of all that know not nor embrace Christ as 1. The Jews that look for another Christ 2. The Turks that trust in Mahomet and do not acknowledge Christ so the Pagans that are utterly ignorant of him The Papists also that make him but half a Saviour and adde a number of other Merits and Satisfactions with their blasphemous Idol of the Mass their Pilgrimages Penances c. yea not onely say they are the sufferings of the Saints meritorious for themselves but even to put something into the common treasury to help others These also among our selves that hope to be saved by their good meaning good prayers and civil life and either do not at all look to Christ or but to halves being as good as not at all So those that make God an Idol all of mercy and no justice when as they are both essentially in him and he could not be God without both and the one is infinite in him as the other yet by crying God mercy they think to escape never considering how his justice should be answered but he should not be just nor God if he should let thy sins go unpunished 2. This sheweth the fearfulness of sin such was our case that as if one had committed a fault and there were no way to scape unless he could obtain the Kings son to dye for him we could not but perish unless the Son of God had dyed for us 3. This should much grieve and humble us to think what our sins have done even that they occasioned all the torment our Savior was put to It was not Judas nor the Jews Pilate nor the Soldiers that crucified Christ but our sins they being but our servants and executioners How should this go to our hearts that our lying swearing whoredom pride profaneness c. was the cause that put our Savior to all those indignities Shall he be pierced yea to the very heart for our sins and shall not we be pierced with grief for our own sins Shall he shed Tears of Blood and shall we have dry eyes Shall he say his soul is heavy to the death and shall not our hearts be heavy could we having a friend that loved us so dearly as he would take our room to endure much for us could we I say stand by and see him tortured for our cause and look on it with dry eyes 4. This should make us take heed of sin for the time to come and avoid it above all things in the world look upon every sin in blood no sin but hath a bloody face when we have committed it all the world cannot satisfie for it it must be blood the blood of the Son of God one drop of which was of more worth then Ten thousand worlds if it were but the blood of a man must be shed for every sin were 't not fearful but it s Christ Blood therefore how careful should we be But O Lord How small account is made of sin How doth the world make a May-game thereof How do men think they can appease Gods Wrath with a broken sigh or a Lord have mercy upon us for we are all Sinners or by making some counterfeit shew in their sickness or on their death-bed And do not the Papists think that it may be done away by auricular Confession Penance Pilgrimages Holy-water Popes Pardons the saying over of so many Ave-maries Paternosters c. But those that set so light by sin are such as never knew the weight of it nor have part in the remedy and therefore in vain do such say they hope to be saved by Jesus Christ and he dyed and shed his Blood for their sins and yet they still live in sin What is this but to make a light account of Christs blood a treading of it under foot an accounting of it an unholy thing a despiting of the Spirit of grace Yea if even Gods Children did so weigh this unspeakable price as they should they would be more afraid to offend then they are This also should awaken those that know no part in their Redemption that they have the greatest matter in the world to seek Such should never be quiet till they finde themselves discharged for without this there 's nothing but eternal destruction they shall bear their own burthen 5. This setteth out the unspeakable love of God and Jesus Christ that when we had plunged our selves into this miserable estate and could not onely not help our selves out but not so much as devise a way out that he did both finde out the way and was content to bestow his Son on us to suffer the curse and death that we had deserved that so we might be freed What man would beat his Son to spare his Servant What man would kill his Son to save his Enemy What Prince would give his onely Son and Heir for a base Subject nay to redeem a Traytor and that not to bondage but to death yet all this hath the Lord done God so loved the world O wonderful that the Father did not rather suffer all the world to perish then that his most blessed Son should suffer the least of those indignities that he indured And was not the love of Christ infinite that for us gave himself and did willingly lay down his life for us which could do nothing to deserve or requite it nay which were his very enemies so to endure such base and cruel dealing from men who himself was Lord of the world and could have commanded the earth to swallow them so to be spitted on mocked scourged nailed to the cross c. but above all that he would undergo his Fathers displeasures for us Rake-hells that had so provoked him 6. And what doth this call for at our hands again but admiring at the infiniteness of the price we study all our life how to walk thankfully before him giving our Bodies Souls Lives and Labors to him again most zealously faithfully serving him in all obedience yea if he should call us to lay down our lives for his Names sake to do it chearfully as he did for us we are not our own but the Lords who hath bought us and paid dearly for us and so must have neither Wit nor Will Body nor Soul Hand nor Foot but for him and which we are to employ in his service If one should redeem us with a great sum of Money we would ever be thankful and count our selves his if one should give all his Substance more if one should give himself to serve and be bond for us yet more but to lay down his
which went before both knew and saw Christ as Abraham though afar off So that here the Fathers are not excluded but he was manifest for us that we might have a fuller sight of him then the fathers their light was but dim in comparison of ours How much then are we bound to God and ought we not to have more knowledge and faith and shew more tokens of thankfulness then they But alas though we have the Gospel and Sacraments so clearly never did iniquity more abound Thus do we reward the Lord for his kindeness Who by him do believe in God He saith They believed how came he to know that he hoped so and in charity so judged of them as who willingly gave themselves to the profession of Christian Religion and for the same did undergo persecution Therefore I say he hoped the more confidently of them even as we may do of such Assemblies as these on the week days a man may hope better of them then of those which come by commandment as others of Custom not Conscience especially considering the discouragements they meet withal and their constancy notwithstanding A man cannot but think they should come for Conscience and expect better things at their hands then others which I desire you would be careful to declare well at home in your places and several dealings not onely to Gods glory your own comfort and winning on of others but stopping up the mouthes of the worst that are ready to pry into and speak all evil of the forwarder sort of professors By him We cannot believe in God but by the Son For 1. The Father dwelleth in the light that none can attain unto How then shall we come to him of our selves we being so poor and weak and he of so infinite Majesty As in the Summer we cannot directly look upon the Sun shining in his full strength but may view it in a pail of Water so must we see the Father in the Son who is the image of the Father and the ingraven form of his person 2. God is infinitely just and we extreamly wicked he a consuming fire and we stubble How then can we come to him believe in him or take comfort but onely in and by the Lord Jesus our Mediator who by his death hath made satisfaction to his Father and covered us with his righteousness He is the Way the Truth and the Life none cometh to the Father but by him By him we have boldness and access with confidence Its life eternal to know the onely true God but how shall that be done onely by Jesus Christ He therefore that would believe in God and have comfort thereupon must first know and believe in Christ Jesus even know him to be for natures and offices as he is God and man and believe in him as the onely Savior who reconcileth us to the Father 1. Therefore Jews and Turks believe not in God because they believe not in Christ and know him not 2. All are Hereticks that deny any of Christs natures or offices for we must believe him to be such as the Word declares him to be 3. The Papists which in effect deny his Humane Nature by standing for Transubstantiation and his offices Priestly by their Masses Satisfactions Joynt-intercessions his Prophetical by their own Traditions his Kingly by making the Pope head of the Church making Laws to binde the Conscience to forgive sins save damn c. Therefore they cannot truly believe in God and therefore it stands them in hand to know Christ aright and then to believe in him 4. This condemneth a number of ignorant creatures among us which will come to God but how by their good meanings good prayers good serving of God civil life and the like as others which seem better taught by their repenting and crying God mercy Oh this goes for current and in the mean time take no thought how his justice should be satisfied These may cry their hearts out to God and finde no mercy they must bring Christ their Surety in their hand and plead mercy for his sake and his satisfaction Such as were stung by the Fiery-Serpents could not be otherwise healed but by looking up upon the Brazen-Serpent neither we otherwise accepted of God then through Christ Humble thou therefore thy self confess thy sins judge thy self know Christ and plead his satisfaction That raised him up from the dead and gave him glory The Father is here said to have raised up Christ and yet the Son saith of himself That he laid down his life and took it to him again A. Whatsoever the Father did herein the same did the Son and the Holy Ghost The work is common to all Here I might speak 1. Of our Saviors Resurrection and shew how carefully all the Evangelists have recorded it with the witnesses thereof and how all the Apostles in their Sermons stood upon it and how the Devil and the Jews endeavored to hinder it and what great benefits ensue unto us hereby 2. Of his Ascension after forty days being on earth and how he changed his place and vanished not and how though absent in his Humanity he is ever present by his Spirit and how he is most highly advanced and how his Godhead was not thus advanced it was impossible nor his manhood by it self had such a name and such glory due to it but that the person of Christ God and man was advanced and how now he makes intercession and hath prepared a place for us but of these I have spoken at large on the Creed That your faith and hope might be in God Every one that believeth in Christ that these things belong to him may boldly believe and hope in God for all good for this life and that which is to come look for a full discharge of all sins for power to rise to a new life for a glorious resurrection look also on God with boldness by the intercession of Christ and be assured of expect and wait for an entrance into the same glory our Head is entred into Verse 22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfained love of the brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently A Good life is an inseparable companion of Faith and Hope God having bestowed upon them the former the Apostle would not have them to be wanting in the latter Generally he exhorts to Sanctification vers 14. then particularly first to renounce their lusts ibid. then to embrace the contrary Holiness vers 15 16. This he divides into two parts 1. The fear of God which contains all parts of Piety towards God vers 17 18 19 20 21. 2. Love to our brethren which comprehendeth all the Duties we owe to them These two are knit in a comely order not to be sundred In this verse we have an Exhortation to true and
ask not onely whether it be East West North or South but through what Shires we must go nay by what great Towns nay by what Villages nay we ask what turnings there are from such a place to such a place nay what marks we shall meet withal as Windmils Crosses c. And as a great mans servant sets not down onely received 100 or 500 l. and laid out so much in the gross but particularly what he received of such a one and what of another and what he laid out for this what for that c. so should we observe every particular and that throughout the whole course of our lives There 's no time for security or sin we must not at any time give way either unto evil or that evil one That we ought to be thus watchful may appear 1. For that we have within us corrupt and wretched hearts which continually lust after evil and are untoward to any good being also subtile and deceitful above all things 2. The Devil a most malicious and watchful adversary is at our elbows always yea in our best actions as he was at Joshua's right hand to resist him The world also affords many provocations 3. The love of God towards us in Christ pardoning our sins and calling us to the hope of eternal happiness being so wonderful and unspeakable must we not therefore so watch in all things as that we may do nothing to grieve so good and merciful a Father but be careful in all things to be acceptable in his sight 4. Our Lords coming is uncertain we must therefore be like the diligent servant with our loyns girded and lights burning we must be like the five wise virgins with oyl in our lamps attending the coming of our Bridegroom This is no more then Gods requires of us no more then Noah Henoch and Abraham performed they walked with God set themselves continually as in Gods presence in an heedful care to all their ways This is no more then needs if either we consider the price of sin the inclination of our own hearts and what enemies the Devil and world are to us Neither doth this watchfulness hinder us from any thing but sin from no liberty but that that is nought and hurtful and that we may as well spare as water out of our shoes it hinders not from our calling onely requires us to pray first now a whet is no let we shall speed the better all the day after it onely teacheth us how to be in our calling not as drudges to the world but the servants of God it hinders us not from buying and selling but from Craft Covetousness Corruption in the same not from company but from vanity and unprofitableness in company not from mirth but from vain wicked mirth so that it s so far from being a bondage that its blessed liberty Some think that thus we shall pinion and binde our hands behinde us and that this is too strait It s true to our nature that hath been used to so much liberty it will seem strait at first till we be accustomed to it and then it will be found easie and pleasant even as a new sute of apparrel though never so fit yet will seem strait at the first putting on which afterwards it will not Such pretences are but as a Lyon in the way of a Sluggard The benefits ensuing hereby are divers 1. It keeps from many sins whereunto else we must needs fall ere we be aware and so consequently from many sorrows both outward and inward from many crosses and troubles from many heart-smarts and wounds of conscience Whatsoever is a mean to keep a man from sin is a blessed friend of his 2. It keeps us from lying still in any sin and is a mean to raise us up by true repentance for if it cannot prevent it yet it will no suffer us to sleep in it nor be quiet nor go to bed till we have vomited it up and so is a mean to keep our hearts from hardness Lying in sin hardens the heart and provokes God against us so that when we would we cannot rise nor tell how to go about it and when we do yet we do not so easily obtain pardon and peace Often reckonings make long friends 3. It keeps us from falling into foul sins for lightly men fall not far at once but by little and little neither is this a small benefit for though every sin be hurtful to the soul yet great sins do it more hurt A little jerk with a wand makes us skip and puts life into us as it were but a blow with a Cudgel or Leaver dazles us so little sins make us stir up our selves and put more care in us through Gods mercy whereas great sins benumb and dazle the conscience 4. It makes us see the corruption and naughtiness of our own hearts and so to be the humbler as also to see Gods mercy in keeping us from so many evils whereof we are in continual danger that so we may be the more exceedingly thankful 5. It upholds our communion with the blessed Majesty of God and the peace of our conscience which is a continual feast 6. It s a special argument that we are the children of God All the while we do thus we go on in the strait way we do as few do as none but Gods servants none but zealous Christians do 7. It makes our lives the more fruitful to our selves and our brethren by many degrees 8. It makes us fit both to live and dye to live and perform the good duties that God requireth for a heart well ordered is fitter to pray to hear to come to the Sacraments c. our accounts be the sooner made and so it being done daily it s done more easily then if it be put off to a great deal together To dye as being always fit and ready for our Lords coming 1. This being a thing so necessary and profitable we have cause to lament that we have known it no better nor had acquaintance therewithal for alas not to speak of the common sort which look after no such matter but will do as they list though they smart for it eternally even among the people of God how little is it known that God requireth such a particular care and watch that it s a thing possible but rather impossible or at least most irksom and therefore content themselves with a general purpose to do well and if they be careful on the Sabbath day to look to their heart tongue and ways and keep within compass yet that they ought and must thus do on other days few think Hence it is that we fall into so many evils to Gods dishonor our own discomfort the ill example of others and reproach of our profession What though we have no purpose in the morning to do ill as some wicked have not yet may we not through want of watchfulness fal ere
7. Christ is a living foundation 200 8. The prevention of an Objection 201 9. Christ disallowed of whom and why ibid. 10. Such things are often disallowed of men which are allowed of God 202 11. There 's an union between Christ and believers ibid. 12. How to come to be stones of this building 204 13. The whole Church makes but one Spiritual House 205 14. Every particular believer is a Spiritual House ibid. 15. Such as are united to Christ ore made holy 206 16. Believers are Priests to God ibid. 17. The prevention of an Objection 207 18. Christians are not now without Sacrifices and what they are ibid. 19. Why called Spiritual Sacrifices 208 20. Our service of God must be dòne in a Spiritual maner 209 21. The prevention of an Objection ibid. 22. Spiritual Sacrifices are not regarded of carnal men ibid. 23. Through Christ our Sacrifices are acceptable to God 210 24. Our works though imperfect accepted through Christ ibid. Verse 6. 1. THe Testimony of Gods Word is that which settles us in any point of Doctrine 211 2. The Old Testament of the same authority with the New ibid. 3. Of old people were more ready in the Scripture then they are now 212 4. What the Lord saith he doth ibid. 5. God lays the foundation of his Churches Salvation ibid. 6. The Papists take from Christ his Kingly Prophetical and Priestly Office 213 7. Believers do always finde enough in Christ ibid. 8. The miserable condition of them that believe not in Christ and who they are 214 9. Believers can never fall away wholly nor finally ibid. Verse 7 8. 1. GOds promises are to be particularly applyed 215 2. Christ is precious unto all those that believe 216 3. Such are unbelievers which are disobedient 217 4. Why the Jews did reject Christ 218 5. Succession is of Doctrine or Person 219 6. Such as do least good challenge the goodliest titles 220 7. Such as would be reputed builders are usually enemies to true builders ibid. 8. Ministers must be builders ibid. 9. Every man must be a builder 221 10. The impiety of these times ib. 11. The carelesness of these times 222 12. The enemies of the Church unable to hinder the building thereof 223 13. Ministers must divide the Word aright and give every man his portion 224 14. How Christ and his Word become stumbling blocks to unbelievers 225 15. Nothing so good whereat corrupt nature will not take occasion to stumble ibid. 16. The world hath ever stumbled at Christ ibid. 17. The Papists stumble at him also the ignorant civil prophane and such as will not part with some beloved sin 226 18. Such as stumble at the Word stumble at Christ 227 19. Offences taken against the Word removed 228 20. Scandals of the Papists against it 230 21. Why and wherein they charge our Doctrine 230 22. About auricular confession fasting days marriage ibid. 23. Offences at preaching the Word 231 24. Which the true Church 237 25. Offences against the Preachers of the Word 239 26. Offences against Professors of the Word 241 27. Offences arising from mens selves hindring their zealous profession of Religion 244 28. No end of the Devils devices 248 29. Why so few be saved ibid. 30. Why people have no minde to Religion ibid. 31. Gods word is therefore bestowed on as that we may be guided thereby 249 32. How we are to obey the same ibid. 33. Four sorts of disobedient persons the prophane 251 The meerly civil the ignorant and hypocrites 252 34. Why Christ proves a Rock of offence unto most 253 35. Whether it be lawful and meet to handle the Doctrine of Gods Decree 254 36. God hath ordained some to destruction 255 37. This was of his own will and for no cause out of himself 257 38. The Lord hath done this most justly 258 39. The Lord hath done this unchangeably 259 40. Marks of such as are reprobates 260 Verse 9. 1. MInisters must speak comfortably to the good contrarily to the bad 262 2. And warily deliver the Word that each may take his due portion 262 3. What election is ibid. 4. God before the world hath ordained some men to salvation ibid. 5. The cause hereof was because he would 263 6. The number of the elect small ibid. 7. They that be elect cannot but be saved 264 8. A man may know and be assured of his election 265 9. Notes of election 266 10. Whether we may be certain of anothers election 267 11. Christians through Christ are made Kings Priests Prophets 268 12. Christ and his Gospel preached in time of the Law ibid. 13. The promises and priviledges laid down in the Scriptures belong onely to Gods elect ibid. 14. Election is the foundation of all the good comes to us ibid. 15. Christ how our King Priest and Prophet 269 16. Believers are others then the world thinks for ibid. 17. The Jews why termed an holy Nation 270 18. All that be the Lords company are holy persons ibid. 19. Comfort and counsel for sanctified persons 271 20. The misery of those that are unsanctified with advice to them to come out of this condition ibid. 21. The Church Gods peculiar people ibid. 22. No marvel though he set much by it 272. 23. Gods glory the end of all the priviledges bestowed on us 273 24. We were elected of God that we might shew forth his praises and not to be idle c. 273 25. Gods glory the furthest end of our election ibid. 26. Effectual calling a certain argument of election ibid. 27. Two sorts of calling outward and inward ibid. 28. The Word the outward instrument hereof 274 29. The parts of effectual calling ibid. 30. Gods free mercy the cause hereof ibid. 31. Every one must endeavor to prove his calling ibid. 32. What to understand by darkness and light 275 33. Every unregenerate person is in darkness 276 34. Every true believer is brought to the saving knowledge of Christ ibid. Verse 10. 1. FOr a people or particular persons to look to their beginnings is of good use 278 2. No priviledges can exempt the contemners of the Word from Gods wrath 279 3. Gods mercy power and truth in making the Jews a people again 280 4. Impenitent persons not worthy the name of people ibid. 5. No outward affliction doth nullifie Gods Church 281 6. To be the people of God a choice blessing ibid. 7. Sin unrepented of lets Gods mercy 282 8. What God did for the Jews was of mercy and so all we have ibid. Verse 11. 1. HOliness in heart and conversation must go together 283 2. Ministers must love and affect their people ibid. 3. The Saints are to be the objects of our love 284 4. Wisdom requisit in the Preachers of the Word 285 5. What meant by fleshly lusts ibid. 6. There are remnants of sin in the very best ibid. 7. Two sorts of sinners 287 8. Evil thoughts cast in by Satan or from our selves 288 9. The causes of evil
company ibid. 7. The sending of commendations how useful it is ibid. 8. The preaching of the Word the instrument of Regeneration 694 9. Ministers must love their People as their Children ibid. 10. People must love their Ministers as their Fathers 695 Verse 14. 1. IT s needful that where love is it should be continued 696 2. Christians should salute one another ibid. 3. The ancient maner of saluting among the Jews 697 4. Our saluting one another must be in love ibid. 5. Hinderances of Love 698 6. What meant by Peace ibid. 7. Outward blessings may lawfully be desired and how 698 8. Christ is the fountain of all peace 699 9. Respect is to be had of all Gods people 701 10. The near union between Christ and true Christians ibid. 11. Fervency of Affection and Faith requisite in Prayer ibid. ERRATA In the margent PAge 57. line 4 for inherit read merit page 114. for Iohn 4. read Iohn 8. p. 357. l. 14. for hated of r. haters p. 582. l. 7. for above r. about p. 475. l. 19. adde may before do Words to be amended Page 40. line 15. for scourge read scour p. 46. l. 45. for them read thee p. 56. l. 47. for in r. it p. 57. l. 31. for it r. as p. 66. l. 15. for with r. which p. 149. l. 40. for grace r. disgrace p. 160. l. 3. for conversation r. conversion p. 173. l. 39. for of r. as p. 191. l. 40. for to r. doth p. 202. l. 5. for no r. an p. 218. l. 43. for chief r. Church p. 228. l. 30. for we r. he p. 253. l. 11. for of r. to p. 258. l. 6. for the r. they p. 266. l. 7. for Cod r. God p. 272. l. 18. for of r. as p. 274. l. 33. for calling r. called p. 294. l. 40. for the r. their p. 305. l. 48. for wrath r. word p. 350. l. 19. for them r. him p. 360. l. 1. for our r. one p. 363. l. 4. for from r. for p. 400 l. 37. for out r. one p. 410. l. 45. for unequal r. equal p. 417. l. 26. for discharge r. disgrace p. 419. l. 30. for swin r. swim p. 428. l. 30. for good good r. good for p. 453. l. 10. for mans r. many p. 455. l. 7. for short r. store p. 495. l. 43. for course r. recourse p. 495. l. 34. for in r. then p. 497. l. 33. for Son r. Sun p. 507. l. 31. for up r. upon p. 515. l. 36. for one r. our p. 527. l. 41. for he r. we p. 615. l. 44. for fleet r. fleece p. 630. l. 9. for throne r. thorn p. 640. l. 12. for uses r. verses p. 641. l. 24. for world r. word p. 643. l. 43. for which r. with p 619. l. 29. for of r. so p. 661. l. 20. for partly r. party p. 669. l. 5. for trust r. distrust p. 677. l. 8. for of r. in p. 700. l. 3. for them r. they A Godly and Fruitful EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. PETER THe general scope and intent of this Epistle is To confirm those Christian Jews whom he had procured to the Faith by his Ministery that they might persevere in the same to the end notwithstanding any troubles they should meet with for the same More particularly he layeth before them The wonderful riches of Gods mercies vouchsafed them in Christ Jesus by his Death and Resurrection whereby they were recovered out of their woful estate by sin and brought to an happy and blessed condition even Salvation through him Hereunto he exhorteth them constantly to cleave and not to suffer themselves to be withdrawn therefrom by any means as also that they would walk worthy so great mercy in an holy life and conversation both in the general duties of Christianity and the particular duties of their special Callings and that they would so do notwithstanding any troubles they should meet withal for the same The parts of this Epistle are two 1. The Preface in the first two Verses of the first Chapter 2. The Substance of the Epistle in the following Verses and Chapters to the end This containeth Doctrine and Exhortation Doctrine from the Third Verse of the first Chapter unto the Thirteenth of the same Exhortations in all the rest of the Chapters and Verses and they be of two kindes 1. Unto general Duties belonging unto all Christians 2. Unto special to several sorts of men and women according to their special Callings CHAP. I. Verse 1. Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ to the Strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia Ver. 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Grace unto you and Peace be multiplied THese verses contain the Preface in which two things 1. An Inscription 2. The Salutation In the former we have a description 1. Of the person writing and that both by his Name Peter and by his Office An Apostle of Jesus Christ. 2. Of the parties to whom he doth write and that both by their outward state to the World-ward viz. Strangers scattered up and down in strange Countreys namely Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia and by their estate to God-ward viz. Parties belonging to salvation which he sets forth by the causes thereof and degrees namely 1. Their Election 2. Sanctification 3. Redemption by the obedience of Christ Jesus which shewed it self in his shedding his blood for them In the latter a brief but pithy Prayer to God for his favor as the fountain from whence all happiness was to be bestowed yea multiplied upon them Peter Three Names are given unto this our Apostle in Scripture 1. Simeon of Simon that he had at his Circumcision 2. Cephas by interpretation a Stone which our Saviour Christ gave him at his calling thereby signifying what he meant to do for him namely to make him a stout defender of the Faith on the behalf whereof though he was born of Parents of small note he proved one of notable courage This is in the Chaldee or Syriack tongue 3. Peter which in Greek is all one with the former so that these two Names were in effect but one In his second Epistle he names himself Simon Peter Here learn 1. Christs kindeness to Peter in giving him a Name to assure him of some grace which he would bestow upon him Though we cannot do so yet it behoves us to give our Children such names as may edifie them and put them in minde of some good thing either to imitate some good man or woman whose Name they bear or else to follow some good that the Name puts them in minde of 2. In that he puts his Name to his Epistle he shews his godliness and innocency which makes him bold for Truth may be blamed but cannot be shamed Contrary to many Hereticks and false
Apostles and Teachers the Devils disciples which pen Books stuffed with Errors either under the Names of the Apostles that so they may the sooner beguile and get credit to their Lyes or else without Names lest being found out by their Names they should suffer and be brought to punishment for their Errors or their infamous Names being seen in the forefront of their Book should cause any judicious and honest Reader with indignation to cast it away The Apostle I say contrariwise having the sound and holy Oracles of God from Heaven to deliver unto them puts to his Name There are many worthy Works I confess which have no Names put to them those especially which were written in the times of Persecution whereof the Authors howsoever desirous to spread the Truth of God hated and persecuted hereby notwithstanding shunned the hands of cruel tyrants This is not for any fault in the matter but only avoiding danger in speaking of the truth This is no disgrace to them but to their times and their enemies for men need not cast themselves into peril till God call them This condemns the vile practice of the wicked which hide themselves in the dark and in corners lewdness not abiding the light We must do nothing but that we dare put our hands to it and our Names We must do as the Angel did that rolled away the stone and sate upon it when he had done as if he should have said Let me see who will control that which I have done We must do so as we may bid our Adversary write a Book against us for any gross or unlawful thing we have done and stand in Alas what a folly is this you flee mens eyes but can you flee the eyes of the Almighty And if you cannot abide mens censure how shall you be able to stand before the Judgement seat of Almighty God who is a consuming fire An Apostle of Jesus Christ The word is general and signifieth one sent but here as elswhere often it is taken specially for one and the principal sort of Ministers differing from all others in these particulars 1. They were immediately called by Christ own mouth and sent abroad Many were called by him for Disciples and out of those he chose his Twelve Apostles 2. They had a larger measure of the Spirit then others so that they could not erre in their writings 3. They had also a larger Commission Go ye saith our Savior and Teach all Nations They were to preach to all the world but this Calling is ceased This notwithstanding it hath communion with all other sorts of Ministers that they were called and sent No man saith the Apostle takes this honor to him but he that is called of God as was Aaron and so were also the Prophets There are two things required in a Minister 1. That he be lawfully called and 2. That being in he discharge his duty faithfully Touching a Ministers Calling it must be both inward and outward 1. He must have an inward Calling from God which appears 1. By an aptness and competency of Gifts to teach and edifie the Church of God 2. By a willing minde to employ the same seeking not his own advantage and ease but the glory of God This makes the Minister As when God calls a King he gives him the heart of a King So if he appoint a man to be a father of Souls he fits him for it 2. He must have an outward Calling from the Church and those that are in place to alow and disalow Ministers whose approbation they must have which is not to make them but to approve of them for their further comfort that they may more boldly go forward The Brownists call us Bishops-Ministers because they call us to this Office but they do but alow and approve whom God hath made Both must necessarily concur the one go along with the other He that wants the inward though he have the outward is not a true Minister of God yet his actions are not to be esteemed nullities and void and he that in ordinary times having the inward wants the outward goes not to work humbly as he ought Well did Peter declare himself an Apostle one sent from God a Messenger who was to deal faithfully in his Message For he publisheth not here his own Inventions Poets Fables Heathen Stories Philosophers Conceits or mens Devices and Opinions but the holy Oracles of God from Heaven So must every Minister of God speak as the words of God What is the Chaff to the Wheat either ones Opinion to establish anothers Conscience But why doth he call himself by this great Name of his Office and put this high stile before his Epistle Not for vain ostentation or for his own sake but for the peoples good even to procure with them the more authority to that which he was to write for who should dare to refuse that which comes from the Lord Jesus the eternal Son of God the Light of the world the Savior and Judge thereof Nay who should not with all high reverence submit himself thereunto So did the Prophets begin The word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord whereby they set their peoples faith on work to look to God and not to men Hence let the Ministers of God learn to procure what credit and authority to their Ministery they can signifying often that it is Gods will thereby drawing their peoples mindes upward from the instrument They must deliver such soundness of Doctrine as may be food it self not froth which accordingly they must deliver in a grave and religious maner adding thereunto as Prayer so also a godly life and all little enough considering the prophaneness of our hearts that so little regard what we hear yea hear without preparation or reverence being of us no sooner gone then forgotten But how dares he call himself an Apostle that had deserved by his most shameful threefold denial of his Master to be utterly discarded of his Office and utterly cast away for ever By the grace of God he doth this by Faith apprehending the mercy of God towards him and he doth it to publish his grace and favor who had upon his true Humiliation and Repentance not only forgiven his sin and received him to mercy but restored him to his Office again Go your way said the Angel unto the Women tell his Disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee And afterward our Savior by a threefold Commission restored him to his Office from which by his threefold Denial he had shut himself Hence note That Repentance will wipe away our sins and make them as if they had never been Joel 2. 12 13 14. Mic. 7. 18 19. 1 Joh. 1. 9. which 1. Shews Gods unspeakable mercy towards penitent Sinners 2. Is a matter of endless comfort to us which through our corruption fail and sin daily
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
This is worth our pains and cost this is good wisdom The wise Merchant spying the Pearl hid in the field goes and sells all and buys it so every one that is a true Esteemer of this Pearl prizeth it above all that he hath But few do thus because this Pearl is hid from carnal men they do not see it and many among us will not see it though it be discovered to us But O woful and miserable world he that would look upon most men might think there were no such inheritance How do some spend all their time in pleasure and never look after any thing else How do most men rake after the world night and day Sabbath and all by right and wrong hook and crook and suffer no stone unrolled for this pelf and trash of the world that never set their hearts once to enquire after any other inheritance for time to come as if Heaven were here poor beasts they might as well go on all four Oh base that men should spend their time their thoughts their pains and all for that which may be lost ere morning and no whit for that which will last for ever Thus with Judas most sell Christ for Thirty pieces with Esau their Birthright for a mess of Pottage and with the Gadarens prefer their hogs before Christ others that seem not altogether eaten up of the world or so prophane will talk of this inheritance but how do they hold it by every blinde conceit they that cannot even by learned Counsel make sure enough their Earthly inheritance can of their own heads make sure their Heavenly Nay the world if they see any take pains in Hearing Reading Praying and the like wonder at them count them fools say they will beggar themselves I wonder what they mean c. Dost thou wonder They desire to attain an heavenly inheritance not easily attained They may rather wonder to see thee so earnest for this trash which thou must leave thou canst not tell how soon and have no care for the time to com which is for ever let such leave off seeking for the body and now care for the soul Laying up in store a good foundation for themselves against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life Oh get good evidences to shew for it against all cavillers content not thy self with this that God is merciful and Christ died for all men and the like but labor to gain assurance upon good ground that thou art one of them to whom God hath promised mercy and for whom Christ dyed To this end examine thy Faith by its undoubted fruits Repentance and Charity If it be an undefiled inheritance let every one therefore labor to wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb and by the Spirit of Sanctification else can we never come there none but such are admitted into Gods presence what an impudent sawciness then is it in a number that wallow in the filthy mire of their sins and yet hope to go to Heaven as well as the best Are swine and such filthy cattel used to be brought into Kings Presence-Chambers No thou must be washed ere thou come here and that so as all the water in the sea cannot wash thee If such as thou go to Heaven then who go to Hell If you will say Turks Pagans then look into the Parable of the Sower three sorts of hearers perish you know and do not they know not the will of God Dost thou think that thou canst go on in thy lewdness and step out of thy filthy life into Heaven No then had all Gods servants lost a great deal of labor We read of one and but of one that made any short cut namely the thief upon the Cross labor thou therefore in time to be washed in time for Sanctification and hereafter as heretofore thou hast still done put not off from day to day But the Apostle contents not himself with the foregoing description he yet adds more touching the same what then We notwithstanding must learn to be wise according to sobriety and that we forgetting our weak understanding mount not up to search more curiously into Gods mysteries then he hath revealed lest the glory thereof dazle and confound us We are ready have a tickling desire to know further then God hath revealed which breeds rather jangling then godly edifying It may be enough for us to know that this inheritance and happiness is such as that when all that mens tongues can speak is uttered yet it is nothing to the excellency of it So laying aside all curious questions about it let us rather imploy our pains and study to get assurance of it Reserved in Heaven This inheritance is here described by the place not in Earth not in Paradice where Adam was not in Canaan which flowed with milk and honey but in Heaven Hence note that Heaven is the place wherein God hath appointed to glorifie his Saints even the third Heaven the place of his presence where he manifesteth himself most clearly to his Angels and Saints that Paradice whereinto Christ ascended at his death where also he promised that the penitent thief should be with himself the bosom of Abraham whereinto Lazarus was received For where Christ is there shall all his Saints be as he himself hath promised and will perform See to this purpose Mat. 25. 34. Joh. 14. 2. and 17. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 1. This is not every where as some have imagined but above in the highest Heavens Christ was taken up and who knoweth not that Heaven is above as Hell is beneath This sheweth the excellency of this inheritance Oh how infinite odds is there between Heaven and Earth both for Glory and Eternity Therefore it s called a glorious inheritance If the outside be so decked with Sun Moon Stars and such an excellent beautiful sky what is the inside According to our weakness St. John describes it by things of most worth amongst us as pure Gold and precious Pearls In this will God glorifie all his Saints whensoever we die our souls shall be taken up into it as our bodies also at the last day How doth this set forth the unspeakable love of God and merit of Christ that we who were worthily shut out of the Paradise on Earth should be received into this Heavenly Paradise How should this ravish their hearts that know themselves heirs of this How should it make them despise these things here below when they know and finde them experimentally lets hereunto How should it make us walk with an heavenly minde worthy of that inheritance Out minde and soul should be there and savour of it whither at the time of our dissolution we are to be carried How should this stir up all men to seek after this glorious inheritance this Treasure in Heaven so excellent so incomparable But Oh the blinde world thinks not of this because
If we take care unfainedly to keep his Commandments in one thing as in another 2. If we love the brethren which are members of Christ so as we dare not harm them yea love them not onely because they have his image restored in them but are a part of Christ as it were and of our selves 3. If we be content to suffer for his sake and will not be pluckt from him but are vexed to see him dishonored by any 4. If we long for his coming that so we may be with him and married to him to whom we are already betrothed It s the Churches voyce and should be ours in particular Come Lord Jesus If the husband be gone a long journey his wife doth not much love him if she never desire his coming home 5. If in the mean time we desire to hear often of him and from him as the wife that loves her husband will send or be often at the Carriers to hear of her husband and receive Letters from him So must we frequent the Word upon every occasion where we may hear of him and of his great honor and glory and of his providing us a place there and of the glory there and how he would have us in the mean time to carry our selves taking heed of any other lover in his absence which also doth inform us That his coming draweth nigh and is at hand Thus to hear of him and from him as much and as often as we can we should be desirous By this Touchstone we may thus try both our faith and love In whom though now ye see him not yet believing Here 's the object of our faith the Lord Jesus Christ. The common people say They believe in God and trust in God which is in truth but meer self-deceiving for though when we believe in Christ we believe in Father Son and holy Ghost yet our faith must directly fasten it self upon Christ Jesus who hath wrought our Redemption and on our behalf suffered all things and so he must come in as a Mediator between the Father and us else how should we poor worms come to put our trust in that glorious God and being vile sinners dare to look for any favor at his hands but in and by him who without him is a severe Judge How dare any poor wretch put his trust in God for all good that knoweth not that he is his God nor how to bring it to pass Here also the Divinity of our Savior Christ may be noted for we may believe in none but in God If even he be cursed that putteth his trust in any other for outward things how much more for Salvation He created all things Tryeth the hearts Forgiveth sins Stilled the Sea with his word Raised the dead by his own power all which point out his Deity yea it appeared even in his greatest abasement He took upon him the seed of Abraham but in this seed were all the Nations of the earth blessed He was compassed in the Virgins womb yet even then at his presence John the Baptist sprang in his mothers belly He was laid in a Cratch but even therein was he worshipped by the Wise-men of the East He was hungry but he fed five thousand with five loaves and a few small fishes He slept but at his awaking he caused the winds and waves to cease He paid Tribute but out of the fishes mouth He wept for Lazarus but he raised him from the dead He was taken by wicked hands but then he healed him with a touch whose ear was cut off He was crucified and dyed but at the same time he darkened the Sun and shook the earth the vail of the Temple rent which made the Centurion say He was the Son of God He was buried but he raised up his body the third day He was manifested in the flesh but justified in the Spirit And it was necessary that he should be both else had he been no Savior for us which sheweth our gret misery and Gods great mercy Who should not embrace him that abased himself so low for our sins as if a King should rise from his throne and row in a galley-slaves room what then should not we be willing to do for him yea to abase our selves to any service he requires of us on the behalf of our brethren but how few embrace him how few entertain him with an humble and contrite heart Ye rejoyce The other fruit of Faith is joy being assured of so great things done for them by Christ and so great things prepared for them by him they could not but rejoyce for as the feeling of Gods wrath for our sins is fearful and cannot be endured a wounded spirit who can bear as may appear by the heavy cryes and complaints of some of Gods servants in agony of conscience O I am cast out of his sight I shall perish O what shall I do but especially by the desperate horror of the wicked who feel it so intollerable as that they cannot bear it as Judas who went and hanged himself for no man seeing and feeling himself under the wrath of God and no way to be freed therefrom but must needs wish he had never been or now were not or were a Toad or the vilest creature so contrarily they that feel themselves freed from this and called to the hope of so great glory must needs rejoyce as Joseph doubtless was a glad man when being delivered out of prison he was advanced to honor The way hereunto is true Faith Worldlings indeed think Christianity a dumpish estate but it s the onely estate wherein we may be merry and whoso is merry not being assured of Gods favor is a desperate person as if one were merry that hanged over a deep pit by a twined threed In the midst of their mirth the wicked have secret gripes as thieves condemned though they drink and play at cards yet to think that on the morrow they must be executed chokes them and their mirth The wicked also can be merry in nothing but some wickedness or other as if one should be merry when he eats and drinks poyson when he slashes and cuts himself for hereby provoking God they increase their own damnation This joy then coming from Faith comes not from our works or any thing that we can do These cannot bring sound peace to the minde or quiet to the conscience or joy to the heart for 1. We have many sins and therefore can merit nothing of God 2. We know by our selves that even many of them are unto us unknown who knows the errors of his life no man can say he hath found out all his sins or the corruptions of his heart so that he can say now here be no more 3. Our best duties be mingled with much weakness and imperfection so that though they may appear before men
resemble God their Father who being holy requires that his children should so be even holy as he is holy whence may be noted That for the building up of Gods Church Doctrine and Exhortation must be joyned together Thus our Savior preached thus also the Apostles as the one must inform the judgement so the other pull on the affections which are as much or more corrupted then the understanding part wherby Knowledge Conscience and Practice may go together Knowledge without Zeal is blockishness as Zeal without knowledge rashness but better less Knowledge and more Zeal then more Knowledge and less Zeal or care of obedience Doctrine without Exhortation is to set a dull Horse in the way and not spur him on Exhortation without Doctrine is to spur a Horse forwards before he be put into the way the one is the Foundation the other the Building both which must go together Ministers that would go to work indeed must go with their tools use both Doctrine and Exhortation as he that would cleave a knotty Log must both use Beetle and Wedges the one without the other would be to no purpose We must be like careful Messengers not delivering barely our Masters message but earnestly entreating on his behalf We must not bear the ayr as it were multiplying words yea good words without a ground Neither must we deliver sound Doctrine strongly proved so leaving it but urge and apply it Practice being the life of all and people being unapt to make particular Application yea it is the principal part of our Ministery to draw on the will and to perswade and work upon the affections for want of which many finde but small fruit in their Ministery for people are grown to that pass that it is not the excellency and weight of the matter that will move which for the most part proves but a sound with the most if it be not whetted by some enforcement of Exhortation People also must not onely be willing but glad of this kinde of teaching suffering as the Apostle speaks the word of Exhortation but too too many had rather have general Doctrine then be called upon to Practice and examination In this Verse our Apostle Exhorts to stedfastness in Faith and to relie and trust on the Salvation to the hope whereof they had been called by the revelation of Jesus Christ even the Gospel of Christ and therefore to remove from them all such impediments as might hinder the same Those were of two sorts 1. Such as were in the understanding part implied in the first part of the Verse And 2. Such as were in their affections implied in the latter Gird up the loyns of your minde A borrowed speech from those that wore long garments which when they went any journey or were to stir about any thing they were wont to gird up lest they might be troubled or hindred thereby The meaning is this As men do thus gird and truss up their clothes lest they should be hindred in their work or journey so shake off all that may hinder you in going your Spiritual journey to Heaven and doing the work of the Lord. By the loyns of the minde we are to understand all lets in the understanding part namely all corrupt opinions about Salvation contrary to the Word Those must be reformed else can we not trust perfectly or hope to the end The Jews wanted not theirs nor we ours for the Jews 1. They looked for earthly promotion by Christ as a Potentate of the world This could not but much hinder them from trusting in him for Salvation This they must gather up if they would profit by him knowing that he is made of God unto them not ease riches c. but Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 2. They did still stick much to Moses his Law and Circumcision This also hindred them from resting wholly and onely upon Christ for Salvation This also they must tuck up acknowledging Salvation to be by him alone 3. They prized not Salvation at so high a rate as they should and this also was no small let unto Salvation For our selves How many corrupt conceits be in peoples heads that hinder them from Faith As some think that they be no great offenders and hope to be saved by good prayers good meaning civil life c. Others that it s no such hard matter to be saved but if that men call to God for mercy they shall do as well at the last as they that make all the stir These conceits be as it were the strong Castle of carnal People whereinto being once got all that we can say proves unable to beat them out Others hope to be saved by Christ who yet live in their sins Others think that if they should Repent and go to Sermons they should never be merry again Now these and such like must be reformed finding these lets we must gird up our loyns and remove them Nay even Gods good servants that are truly humbled in conscience for sin and â—it to believe hungring after Christ more then all the world as desirous to turn to him yet are held off by some false conceits O they be unworthy that God should forgive them Therefore he will not their sins be too many and too great and O if they could sorrow as deeply as some and serve God as well then they would hope c. and O they have so many corruptions and such a rebellious heart as they know God will not forgive any such whereas it is not that will hinder so as our hearts be unfeignedly bent to strive against our corruptions and serve the Lord in truth Neither do the very best prize so highly this Salvation as they ought we weigh not what God hath done for us in Christ This is the reason why we walk not more thankfully joyfully and zealously let us gird up these loyns rid our selves of these impediments up and be sound of these points and whatsoever thought would hinder us from resting on Christ Jesus for Salvation let us cast it from us as the blinde man did his cloke when he went to Christ. Be sober Sobriety is a vertue that keeps us not only from things unlawful but moderates us in the use of things lawful that we exceed not our bounds therein These may be referred to two heads Profits and Pleasures which we are most subject to abuse and are therefore dehorted from them For the former which is Pleasure thereto may be referred meat drink apparel recreation c. All which we must use soberly to the glory of the giver our own good and the good also of others 1. For our meat and drink we must neither be excessive nor over curious as Dives that fared deliciously every day making his belly his God we must eat to live and thereby be more fit for duty 2. For our apparel we must not
thus Trust perfectly on that Grace c. Where we have three things 1. What they are exhorted to namely To trust 2. How Perfectly and 3. On what Grace That is Salvation which is described by the means how they came by it It was brought them and that by the Gospel which revealeth Jesus Christ. 1. They are exhorted to trust and believe in Christ for Salvation Faith is a particular assurance that whatsoever Christ hath done he hath done it for me This is to put on Christ to eat and drink his flesh and blood It hath three parts 1. Knowledge of the mystery of Salvation 2. Consent 3. Particular Application This is the instrument of our Salvation and puts a difference between justifying and temporary Faith what else soever a man hath there 's no Salvation promised to it This the mother of all true joy and peace The mother of all obedience and good life See it in Abrahams offering up his Son Hereby we are induced to do or suffer any thing for Christ This we must labor to come to when we feel our misery and desire to come out of it and hunger after Christ we ought to believe that we shall be saved This is the will of God saith our Savior that ye believe in him c. God is willing and deâ—irous we should believe The commandment of the Gospel is so and its commandments are as necessary to be obeyed as those of the Law He that believeth hath put to his seal that God is true It s therefore our fault that being come to the birth as it were we stand still and do not believe when God hath made us fit to believe either raze your selves out of the number of weary loaden sinners c. or else believe you shall be refreshed and are pardoned in Christ. 2. They are willed perfectly to trust namely 1. Sincerely without faining 2. Stedfastly without wavering 3. Constantly without breaking off Sincerely nor fainedly but so believe as we have ground out of Gods Word for it many say they hope to be saved and this is all but put them to prove why and whereon their perswasion is grounded they can say nothing Can you prove it out of Gods Word What promise have you thence if you have then it s well else its Presumption not Faith Try it by the fruits of Humiliation and by the fruits of Sanctification by thy love to the Word and Saints Stedfastly without wavering we must not be off and on we hope well but we cannot tell Gods promise is not yea and nay but most certain and infallible so that we may be out of all doubt To this purpose its called assurance of Faith and as Abraham we are willed to ask in Faith and not to waver It s true no mans faith is so perfect but there may be sometimes some doubtings but they are not of the nature of Faith but being from our corrupt nature are contrary thereunto 1. This condemns the Papists that tell us we may be of a good hope but are great enemies to assurance we may be assured say they in respect of God but in respect of our selves we cannot he being faithful changeth not but we are weak and variable may be well now but by and by fall a tormenting Doctrine If we look to our selves we need not doubt but despair rather and God hath not promised Salvation to us upon condition of our constancy as to Adam but of his unchangeable love he will never leave us but finish the good work he hath begun in us yea say the Papists if we hold out What a foolish repetition is this God will do great things for us if we continue what were this to us if we were left to our selves nay he will give us a minde to continue and so do all these things for us 2. This reproves even good honest humble Souls that long after Christ and hate sin with a deadly hatred and have many excellent things in them and yet stand at a stay they would not for all the world but hope that God will have mercy but cannot be assured Why Is not God faithful hath he not said that such and such shall be saved shall he say it and not do it God forbid O am I so unworthy Therefore he will have mercy on thee if thou didst not feel and bewail that he would not care for thee O my sins be so great Is his mercy onely able to take away small ones or the blood of Christ onely for lesser offences take heed O but it s not for me He names thee not but faith he not All weary and heavy loaden ones shall be eased all that take up his yoke shall finde rest to their Souls excludes he any exclude not thy self O but I have such a corrupt heart and offend him every day But how dost thou like thy sins I hare them they are as gall to my mouth I desire to be rid of them c. Why then be of good comfort no better sign of a childe of God then that thou strivest to mortifie them and to please God There is none free from corruption yet if thou fightest this Spiritual combat thou mayest believe and be thankful therefore this do strive against thy corruptions all thou canst and labor to reform more and more and then shalt not thou need to doubt of thy Salvation Lay the foundation of thy Salvation once sure and never raze it more if there be any fault in the roof be mending it but let the foundation he still Imitate thy Father Abraham God promised him a Childe What did he he neither looked on his own old age nor the deadness of Sarahs Womb but looked on the promise of God So do we look not on this or that our own unworthiness or what Satan saith but on Gods promise If the Devil do but put into your head you shall not be saved it shall prevail more then all we can say out of Gods Word fie upon it Is not he a lyar and a murtherer from the beginning Doth he not tell them that have no Faith that they have as them that have it that they have none Cleave to one testimony of Gods mouth and let all the temptations to the contrary be gone Renounce Thousands of them and stick to the promise O but I feel it not No how canst thou when thou wiltst not believe believe first and thou shalt feel after but though thou shouldst not feel of a good while yet believe the promise of God constantly without breaking off believe to morrow as to day next year as this we have good leave God is the same so shall we with Abraham Isaac and Jacob dye in the Faith Therefore use all good means to continue it and encrease it hear diligently receive the Sacrament carefully pray continually
bestowed upon us namely Redemption procured by no less price then the precious blood of Christ Were we redeemed at such a rate and by such a great and unspeakable price Then we must pass the time of our sojourning here in fear Here consider 1. The benefit Redemption 2. From what Their vain conversation which is set out by the Original of it The tradition of their fathers 3. The price whereby purchased which is set down first Negatively where 's shewed what it is not no worldly thing such as silver and gold described by the nature and quality Corruptible things then Affirmatively where 's shewed what it is namely Blood precious blood The precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Forasmuch as ye know Here note That A man may know himself to be a redeemed one he may know that there 's no condemnation to him and that he is translated from Death to Life He may know that he serves not sin as he was wont but his heart is to serve the Lord and that he walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And doth a man know himself redeemed he must pass his time in the fear of God and therefore in vain do such boast that they are redeemed that live yet in their sins That ye were redeemed Here note 1. That as Mercy presupposeth Misery so Redemption Bondage and Slavery neither is the bondage wherein we stand such as of Pharaoh or the Turks but Ten thousand times worse even of Sin and of the Devil God indeed made us free in Adam Sin nor Satan had nothing to do with us but we all sinning in Adam became subject not onely to the Wrath and Curse of God the first and second death and the forerunners of both but to sin also and so by nature we can do nothing but sin we drink sin as a thirsty man doth water It s as natural to us as for the fire to burn So fast is our will bound to the will of the Devil that for our lives we cannot think a good thought Now as all bondage is abhort'd of the nature of man so the baser person one is in bondage too the more odious it is to them that see it and the more tedious to themselves that bear it Now none so base in the world as sin and the Devil the woful enemies of God and our souls This should humble us all being in this woful case and so would it do if we could be brought to believe it But as the Jews we think we were never in bondage to any and finding our bodies at liberty conceive so of our souls whereas both be in a spiritual bondage unto evil Nay such is our woful bondage as we cannot believe we are in it nor can desire to come out of it but naturally we love and desire it thereupon are enemies to the means of our freedom most think that if they may have their lusts satisfied and fetch their flings in all maner of evil some of pleasure some of their unconscionable dealing c. O it s a little Heaven O such Towns and Houses where they may thus have their wills are the onely places but for the Towns and Services where they may not thus lash out but are restrained and must be brought to the Word Prayer Reading Repetition Catechizing and the like O fie upon it say they Here 's a Bondage a Slavery who would be tyed thus If my year be our once I le lay a stone there c. This is a hard saying who can bear it Let us break their bands and cast their coards from us If this Preaching be suffered we shall do nothing shortly we shall not be merry we shall have our hands bound behinde us Thus counting Gods service which is perfect Freedom to be Bondage they hold their woful Slavery to be the onely Liberty and therefore are not onely willing so to continue but are against the means of their Delivery which is a great depth of bondage for let one be a slave to the Turks never so though his body be bound yet his minde is free he retains an earnest desire to be set at liberty well men must see it and feel it else they shall never be delivered and if they dye in this case they must have their wages according to the work 2. That there is a way out of this bondage for our parts we could finde none we could desire none nay God of his infinite mercy having found it out and prepared it we have no desire of it This indeed is a great and wonderful mercy He might have been glorified in our confusion and hath provided no remedy for the evil Angels as he hath for us It followeth hereupon 1. Seeing there is away of Redemption that all that know not themselves delivered must give all diligence that they may have their part in it Believe Gods Word that thou art now in Bondage but abide not in it seeing there 's a way-out will any of the Turks Slaves stay in Prison if the door be set open and liberty offered and proclaimed Christ was sent to proclaim liberty to Captives and so doth Do this the rather for the redeemeth not all most shall bear their own burthen He prayed not for the world All mine are thine saith he to his Father thine by Election mine by Redemption But is not he the propitiation for the sins of the whole world This is to be understood of all Believers of all Nations through the world in this last age since Christ. 2. That they which know themselves delivered from so great Thraldom both of Death and Damnation and of Sin also must now serve God and that under the hope of eternal Life They must study how to shew their thankfulness in all dutiful obedience all the days of their life If any were ransom'd from the Turk doth he not count himself his that hath ransom'd him so should we As we have yielded our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin so must we now yield them as instruments of righteousness unto God We have taken great pains for the world and vanity forgot our meat and sleep thought the time short feared ever we should come too late have pleaded for Baal O le ts now do so for goodness we have spent our substance on lewd persons to follow our lusts now let us spend it in the service of God and on Gods Children O le ts not serve the Devil and sin in any point more forwardly then God! we must glorifie God in Body and Spirit we must have neither Heart Tongue Wit Will Eye Ear but for the Lord and all to be at his command O that we would often think of our Redemption both from whence and to what This would make us gather up our feet in our Masters service more roundly
the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever THis duty of love is of such use and we so untoward to it and so hard a thing for us to love as we ought that it s urged with a Reason True it is so and no more then needs for the spirit that is in us lusteth after envy The Reason is taken from the grace of Regeneration bestowed upon them They were born again and therefore were to shew the fruits thereof as in other things so in this of love Where might be noted 1. That such as are not born again cannot love no more then men can gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles or pour Wine out of a Bottle full of Vinegar but as Grapes are gathered of the Vine so must love come from a Regenerate man not otherwise 2. That the Regenerate man must needs love therefore they that declare no love but hate their Brethren the people of God especially shew they be not born again nor of God But I proceed to the words Being born again Here 's occasion offered to speak of the grace of Regeneration Touching it consider briefly these particulars 1. What it is to be born again It s to be made new creatures to be cast in a new mold to have the corrupt Image of Sin which we have by Nature and wherein we were conceived and born put off throughout and the contrary good one wherein we were at the first created put on to have the understanding enlightned with distinct knowledge of God the heart bowed to the obedience of God c. new thoughts desires speeches actions In the new Creature all things must become new Thus it s done to all that were elect before the foundation of the world They are changed up and down from a good state by Creation to a bad in Adam from thence to a good one in Christ by grace here in expectation of glory hereafter For the wicked they are changed from good to bad and there remain the same but still worse and worse for ever we should give God thanks that made us so good at first be humbled to see our base and woful state now and seeing there is help never to be quiet till we recover our first condition 2. That the Lord is the Author hereof he takes away the stony heart and gives a new heart an heart of flesh It s his work onely nor Man or Angel can change the heart to work a deadly hatred of that which by nature we love as our lives and to love and take delight in those courses duties companies which sometimes were as a Prison Alas the best Paul and Apollos cannot often even of their Children or very Friends not a few remain unconverted though haply in the mean time God bless their labors to convert many others Yea if an Angel should take a man and carry him to Heaven and shew him the Joys thereof and thence to Hell and shew him the Torments thereof yet this would not convert him neither all Mercies Afflictions or Plagues of Egypt It s a great work of God and so great as if all things were not possible to him he could not do it It s a greater work then the Creation of the World In that there was no opposition in this much we have not onely no aptness to good or to be wrought to goodness but a violent opposition against it there but to make the things here both to put out the corrupt nature and to put in the contrary good then he made all of nothing now he makes good of nought As its easier making a thousand glasses then the setting together one that is broke so it was easier to speak quo ad nos for all things are alike easie to God to make the world then to repair the broken Image of God in man It s a miraculous work of God greater then any miracles that Christ or his Apostles wrought our Saviors several miracles upon the bodies of men are all done in the conversation of a sinner sight restored to them that were blinde and darkness it self hearing to the deaf speech to the dumb feet to the lame Devils cast out yea many for the Devil possesseth us and all our Parts and Members Hearts Hands Eyes Tongues Feet c. as any Captain holds a Castle and hath it at command Thus it s a wonderful work of God to see a mans Soul and Life his wit will desires affections and all altered from black to white It was a wonder to see the Criple go and for him that was born blinde to see but it s more marvel to see a man converted for whereas God gave power to work all these miracles the raising of the dead not excepted to men this of regenerating is his own onely If we finde it ascribed to Ministers as Paul is said to have begot Onesimus and as a Father the Corinthians we must not conceive as if it were not proper to God onely but know that it is for that God would keep them the instruments by whom he works from contempt A good Husband or Wife may be a good means each to other but have no power of themselves Adam could easily cast away himself but none could restore him but God onely as a Childe of half a year old may break a glass which all the men in the Town cannot set together again It s wrought of God by uniting us to Christ by Faith through his holy Spirit which works this alteration when pardoning our sins past he taketh away the guiltiness and punishment thereof in his death Let all that can prove it give all glory to God for so unspeakable a mercy even that when they were going headlong to destruction when as vile as any he yet called them passing by thousands which yet lie in their sins And for them that can prove no such thing let them not delay nor put off to the last as the fashion is as though it could be dispatcht in a trice or with a wet finger but seek it both earnestly and quickly in the means appointed Why do men think they shall repent on their death bed rather then now Is it because the pain or fear of death will make them Alas all the Plagues in the world cannot change a man without God and will God be near to work then Nay he that was rejected in health and life will more likely cast off in death and if he will not bless his Word will he work in the end by other means This is little better then Sauls practise to go to the Devil when God would not help him 3. That the Lords own will is the moving cause hereof As he Elected freely and gave Christ of his love so this Nothing in us could move him hereto but whom he elected before the world those doth he of the
same grace effectually call and convert which should binde our hearts more effectually to praise and serve him all the days of our life 4. That the excellency of this grace is such as all things without it are nothing If we had the wisdom of Solomon the strength of Sampson the policy of Achitophel the wealth of Ahasuerus c. if we could measure the Heaven Earth and Sea and knew the nature of all Creatures therein from the Cedar to the Hysope nay if we could understand the Bible could Preach never so Learnedly and had all gifts of knowledge and utterance yet were we not born again all were nothing Besides it s the more excellent both because so rare only the Elect of God are born again and because Eternal In the natural birth we dye because born of mortal seed and nourished by corruptible food but they that be born again never dye more never come more into their former state as being born of the immortal seed of the Word and Spirit and being thereby nourished are joyned to the fountain of life Christ Again by our first birth we are made miserable by this happy by that sinners by this righteous persons by that children of wrath by this children of God by that slaves of Satan by this servants of righteousnes by that limbs of the Devil by this members of Christ by that heirs of Hell by this heirs of Heaven O happy day O happy birth before Regeneration Sin and Satan wholly ruled in us but after Grace and the Spirit of God 1. This should teach us if we can prove it in our selves to rejoyce and remember our birth-day Many delight to talk of their age as others when where and what year they were born But canst thou tell where and when thou wert born again thou canst else have little joy of thy first birth The older thou art the more shame and greater condemnation if thou art not born again He that is not regenerate is a Bastard for though he have after a sort the Church to his Mother yet he hath not God to his Father and though in the Natural birth the Mothers side is the surest yet in the Spiritual birth it s otherwise Therefore if thou hast Wit Beauty Strength Wealth and the like rejoyce not in them but that thou art born again yea though thou art Poor Weak Sickly yet being born again thou art happy If God hath denied thee Wealth and Health or taken them away yet if he hath given thee grace thou art to rejoyce exceedingly 2. It may teach us to rejoyce if we know our children new born We rejoyce at their Natural Birth but alas wert not for hope because they be of Christian Parents we might rather weep for when a childe is born there 's come a sinner a guilty person into the World one that is in danger of all evil subject to a great deal of sin and sorrow and one that hath deserved to be cast into Hell O therefore if we know them born again there 's cause of rejoycing yea we must rejoyce at the new birth of a servant or any other as the Angels do The World likes such the worse a sign they are the old men 3. If we know it not we are to use the means bring them to Baptism after teach them what is fit that they may make conscience of their Covenant and bring them to the Word if they be any whit forward further them if backward or unwilling use thy Authority over them 4. Rebuke them that desire to see them Strong Fair Rich Healthy and the like in the mean time not respecting whether they be born again or not 5. He that is not born again hath nothing excellent in him but abides in death and is the servant of sin 5. That it s so necessary as without which there 's no entring into the Kingdom of Heaven for thereinto can no unclean thing enter and they onely which are pure in heart shall see God We are born impure sinful defiled from head to foot while we are in this state there 's no possibility of serving God as either by thinking speaking or doing good we must therefore be washed and made clean The world imagine no such necessity herein it s a riddle to them few know what any such work or change meaneth They think to be saved by their good meaning civil life and living orderly O this is sound if these do not well God help us all Again though openly bad if they can cry God have mercy on their deathbed they shall do well enough Here 's no dreaming of a new birth of any change in the understanding will affections yea throughout both body and soul but none of the others will serve the turn therefore try whether ye be new born If we live still in sin as in lying it s a certain argument we are as we were naturally He that is in Christ is a new creature and such a one walketh not after the flesh but after the Spirit if thou art thus thou hast put off thy old conversation and put on a new 6. The effects of Regeneration 1. An hatred of all sin a love of all good 2. A strife and labor to do the one and avoid the other 3. A diligent use of the means for this purpose and a Spiritual combat against the lets wherein being conquerors we have peace and joy if otherwise grief 4. Delight in the Word Prayer and Heavenly things whereas we were wont to delight in vain and worldly things so to cry Abba-Father to love the Father to desire the sincere milk of the Word and to live innocently If upon tryal of thy self by these notes thou findest thy self not born again thy case is fearful it had been better then thou shouldest thus dye that thou hadst never been born or born a Toad whereof when its dead there 's an end but the man that is not born again while he lives when he dyeth the second death will lay hold on him eternally yet alas a number of old folks ready to drop into the grave are not yet born again What shall become of these few men are born again when they become old which I speak not to discourage you quite but to awaken you the more earnestly to look about you some were called about the eleventh hour but let them that have day before them not defer or put it to the venture 6. That the life of a Regenerate man cannot be that it was or as is the life of carnal men for the case is altered he is now united to Jesus Christ as an imp to the stock a member to the head by Faith on our parts but principally by the Spirit of God by which Faith we draw and by which Spirit is conveyed to us vertue from Christs death to kill sin our old man and the corruptions
They say as the Olive and Fig Tree in Jothams Parable Shall I leave my Fatness Shall I forsake my Sweetness Usury Deceit Lying Fornication Adultery and the like so must not we we must be doers of the Word All other duties do but tend to practise which is the end and perfection of all 1. God is our Soveraign Lord and King and we be his Subjects and these his Laws and by these means doth he speak to us gives every body leave to read his Laws and Statutes yea requires it and besides sets Expounders thereof This is the Word of GOD This is the minde of GOD He that despiseth this despiseth GOD himself This Bible shall save or condemn the World and by this we shall all be judged He being our Soveraign and we such poor Worms we should count it our happiness to obey 2. He is exceeding bountiful towards us he who both gave us life and continues to maintain it by so many mercies which all ought to binde us neither doth he thus for us to strenghthen us to rebel and fight against him but to the contrary 3. His will is a perfect rule of Righteousness and he doth not first see a thing good and then wills it and commands it but first commands it and wills it and so it becomes good Whatsoever is agreeable to this is holy and good whatsoever is contrary to this is wicked and to be abandoned 4. All creatures in heaven and earth obey The Sun runs his course ordinarily that God set it at first and slacketh not and not so onely but if it be put out of course it resisteth not If he bid it stand still it doth if he bid it come back it doth He appoints the Sea to flow and it doth but if he bid it stand up and let his people pass it obeyeth and stands as two Brazen Walls so when he sets it on work it rageth to toss Jonah and whom God will and when he bids it and the winds be still they obey as to our Savior He commanded the east wind to bring in the Locusts and another wind to carry them out how much more then should we obey that ought to be best of all being Lords of the rest and all they to serve us Summer and Winter obey the Lords Word and why not we These may rise up against us 5. Obedience exceedingly pleaseth all else is to no purpose Sacrifices burning of Incense observation of Feasts or Fasts c. Unto the wicked saith God What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and casteth my words behinde thee Nay it s so far from pleasing him as it incenseth and provoketh him He that turns away his ear from the cry of the poor shall himself cry unto the Lord but not be heard They are blessed that hear the Word and keep it If ye know these things saith our Savior happy are ye if ye do them yea such as do the will of God he accounts as his Mother Brethren and Sisters by this we may know that we are the Lords This also opens the storehouses of all Gods blessings and musles the mouthes of all the Creatures that they can do us no hurt 6. Disobedience is that which hath ever troubled the world At first in Adam and Eve it put all out of course and so hath done ever since This is the cause of all Evils Plague Pestilence Famine and the like yea of the increase and continuance of those and others more grievous yea this is that which brought all Judgements not onely upon Israel but upon all the world and that which sends men to eternal confusion 1. This is an exceeding comfort to all those whose hearts the Lord hath inclined bowed and humbled to be obedient to his will in all things and that have no greater grief then that they can obey no better but glad when they can obey and most when best let these know it s a brand of Christs sheep and mark that they love God that they are of the blessed ones that hearing also obey that they shall never fall as being built on the rock This is a certain band to tye the Lord to you he can fail you of no good thing Obey my voyce saith he and I will be your God yea and a certain assurance of eternal life is gained by obeying Herein continue and encrease your care its perfect freedom it brings sound and true comfort here and hereafter when they that disobey have a corrasive and gnawing Conscience 2. This condemns all sorts of disobedient persons which are many and this is the reason that Hell is fuller then Heaven because so many are disobedient to the Word and so few will be held within compass as 1. Those notorious monsters that live in open prophaneness that are set to cross God what he commands they will none of it and what he forbids they are mad on which shake off all care and live as they list as if they were masterless and no body had to do with them or to call them to any account as if they ought no duty to any who will not learn Gods ways but with Pharaoh say Who is the Lord c. Do these poor woful creatures know what they do alas no Knowest thou with whom thou hast to do and against whom thou rebellest against the Lord of Heaven and earth that made the world that toucheth the mountains and they smoke that thundereth with his voyce But who art thou that strivest with thy maker that darest rebel against thy Soveraign who is able to cast thee into the Jail of Hell for ever and ever O consider this you that forget God The wicked shall be turned into Hell upon the wicked God will rain snares and fire c. Dost thou think to speed better then thy Predecessors Adam was cast out of Paradise the old world drowned Sodom burnt c. If Pharaoh that proud hearted Tyrant could not hold it out nor Nebuchadnezzar nor Belshazzar nor Herod dost thou think to get any thing by wrestling with thy maker by casting out thy gantler and as it were bidding battel to the Lord O therefore humble thy self on thy face fall flat at his footstool and crave pardon send out messengers of Peace and submit thy self saying Lord what wilt thou that I shall do obey and that gladly or else he will lay thee where thou shalt have small joy yea he will make thee obey in spight of thine heart There will come a voyce that thou shalt nor resist Go ye cursed of my Father and if thou wouldst bring thy minde to obey thou shouldst finde it every way thy safest course thou shouldest save not onely thy soul which is the greatest but even thy body thy good name
to Redeem it with the blood of his Son and to give his Spirit thereto to graft and unite it to Christ and to sanctifie and make it like himself How dear are our children to us God hath made us sons nay heirs the Lands we purchase be dear to us we are Gods purchase our members be dear to us God hath made us members of his Son 1. Oh if we be so peculiar and choyce to the Lord how choycely should we walk how should we set as great store by the Lord and his Commandments as he hath done by us He hath chosen us for his inheritance we should chuse him for our portion and make him so and his Word our Heritage as David did O how warily should we walk Every Christians ought to be one of a thousand the least as David and the greatest of the Angel as God we should shine so among others as Moses his face shone when he came down from the Lord that we may straight be discerned by our conversation who and what we are O how doth this tax the coldness and carelesness of many Christians in whom who can view any singular thing but we ought to be singular persons They omit duties in their Families or slubber them over as many Hypocrites who can upon any occasion be as froward impatient worldly as any other Is it not requisite that such as the Lord hath been at such cost with as to Elect them Redeem them call them by his Word and Spirit Sanctifie them c. should be extraordinary persons we should be much in those duties that the World and Hypocrites do not meddle with as private Prayer Examination Watchfulness yea against secret corruption and in those we do we must perform them after another fashion then heretofore 2. This is a comfort that God makes such special reckoning of his therefore though we have many and mighty Enemies yet we need not fear God is on our side he is about us as the Mountains about Jerusalem they must dig down God ere they can come at his overcome God ere they can conquer his 3. Terror to the wicked How dare they meddle to hurt or persecute any of these little ones lest their Angel be let loose to destroy them If Meroz were cursed for not helping them what shall they be that harm them They that rail on them mock and misuse them would do further if opportunity served 4. The wicked are of no reckoning with God for they be like the Devil and do nothing but sin against God and are his Enemies The wicked are as chaff and darnel the godly as wheat the good as the fish in the net the wicked as weeds and frogs the good as the vine the bad as the nettles and brambles the good as the tree planted by the rivers of waters c. the wicked as barren nay hurtful trees the godly be like good ground the wicked like that which bears thorns and bryars This should make them see their base condition and set less by themselves seeing God sets nothing by them and joyn themselves to the Lords people and labor to be such That ye should shew forth the praises of him c. The end of all these priviledges and this cost is that we might shew forth by word and deed all the vertues of God his Mercy Patience Wisdom Goodness c. shewed in our Election Redemption Vocation Sanctification c. Where note 1. That God hath not bestowed this cost on us in vain but that we might both sound out his praises with our mouthes and throughout out whole life shew forth the same O how infinitely stand we indebted to him But where is our zeal any thing answerable to the least of these unspeakable mercies vouchsafed unto us 2. That he did not Elect us because he foresaw we would shew forth his vertues but that we might so do If he had foreseen any works in us we might then have shewed forth our own Merits as his Vertues but that 's contrary to this Text and the whole course of Scripture Therefore we may say herein Not unto us but unto thy name give the glory 3. That he Elected us not to be idle but to shew forth his Vertues and this confuteth the Opinion of those that hold the Doctrine of Election and the unchangeableness thereof to be a Doctrine of Liberty and a gap to all licentiousness But he chose us that we should be holy and that not in shew to please men but before him even so as he requireth and accepteth 4. That the furthest end of our Election is Gods glory not our Salvation True he propounded that too but not as the furthest end So he ordained some to Damnation not that simply he takes pleasure in their destruction but to set forth his glory even the glory of his power and justice in their just condemnation so would he be glorified in his mercy in the Salvation of the Elect. Hence learn we To make the glory of God the end of all our actions and nothing else not profit not pleasure not preferment no not the Salvation of our own souls we must not Hear Meditate Pray keep the Sabbath flie from Sin do good to save our Souls for then we seek our selves but that God may be glorified the other must be minded in the second place Who hath called you He describeth God by a special benefit bestowed upon them namely their effectual calling from sin to grace and this he doth to confirm them in their Election whereof he had spoken before by which they might prove the same Note then that effectual calling is a certain argument of our Election I say effectual calling because there is 1. An outward calling common to the Reprobate as many are called but few are chosen and 2. An inward and effectual calling when the Spirit goes with the outward means and boars through the ear of the heart and opens the eyes and breaks through all lets and enlightens and changes a man admirably who before was not at all moved when he heard the very same things when God deals with the Reprobate he calls them outwardly but when with his Elect he goeth to work with his Spirit which passeth the power of Man or Angels the work is the Lords The outward instrument of effectual calling is principally the Ministery of the Word other things may prepare as the fire heats the iron but the hammer fashioneth it as affections the good conversation of others and the like Thus the Jailor was by an Earthquake some are gastered and first smitten yet rarely by some fear in the night or at some other time fearful thoughts lay hold on them But this is not conversion it s no other then may be in a Reprobate after they are brought by counsel to the Word
we are dead in trespasses and sins 2. This should make the world weary of their part O that a man had but wisdom enough to perswade all ignorant persons that they be in darkness and going to Hell nay all persons of what parts soever that being void of Faith and not sanctified they are in this case It s not because they are not so but because they are so deep in darkness as all that can be said to them from God about the same cannot so perswade them but that they love darkness more then light cannot away to be called out of it think their case as good as others Awake thou that sleepest and stand up Christ shall give thee light Who would abide in a dark Dungeon that might be abroad in the light in Egypt when he might be in Goshen with Gods children Men think because they have the light of the Sun and their eyes to see they think that they be not in darkness but their Souls be in most woful darkness Never think to work the works of darkness and yet come to the light of Heaven Into his marvellous light This is opposed to darkness therefore hereby is meant saving knowledge of Christ which is life Eternal and true Light Holiness and Sanctification the hope of Heaven and the inheritance of the Saints in light This is not onely light but marvellous light either in respect of the contrary darkness or in respect of it self This is the estate of every Believer of every sanctified person 1. This shews the infinite oddes between the true Christian and those that be not so and that not onely between Pagans that have no means who be deep and every way in darkness but even between Christians and them that have both means and it may be knowledge yet are still unconverted and unsanctified persons The one is in light the other in darkness the one have fellowship with God the other with the Devil O that men saw the oddes they would not onely not judge their own case so good and despise the servants of God as they do but would reverence them and take hold of their skirt and say We will go with you 2. It teacheth Christians brought into this marvellous light how to walk as children of the light and to have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness but to reprove them nor with the workers of iniquity But how few thus walk O let our conversation be honest and our light so shine that we may lighten others Being herein like God we may be assured we are going to everlasting light Verse 10. Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy HE addes to the heap another mercy to stir them up to the thankfulness he speaks of and to the end the mercy and benefit may be seen to be the greater he sets it out by the contrary comparing the time present with the time past when it was far otherwise with them and as he compared them with others before so he compareth them now with themselves Which in time past c. Here the Apostle alludeth to Hos. 1. 10. where the Lord setteth out both the sins and punishment of the ten Tribes under a Typical marriage of the Prophet with a notorious Strumpet which was not a thing verily done but to set the more lively before their eyes their Sins and Idolatries as under the name of those supposed children were set out the punishments that God meant to send upon them for the same as That they should be scattered abroad That God would have no mercy on them and lastly which was worst of all That they should not be his people all which were accordingly fulfilled For first they were carried Captive of the Assyrians and there retained some remnants of the Worship of God in a corrupt maner and kept together but after when the Medes and Persians prevailed over the Assyrians they were then scattered over the Nations so far and wide as they had no part of Gods Worship remaining among them but were so mingled among the Heathen as they became no people of God at all but altogether wrapt in all the maners of the Heathen Nations with whom they lived This is that here meant when he saith They were not the people of God c. And lest the good among them should be altogether dismaid as though God had broken his Covenant he promiseth That the time should come that he would receive them into his favor again which was now accomplished as the Apostle saith When by the Gospel they were gathered to the Faith of the Lord Jesus In that he sets before them the time past and what they were Note That for a people or particular persons to look to their beginnings is of good and singular use As for us who since Christs coming are admitted to the same priviledges with the Jews have the Gospel Preached Christ Jesus offered Grace given to receive him the Word and Sacraments to assure us of him Heaven opened to us as well as they for us I say being thus and having the truth and onely way of Salvation Preached to us by Jesus Christ To consider what we were will be of great use as that we were aliens from the common-wealth of Israel Strangers drown'd in Idolatry and all Sin without knowledge of the true God but woshiping the Devil in stead of the true God that in the days and under the Tyranny of Antichrist we were held in blindeness made to worship Images taught to believe that we must be saved by Masses Mans Merits Popes Pardons scared with Purgatory thinking that then we did God high service when we most dishonored him So to consider with our selves what we were before our Calling Ignorant in Unbelief Prophane the servants of Sin slaves of Satan in Darkness loving Sin as our lives hating the Word and all goodness c. and what we are now through Gods mercy will be of great use For This serves 1. To make us humble and take down our pride Therefore when the Israelites would so brag of Abraham and Jacob or Israel that they were their Seed and Posterity the Lord by his Prophets would tell them and what was Abraham but a poor Idolater in the Land of Ur of the Caldees and a lone man a dry stick and Sarah barren and what was Israel was he not a fugitive as it were fain to flie for his life into Mesopotamia and so poor as he went onely with his staff in his hand there served for wages following the sheep at his return ready to be devoured by Esau what great cause then have you to brag of your Progeny 2. To stir us up to thankfulness when we see we were most wretched and miserable poor and blinde and naked having no dram of any good in our selves this is a
drink at every Alehouse they come at It s grace that puts excellency in a man without which he is worse then a Beast for he is degenerate from his Creation hath understanding but serveth not his Creator but rebelleth against him and his end will be a thousand times worse then a Beast A wicked man is called in Latine Nequam which signifieth no body and so he is indeed in Gods account No body and happy were it with him if he were indeed no body but he hath a being here to sin and hereafter to be tormented Do not we therefore rest contented with our natural state but labor for grace in our hearts But are now the people of God Though scattered yet became they the people of God So that no outward affliction doth nullifie Gods Church as no outward pomp nor living together in wealth make a Church Gods Church scattered is yet one Houshold one Sheepfold Further in that he reckons it for a great priviledge and blessing that they were the people of God Note That It s the greatest blessing in the world for a Nation to be the people of God even to enjoy the Word and Sacraments and other Ordinances of God the means of Salvation so for a particular person to be one of Gods true people for as for all outward things they are common to the wicked yea the Beasts partake of many of them but the means of Salvation they are happy things It s the fearfullest thing in the world not to be the people of God for if we be in Poverty Trouble Captivity under Tyrants yet it s nothing so we enjoy the means of Salvation and if a Nation have all Plenty and Peace yet want the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus it s nothing So for a particular person if he be never so Poor Sick Imprisoned Hated yet if the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus be in his heart and true holiness he is not misrable and if all Wealth Honor Health whatsoever can be put upon a man if he be not the childe of God it s nothing St. James bids the poor Christian rejoyce because he is made a Christian exalted and the rich man to rejoyce because he is by the grace of God made lowly not because rich 1. This may stir up in us thankfulness to God that hath vouchsafed to make us his people in this Land for which we cannot be sufficiently thankful But most regard not that which makes the Land happy namely the Gospel This is that which makes this Land the people of God and nothing else 2. It teacheth us particularly to labor to be of his true people effectually Called Justified Sanctified Zealous of good Works loving the Word affecting it and finding it sweeter then the honey and the honey comb more precious then gold and silver delighting in the Sacraments and Prayer walking in true Holiness c. thus shall we be happier then Kings without it He that is one of Gods true people is dear to God he will protect him provide for him that he shall want no good thing here and be glorified with him hereafter every one will be challenging this to himself the worst of all will take the best names to themselves and be termed Christians but let them win it and wear it Which had not obtained mercy What then were under Gods Wrath and Justice and why not under Mercy because of their sins So that Sins especially unrepented of are a wall of brass to keep Gods mercy from us Therefore repent of them for without Gods mercy we are utterly undone for ever But now have obtained mercy This is the same for substance with the former words and there remain no several Doctrines our of these besides those there handled excepting this Namely that What God did for them in making them his people was of his meer mercy He had no need of them they deserved no such matter Learn then that All that we have or have had is of meer grace That we Gentiles are called to be the people of God That this Land hath the Gospel That our selves particularly were Elected was of meer mercy So were we redeemed so effectually called Nothing in us to move him to shew any mercy first or last nay all to move him to the contrary nay it was not onely mercy but abundant and wonderful mercy 1. This confuteth Popish arrogancy that teach mans Merits to be in part the cause hereof 2. It teacheth us to walk so much the more thankfully and obediently in all things as we especially take kindely the good turns of a Stranger O say we I am exceedingly beholding to him thus and thus he did I never saw him before I shall never forget it What thankfulness then owe we to God for his love towards us who were altogether ignorant of him The less desert Mephiâ—â—â—heth found in himself the more he found himself bound to David so may we to God 3. We must learn to imitate the Lord to be merciful as he is and to do good to those that never deserved ought of us nay to do good to those that have deserved ill of us and this men can hardly be brought to O say some and those not of the worst I could be content to yield and to do any thing but he hath thus and thus abused me with his tongue But have not we done so by the Lord Verse 11. Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. HAving laid Doctrine for his ground he follows now with Exhortation both these go necessarily together to the doing of good and may not be sundred The Doctrine was about the great things that God had done for them and therefore hereupon he Exhorts them to holiness and purity of heart and life before he shewed what God had done for them now he shews their work before he shewed that the end of those priviledges was that they should shew forth Gods vertues now he shews how that should be done namely in laboring to be pure in heart and life in token of thankfulness and so that being advanced to such dignities they were not to be idle but work for God and walk according to the benefits bestowed In this verse he exhorts to purity of heart in the next to holiness in conversation and these he joyns together Holiness in general is and must be the life of Gods people These two parts of it in heart and conversation must go together one as the Mother the other the Offspring that as the Root this as the Branches like two Twins that are born and dye weep and laugh together In vain doth any man boast of purity of heart whiles his conversation is naught In vain doth any man strive to have a good conversation whiles his heart is suffered to
Minister hath power to command the people being in the person of God and for their own good to flie from things hurtful and follow things profitable for themselves Paul might have commanded Philemon but being perswaded of his forwardness he rather entreated so must we as they that set in a joynt in a tender body stroke and stroke softly and anoint the place and so put it in the place ere the party be aware yet upon occasion we may both command and threaten as the same Apostle elsewhere and John the Baptist and our Savior himself as when we have to deal with stubborn and disobedient persons or such as have fallen into foul sins or are secure and dead-hearted or are revolters and backsliders then I say are we to deal more roundly and severely knotty logs must have many and hard strokes as a rough horse an hard rider when we have to deal with toward and well disposed tender hearted ones or afflicted then are we to deal otherwise and here is required the wisdom of the Spirit of God to discern what is meer and this must be considered of before hand Abstain from fleshly lusts Now of the matter of the Exhortation By fleshly lusts are meant not onely acts of sin breaking out in the body but the inward lusts that are in the heart though they should never break out for even the heart and soul is flesh as well as the body and fleshly even corrupt and sinful as the sinful lusts of unbelief impatience hardness of heart hypocrisie rebelling against that which is good weariness in well doing pride anger envy self-love covetousness uncleanness uncharitableness and the like These we must abstain from even labor against that they prevail not in us yea to subdue them quite Now in that he gives his Exhortation to such as they were whom he before described We may learn That There are remnants of sin abiding in the best of Gods Servants and will be while they be here They shall not lay down sin wholly till they lay down this flesh They are sanctified but in part through out but not perfectly corruption is not in one part and grace in another but grace and corruption joyned in every part and faculty of body and soul and thus it hath ever been Hence it is that we scarce read of any in Scripture but taxed for some infirmity and weakness as Abraham with some little shifting for himself when he said Sarah was his sister Sarah for her unbelief Moses for speaking unadvisedly Job for cursing his day Paul and Barnabas for being stirred the one against the other And this the wise and good providence of God hath so appointed for he could sanctifie us perfectly at the first but it s not meet for then righteousness should not come onely by Christ for if we were not onely perfectly justified by Christ as we are but also perfectly sanctified by his grace then might we stand before God with confidence and boldness in our own righteousness and need not to have the righteousness of Christ continually imputed to us Besides the Lord would hereby humble us that we should not be proud of any gifts or graces that he bestoweth on us more then we had or others have but be kept still humble when we see these corrupt lusts sticking in our nature which may more justly provoke wrath against us then our good actions procure favor as Paul lest he should be lifted up through the abundance of revelations had a prick in the flesh even Satan working upon his corruption and strongly tempting and as it were boxing him to humble him Therefore no man hath cause to be proud of any grace not only because he hath nothing but the meer mercy of God but also because if he consider he hath such remainders of sin still in him as if they be laid in the Ballance with his graces might be of more force to condemn him then all his graces to procure favor to him Further hereby we are held continually in exercise and made see our need of the Word Sacraments Prayer and the help we have one of another while we live 1. We are not to expect the perfection of any here though Gods Ministers are still to call on the people to grow towards it yet they must rejoyce even in their proceedings to it and bear with some weakness and wants and people must not think their Ministers can be perfect without blemish either knowing or suspecting some infirmity in them to esteem meanly of them or their Ministery or gifts so drowning all their graces God forbid It s well 1. We know no sin our Minister lives in 2. No corruption he yields to but that he is in strife with his corruption and counts it his burthen this we should cover with the lap of our love The contrary is in the world If a Minister have any imperfection though strived against by him and seldom or never shewing it self and have never so many good graces yet the same shall still be cast in his face and tost from one to another and all his gifts neglected and that oftentimes of those that live in soul sins or are an hundred times more foully overtaken of the same or some other Husbands look not for perfection in your Wives nor Wives in your Husbands thank God they be godly hating all foul sins and striving against corruptions look for these and cover them else lovingly help to cure them in time convenient but look on their graces some man that is himself carnal and hath a professing wife so narrowly views her as if he spy the least imperfection it s cast in her teeth as if she should be perfect though he be never so far off from perfection Let none look for Christians that profess the Gospel that they can be altogether without blame yet let none take up this as a good excuse and shelter for them yea say they It s true as the Preacher said to day which I liked well that we are all sinners some make themselves so holy and profess such zeal as if they were without sin or wiser then all their neighbors when they be no less sinners then others Well let not these carnal or prophane and civil persons think to scape away with this or be hid in the number of sinners and scape as well as others God will finde two sorts of sinners such as live and lie in sin indeed workers of iniquity and such as having been unfeignedly humbled and obtained pardon of sin and truly repented have yet corruptions which they hate and strive against and are heartily sorry when they have been at any time overtaken thereby and yet the world bless themselves herein What are not all sinners I pray yea and you shall have them that will dilate of any infirmity that a Christian hath and stretch it on the tenters when themselves are polluted with foul sins 2.
punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well The second Reason of the foregoing Exhortation It s taken from the end of Magistrates appointed for the great benefit of a Commonwealth even to punish evil doers commend and defend the good without which no Kingdom could stand as there could be no garden if all the Hogs in the Town were suffered to root it up no orchard if Cattel were suffered to eat it off the buds and bark of the trees c. so that unless we be vipers and seek the ruine of our Countrey we cannot but acknowledge the benefit we get by Magistrates and accordingly perform our duties towards them As they are to make good Laws both for the worship of God tending to his glory and the Salvation of their peoples Souls and the preservation of Justice and Peace wherein Mercy and Judgement are to meet together and are to justifie the Righteous and condemn the wicked as good gardiners pull up the weeds but cherish good herbs whereby vertue may flourish by due encouragement and vice may be suppressed by due punishment So must we accordingly behave our selves towards them for their encouragement For the punishment of evil doers God is a just God who both hates and punisheth sin so must Magistrates do they have not the Sword for nought It must not be as a childes Dagger never drawn out or rust in the scabberd as those hanged up in our houses in the times of Peace Samuel hewed Agag in pieces Joshua put Achan to death Moses was zealous this way Magistrates must be men of courage and must punish the wicked according to their fault This is the ready way to bring them to repentance as the rod and correction gives life to a childe and keep others from the like faults Thus was the stubborn son to be stoned that all Israel might hear and fear Hereby also they stay the cry of sin and so provide for Gods glory and safety both of Church and Commonwealth If they smite not God will as Elies sons and Agag 1. This rebuketh the wonderful coldness of most Magistrates that care not whether they have any ill doers brought before them if they can shift it off or if they be brought yet handle them so gently that not onely that are not the more reformed but the more emboldened in their wickedness and such as complained of them quite discouraged a fearful thing Thus under colour of mercy sin is encreased God dishonored the Commonwealth marred Thus whereas they might do much good they do much hurt to others they hurt also themselves as Saul in sparing Agag and Ahab in sparing Benhadad How will Magistrates answer this God calls Who is on my side Who he looks who will help him against the mighty assuredly it s now time for him to work O let Magistrates look to this they shall provide well for themselves against the time of need they may look for help from God and say as Nehemiah Remember me O Lord my God in goodness according to all that I have done This is also the sin of Headboroughs and Constables that are not zealous to finde out such and complain of them but rather cold loath to stir for being counted medlers c. so that we may say men have no courage for the Truth and no man calleth for Justice And thus they make themselves work while they shun it for so sin encreaseth and will set them on work whether they will or not 2. This rebuketh also all such as take part with persons and causes There 's no Town but hath vile persons in it there 's none so vile but lightly one rich man or other that should joyn to punish him takes part with him If they cannot scape the curse that help not the Lord against the mighty what shall become of them that help the mighty against the Lord and all that seek to punish them a threefold curse waiteth for them and where shall they appear And for the praise of them that do well God loves and rewards well doing so should Magistrates they must defend and advance such their eyes must be upon the faithful in the Land and with Cornelius they should have such wait on them as fear God 1. This rebukes those that hearten not good persons when they come with complaints to them neither shew any countenance to such 2. Much more them that set themselves against those O it s a sickly time when the best be most afraid and punisht As Micaiah imprisoned by Ahab Eliah feign to flie from Jezabel and Jeremiah put in a Dungeon Mephibosheth deprived of his means Daniel cast into the Lyons Den c. Magistrates should not be feared of them that do well yet it s often so so it was in Queen Maries time the godliest hid their heads in Woods and Dens were Imprisoned put to Death whereas Idolaters were in request In such cases we had great need to pray for redress Verse 15. For so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men A Third Reason of the foregoing Exhortation Its Gods will that we submit our selves that by this means we may stop bad mens mouthes that would if we did not obey speak ill of Professors and of the name of God and the Gospel it self For so is the will of God That Gods will ought to be that which should lead and binde us I have heretofore proved at large on the third Petition of the Lords-Prayer which as it should upon all other particulars so ought to prevail with us in this duty of obedience That with well doing ye may put to silence c. Of good works what they be and how needful they are I have spoken on verse 12. adde we here one end more Namely that Good works or a godly innocent life in obedience to Magistrates and all things else is of necessity to stop up the mouthes of bad minded persons that wait for offences Every one that professeth must know that he hath many eyes on him that watch him narrowly and some very badly minded our duty is to take away all matter of ill talk from them as if the wood be taken away the fire goeth out and if the water run not the Mill goes not By well-doing we stop up their mouthes as David did Sauls and Daniel his accusers Or if we cannot stop their mouthes but that they will needs talk yet that they may have no just cause to speak ill of us but though in general terms they make a railing yet being urged in particular to tell what we have done or with what they can chargeus or what sin we live in or what corruption we yield to which we strive not against they may be driven to silence This rebukes the wonderful
arguments from the Word to be assured thereof Is not this fearful It s time for us to awaken our selves and to ransack our Evidences weak holds will vanish when strong temptations come O get we the shield of Faith which will quench all the fiery darts of the Devil He is such an adversary that we had need be throughly armed being to encounter with him And not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness Here 's the abuse of Christian liberty They were freed indeed but he would not they should stretch their liberty further then was meer or abuse it any way as a cloak and cover for any licentiousness or naughtiness whatsoever Here note That Through the evil heart and corrupt nature of man not onely the creatures of God but even his holy Ordinances and the very best things are subject to be abused The Gospel was foolishness to the world and Christ Jesus himself a stone whereat many did stumble Thus the Doctrine of Predestination many turn to a desperate course of doing what they list The Doctrine of Gods great mercy most take as an emboldening to sin so is the Doctrine of Justification by Faith onely and of Christian liberty abused unto licentiousness Even the Apostles writings were by some wrested to their own condemnation 1. Seeing our nature is so apt to abuse such things it behoves the Ministers of God to pray to God for wisdom that they may deliver wisely and warily as all points of Doctrine so especially those that are most apt to be abused They must so handle the Doctrine of Gods judgements against the wicked that the godly humble be not dismaid and so comfort the godly that the wicked be not emboldened but each have his portion that 's due to him 2. This rebuketh as in general all such as shall thus abuse any holy things of God so in particular all abusers of Christian liberty whether such as turn it into carnal licentiousness as the Familists and Libertines and too too many in this Land in solemnizing the Feast of our Saviors Nativity or such as turn it into civil liberty and freedom from civil subjection as of old the Jews which looked for earthly priviledges and immunities by Christ and of late the Anabaptists How many hearing that we are freed by Christ from the rigor of the Law make no more account of it as though a believer freed from the curse and rigor of it were not yet under it while he lives How many make Religion a cloak for their naughtiness and whoredoms being very diligent at Sermons and outwardly very devout that they might be the less suspected as the Scribes and Pharisees which devoured widows houses and under colour made long prayers How many hearing that the Ceremonial Law is abrogated by Christ will not therefore read any part thereof nay scarce any of the Old Testament shaking off the Testimonies cited out of it ignorantly saying O the old Law is abolished How many now hearing that we be not under the bondage of any thing indifferent rush out into all excessive and vile abuse of the same without keeping any bounds or going by any rule They will eat and drink excessively at all times wear what apparel they list without respect of their degree for the matter of it or the fashion for the maner So for recreations they dare run unto those that be unlawful and use those that be lawful without all bounds of moderation But of the use of things indifferent there be three restrainers Gods Words The Laws of Magistrates and the rule of Charity Gods Word where are rules whereby to guide us in the use of things indifferent as that they be decent of good report done to edifying used in sobriety and modestly tend to the glory of God and to make us fitter for duties The Laws of Magistrates whether Civil or Ecclesiastical for if they command in things indifferent and be so in their use also as well as their nature and be according to the rules of the Word then they are by the Magistrates commandment made necessary as for abstinence from flesh not for Religion but civil respects So if they forbid men to wear silk upon some special causes or to hunt within such a compass these were before indifferent but now necessary The rule of charity we must not use indifferent things to the offence of our weak brother or to cause him stumble or hinder him any way in the course of his Salvation Indeed for obstinate ones that will not be perswaded we are not bound to respect them as Paul that was content for the week Jews to circumcise Timothy would not after because of their obstinacy consent that Titus should be circumcised Our Christian liberty is an holy thing precious indeed and dear O let 's not abuse it let 's not suffer our selves to be intangled again with sin or the works of the Devil and fashions of the world from which Christ hath freed us Neither let us suffer our selves to be made the Servants of men or to be brought into subjection of mens Traditions or the superstitious use of things indifferent as the Papists thus hold poor people in bondage it cost Christ a dear price to purchase our freedom Contrarily Take heed we abuse it not to wantonness and licentiousness but use it to the glory of God our own good and the benefit of our Brother Remember we also that our freedom by Christ doth not exempt us from subjection to Magistrates Christian liberty and civil subjection may well stand together Even Christ himself and his Apostles were subject unto the higher powers neither hath he purchased liberty for any to do hurt or cross his Fathers order But as the servants of God Here 's the right use of Christian liberty we must use it as Gods servants that are freed from sin to serve him in obedience to all his commandments and this of subjection among the rest A Christian though he be free yet is he a Servant still He is freed from Sin Hell Damnation and the Devil to serve the Lord of Heaven and Earth an happy service a most blessed change A Christian is of all others the most free and yet the greatest Servant The greatest Christian the greatest Servant He that will be greatest let him be servant of all We must serve God in the duties of his worship both privately and publiquely and that zealously and we must serve men to the good of their souls and bodies by Admonition Exhortation Consolation Example and Prayer This is no bondage but the happiest liberty that may be Comfort and joy accompanies this service for the present whereof the end will be life everlasting Not to serve thus but to be under the service of sin is of all others the basest bondage As therefore we would serve the Lord with all our might and shake
prosperity and welfare inward and outward in body and soul. Quest. In Heaven indeed there shall be days without night good without the least mixture of evil but can good days be enjoyed in this world R. In comparison we may but not absolutely good without evil for as the best man is not without sin so he cannot but have inward sorrow of heart and likewise be subject to afflictions every day bringing grief enough with it yet in comparison of worse days of horror of conscience of troubles outward in the Land of miseries and vexations that may befal us we may see good days that is to say Inward peace of Conscience in the assurance of Gods love and our care to walk faithfully before God also we may enjoy Peace in the Land Plenty the Gospel Health Wealth Friends Wife Children c. and when these are there are good days days freed from calamities and sorrows and wherein we may plentifully enjoy comforts and blessings The day also of a Christians conversion is a special good day so the days wherein we do enjoy the purity of Gods Worship in the Word and Sacraments so the days wherein we see Gods Church flourish so when the Sabbath is duly sanctified it s a good day so when a Christian after sin comes to repentance so the days wherein a Christian walks with God and hath recourse unto him And as thus days may be termed good so may they in other respects evil evil to the ungodly without exception to whom even in their greatest prosperity their days be evil evil also to the godly when they cannot enjoy the means of salvation in the life and power of it when God seems to hide his face from them when they have conflicts with spiritual wickednesses when the wicked prevail over them such I say and are there not such now are evil days yet withal there 's great difference between the ill days of the wicked and the godly for the godly are even in the worst times blessed even then blessed when they are chastened God also will deliver them in due time yea will make them glad according to the days they have been afflicted Here note 1. That mens days be usually evil and that both in regard of sin and the effects thereof 2. That our life is short set out here not by years but by days which is elswhere compared to a post grass a vapor a Weavers shuttle c. Thus is it to the godly in mercy God will not have them to be long here in this wicked world Thus is it to the wicked in justice as spending the time here allotted them to Gods dishonor That good days are a blessing of God to be delighted in and desired of Gods Servants God hath promised it as an encouragement to obedience they have also prayed for it Psalm 118. 25. and 122. 7. and it s made a sign of Gods favor and presence with his servants Obj. But the wicked often enjoy the same 1. Sol. Outward prosperity they have not the inward assurance of Gods favor 2. Though they abound in the outward blessing yet wanting the right hold and the right use of it nay abusing it to contrary ends it will prove in the end through their own sin a curse to them Their table will be a snare to them and their prosperity their ruine the more outward blessings they enjoy the more have they to answer for Obj. Why is it often denyed even to Gods children who go through many sorrows Sol. Though prosperity be in it self a blessing yet through the corruption of our nature it often turns to our hurt for whereas hereby we should be made more mindeful of God to love praise and serve him and walk more obediently and carefully through our poysonful nature we are usually made forgetful of God proud secure worldly contentious and not onely untoward to goodness but apt to any ill The fattest ground is most slippery fed Horses fling their riders full bodies are subject to the Plurifie Adversity hath slain some but prosperity many thousands more In great Houses there 's swaggering swearing drinking gaming c. whereas in mean places there 's Reading Praying c. nay in adversity you shal have the same persons humble which in prosperity forgot themselves as David and Hezekiah So that adversity is of singular profit to drive us to a sight of our sins with Josephs Brethren to keep us from sin as an hedge of thorns keeps Cattel out from spoiling the Garden to abate our pride and mortifie our corruptions to wean us from the world to shew us that we are not to look for our portion here but set our affections on Heaven where our inheritance is indeed reserved for us Hereupon the Scripture pronounceth them happy that be afflicted yet doth not this prove that adversity in it self is better then prosperity To us indeed it may be better through occasion of our corruption as blood-letting or the taking of loathsom Physick may be to diseased bodies 1. Be we greatly thankful to God that hath given us to see so many good days in the enjoyment of peace plenty the Gospel particular favors c. Our sins have deserved all ill days and assuredly such we shall see if we be not thankful for good days 2. Crave we of God to continue his goodness towards us as also grace to use it well else it will be no blessing will not abide with us we are at all times to walk warily but more heed is to be taken in time of prosperity then adversity then are we to suspect our selves lest abusing the same we prove unthankful Q Whether may we pray for riches and great prosperity or not A. We have no such Warrant in Gods Word neither commandment promise nor example of moderation we have as in Jacob and Agur And for great wealth without admirable grace it s exceeding dangerous It s hard for a rich man to enter into Heaven not many such are called to be thus is no mark of a childe of God If God send it we are not to refuse it but to be thankful and crave great grace to govern it and our hearts therewithal but we have more cause to fear it then desire it but for competent prosperity we may pray yet conditionally because being an outward thing we know not but it may prove hurtful we are to leave it to God that knoweth what 's best for us therewith we must also crave the right use thereof and to be bettered thereby 3. When God shall be pleased to lay his hand upon us any maner of way let us bear the same with patience God sees the same to be needful for us as lanching for a sore blood-letting or purging to a full body If God take away our prosperity be content it s but one of Gods common
counsel of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar even that they would break off their sins by repentance O turn ye why will ye dye acknowledge I beseech you all your rebellions and treacheries against God and that you have deserved hereby to be cut off entreating yet for pardon and mercy through Jesus Christ Turn to God with your whole hearts and learn to know that sin is odious bringing dishonor to God and destruction upon your selves O shun all evil little and great shun it at all times in all places how gainful or pleasing so ever and whosoever commands it or whomsoever you see practice it together with all the appurtenances and occasions of the same Means to evil may be these 1. Labor to understand the ten Commandments and so what is good and what is evil 2. Labor for faith which purifieth the heart from evil even the assurance of Gods love to us which may work in us love to his Majesty and so an hatred of all evil 3. A sanctified heart the inseperable companion of true faith 4. Attend on Gods ordinances publikely the Word and Sacraments and in private use meditation conference prayer c. 5. Watch and pray that we enter not neither be led into temptation 6. Make we a Covenant against evil as Job and David 7. Call to minde the fearful wrath of God and the wages of sin and the examples thereof on many both in Scripture and our own experience as also the hour of death when it will trouble us and lie heavy on our conscience and the day of Judgement when and where we would be loath to meet with it 2. This also rebukes them that eschew some evil but not all nor at all times or in all places Being commanded what will they not do What not for profit pleasure preferment The sins of their complexion and trade they will in no wise leave they run upon things because lawful though they cannot use them lawfully If they can sin secretly they make no conscience thereof 3. This may serve for instruction with rebuke to most Christians and to us that be most ancient professors that though we have a general purpose against evil yet we neither hate it so deeply nor shun it so carefully as we ought nor are so much humbled when we have been overtaken and have fallen thereinto as we ought we complain of our crosses but grieve not so much that we have fallen into sin If one should threaten to run at us with a naked sword or shoot at us whensoever he could finde an opportunity we would be wary and watchful upon our going abroad having an eye in every corner c. O do we thus against sin which watcheth but an opportunity to do us mischief If we would thus do we should not be so often overtaken as we are we should see better days scape numbers of crosses have more peace to our consciences more joy in our death and a freer passage to Heaven But alas we judge even that which is a great evil to be but a little one it pleaseth us if we have any colour for the same as that we have but once committed it that others do so and so c. Thus do we prophane the Lords-day despise his Ministers and run upon all sorts of evils 4. This affords consolation to all such as do indeed eschew evil and that out of an unfained hatred thereof rejoycing in nothing more then when they prevail against it grieving at nothing more then when they are overcome thereby such do indeed love God such fear him in truth and so are beloved of God and shall be everlastingly blessed these shall live happily here in joy and bliss hereafter O go on in this Christian course though the world hate you because ye do not as they do though they call you precise fools because ye dare not swallow such goblets as they do yea though hereupon ye pull danger upon your selves yet must ye eschew evil and so let us It s no matter though we have the worlds frown as long as we have Gods favor and what if we shall miss many a sweet morsel of profit pleasure and promotion if we be free from the gripes and vexations of conscience and the wrath of Almighty God they that now have their sweet meat would one day vomit up their morsels if they could as Judas did who though he rid himself of the money yet could not be rid of his wound of Conscience nor of the Judgement of God upon him were they ever the worse or had they any cause to grieve that they had not a share with him in the thirty pieces And do good This necessarily followeth on the other No man can have his heart truly nor aright set to do good whose heart is not first purged of the love of all evil for they cannot stand in one heart and at once and that man that lives and bears himself in the practice one sin never did good aright in his life neither ever pleased he God Who can serve God in one thing that serves the Devil in another This may serve to rouse up some that fain would do well and many good things they do but some one old accustomed sin which they know is a sin they cannot leave Well there 's no hating sin it will not do well the end will not be good it s but to be almost Christians Some will say Such a Preacher hath prevailed much with me and done me much good but as long as one known sin is lived in all is nothing worth to Salvation It s true a childe of God through strong temptations may be overcome of the same evil which he hates but he both covenants against it is careful that he may not fall into it having fallen he is much grieved He that is not grieved but doth again upon the next occasion fall to it is indeed in a grievous condition Thus from the order To do good is sometimes taken in a strict sence for the performance of the works of mercy whether for body or soul or both Here more largely for that good we are to do to our neighbor enemies that do us hurt or yet more largely for whatsoever God hath commanded in his Word Whose will is a perfect rule of Righteousness and makes that good which he requireth Whosoever would see good days here and hereafter must set himself in body and soul to the obedience of Gods will in doing good No other shall be saved good is the way leading to this end To come to this end we must walk in this way Reasons 1. It s good and amiable of it self as the Lord is 2. God commands it who is our Soveraign Lord and King Thou shalt do thus and thus saith he often throughout the Scriptures for I am the Lord thy God 3. All promises in Scripture of good things here or
fail him But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil The point is this That Gods wrath and the fruits thereof are continually bent against the wicked that live in their sins Levit. 20. 3. and 26. 14. Numb 11. 1. and 22. 22. Deut. 28. 5. and 32. 21. Josh. 7. 13. Isa. 42. 24 25. and 57. 17. Jer. 5 9. Ezek. 14. 8. Zech. 7. 13. Luke 14. 21. John 3. 36. Col. 3. 16. 1 Thess. 4. 6. To these Testimonies divers examples might be added as of the Angels cast out of Heaven the old world drowned Sodom and Gomorah burned Corah Dathan and Abiram swallowed up quick the houses of Jeroboam Baasha Ahab rooted out c. so of Gods judgements upon the bloody Emperors Nero Domitian Julian c. so of Gods judgements upon the persecutors of his children largely laid down in the Book of the Martyrs so of Gods judgements daily inflicted on several sorts of sinners which are as it were real sermons and justifications of Gods Word and our preaching and are for our admonition and of especial use to us This must needs be so for sin is against his nature against his commandment yea it were against his nature to let the wicked go unpunished and he is as much known and glorified in his justice as in his mercy He that teacheth and commandeth Magistrates to reward well-doers and not to bear the Sword in vain but to draw it out against the wicked will not suffer his own Sword to rust in the Scabbard Obj. Many notable wicked men go on in their sins and be not plagued A. True God keeps but his petty-Sessions as it were here in this world bringing now and then some few unto judgement and reserves multitudes to that dreadful day wherein it shall be rendred to them according to their works Again if he plague them not outwardly yet are they plagued with a worse judgement He gives them up to the blindeness of their mindes and hardness of their hearts and will of the Devil which is the most fearful thing that can be and at the day of Judgement he will avenge them all at once when he shall come in flaming fire to this purpose who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 1. This may terrifie and awaken all those which as if there were no God or no God which did regard or were able to revenge himself on them make a trade of sinning whil'st they are thus the wrath of God is upon them and he sets his face against them and how can they then prosper he hath throughout all ages found out and plagued others for their wickedness and do they think to escape The mightiest and proudest hath fallen before his wrathful vengeance and are they priviledged It were their wisdom to send forth messengers of peace and to humble themselves in time least he tear them in pieces when there 's none to deliver them they should fear and be wise by other folks harms But O the monstrousnes of the times and hardness of mens hearts that seeing their companions plagued before their eyes yet run on in the same excess of riot And for those that are as Lyons and Foxes subtile and shifting by unlawful courses though haply they may think to get up and wax mighty yet assuredly God will set his face against them as he daily doth against Oppressors Couseners Shifters Covetous and Troublesome persons Then shall the Lambs be quiet when those Lyons are killed the godly be refreshed when they shall be rid of their cruel oppressors 2. This may perswade us to avoid the ways of the ungodly though they seem pleasing for a while yet are they most dangerous Be advised in time especially you yong ones that are now to choose your way walk not in the way of the wicked for believe it you may else peradventure repent thereof as others when it will be too late Verse 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good TO requite evil with goodness is a weighty and difficult point many reasons have been already laid down about it Here 's also another reason to enforce the same It will be the way to save us from may harms in our life which he takes from experience and sets out by way of interogation that none almost not one of a thousand will be so vile or so without all grace and good nature as to hurt us if we follow ever that which is good that is if we live profitable towards our brethren in all the duties of love with relation to their bodies souls goods goods name places callings and the like and when any wrong is offered us not onely we do not revenge it but on the contrary overcome it with well-doing none almost will be so wretchedly minded as to harm us Note then That Patience and innoceny of life are the way to escape harms and wrongs from men This must needs procure quiet to those that are endewed herewith Who can harm such a one As grievous words stir up anger so a soft answer turneth away wrath Thus Gideon pacified the Ephraimites and thus did David overcome Saul Contrarily such as requite word with word wrong with wrong suit with suit c. they do but stir the coals and blow the fire of dissention and may look to be harmed of every one experience sheweth that if any shall harm the innocent there 's none almost but cryes against it as Jonathan blamed his Father for setting himself against David and the people the same Saul when he would have put Jonathan to death for tasting the honey yea he himself was convinced of his own Conscience for wronging David but that the covetous contentious hasty and hurtful and that in wrongs are impatient and given to revenge are continually talked of ill spoken of and railed on yea meet with adversaries that do and will oppose them so that most of the ordinary wrongs that come to us from our Neighbors have their beginning from our selves who do not that good in our places which we might or are impatient when we are wronged None is hurt but of himself whatsoever others do to us we are not hurt thereby so we be innocent and sin not yet doth not this justifie them that do harm us but teacheth us by what means especially we may avoid being harmed 1. This rebuketh our folly that would fain live without harm and yet cannot be wise enough to use the means to bring it to pass but take the contrary course either we do not perform our duties to our neighbors as we should and so catch harm and are evil spoken of which is the case of some or we be impatient in wrongs apt and given to revenge which is the case of some others we must therefore labor to do our
comes not after humiliation nor proceeds from apprehension of Gods love but from a false imagination having no true reformation of life accompanying it Now that the consciences of such may be awakened here whilest there is help though usually most shun the same they must 1. Labor to be acquainted with Gods Law wherein they shall as well see the smallest as the greatest sins Therein they shall perceive their own error as who thought that they did love God above all and their neighbors as themselves that they did ever serve God and put their whole trust in him that it was lawful for them to swear so it were true that it was lawful to go to wizards that on the Lords day they might walk about their fields and do their other businesses and yet serve God as well as they that went to Church that they might do with their own what they list c. 2. Labor to know and believe that the least sin is damnation yet do most bless themselves in their evil courses and are not a whit moved by all the threatnings of Gods Word that thereupon they may be humbled and terrified and flie out of themselves to God for mercy which is the onely way to come to good To this end let them make use of the most stirring sermons meditate of Gods judgements go to such as are afflicted or lie on their death beds consider that there be thousands in Hell which have not committed the tithe of their sins and that if they themselves should dye suddenly this night their condition were miserable If any shall say My conscience hath been quiet all this while I do not mean to call my estate into question let such know that many go snorting to Hell and that a troubled conscience is better then a drowsie secure conscience for that may come to good the other is out of all possibility of mercy Indeed to stay in terror of conscience is fearful yet not worse then to have a benumb'd conscience there 's hope of them that be troubled of the others but a little Physitians prescribe their Patients sometimes to go to sea to be sea sick and that to purge away some ill humors for the health of the body no less needful is it to be soul sick for the welfare of our souls yet is it a common speech of most at the visitation of the sick Oh I pray do not trouble him he is in a very good minde c. but the Prodigals condition though he had ragged cloaths and a rent heart was better then his elder brothers and the Publican justified not the Pharisee Thus of the quiet ill conscience The stirring ill conscience is either when it stirs by excusing or by accusing Excusing upon the doing of some evil whereof John 16. 2. or the omission of some duty as the hearing of the Word Prayer and the liâ—e Thus was it with Saul when he was questioned by Samuel for not obeying Gods Commandment thus hath it been with some Papists when they have practiced Treason against their Prince and Countrey A good conscience doth excuse indeed but rightly not amiss in all things not in some onely for the maner as well as the thing it self Accusing and that 1. When it should not as an Idolator is troubled in conscience for leaving undone some piece of idolatrous service 2. For trifles and not for matters of weight as the Pharisees made great conscience of going to meat with unwashen hands but not of murthering Christ as Papists make great conscience of eating flesh on a fasting day who yet make no conscience of Whoredom Swearing so Civil persons would be much troubled if they should be but accused for wronging their neighbors who yet are no whit moved for prophaning the Lords day not coming to the Sacrament neglect of Prayer and the like 3. When it is forcible and violent causing horror and fear gastliness terror in the dark or at the sight of any of Gods Judgements trembling at the ratling of a leaf yea and desperation it self This though it be not good of it self yet turns to the good of the godly God brings them this way onely he leaves them not here but by the voyce of the Gospel doth relieve their mindes and perswades them to seek mercy upholding them with the hope thereof Some have checks of conscience but so as they can bear them out some again so as they cannot endure them Who so finde their consciences accusing them for their sins and know no pardon but their consciences still tell them of their sins and that their course is bad let such know that they have evil consciences which being let alone will accuse them worse If their consciences accuse them God is greater and knows more Therefore let them seek to pacifie God and their consciences too To this end consider That God hath provided in his infinite mercy an all-sufficient remedy in the death and bloodshed of Jesus Christ then which there is no other way to satisfie Gods displeasure nor to stanch the terrors of conscience let such bewail and lament their state to Almighty God confessing their sins and judging themselves as the Prodigal for the same thereupon craving of him with strong cryes and humble prayers the pardon and forgiveness thereof To such as thus come in the truth of their hearts God hath made many gracious promises Thus suing to him he will in his own good time send down a comfortable answer This is the onely course to come to good to still conscience with forgetting our sins and mirth is but to deceive our selves to wear it out by head and shoulders it s but as the putting away of the tooth-ake with cold water which will still it for a little but after it reboundeth more violently this is the way to get peace After this will our consciences begin to be quiet and thereupon excuse and comfort Then will Faith purifie the heart and work an hatred of all sin with a continual care to please God in all things Then shall we be quite altered and changed from that we were I cannot but wonder at a number of men whose consciences witness against them who yet seek not to pacifie them by assurance of pardon but adde more daily unto their sins whose consciences bear witness That they have no care to please God but their way and works be naught assuredly their consciences will one day cry louder O lay up no new matter of accusation all the profit and pleasure that comes of it will be dear bought It s as to drink pleasing poyson it goes down pleasantly but afterward wounds the bowels If a man had never so much wealth yet if he have an ill conscience what shall it profit him It were as if a man had a costly banket rich apparel and attendance c. and one with a sword drawn were standing ready by
him to kill him This is a Bailiff to arrest a Jailer to keep safe a witness to accuse a Judge to condemn an Executioner to torment c. It s of all foes the worst they accuse to men this to God one may go from them sometimes but not from this It s an evil help in adversity which like Jobs friends troubles us more then all the rest It will be a woful companion at the hour of death and day of Judgement It s like a woful contentious wife when a man hath had trouble enough abroad coming home he findes more there O their life is no life that live with a worm gnawing within Thus what joy will there be of health wealth or whatsoever else yea as we are to take heed of this so also are we of a benumbd conscience the end of both being bad the one no less dangerous then the other Thus of a bad conscience A good conscience is an excusing and comforting conscience that speaks on ones side and that for well doing Thus have the Angels in Heaven a perfect excusing conscience So had Adam in his innocency and we shall one day have in heaven Now our conscience is but so in part as all our other faculties Some corruption remains therein even in the best and therefore doth sometimes accuse or excuse when it should not but for the most part it excuseth and witnesseth comfortably on our sides this is either a good quiet or a good troubled and trembling conscience A good quiet conscience hath these two parts an heart witnessing to us 1. The pardon of our sins past in the blood of Jesus Christ for as Jonah's casting into the Sea stilled the same So believing in Christ stills the most troubled conscience if we be justified through him who shall condemn and 2. Our unfained uprightness and care to please God in all things detesting all evil and bearing true love to his Word and Saints of the former read these Scriptures Job 19. 25. Romans 8. 16. Psalm 4. 6. and 32. 1. Gal. 2. 20. Cant. 2. 16. Of the latter these Psalm 26. 2. and Isaiah 38. 3. Acts 23. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Heb. 13. 18. They that believe most assuredly the pardon of their sins and walk most stedfastly with God they have the good quiet conscience at least so far as is here to be attained This is a wonderful Jewel a continual feast This causeth joy This causeth boldness to come to the Word boldness before God boldness also towards men let men say what they will we care not if our consciences witness truly on our sides yea boldness against the Devil who will lay much to our charge sifting us to the full O thou art a damned Creature will he say No Satan yes an horrible sinner and who hast deserved Hell fire I grant Satan but Christ Jesus hath paid my debt and delivered me If thou shalt scape Hell yet thou shalt never get to Heaven will he say for none come there but such as keep the Law O Christ hath kept it for me But he hath dyed but for a few whereof thou art none yes I am He dyed for none but such as truly believed in him so dost not thou Yes I do believe and do lay hold on his gracious promises But Christ dyes for none to whom he gives not power to become new Creatures so art not thou Hereunto will a good conscience answer boldly and so put Satan to flight This differs from a bad quiet conscience that comes from ignorance of their danger as a blinde man standing before a Canon this out of knowledge of Gods Word This is quiet upon examination that because never examined This is quiet upon good grounds that upon nothing but upon bear conceits This hath joy adjoyned therewith which that hath not That leaves one in deadness this quickens the heart to every good duty This holds at all times that driven away by the terror of the Ministery of the Word or by afflictions especially it fails at death and Judgement day A good troubled and trembling conscience is when one is perswaded of Gods love and the pardon of sin through Christ but cannot hold it firm and fast and this not in the beginning of their conversion onely but after they hold it with a wavering hand so doubtful and full of fears because of their unworthiness and the greatness of the mercy so that ever anon they are to seek and ready to faint And for the other their heart witnesseth the true hatred of all sin and care to please God in all things but herein they think they do nothing as they should and that they can do no good and even when they have done duties very carefully yet are they still troubled as if they did all for fear of pain and Hell and not for the love of God or out of self-love in hope of Heaven and to save their souls And because they finde some corruptions and rebellions they think that these spoil all their duties and that they themselves are vile wretches yea though they hate them deadly yet this doth not satisfie them they hate them not so much as they should Again they are so timerous and fearful whether they may eat this or that or thus much wear such good apparel do this or that go this way or that all which notwithstanding are lawful for them but they are so afraid to offend God that they often accuse themselves c. This is a good conscience though not so setled as were to be desired and as the other is This may appear by these Notes Such would not part with the comfort they have for the world nor be utterly out of hope and are glad when they can believe best They resolve to trust in God and serve him though he would kill them They are humble and both much and servent in Prayer They hang upon the Ministery of the Word hunger after the Sacrament long for the Sabbath delight in the Saints There 's no Physitian more welcome to a sick body then a godly Minister to them in time of trouble They walk usually more strictly then they that have more comfort and are more zealous and more afraid to sin and more grieve at sin in others So that this is a good conscience no less then the former Both go to Heaven the one in sharpness the other in sweetness run the way of Gods Commandments They be like to two Travellers through a Wilderness or in a dark night one of good courage afraid of nothing the other of a fearful nature afraid of every thing both which get well through So do these the one hath experience of Gods goodness in not being troubled and tempted the other of his power in being upheld that he is not swallowed up and overcome of fear and grief O that there were many such consciences And yet it cannot be denyed but
that the other is better as having more comfort in themselves and being more fit to do good unto others and yet they may scape some checks the others may meet with as Peter yea God seems more to tender these then those as a Father having two Children both beloved of him the one sick the other in health is most careful of him that is sick that he may recover To have a tender conscience checking us for the least sin idle words vain thoughts and the like as Davids for curting off the lap of Sauls Garment is a singular blessing and therefore to obtain it we must both see the odiousness of sin judging aright thereof and must bring our hearts to mourn even for the smallest sins 1. Let every man examine himself whether he hath a good conscience or not whether art thou assured of the pardon of thy sins whether doth thine heart bear witness that thou hatest all sin and art truly desirous to please God in all things as well great as small secretly as openly at least in the deep sence of thy misery art thou wearied under it as an intollerable weight hearing of the onely remedy dost thou long after it above all the world art thou as willing to turn from sin as to have sin forgiven to take up his yoke as to be refreshed by him If not thy case is fearful What have we if we have not this It s our duty then to labor for it and not rest till we obtain it What may not incite us hereto It procures Joy Peace Comfort Boldness before God and men such are bold to pray unto God bold to crave others to pray for them It s comfortable in prosperity a sweet companion at home and abroad night and day it s a sweet companion in adversity like a good wife by her kindeness chearing her husband when he comes home who hath been much turmoild abroad another Simon to bear a piece of our cross yea in the greatest crosses this assureth us that yet God is our Father he visits us in love he will assist us and at last deliver us It s a Castle of comfort an armor of proof a continual feast an Heaven upon earth It makes a man embrace the flames kiss the stake and being in the fire accounts as if he were on a bed of Roses In death its comfortable when all things else forsake us then when our eyes are shut up yet through this we shall with Steven see Christ Jesus ready to receive us and shall say Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace In the day of judgement it will make us lift up our heads with joy when we shall see our Savior Christ come to receive us into his heavenly kingdom O they that have a good conscience should make much of it as of their jewel and labor to keep it It may be easily lost and is hardly recovered as may be seen in David and Peter The first part of it namely The assurance of our Salvation is kept by daily renewing our Confessions Supplications and Thanksgivings To this end we must labor to know the will of God and daily to grow in knowledge by our diligent perusal of the Scriptures The 2 part of it namely our care to please God is kept maintained by a daily and constant resolution not to offend God and so we must both strive and watch against our frowardness worldly-mindedness c. and covenant and vow to do the will of God to the uttermost of our power Hereupon we must walk carefully as in the presence of God avoiding all occasions of sinning using all good means to keep us in a good course publiquely and privately being diligent and careful in our particular calling to the glory of God and good of our brethren 2. This reproveth those that having a good conscience fail as much in laboring to keep it as the World doth in not laboring to obtain it How do Christians go on carelesly without renewing their exercises of Faith and Repentance and so their assurance is to seek or else hold it at a venture and coldly our worst day in the week might be better then our Sabbath had we but the grace to use our time aright O how many are careless watch not give way to their lusts therefore fall into many evils and so wound their consciences very often which is dangerous A place often wounded or hurt will not at last be healed We dishonor God much disquiet our consciences give evil example to others by our frowardness impatience worldliness hard dealings c. Hence it cometh that the Word pincheth us evil tidings amaze us we are loath to dye and the day of Judgement is fearful to us 3. This may encourage and comfort those that have good consciences though they be timerous What God shews mercy even to men unworthy and though thy sins be many and great yeâ— hast thou to deal with him that 's able to pardon them Lose not that thou hast when we lose good consciences all Gods graces diminish and vanish away neither can we thrive any whit as is seen by daily experience But nothing can do us hurt as long as our consciences hold good then are we fit to live and fit to dye fit for the Word and Sacrament fit for death and judgement Thus of the kindes of conscience and so of conscience in general Having a good conscience c. Now of the Words in particular whereof I have laid down their coherence with the former and from whence may be noted That a godly conversation in all things is to be joyned to a bold and zealous profession of our Faith to our knowledge and profession gifts utterance and the like we must adde a good life these two be two Twins St. Paul often joyns them together neither must they be parted saying and doing the tongue and hand must accompany one another Reasons hereof may be these 1. God expecteth of us that where he reveals the knowledge of his will that we adde obedience or else we shall be beaten with more stripes Where God findes this he delights in it as in Abraham who is called The friend of God in David whom he calls A man according to his own heart so in Joh in Zachary and Elizabeth c. we finde the same commended The contrary God loaths as in his own people whom he did again and again advertise hereof 2. This will prove our profession sound and not hypocritical for hypocrites go a great way but its onely Faith that purifieth the heart and that our knowledge is not swimming in our brain but sound and saving knowledge purging both heart and life when we dare compact with any other and say Shew me thy Faith by thy works as I can 3. This not onely Gods children look for when we have got knowledge and come
The just He is the just one as God holiness it self as man filled therewith above Men and Angels Just not as Job Zachary and Elizabeth They were Righteous by his Righteousness imputed to them as Abraham also but he by his own they by Sanctification imperfectly Holy and Righteous he most perfectly nor as Adam who though perfectly Holy and Righteous by his own Righteousness yet was mutable therein and lost it not so in Christ but immutably so There was no guile found in him none could accuse him of sin nay he was the light and glory of the world yet suffered he gross things We then though never so just and innocent must not think much if we suffer altogether without cause It s the better it s but as Christ did But alas we are very faulty before God and deserve far greater things then we meet with yea cannot be innocent towards men how much less towards God The meditation of this point will much help us in our sufferings For the unjust That is for us wretched and miserable sinners and his enemies who could do nothing for him to deserve such kindeness How much rather ought we to suffer for him that just one and for his sake especially considering our sufferings are nothing to his The meditation of this also will much help us in suffering For sins that he might bring us unto God Christs sufferings were altogether for our good and if it had not been for them we had been utterly lost But for ours they be nothing to him he is never the better for them neither be they for his benefit but for our own even the purging of our souls the tryal and proof of our faith and patience and the preparing of us to the greater glory in Heaven Let 's think of this also and it will make us suffer the more willingly and patiently Lastly as he after his sufferings and death rose again and entred into glory and sits at the right hand of God So if we shall sow in tears we shall reap in joy having fought the good fight we shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory 1. This reproveth our notable tender daintiness that can endure nothing for Christ but as if we were too good to suffer though in company we should hear never so much spoken against Gods Servants and sincerity of Religion we can be silent and pass by the same and there are many that would be forwarder but for fear of being counted Puritans O cowardly fearfulness No wonder if such be never called to that honor to suffer for Christ What if to please the world we be luke-warm and God vomit us out of his mouth What if for our zeal the world hate us and God approves of us what do we lose Shall we make friendship with the world Know we not that its enmity with God He is praised that is allowed of God 2. Let us take heed of all preposterous zeal and rash unwarrantable causes whereinto some runâ—under colour of zeal and be zealous for God we cannot hate sin too much nor love goodness too much nor the Word too much nor keep the Sabbath too carefully nor govern our families too religiously Let us go on in a zealous godly life and if this offend any let them pardon us we would do no other then God requires and for this we must pray our Landlord or whosoever to give us leave we have served the Devil a great while tell them Its time now to begin to serve God and to look about us for our souls good thus in suffering for wellâ—doing we may be comforted and by these reasons kept from being discouraged Now of Christ sufferings death and resurrection particularly Christ hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God In handling the sufferings of Christ observe 1. The circumstance of time or how often he suffered once 2. Who he was or the quality of the person suffering Christ the just 3. For whom he suffered for the unjust 4. Why he suffered even for sins and 5. To what end that he might bring us to God and hereinto our Apostle is again willing to fall as we should be to hear and often meditate thereof as hath been already shewed in the end of the last Chapter namely from verse 21. to verse 24. Much profit follows on it For 1. It sets out a notable mixture of justice and mercy 2. It shews what a mighty Savior we have in whom we may trust and to whom we may have recourse 3. It may wound our hearts for sins past and make us hate sin for the time to come 4. It sets out Gods infinite love and accordingly of all that have assurance of their part therein requireth unspeakable love 5. It s a comfort to all that mourn in Sion 6. It shews that all that miss of Christ must bear their own burthen 7. It provokes us to labor to know whether Christ hath dyed for us or not and for our assurance thereof to finde that we are truly humbled hunger after Christ and are ready to take up his yoke O that all ignorant persons which do not in any measure know the grounds of Religion that all civil persons which trust to their own righteousness that all worldlings whose hearts are altogether glewed to the things which are here below and do not so much as minde those things which are above the same being out of their element that all prophane persons which go on in open notorious lewd courses and that all Hypocrites not to speak of Turks Jews and Papists which content themselves with shews and common gifts would but duly meditate on Christs sufferings that so they might have part in Christ Assuredly all they that believe not shall be condemned but of all others they that have lived under the Gospel shall have greatest judgement and to make up all it will increase their torment to think that they had offer made of Christ and yet had not the grace to apprehend it that they were so near and yet missed and that some that sate with them were converted and are now in Heaven and they careless or wilful are now in irrecoverable damnation This will make them gnash their teeth gnaw their tongues curse themselves and the day wherein they were born Let such see feel confess and fly to Christ there being no other way of Salvation besides him I come to the particulars propounded The first concerneth the time how often he suffered Once It s true Christ suffered throughout his whole life and that diversly but all make up one perfect suffering and he suffered so as at once he finished al never to suffer again wherein his suffering is opposed to the sacrifices of the Law which were continually renewed because of their imperfection whereas he suffered once for all for being God
as well as man he both endured the infinite wrath of God and besides his person was of such infinite worth as gave such value to his sufferings as fully satisfied the justice of God 1. This confutes the Papists who make Christs sufferings imperfect two ways namely by teaching that we our selves must suffer the punishment of our sins hence are all their masses penances pilgrimages alms-deeds and charitable Works to take away the punishment of their sins after Baptism and by their renewing of Christs Sacrifice in the Mass which is as they say a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the quick and dead Their distinction of bloody and unbloody is but a shift 2. This is a wonderful comfort to all Gods children that our debt is so fully dischaarged that there 's nothing remaining for us to suffer Thus of the first The second concerneth the quality of the person which suffered He was that just one the Lamb of God which was undefiled and without spot conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin had he not been such a one he could not have been our Savior Though he was innocent yet were our sins imputed to him and though we have not suffered neither of our selves have Righteousness yet as verily as he had pain and sorrow we shall have mercy and Salvation through him what can be more comfortable Thus of the second The third concerneth the persons for whom he suffered The unjust not the Devil nor Reprobates but for the Elect which yet are by nature unjust and wretched servants of sin and children of wrath as well as others He hath suffered for them that be never so unjust provided they feel their misery and have course unto him for help 1. Then for them that be in great distress for their sins and think they be so many and so great that they cannot or shall not be forgiven let them be comforted Christ came to dye for the unjust to call sinners to repentance to seek and save that which was lost If being weary you will come unto him as he invite you you shall be refreshed Though their sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll Paul was a great sinner yet forgiven 2. Let such as bad as they be yet come to Christ and be truly humbled He came to save such as thou art as Mary Magdalene Zacheus the Jaylor and such others His mercy on them may put thee in hope and provoke thee to seek unto him Thus of the third The fourth Why he suffered for sins for our sins to take them away for they onely are our wo our sins caused all Christs sorrow and his sorrow is our happiness Thus of the fourth The fifth To what end he suffered that he might bring us to God Ever since Adams fall we are gone from God and born strangers nay enemies to God and therefore further and and further off from God and are gone to the Devil indeed Now Christ by his death reconciles us to God and him to us and makes a blessed peace so as we may look up to him as to our Father and come into his presence with comfort He also gives us grace by his holy Spirit to be renewed sanctified and so to do works pleasing unto God and when we dye brings our souls to God as afterwards possesseth both body and soul of Heaven 1. Then how infinitely are we bound to God how welcome should Christ Jesus be to us all One would think all should flock unto him for as none are with God but such as came by him so neither shall there be All that mourn for their sins come to him believe in him and obey him he will bring them to God such as continue in their enmity against God shall for ever be separated from him Many hope to go to God that were never reconciled to him through Christ nor sought after it but it s as possible for a dog for the Devil to enter into Heaven as for us without being reconciled to God by faith in Christ Is it not lamentable that Christ should have so few that enquire and search after him nay that reject him being offered again and again 2. How welcome faithful Ministers should be to the world The worst hurt we wish you is but to bring you to God we are appointed Christs instruments herein we must Preach him and perswade you to embrace and believe in him by whom you may be brought unto God we have a worthy task and work and so must not either be idle or by false teaching and wicked living drive you from Christ but be faithful that your Salvation may be our Crown yet of all persons and kindes of people the world thinks we may be best spared and are unto most of all others most unwelcome But not alone Ministers but even every private man must help men to God as much as he can They that by vile counsel bad example or otherwise drive men from him are not Christs but the Devils instruments and Factors Thus of Christs sufferings Being put to death in the flesh This clause concerneth his death as the following his resurrection He was put to death concerning his Humane nature for as for his Godhead it could not dye and he was quickned and raised again by his Divinity and Godhead By flesh is meant his whole Humane Nature as in the following By Spirit his Divine Nature Our Savior suffered not onely in body and soul things intollerable but he also dyed gave up the ghost as all the Evangelists set down and other Scriptures testifie as they also that speak of Christs blood of his offering himself a Sacrifice for our sins of his bearing our sins on his Body on the Tree and the like This was prefigured of all the Sacrifices of the Old Law The Prophets also foretold that he should be slain Neither could it have been otherwise or otherwise he been a Savior for us for our sins deserved death and God had pronounced that death should be the reward thereof This his death was voluntary accursed as we had deserved it for our sins and for a common good Which meets with that wicked opinion of the Jews that neither think it voluntary nor that it is a propitiatory Sacrifice for sin as it is indeed and wherein our happiness lyeth and without which we must all have perished for ever The benefits ensuing to us hereby are divers 1. We are delivered hereby from all kindes of evil from the first and second death and all forerunners of both and from our sins the cause of all It s the blood of Christ that cleanseth all our sins So from all Spiritual enemies See Luke 1. 71 74. Col. 2. 15. Heb. 2. 14. 1 John 3. 8. So from the second death Rom.
on Christs passion O it s a fruitful mother of many children To know that sin is enmity against God fights against the soul brings death with it is not so available to kill sin as to know and meditate on this That Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh From the necessity of Christs sufferings whereof I have already spoken in the foregoing Chapter Note 1. Our woful and miserable condition as we are of our selves 2. The ugliness and hainousness of sin in Gods account 3. The admirable mixture of Justice and Mercy with the unspeakable love of God and Christ Jesus The Jews said He loved Lazarus well because he wept for him much more may we say That he loved us because he hath dyed for us David loved Absolom well who wished that he might have dyed for him how much then hath Christ loved us having indeed dyed for us O what love do we owe for this so great love 4. The happiness of such as do truly believe and repent their debt is fully discharged and having right unto Christ there 's nothing that the Lord will deny them 5. That we are to renounce all false ways of Salvation the Jews the Turks and the Papists way all other ways besides this 6. That we are to labor to know we have part in this yea Christ having suffered we must also bear afflictions patiently Arm your selves likewise c. The duty whereunto we are exhorted is to suffer in the flesh to mortifie our flesh that is our corrupt and sinful nature and the lusts and sins thereof both inward and outward But 1. Most are so far from mortifying their lusts that they follow them with greediness and cannot endure any to speak against them These be fools indeed to destroy their own souls by living in enmity and opposition against God 2. Some it may be refrain some lusts but others they live in and yield to and yet these will claim part in the death of Christ hope to be saved by Christ but so long as it s thus with them its impossible that they should have any part in Christ. Do we therefore labor for mortification applying the edge of the Word of God to the throat of our lusts That we may not give way hereto le ts often call to minde the threatnings of the Word the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper what God offers us there and what we convenanted with him for the crosses which our lusts have drawn on us Gods manifold mercies unto us but especially meditate on Christs death and passion which is indeed a strong corrasive to eat out sin for our corruptions remain too rank and through want of care and too much yielding thereto be not subdued as they ought Let us know that he is the best Christian not that hears most or knows most or can utter most but he that hath most power over his affections and heart Note further from hence That as our lusts fight against us so we must furnish our selves like Soldiers that we may prevail against them It s no easie thing to get out of sin or to get the Mastery thereof it s to mortifie our members to pluck out our right eyes and cut off our right hands It s easier to take any pains in offering sacrifice nay fast extraordinarily and to part with our goods with thousands of Rams and ten thousand rivers of oyl yea with our first born then to part with one beloved sin They that would overcome their lust must not stand still or be without weapons we have that within us which rebelleth against the Law of God and would lead us captive to the Law of sin which is in our members Hereunto the Devil addes his power the world also joyns herewith by ill examples bad counsels mockings revilings c. and therefore we must be resolute and play the Soldiers if we would get out of our bad course Through want hereof some even under a powerful ministery be never converted some get a little way but hang behinde in sin some are a great while ere they can get out whom the Word having called and awakened the world the Devil and their own lusts do again freshly assault nay some being truly converted yet fall back again into foul security and have yet strong corruptions and many odde qualities c. 1. This rebukes most of the world who do indeed joyn with these enemies few fight against them but fewer resolutely and therefore are led captive of them to their destruction 2. This may provoke us to put on the whole armor of God to arm our selves on all occasions and in all temptations with good thoughts and meditations of the ugliness of sin danger of it its hatefulness to God with the passion of our Savior Christ O how few arm themselves or when they do it s but to halves O this must be put on and kept on continually night and day we shall sleep never the worse there can be no truce between us and our enemies This must be kept even in the times of greatest prosperity Ships usually are cast away in storms but Christians may miscarry when its calm Thus was it with David he abode constant in all Sauls storms but in the time of peace was carried away with Bathsheba's beauty It must be kept on even in our old age and till death for then will the Devil set himself most against us and both Noah Moses and others did then catch worse foils then ever before Suffered in the flesh To mortifie our corrupt nature is called suffering in the flesh and the truth is its hard to say whether is harder to suffer bodily torments and pains or to mortifie a mans lust O it s a death to part with them yea when in a man after long strife between the grace of God and his corrupt nature in the work of his conversion grace prevails it s even as the pangs of death as when the Devil went out of the childe he threw him down and he lay foaming as if he had been dead O it s not so easie a matter as the blinde and prophane world imagine Hath ceased from sin That is living in any sin For he that is born of God sinneth not and He that committeth sin is of the Devil That he no longer c. The whole time of our life that remains after we are called to repentance ought to be spent in the service of God and practice of Repentance and a new life We owe all our life to him all the days of our life the whole time we owe all to him who hath made and preserved us nothing to any other What time therefore we have spent in sin we have robb'd God of it and so ought willingly to give him the remainder redeeming that is past with all diligence The time past we know but
that are all for themselves as for any other either they will not bestow any thing at all or no more then needs must and most Christians are too nigardly For the worship of God some think that any thing bestowed this way is too much that this is the worst and idlest money bestowed this may be they could be content with a blinde Sir that would live of crusts and if they can pull away the Tithes and make a bargain with a Minister half for nought they think it well gotten and many that might procure the Preaching of the Word to them onely the want is their hearts are so glued to the world they had rather have their Hogs then Christs company among them The blinde devotion in times of Popery to build Churches and Religious Houses will condemn the wretchedness of our times If a Church be but decayed in our days there must be a Collection all over the Countrey if not many Shires for the reparation hereof And how do men hide and conceal their Estates that they may be freed from the paying of Subsidies and Taxes and so deceive the King of his due And what wincing is there for the payment of the poor the true poor If it were not out of the fear of Law and Justice they would pay nothing or as good as nothing Hath not God made many promises what unbelievers are these that will not take Gods word Their goods thus spared prosper not long for God will be true hence come so many changes of owners even because men get and keep their goods unlawfully Thus many instead of wealth leave their children an heap of chaff that blows away God will rifle in such goods and besides at the last day what account and bills will these be able to bring in that they spent all on themselves or wasted all in riot or spared all from those good uses they should Their bills will not be taken they shall hear this sentence O evil and unfaithful servant thou hast been untrusty in a little who shall trust thee with more take him hence binde him hand and foot c. but to those that have employed them well it shall be said Come ye blessed of my Father Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in a little enter into thy Masters joy O then let us learn this sobriety We have an enemy to resist who if we be drunk with the love of the world will assuredly have his will of us and is not the end of all things at hand If we be drunk when our Lord and Master cometh what shall be our portion we must dye we dye daily in our neighbors And watch unto prayer This is not to be understood of the bodily waking of the eye from sleep though the Papists so transfer it and therefore keep certain Vigils and Watches for Saints certain nights of the year though upon occasion we ought with David to keep our eyes waking in the night that we may praise God and pray unto him but it s meant of a spiritual watchfulness whereby we have an eye to our hearts and ways that we do nothing against the will of God but may ever be doing that which is good and acceptable in his fight which is a notable help to further a man in a godly life to the kingdom of heaven and this is performed by those onely who having obtained mercy of God and assurance of pardon see cause why they should turn to him serve him and give themselves wholly to him This watchfulness is well put after sobriety as sobriety is set before it to make way for the same for as a man drunk with wine cannot keep awake but sleeps like a Hog so he that is drunk with the cares of this life cannot watch spiritually This watching is a looking to our hearts and all our ways that we may be always kept from evil and ever in a good course Therefore as Watchmen use to examine all Passengers and accordingly deal with them so ought we to watch against all enemies which are evil thoughts evil words and evil deeds which do either directly proceed from our own ill heart or by the temptation of Satan and the world To prevent evil thoughts we must keep the heart with all diligence This is the fountain that sends forth such streams the furnace from whence comes such sparks If our thoughts be wicked impatient unclean proud c. we must suppress them and beat them down but if good holy and pure let them pass for true men so we must take heed to our ways that we sin not with our tongues Our tongue is a slippery member an unruly evil able as little as it is to do much hurt and he is a perfect man and able to rule all his body that can rule his tongue we must therefore set a watch before the door of our lips and examine all our words And for evil actions we must also beware of them we must take heed to our ways watch all parts and members of our bodies that no ill action break forth and accordingly as Job Covenanted with his eyes we must with every member We must examine every action at our going about it if any evil one pass from us and break as it were through the watch we must be grieved and repent and thereafter be more watchful As the eye-sight and eye-lid are necessary in the body so is watchfulness in the soul we are continually in danger of falling the Devil the world and our own lusts be our enemies if we suffer them to break in upon us we dishonor God and spoil our selves of our peace and comfort And as we must watch against all evil so must we especially against those we be most subject to as wise and careful Watchmen will have most care of the weakest parts of their City And as we must watch to keep out evil so must we to do good and that both privately and publikely towards God our selves and our brethren And not this onely but watch that we do good as we ought to do in a right maner we must look to our hearts in our callings and in our best duties for even then they will beguile us and the right maner of performance is all in all Thus in prayer we must watch against private pride hypocrisie wandering thoughts c. so in the Word against Infidelity prejudicate Opinions c. this must be all the day through and in our particular actions for it s not enough to have a general purpose of well-doing or of a godly life but we must look to every particular action through the day we must not be good by wholesale but by retale not in the sum and gross but even in particulars there must not at any time be an evil heart in us we must be in the fear of the Lord continually As in journeying suppose to York we
we be aware as David Judah 2. Seeing this is a part of Gods Counsel and he that bids we should not steal should keep the Sabbath c. bids us watch let us know it s not safe for us to neglect it when God hath made known the same to us Is it not pity that such a blessed mean to further us so sweetly to heaven through this world should be so little known and so few have help by it O if we would once enter upon it it would save us from many dangers it would make our life fruitful it would bring us so much unwonted peace as we would be so far from being weary of it that we would be grieved that we have been strangers from it so long and came to the acquaintance and use of it no sooner O let us grieve and crave pardon for neglecting such a necessary and profitable duty so long and for the time to come be careful to redeem the season Unto prayer We must adde prayer to watchfulness else what if we spy temptations coming and setting upon us of our selves we have no power to resist the least of them We must therefore upon every occasion have recourse unto God by prayer as Watchmen if there come enemies in the time of War that be too strong for them they raise the City for help and in our ordinary watches if naughty wretches come and set upon the watch and be like to beat them down they cry out for help and so subdue them so must we Temptations at some times come so strong as that we cannot deal with them and therefore must cry to God for help O that we could be much exercised in this duty of prayer It keeps us in sobriety helps our watchfulness turns away evils furthers us in good is the onely mean to supply our wants whether for soul or body O what a priviledge is this O the force and fruit of prayer They that be much in Prayer obtain much grace and peace here and shall finde a large entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter Vers. 8. And above all things have fervent charity among your selves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins THe Apostle proceedeth to other duties for Christianity is a Tree that hath many branches and a true godly man must have respect to all As a Tradesman must have a care of every part of his Trade and every point thereof though haply he may be more expert in some particulars then in others Above all things Not above the duties of the first Table for that is the first and great Commandment but above all duties of the second Table have a care of love which is a main and most necessary duty without which there 's no society or living have a care of it as of a mother-duty from whence others will arise as upon the wanting thereof they also will be wanting or thus Above all things that is Of all the loves that we owe have a care of the main namely Love to the Saints for though we must love Strangers Wicked men our Enemies c. yet must we must love the Saints above all Here we have 1. An Exhortation to love 2. The maner of it 3. A Reason to enforce the same The Exhortation affords us this note that Love is a most excellent and necessary duty Hereof I have spoken at large on the 22 Verse of the first Chapter where was shewed both what love is the high commendation thereof by its several properties with the means whereby to attain the same c. Fervent The maner or kinde of love required a large continued stretched-out constant love As a cloth folded up is in a little room but when it comes to be cut is stretched out into many mens uses so our love must be stretched out to many persons to many duties as in giving and doing good to body soul goods good-name and that not sparingly but liberally so in forgiving both much and often neither must this be onely when we can well do it or when we have nothing else to do but when it s against our profit pleasure ease c. so as we neglect not our selves too much and thereby more pleasure may be done our neighbors then hinderance come to us Reasons hereof may be these 1. Gods love towards us is fervent and reacheth out into innumerable favors for our bodies souls goods good-name c. and that continually forgiving also our daily offences and bestowing his own Son on us 2. A little love will be easily quenched and hindred by the Devil and his instruments whereunto our brittle nature most readily yieldeth This is not such a love as that whereby the fornicator loves his harlot one enemy to goodness loves another This is not grounded upon any transitory thing or common gifts but is for grace We love thus not for any by-respects but because God requireth of us so to love this is agreeable to the Word of God and therein we must principally aym at the good of our neighbors souls to perswade ones friend to that for preferment which he cannot do with a good conscience or being sick to perswade him to send for a Cunning-man or woman or to disswade him from suffering for a good conscience c. is rather hatred then love Had our Savior followed Peters advice and not gone up to Jerusalem for to suffer we had all perished eternally But of this before For charity shall cover the multitude of sins The Reason There will be through our corruption and frailty of nature many offences one against another therefore must we labor for love to cover them The Papists interpret the words thus That our love to our neighbors will merit at Gods hand forgiveness of our sins but we are justified before God by Faith in Christ Jesus before we can do any good work neither can we love God or our neighbor for his sake till we be assured of his love to us in pardoning our sins True the more we love our brethren the more we may be assured of Gods mercy to us and that we be pardoned and that he will still shew us mercy but not by desert That opposition Prov. 10. 12. Hatred stirreth up strifes but love covereth all sins sheweth plainly that this is not the meaning Faults that love covers be of two sorts namely sins against God and wrongs against our selves Against God whether they be natural infirmities or others so they be not notorious acts or continued wicked courses of bad men as love will not be suspitious but hope the best till it know an evil committed and interpret things charitably so those that be faults yet love will not blaze them abroad but keeps them in and admonisheth the party it utters them not where they be not known to his disgrace and so uncovers his shame and rejoyceth therein as Cham. Against our selves for
thereupon both in body and soul shall be cast into Hell fire though the one begin with joy yet they end with wo and though the other begin heavily here yet they end with joy in Heaven and this life is nothing to that 's to come Could we discern this we would reverence the one highly and no less pity the others yea should the ones troubles here infinitely exceed the others jollities or the troubles of the godly be here greater then they are as also the jollity of the wicked we would not change with them 1. This confuteth the blinde world that esteemeth basely of Gods servants and of their state but let us never think the worse of our estate for them as a plain rich man doth not when a vain bragging fellow in brave apparel goes swaggering scornfully by him 2. This may and ought wonderfully to comfort Gods servants that hath advanced them to this high dignity passing by so many others O that we would walk worthy hereof in an holy and pure conversation 3. This may be a choak to the wicked notwithstanding all their jollity and make them weary of their condition laboring to become godly and of Gods house that so they may be truly happy What shall the end of them be that obey not the Gospel of God Here 's implyed 1. That though the afflictions of Gods people be many and great yet they are nothing in respect of the miseries which shall befal the ungodly The Lord is Judge of all the world and he will deal justly and equally even give every one according to their works If therefore he afflict his children with rods he will plague his enemies with scourges if he will not bear with sin in his own servants that are careful to please him and stand in awe and yet be overtaken then he will be dreadfully revenged of those that make a trade of sin if his children in their conversion and often afterward upon any sin committed have gripes of Conscience and suffer the terrors of God then shall the wicked have a gnawing Worm that shall never dye if those be brought as it were along by Hell these shall be left and swallowed up of Hell The Lord began with the Israelites in Captivity but ended with the Egyptians in drowning them in the Red-sea the three Children were put into the fiery Fornace not burnt but fire seized on them that put them in Daniel was put into the Lyons Den but his Enemies and Accusers were devoured Israel was carried Captive but Ashur destroyed the children are beaten with the rod thereafter it s burnt God chastens his for a few days here to their amendment but the wicked shall be cast into eternal fire In reading hearing and seeing what grievous things the Lord hath laid on his own children the wicked may see as in a glass the woful state that abides them 2. That the torments prepared for the ungodly in death and at the day of Judgement are such as cannot be expressed The Apostle knew that they should have a fearful end but utter the further end of it and lay it out to the full he could not therefore is forced to say What shall be the end It s a wonderful love of God that he hath made us his Children but yet it s not manifest what we shall be that is it cannot be exprest what happiness is prepared for us Eye hath not seen nor ear hath not heard what God hath prepared for his children So cannot any decypher the fearfulness of the wo prepared for the ungodly Such shall be separated from God and from his Saints and have their portion with the Devil and damned O the universality of their torments both in respect of their bodies and souls O the greatness of their pangs tormented with fire and brimstone O the eternity of them They shall be world without end If a man in pain should shed a tear or drop of water from his eye once in a thousand years and no more yet sooner should he make a whole Sea before this time will end 1. O what an iron scourge should this be to drive the wicked to repentance not resting till they know they be freed from this woful lake O let them never glory in their prosperity as long as they are in danger hereof If any will not break off their sins and fear they will prove costly profits and pleasures and they that will not believe and fear here shall feel them to eternal destruction hereafter 2. How should this glad the hearts of all Gods people that know themselves freed from this fearful lake and make them walk chearfully and obediently all their days to the honor of him that by his sufferings hath freed them therefrom yea should we not bear our few afflictions patiently being freed from these endles and easeles ones and not to envy at the prosperity of the wicked seeing it shall have such an end let their beginning be what it will be if this be their end God keep us from having any part therein That obey not the Gospel of God The wicked are described by their disobedience to the Gospel and these are indeed the most wicked and and have the fearfullest answer to make and the lowest or worst place in Hell they shall speed worst for their sin is greatest For what a favor of God is it not onely to give Christ to the world but then to publish him by the Gospel being the glad tidings of Salvation to all of what sort soever though never so mean never so great sinners there is mercy upon their unfained humiliation and such God sends his Ministers to beseech men to be reconciled O this is an unspeakable fâ—vor as that the contempt thereof must needs deserve a fearful damnaton That men should continue yet in their sins and have no minde â— Christ as a King and Savior is fearful If a company of Rebelsâ—ad a pardon proclaimed and sent out to so many as would come in fany would stand out and refuse the Kings grace and favor were he â—t worthy to be cut-off It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in â—e day of Judgement then for these people If they that despised theâ—aw were not unpunished how shall they be dealt withal that despâ— the Gospel The higher they are lift up the lower they shall be casdown 1. This rebuts the most part Howsoever they talk of the Gospel and comeâ—t Church and cry The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord yet â—ey yield not obedience thereto but continue in their sins There are â—w that come to see any such need of Christ as highly to prize him aâ— most earnestly to seek him though some would have Christ the Savior and will have Jesus Christ in their mouths yet few will stoâ— to his yoke to renounce all their lusts and yield up themselves in abbedience to his
Temple onely the Devil will be sorry as who loseth all but your selves shall have the benefit both here and for ever Further Being converted we should still listen and stoop to whatsoever commandment we have thence of renouncing and forbearing this or that evil or doing whatsoever good without reasoning delays excuses saying Now I see what the Word saith I have done I will yield and become obedient Thus it ought to carry us contrary to our profit pleasure ease custom of our selves fashion and example of others which yet but few do Thus of the first sence For the second The duties of youth to the aged As the Apostle hath been before in hand with Subjects Wives Husbands Servants duties and now with Ministers so doth he proceed to inform the yonger of theirs towards their elders Gods Ministers must not onely teach things generally belonging to all but even special things belonging to every age sex and condition of persons They must not onely labor that people may become Christians but that they may be good in their special calling like good husbands they must be in every corner instructing each in their duties they must finde out what be the special faults of youth as rashness pride unconstancy speaking against them and laboring to prevent or cure them so what be most needful for them as sobriety humility discretion stayedness accordingly calling for these thus must they do with the aged speaking against their testiness and covetousness and calling upon stayedness and soundness in all good judgement and conversation So they must take notice of the faults most incident to women as niceness curiosity loquacity accordingly endeavoring to cure them thereof for even in those that be good Christians yet there may be some such particular and special failings as whereby the name of God and his Gospel may be ill spoken of Thus did the Apostles being herein good and wise stewards to give to every one of the Lords Family their portion of meat in due season workmen that needed not be ashamed The Scripture teacheth every man his duty wherein accordingly revealing every piece of Gods councel we are to instruct them for want of this the Gospel hears ill even of those that have some good things in them Therefore as Ministers must be wise prompt Scribes taught of God and careful herein so people must be content nay like well hereof not repining nor finding fault with their Ministers for such weaknesses and faults as our nature is prone to Neither must people dislike and say What cannot the Minister be content to open his Text and teach us general things but he must meddle how we Husbands live with our Wives we Wives with our Husbands how we behave our selves in our Families how we Servants should do our work c This is an ill sign a good hearer is desirous the word should come home close to him and tell him of his duty yea ere thou come to the hearing of the Word pray O that the Minister may come home close to my corruptions O that I may be so instructed in my duty that I may please God by performing the same yea if the Minister come not home so close as we would we should go and enquire of him of our duties and what shall we do In particular The yonger must honor their elders as it s in the fifth Commandment here called submiting themselves under which be these duties 1. They must reverence them inwardly in their hearts and declare it by countenance gesture and behavior and this they must do because old age is a piece of Gods image and of his eternity who is termed the Ancient of days If there be gray hairs alone they require reverence but if with godliness then double honor for that is a great piece of the image of God 2. They must haste towards them when they are called and looking on them reverently answer them soberly and dutifully 3. When they speak they must have their ears open c. for which the ancient is wisdom 4. They must be obedient to them to their good councels admonitions rebukes and follow their good example and thank God they have those that have experience and have trod the way before them and who it may be have bought it dearly to tell them their duty freely As if one that had passed a dangerous water with much difficulty should tell another Travellor which way to go safely through 5. To pray for them to have all graces increased in them and they fitted more and more to do good to many and that they may live long to that end and to help on yong ones Alas if all were Colts in a Plough or Cart what work would be there usually therefore old ones are joyned to hold in and guide the yong So doth God in wisdom and mercy by those that are old guide and direct them that are yong so that youths must not behave themselves rudely or sawâ—ily in countenance word or deed neither babble nor prate nor shake off their counsel and example which God hath given them to follow 1. For Elders If the yonger must honor and reverence them then they must be such as deserve it and procure it they must speak so wisely and profitably as yong ones may willingly lay their hand on their mouth and be silent they must also give them godly and good counsel and an holy example which the yonger may follow when they see you dissolute disordered given to this or that vice Sabbath-breaking lewd company riot they must advise and perswade them to beware telling them from their own observation how many have by such means brought themselves to ruine so about their matching that they are to be ruled and guided by their Parents so when they see any trifle out their time and defer their repentance and live riotously they must thus from their own experience expostulate with them O make use of your time while you have it This is your freest time if I had not got somewhat in my youth it had been bad with me now being so dull and forgetful or if we lost our time then and God hath since brought us to repentance let us tell them from our own miserable experience O take heed do not as I did I lost my time and spent it away foolishly when I should have learned goodness and now how dull am I Alas I shall never come to any great matters now I am past and have lost my youth if it had not been Gods unspeakable mercy I had perished and he lets in a little light into me but alas how slow of capacity am I what a bad memory have I So if we see them that will not be advised by counsel we must rebuke them yea carry such a gravity and godly hatred of sin as the wicked may stand in awe and not dare abide our sight when they do evil But the
and be poor mourning sighing hungring c. obtain mercy with God They are fit objects thereof witness the poor Publican will be thankful and do any thing at Gods command 2. Such as acknowledge themselves unworthy of any mercy God honoreth with many as Abraham Jacob the Centurion the woman of Canaan with others 3. They that acknowledge that whatsoever grace or gift they have they have had it of God and refer it to his glory shall have more as he that had gained five Talents He is not worthy to be an Almsman that will not acknowledge the Donor 4. They that acknowledge their own insufficiency and inability to good or resist evil these will pray and God will keep them and give them the grace they want they shall be satisfied as the thirsty ground with rain David prayed to be taught and got more understanding then the Ancients to this end also they will hear read come to the Sacraments c. as knowing the need they have of help and so are holpen 5. They that humbly submit themselves to the obedience of Gods word them he will teach and they shall profit These shall save themselves from many a sin and sorrow which else with David Jonah and Peter they may bring upon themselves 6. When having sinned they humble themselves God is near them to receive them to mercy as to the Prodigal and to turn away evil as from Josiah 7. Them that humble themselves under Gods afflicting hand God graceth with deliverance as David from Saul from Absolom 8. Them that keep themselves humbly within their compass God teacheth and keepeth in their places to do good when others medling with matters above their reach run into some error or heresie and bring shame upon themselves So 9. Them that be humble towards men preferring others before themselves and being low in their own eyes God graceth with favor credit and a good report The Use followeth in the following words Verse 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time THe Apostle having shewed that Humility is an ornament to be labored for and given a Reason thereof he doth here press the same with an Exhortation teaching both us how to preach and you how to hear We must deliver sound Doctrine prove it strongly by Arguments and Reasons and then urge the practice thereof to the avoiding of evil and performing good else we do nothing People also must thus hear when they know a thing then must they yield to the obedience thereof else all is nothing We must be cast into the mold and shape of the Doctrine delivered we must follow the sample and patern of the Word we must write after our copy though haply we do it not so fairly as were requisite we must be like the eccho that answereth the same sound to the voyce though not perfectly Our lives must in some measure be answerable to the word Humble your selves therefore Humility is the way to Gods grace If in seeing our own vileness and sin we do humble our selves God will have mercy on us Shall not the grace of God allure us which is more worth then the whole world what else will But of this before Under the mighty hand of God Now follow two other Reasons to perswade to humility One from Gods power with whom we have to do the other from the preferment whereunto we shall attain in due time he will exalt us From the 1. The mighty hand of God either to lift us up being humble or cast us down being proud Note that The consideration of Gods Almightiness is a good mean to make us humble See this in Peter at the great draught of fishes Depart from me for I am a sinful man So Abraham I am but dust and ashes So Isaiah Wo is me I am undone c. Hence God gave his Law in such terrible maner and humbled his Servants whom he was to send unto his people with fearful visions so when God would somewhat take down Job he did it by shewing him his power in his creatures Gods hand indeed is mighty that made the world of nothing divided the Red sea opened the earth in sunder made the mountains to tremble and will raise us out of our graves in the last day This ought much to affect us that so we might seek to get into his favor stoop to his Word submit our selves under the cross and be humbled The want of this is the cause of pride and that we do not stoop before the Lord We think because we can make our part good one with another we can do so with God But O potsheard who art thou that strivest with thy maker What is the potsheard to the bar of iron whether it give or take the blow it breaketh into pieces the proudest Gyants have not stood before him when he hath been angry If the Lyon roar the Beasts tremble If a Gyant should take an ordinary man in hand what could he not do would he not fling him against the ground and make the earth to ring so doth God by many a proud man in a year he flings him on his back against the ground and makes all the Countrey ring of the fall O then consider this and humble thy self for thy sins past labor to get into Gods favor stoop to his Word when he speaks yield and bow under his afflicting hand lest he tear thee in pieces whiles there is none to help if his wrath burn but a little Oh Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish in his wrath Little did Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar and others think God had such a mighty hand Be wise by their harms stoop in time lest he make thee have woful experience of his Almightiness to thy confusion And he will exalt you Namely with grace here and glory hereafter This is the second Reason from which note that Humility is the way to glory This may be shewed in the forementioned properties of humility If a man confess and humble himself in the sight of sins God will exalt him with comfort so will he outwardly advance the humble and dejected Leah being despised God made her fruitful as David from the Ewes to be anointed and after he was humbled under many afflictions God exalted him to the Kingdom in his own time so were Joseph Esther Mordecai exalted so will he exalt to glory in Heaven all his that have humbly walked before him amidst their sorrows and the many afflictions of this life as Lazarus Labor we therefore for humility if we would be indeed exalted In due time Though Gods servants be not always advanced or delivered when they will yet shall they in due time God is not onely able and willing to exalt his humble servants but infinitely wise to know the fittest time He doth all things in due time If
he deal with the insensible earth if our sins hinder not he sends rain the former and latter in due season If with bruit Creatures he gives them meat in due season on whom they wait for it much more will he give unto his own servants He that teacheth men to do things in due season to sow plant reap fell timber all things to their best advantage will do his in season As he pulls down the wicked in due time though often not when we think good or so soon as we would but when it shall be most for his glory the comfort of his servants and the greatest shame and astonishment of his adversaries as it was with the builders of Babel Haman and others so will he also exalt his own as were Joseph David Moses with others Let us wait upon God patiently think not long use the means diligently and pray but murmure not use no unlawful means We must not despair though we be not holpen by and by knowing that the due time is not yet Sarah and Rebecca failed herein and used unlawful shifts the one to obtain a childe by her handmaid the other the blessing for the Son she loved Isaac would not do so but waited and prayed twenty years together for a childe and never would meddle with any handmaids bed We may not appoint the Lord the time whose are times and seasons Verse 7. Casting all your care on him for he careth for you HEre he exhorts to another necessary vertue even Faith and Confidence in God whereby laying aside all superfluous and excessive care we depend upon God for the welfare both of body and soul This is of very great use in our life and that which will make it much more comfortable then most mens lives be It may depend on the foregoing matter thus as an Answer to an Objection that might rise from the former point which concerneth humility If we should be thus humble towards men then should we be misused of all and made a threshold whereon to tread No saith the Apostle cast your care on God for that do that you are commanded and commend your selves to God he will care for you Will he suffer them that obey him to be trodden under foot No What will he do then take the care of them and that both for body and soul Here then we have an Exhortation and a Reason Casting all your care on him What would he have us altogether careless and have no regard what becometh of our bodies and souls but leave all to God No there are two extremes to be avoided too careless and too careful a Christian must go in the midst By All he means all superfluous and distrustful care God bids we should labor strive seek give all diligence in the matters of Salvation to get Knowledge Faith Repentance c. therefore must hear read meditate pray confer c. for though God work both the will and the deed yet he will have us work out our salvation with fear and trembling he will not save us without us So for this life we must be painful as Adam both before and after his fall Every man must have an honest calling and therein take pains else he must not eat that he may be a profitable member in his place As the wise man commendeth diligence so doth he as well speak against idleness yea we must have an honest and moderate lawful care therefore is the sluggard sent to the Ant to forecast and save somewhat in youth against age in health against sickness as Joseph in the time of plenty saved for the years of famine All this God likes well When these two meet as they did in that good woman Pro. 31. or when one is husbandly both for soul and body as either of them is better then nor so both of them are excellent Who may tend upon the good of their souls better then the diligent and provident Who may do more good to others then they for idle persons and unthrifts are neither good for themselves nor any body else 1. This rebuketh slothful Christians that have no care of their souls regard not the Lords Market-day the Sabbath care not for the Word or else come coldly unto it without buying or laboring to make provision of those graces needful to Salvation care not for Prayer the Sacraments Religious Company c. Hence it is that they have ragged beggarly souls void of any true riches or spiritual graces and so will be cast out with Dogs This will be fearful condemation that so few wise Merchants purchase the Pearl lay up treasure for their souls or seek the true riches in Christ few labor for the meat that endureth to life everlasting O the soul is little regarded and yet what profit is it to win the whole world with the loss thereof 2. It rebuketh idle persons that have no Calling no skill in any no minde to follow any or if they do then do they unthriftily waste their time in drinking gaming c. and when they come home either through their own pride and unthriftiness or their wives they lash out as long as their means lasts without any frugality or moderation whence poverty taketh hold on them whereof they should take notice and reform Oh it s an ornament in a Christian to be diligent and frugal The other extreme which is forbidden is Excessive care and this is for soul or body Soul when we cast distrustful thoughts or have cares out of our own reach and which be in Gods power as thus If one that hath been a notorious bad person hearing the Gospel preached and Mercy proclaimed to such should be held off because he never looks that any such thing should be done to him but thinks it impossible he should ever come to good that hath been thus and thus bad and so hold off and thinks as good never being to seek to God for it will never be This partly must use the means that God hath ordained for miserable sinners to come unto him and finde mercy by and commend the success to God Another having begun to finde some comfort and enter upon a good course is held off hearing he must renounce all sin and labor to please God in all things else no salvation now he hath one sin or corruption he thinks verily he shall never prevail against therefore as good never go further He must use the means of subduing this by the Word Prayer the Sacraments c. knowing that as God gives him strength against some he can also and will in time against all corruptions in the mean time take it Another having begun hears that he only that endures to the end shall be saved and he thinks he shall never but shall fall either finally and perish or at least most foully into some error in judgement or sin in life and shame all and therefore as good
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