so farre as it may fall into the observation of carnall men and so it comprehends of the former senses chiefly Inoffensivenesse separation from impure men freedome from grosse impurities and dissimulation a Christian and wise strictnesse of life and devoutnesse and well ordered zeale in matters of religion Now for the use of it If these be applied to these times it shewes first how wicked and prophane those sorts of people are who reproach godly men for the care and practise of these things as if to be a Puritane even in these senses were to bee some vile man not worthy to live amongst men Secondly it shewes that worlds of people that beare the name of Christians are not true Christians because their conversations are not pure for their swearing or drunkennesse or whoredomes or sinnes of deceit or dissimulation or fashioning themselves to this world or the liberty they take to live as they list testifies against them to their faces that their workes are not pure and therefore unlesse they repent they will all perish Rev. 3.1.2 and the rather because they cause by their evill lives not onely the hearts of the good to be grieved but the mouthes of the enemies of religion to bee opened to blaspheme Thirdly godly men that finde these cares in them should comfort themselves much in the testimonies of their owne consciences and the gracious acceptation of God who will shew himselfe pure with them that are pure 2. Cor. 1.12 Psal. 18. Thus of Purity in generall Now of Chastity as a part of a pure conversation and it may well bee that which is chiefely here intended Chastitie is either of the minde or of the body and it is a most certaine truth that God requires a chast minde aswell as a chast body and doth forbid unchast thoughts and desires aswell as unchast words or deeds For unchast thoughts and desires are first foolish and noiâ—ome 1. Tim. 6.9 secondly they hinder the power of religion and true knowledge and grace 2. Tim. 3.4 thirdly they fight against the soule 1. Pet. 2.11 A man were as good have his body wounded with weapons as his soule wounded with lusts fourthly they cause many times many and monstrous sinnes in the life which arise at first from the nourishing of fowle desires and thoughts in the heart The wickednesse that was in the lives of the Gentiles did many of them spring from the lusts which they harboured in their hearts Rom. 1. lastly if men repent not of them in time they will drowne men in perdition 1. Tim. 1.9 But it is the chastitie of the body which is especially here intended our Saviour Christ divides those chast persons into three sorts some are termed Eunuches from their mothers womb and so are disabled for bodily fornication some are made so by other men who by violence for their owne service made some men Eunuches Now the third sort are they that made themselves Eunuches for the kingdome of Heavens sake Of this third sort are all chast persons who by a godly care watchfulness keep themselves from the sinnes of filthinesse aswell as naturall Eunuches doe Mat. 19.12 Now these persons that are made chast for the kingdome of Heavens sake are either single persons or married persons of chastity in single persons other Scriptures intreat as 1. Cor. 7. of chastity in married persons this place intreats Now this vertue of chastity is of purpose imposed upon godly Christians by the Apostle because the sinnes of fornication were so rise and common among the Gentiles who oftentimes defended their filthinesse to be either no sinne or a very small sinne But before I come to speake of chastity in particular some doctrines would be in generall observed as first Doct. 1. A godly Christian must shew the proofe of his religion especially in keeping himselfe free from the sinnes that are most common and rise in the world and even the more sinne abounds in the world the more strict they should bee in resisting sinne as here even the more filthie the lives of others were the more chast should the conversation of godly Christians bee Because their love to God should constraine them the more to be zealous for his glory by how much the more God is dishonoured by other men and because they are flatly forbidden to follow a multitude to sinne and because God hath chosen them out of all other sorts of men to beare his Name and to hold forth the light of the Word in the middest of a crooked and perverse generation and because thereby the conscience of wicked men may bee the more effectually convinced and prepared to repentance Thus Lot is righteous in Sodome and Ioshua and his house will serve the Lord though all the Nation serve Idolls This point as it should inflame the zeale of the godly to contend for the truth more earnestly and to resist all the vices of the time so it shewes that they can hardly have any truth of grace in them that are so easily borne downe with the stream of evill example and are so apt to follow the fashion of the world Doct. 2. Chastity may be in married persons aswell as in single persons as here wives are said to bee chast in conversation though they withhold not due benevolence from their husbands God himself hath freed the comming together of man wife from the aspersion of impurity in that hee hath said that marriage is honourable and the bed undefiled And this shewes the wonderfull indulgence of God that for the respect he bears to his own institution of marriage and for the necessitie of marriage for the propagation of mankind and prevention of fornication is pleased to beare with and cover and not impute the many frailties follies vanites and wickednesses are found betweene man and wife And withall wee may hence see reason to condemne their doctrine as a doctrine of devills that forbid marriage as an impure thing and such as hinders holiness and the blemish will never bee wiped away from some of the Ancients who to establish their owne Idol of I know not what virginity have written most wickedly and most basely against marriage Quest. But what then doth God allow any kinde of comming together so it be between man and wife Answ. No he forbids comming together in the time of the womans separation for her courses Ezech. 18.6 Nor doth hee allow of brutish sensuality though it passe betweene man and wife for though God beare with many things yet the chastitie hee imposeth doth not onely restraine forraine beds but moderateth even the excesses of concupiscence in married persons so as in those things their conversation ought to be a conversation with feare Doct. 3. The practise of the duties of the second Table adorne religion aswell as the dueties of piety in the first Table Doct. 4. Some observe That a chast conversation is especially charged upon the woman which must be warily understood for God
while hee hath the light the night will come when no man can worke and the rather since hee hath lost so much time in doing workes of darkenesse hee should now redeem the time Ephes. 5.15 1. Pet. 4.2 3. 2 Because he is Gods servant and therefore should be alwayes working Rom. 6. yea hee is Gods Sacrifice therefore should he be wholy devoted to the doing of good Rom. 12.1 3 Because wee have our taske set us and ever the more worke we doe the sooner we shall fulfill the measure prescribed us 4 Because hereby we shall much glorifie God Matt. 5.16 and silence wicked men 1. Pet. 2.12 15. 5 Because God is faithfull and will not forget our works and labour we shall be rewarded accordingly If wee sowe sparingly we shall reape sparingly 2. Cor. 9. Heb. 6.11 Gal. 6.9 God giveth us richly to enjoy all things in this world 1. Tim. 6.17 and our continuance in well doing will be marvellously rewarded in heaven Rom. 2.7 Now that we may doe much good wee must pray God to stablish us in everie good word and worke 2. Thess. 2.17 and withall we must furnish our selves with directions out of the Scriptures and studie the rules of life there prescribed 2. Tim. 3.16 17. Iam. 3.17 and then we must be sure to make use of all the opportunities of well doing And be not affraid with any amazement These words may be diversly referred and so diversly expounded If they be referred to the exhortation to subjection to their husbands in the manner before shewed then the sense may be that they should not feare that they should be misused if they were subject or else it limits the manner of subjection that they should not be subject onely for feare or out of basenesse of minde feare should not be the ground of their obedience but conscience of Gods commandements and love to their husbands If they be referred to the example of Sara they may be taken eyther as a promise or as a condition as a promise thus If they imitate Sarah in well doing they need not be affraid of the troubles of a married estate for by this course those troubles will be prevented or the tribulation they shall have in the flesh will not be great Or they may be the second as a condition of their filiation If they will bee Sarahs daughters then they must learne of Sarah to beare the troubles and afflions may befall them and their husbands without disquietnes and amazement Sarah could leave her owne countrey and was a comfort to her husband and we never reade that shee any way discouraged her husband or complained of miserie though she was faine to live in manie strange places and had not at any time any certaine abode any where But I thinke the words may be interpreted in generall as contayning a prohibition of excessive feares and consternation of minde which is often found in women to the great offence and disquieting of their husbands The word translated Amazement notes such a perplexitie of minde in which one is almost at â—is witts end and therefore the Verbe of which this Noune is derived is used in the New Testament onely in these cases as in the cases of rumours of warres or seditions readie to seaze upon a people Luke 21.9 or in the case of a conceit that one sees a ghost or spirit Luke 24.37 And such as eyther of these doe women sometimes fall into and this the Apostle forbids He doth not forbid all feare for they must feare their husbands Ephes. 5 ult and they must feare God 2. Cor. 7.11 Nor doth hee severely taxe that naturall fearefulnesse in women which followes their sexe but only such desperate vexations or passions as suffer them not to make use of their trust in God or love to their husbands Quest. What causes can there be imagined why these Christian wives should be in danger of any such consternation of minde Answ. The Apostle might well imagine diverse causes of this frailtie 1 They had husbands that were Infidels which might be a great grievance to them and besides those husbands might perhaps absolutely forbid them or labour to restraine them from the exercises of Christian Religion which might put them into a great strait 2 Their profession of Christian Religion might bring upon them manie tribulations and persecutions which women are not so able to beare 3 It may be the Apostle had observed that women were apt to fall into these desperate fitts of passion and grieving when they were crossed by their husbands or servants or children Sure it is that many women nowadayes if their husbands doe but crosse them in reasonable things they will cry and grieve as if they would die in the vexation of their hearts These strange humours and perplexities and desperate fitts the Apostle absolutely forbids hee would not have anie of them found in a Christian wife Vers. 7. Likewise yee husbands dwell with them according to knowledge giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessell as being heyres together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindred HItherto of the dueties of Wives the Husbands duetie followes in the words of this Verse Where three things are to be observed 1 The proposition of their duetie Husbands dwell with them 2 The exposition shewing how they must doe it viz. as men of knowledge and such as honour them 3 The Reasons which are three 1 Because they are the weaker vessell and therefore need to be carefully and continually well used 2 Because they are both alike heyres of Gods grace 3 Because else their prayers and Gods service will bee much interrupted and hindred In the Proposition may be observed first the word of connexion Likewise Secondly the terme of application Yee Thirdly the persons charged Husbands Fourthly the duetie imposed viz. Dwell with them Likewise This terme bindes these words to the former and shewes That God doth charge husbands to looke to their dueties aswell as wives Now if God charge the husband it evidently imports that evill husbands must give account to God of all the evill they doe though no law of man punish them yet God will that gave them this law And withall it may comfort such husbands as are censured without cause God that hath given them their charge knowes their integritie whatsoever foolish wives object or a vaine world imputes to them And in generall God will accept and reward the carefull behaviour of good husbands But before I proceed two questions may be asked Quest. 1. Why are husbands charged in the last place Answ. There may be two reasons given of it first to shew the respect that God gives to husbands Hee first by his precept informes his wife before his face and shewes him a patterne how hee shall walke towards him and therefore now may the more willingly attend to his owne duetie Secondly because things last spoken have usually the greatest longest impression upon the
this I finde no difference amongst Divines Zanchius and some other Divines go further pronounce Nullities in the cases following as If marriage be contracted yea and celebrated without the consent of parents Hee brings many arguments from the Law before Moses and from the Law of Moses from the Testimony of the Apostle Paul and from the lawes of Nations and from the Fathers If marriage be contracted or celebrated with such as have any notorious contagious disease which is knowne to be incurable as the Eliphantiasis or worse kind of leprosie or the like because this will prove a mischiefe to the party cleere and to his children and to the Common-wealth and God ordained not marriage to be a mischiefe but a helpe If marriage be celebrated with a woman that is found to be with childe by another man Yea hee enclines to those that thinke the marriage of a Christian with an Infidell as a Iew Turke or Pagan as being the knowne and professed enemies of Christ is likewise a Nullitie He gives many probable reasons and quotes divers authors for the opinion But for my part I dare not venture so farre especially to be peremptorie in it much lesse have I attained to the learning of those Divines that thinke Veneficium versus hanc Witchcraft disabling a man towards that woman onely to be a sufficient cause of a Nullitie in the marriage Thus of the case of Nullities For the case of Divorce I thinke that rule of our Saviour bindes peremptorily that no man may put away his wife but only in the case of fornication Matth. 19.9 In that case a man making a lawfull divorce is not bound to cohabitation but freed from it and must not dwell with her any more If it be objected that in the case of disertion when an Infidell forsakes a Beleever the Apostle saith the Beleever is free I answer that this is not a case of Divorce The Beleever doth not for the businesse of religion put away the Vnbeleever yea the Apostle shewes he ought not 1. Cor. 7. only if the unbeleever will depart let her depart And so by the wilfull departure of the Infidell the Christian is freed from the bond of marriage as Divines conceive which is a kinde of Nullity but not a Divorce But then a great respect must be had to the kinde of Vnbeleever not every wicked man or woman nor every person that professeth a false religion but such an Vnbeleever as is a profest enemy to the Name of Christ is the Vnbeleever the Apostle speaks of Yet one thing more I must adde about the case of Disertion When the Disertion is for other causes than religion if it bee wilfull or inevitable then the party diserted is freed from this charge of cohabitation freed I say for a time till the diserted returne and if he never returne the party forsaken is for ever free Thus of the Proposition of their dueties the Exposition of it followes According to knowledge By knowledge I take it here meant that Christian knowledge of Religion and the Word of God which godly husbands had attained by the Gospel for in the end of the verse he speakes of husbands as heires of the grace of life And so before I come to shew what speciall things in the manner of cohabitation this knowledge doth charge upon husbands I would consider of some doctrines in generall implyed by the words as Doct. 1. That the knowledge of Gods Word is a gift of God to be much accounted of and therefore the Apostle here for honour-sake to the man mentions this grace rather than any other And that knowledge is a precious thing or a great treasure may appeare divers waies First by the seate and use of knowledge it is a gift that adornes the mind of man making him by his inward vnderstanding to see excellent things It is a great benefite to have senses to discerne things without vs but this divine light that God puts into the understanding of man gives to the understanding power to see admirable things Especially when it is spirituall light it shewes a man the differences betweene good and evill and reveales such glorious things as no senses can reach to Secondly by the author of it God is the father of light and dwelleth in light Iam. 1.17 and it is the speciall glory of Christs divinity to lighten every man that comes into the world Iohn 1. and the â—oly Ghost claimes a part in this glory to give illumination to the minde 2. Cor. 3. Thirdly by the testimony God gives of the worth of knowledge especially when it is spirituall and religious knowledge It is called riches 1. Cor. 1.5 and preferred before all outward things in the world Ier. 9.23 and Christ accounts it a great signe of speciall friendship to communicate knowledge to his Disciples Iob. 15.15 and God gave Iacob a greater portion when he gave his word to him than he did give to all the world besides He did not so with other Nations Psal. 1. Fourthly by the accounts Christ gives unto his Father of the discharge of his office He is carefull to prove that he hath given knowledge to the men God gave him to prepare them for eternall life Iohn 17.6 7 8 26. Fifthly by the relation it hath to God himselfe It is a part of the image of God in the new man Col. 3.10 Sixthly by the contrary It is accounted a great sinne and a curse to want knowledge Hosea 4.11 and other gifts or services are reiected as vaine if this grace bee not had as Zeale Rom. 10.2 Sacrifice Hosea 6.6 and therefore such as want knowledge should shake off prophane sluggishnesse and vaine objections and seeke to bee rich in knowledge as the men in the world do to abound in wealth Prov. 4.7 2.4 And such as have knowledge should strive to increase in it and be thankfull to God for his great mercy in giving them knowledge and the meanes of it Doct. 2. Knowledge is required of all sorts of men Not of Ministers only but of private men of all husbands yea and of all men before they be husbands because so soone as they have wives they are charged to shew their knowledge Iohn 1.9.1 Cor. 8.1.1 Tim. 2.4 This condemnes the Sacrilegious humour of those persons that are like the wicked Lawyers our Saviour speakes of Luke 11.52 which take away the key of knowledge from private men either by their opinions hindering others from seeking knowledge with their errors mudding the cleer fountaine of Gods Word or by their power restraining the meanes of knowledge from the people and withall this should stirre up all sorts of men to seek knowledge and use all meanes to attaine it as they will give their account unto God of the use of their their time at the last day Doct. 3. Knowledge is given us for use and practice not for idle speculation It is given as other gifts of the Spirit to profit
and because a good wife is a creature much set by of God The Lord accounts it a great worke and excellent when hee can informe and instruct women so farre as to make them good wives which should be a great incouragement to wives though God set them long lessons to learne yet it imports he will â—ake great account of them if they be teacheable schollars Againe we may hence gather the vanity of all earthly felicities Before marriage men and women promise themselves much happinesse in their married estates think they could live together with all delight but yet after they are married they see they are deceived and therefore neede to goe to schoole to learne how to behave themselves one to another Further husbands may hence learne of God how to deale with their wives to make them such as might please them they must treate with them by good arguments and not by fretting or reviling or complayning of them Thus in generall The first part of the charge given to wives is the proposition in these words Likewise ye wives be subiect to your owne husbands In which words foure things may be noted 1 The terme of connexion Likewise 2 The parties charged Ye wives 3 The duty required viz. Be in subiection 4 The parties to whom the duty must bee performed viz. To your owne husbands Likewise This terme leades us to the duty of servants intreated of before or else to the worke of conversion to Christ mentioned in the last verses of the former chapter If it leade us as is most likely to the duty of servants in the whole latter part of the former chapter then the Apostle would thereby tell wives That God is no respecter of persons He that requires servants should obey them requires also that wives should obey their husbands and will indifferently punish the faults of both yea if they would have their servants obey them they must make conscience to obey their husbands else it is just with God they should bee vexed by their servants that care not to bee a vexation to their husbands And if it bee referred to the worke of returning to Christ then it teacheth That women must so thinke of the conversion of their soules as that they make not religion a pretence for negligence or disobedience they must so seeke the Lord Iesus as withall they remember to bee subject to their husbands and to looke to their callings in the family Ye wives Note here first that in speaking to the women hee gives them such a title as imports onely their relation to their husbands they have now lost their owne names and their fathers names and are now styled by the terme that bindes them onely to their husbands Note againe that the charge of subjection is to all wives indifferently no difference of age state nation degree or the like can make any difference in the charge God requires subjection of all wives whether poore rich noble wise yongue or old or of what state or quality soeuer A Queen hath no more priviledge than the poorest Cottagers wife Hester 1. Psal. 45.10 Tit. 2.5 and so contrariwise poore mens wives must reverence and obey their husbands aswell as those that are more curiously brought up which should be a comfort to such wives because no more is required of them than what is required of all Note thirdly that the Apostle speakes to women as if hee would single them out by name Ye wives which should teach them to heare their duties as if God did speake particularly to them Be subiect Concerning the subiection of the wives many things may be considered 1 The proofes that it is indispensably required Gen. 3. 19. Eph. 5.24 Col. 3.18 Tit. 3.5 2 The reasons why they must bee subiect and so many reasons may be assigned 1 Because it is Gods expresse will he will have it to be so It is not arbitrary but necessary in respect of Gods commandement and they that will not be subiect must thinke what accounts to give to God for the breach of his commandement 2 It is afterwards urged for example all godly women mentioned in Scripture have obeyed their husbands 3 Because it is equall and meet for if God give the wife power over all in the family but one it is great reason she should bee subiect to him God deales fairely with the wife in that he makes her subiect but to one and lets her rule many 4 Because her husband is her head and the body is governed by the head 1. Cor. 11.3 5 Because the man was not of the woman but the woman of the man 1. Con. 11.8 neyther was the man created for the woman but the woman for the man vers 9. 6 Because the Angels of Heaven doe look for this in all wives 1. Cor. 11.10 7 Because it is comely Colos. 3.18 A wife never carries her selfe with better grace reputation or honour than when she shewes most obedience and subiection to her husband It is a wicked and senselesse pride in many women that they thinke it is basenesse and dishonour to bee at their husbands bands appointment and to be made to do what he listes But these are utterly deceived for their disobedience can commend them to none but such as have an uncleane divell in them What more comely in a childe than to obey his parents so is it in wives Were it comely for the body to stand above the head and to rule it Doth not experience shew that such wives as are so monstrous as to professe they will not be subiect or do in practice crosse their husbands or rule them doe we not see I say that such creatures are hatefull to God and man doe not all sorts of people detest them in their discourse The wife is the image and glory of the man 1. Cor. 11. is it not an ill favoured sight to see a scurvie picture that resembles the substance after a vile fashion As man by obedience is Gods image so is the woman by obedience mans image 8 Wives must bee obedient to their husbands that the Gospell be not evill spoken of especially the younger wives Tit. 2.5 To conclude this point it is to be noted that he saith Yee wives be subiect that is ye Christian wives that professe religion as if hee would say religion should make you not only better women but better wives The husband should feele the benefite of the wives religion even in her carriage towards him she should make it appeare that the more shee heard sermons or read the Scripture or prayed to God the better she would become to her husband Thirdly it may be asked why the Apostle chargeth wives only with subiection seeing many other things are required of them The answer may be first because this of all other things is most essentially requisite as that which characteristically differenceth the duty of the wife She must love her husband but that is so required of her as
Pet. 2.6 5 If thou have a spirit without guile Psal. 32 2. and that will appeare 1 By thy desire to be godly and religious more than to seem so Rom. 2.26 2 By thy desire to be ridde of all sinne and to be turned from all thy transgressions Ezech. 18.30 setting thy selfe against thine owne iniquity 2. Sam. 22.24 If thou feele a combat within thee the spirit striving against the flesh aswell about inward sinnes as outward against the very evill that cleaves to thy best workes and against those sinnes that thou hast most loved or have been most gainefull or pleasing to thee Gal. 5.17 3 This will be clearer if thou desire to forsake thy sins in thy youth or prosperity while thou couldest yet securely commit them 4 If thou keepe thy goodnesse in all companies aswell when thou art absent farre as when thou art present with such as are religious Phil. 2.12 doing righteousnesse at all times Psal. 106.2 6 If thou love the house of God above all the places in the world and that thy thirst after the meanes continue and last and bee renewed after the foode of thy soule as thy stomacke is after thy bodily foode Psal. 26.8 84. Iob 23.12 Psal. 119.20 7 If thou honour them that feare the Lord and are religious above all the people in the world discerning betweene the righteous and the wicked contemning vile persons and joyning thy selfe to the godly as the people thou wilt live and dye with and as the best companions of thy life Psal. 15. Mal. 3.17 Psal. 16.3 1. Iohn 3.14 8 If the vaile be taken off thy heart so as thou canst heare as the learned and understand spirituall doctrine that before was harsh and foolishnesse to thee 1. Cor. 2.14 2. Cor. 3.15.16.18 Esa. 51.6 9 If thou finde that thou canst not sinne Marke it the Apostle Iohn saith he that is borne of God cannot sinne hee meanes he cannot sinne as he was wont to doe for either God crosseth him still and hinders him or hee findes that hee cannot affect his sinne so heartily or commit it with his full consent or with his whole heart as hee was wont to doe 1. Iohn 3.9 the power of sinning is marred and dissolved in him Now that this worke may prosper if you find your selves any way effectually wonne be advised then to look to these rules following 1 Take heede of smothering of doubts aske the way to Heaven and seeke resolution in things of so high importance as your Vocation Iustification Sanctification and Salvation are Ier. 50.4 2 Looke to it what teachers and what doctrine you heare choose that foode for your soules that is most wholesome be not carryed away with the inticing words of mans wisedome 3 Be carefull to humble your soules in secret judging your selves for your sins before the Lord. Be not sleighthie in this great worke though you have repented yet repent still till your hearts be fully setled and the power of your corruptions broken rest not upon common hopes or probabilities or the good opinion others have of you but lay a sure foundation for your owne faith and hope Ier. 31.20 4 Come constantly to the light that it may be manifest that your workes are wrought in God and let the Word of God be the light to your feete and lanthorne to your pathes Iohn 21.22 Psal. 50. Gal. 6.16 What remaines uow but that I should beseech you to turne unto God withall your hearts Give your selves to God he will keep that which you commit to him till the day of Christ. Let not our words be as water spilt upon the ground Oh that the Lord would bow the Heavens and come downe amongst you and take possession for himselfe and perfect the worke he hath begunne in some of your hearts Remember the covenant you have made with God in the Sacrament made it I say over the dead body of your Saviour Now is the axe laid to the roote of the tree now or never bear fruite This is the day of salvation say you This is the day the Lord hath made for our conversion God is gracious if you turne to him with all your hearts and just if you prove false in his covenant Though grace in you be but as the smoaking flaxe yet it shall not be quenched the Lord establish his worke If you hold out to the end you shall be saved That they which obey not the Word The persons that may be wonne are described by these wordes as a Periphrasis of carnall persons men that are not in Christ and so may note either such husbands as were Gentiles or such husbands as were carnall Christians If by those Husbands be meant unbeleeving Gentiles a question may be asked viz. how the Gentiles are said to disobey the Word of Cod seeing it was never given unto them For answer we must understand that at this time the Word was brought among the Gentiles by the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospel and therefore now they are bound to obey it aswell as any others and this was the condemnation of a world of them that light was come amongst them and they loved darknesse rather than light Otherwise considering the Gentiles without the Law brought to them they shal be judged not by the Law written which they had not but by the Law of nature which they had in their hearts Rom. 2.15.16 Now if by these wordes bee meant carnall Christians that had turned from Gentilisme and received the profession of Christian religion but yet followed their carnall courses wee may then note That the bare change from a false religion to the profession of the true is not sufficient to salvation A man that hath professed a false religion had neede of two conversions the one is from his false religion to the true and the other from profanenesse to sincerity in that religion The corne must bee fetched from the field into the barne but that is not inough for so is the chaffe but it must then be taken from the barne into the garner To leave Popery and turne Protestant is not in it selfe sufficient unlesse a man turne from the profanenesse that is in the multitude in true Churches to embrace the sincere profession of the Gospel And there is reason for it for in changing from a false religion to a true a man doth but change his profession or his minde at best but hee that will bee changed effectually must change his heart and whole conversation and become a new creature So that then these words describe a carnall man viz. that he is such a one as doth not obey the Word of God By the word hee meanes here the doctrine published by the Prophets and Apostles and now contained in the Scriptures Many doctrines may be hence observed 1 The Scripture is God's Word because God thereby doth expresse the sense of his minde as men doe by their wordes The Scripture is not the word which God the
father begate but is the word which God the father uttered and is the word which God uttered to us bodily creatures God though he be a spirit yet doth speak both to spirits and bodies to spirits by a way unknowen to us to bodies he hath spoken many wayes as by signes dreams visions and the like so by printing the sense of his mind in the mindes of creatures that could speake and by them uttered in word or writing what hee would have knowen Thus he spake by the Patriarches Prophets Christ and the Apostles They that deny that God hath any wordes either deny that God is as Psal. 14.1 or else conceive him to bee like stuckes or stones or beasts as Rom. 1.23 or else thinke he can speake but will not because he takes no care of humane things as Iob 22 23. These are Atheists 2 The Scripture is called the Word by an excellency because it is the onely word wee should delight in God since the fall did never speake unto man more exactly than by the Scriptures and we were better heare God talk to vs out of the Scriptures than heare any man on earth yea or Angell in heaven yea it imports that wee should be so devoted to the study of the Scriptures as if we desired to heare no other sound in our eares but that as if all the use of our eares were to heare this Word Let him that hath eares to heare heare 3 This Word of God now in the time of the new Testament belongs to all men in the right application of the true meaning of it Once it was the portion of Iacob and God did not deal so with other Nations to give them his Word but now that the partition wall is broken downe the Gospel is sent to every creature That is here imported in that unbeleeving Husbands are blamed for not obeying the Word which should teach all sorts of men to search these Scriptures and to heare the Word devoutly and withall know that the comforts terrors and precepts contained in it will take hold upon all sorts of men respectively 4 The Word of God ought to rule all sorts of men That is implyed here in that fault is found with these unbeleevers that they obeyed it not It was given of God to that end to instruct reprove and direct men in all their waies 2 Tim. 3.16.17 It is the Canon or rule of menâ— actions Gal. 6.16 It is the light and lanthorne God hath given to men it hath divine authority If we will shew any respect of God we must bee ruled by the Scripture which is his Word 5 Vnregenerate men have no minde to obey the Word and the reason is because they are guided by other rules which are false as their owne reason the customes of the world the suggestions of the devill and the likes and because too the Word is contrary to their carnall desires â—â—nd therefore they yeeld themselves to be guided by such rules as are most pleasing to their corrupt natures and besides too the light of the Word is too glorious for his eyes He cannot see into the mysteries contained in it because they are spiritually to be discerned and the naturall man therefore cannot perceive the things of God 6 It is a dangerous thing not to obey the Word of God they are accounted for lost and forlorne men here that doe not obey the Word Men bee deceived if they think it is a course may be safe for to disobey God's Word for God's Word will take hold of them and destroy them and it will judge them at the last day Zacha. 1.4.5 2. Thes. 1.8 They are but lost men cast-awaies that care not for God's Word 7 Nothing is to be reckoned a sinne which is not disobedience to the Word That which is not contrary to some Scripture is no transgression and therefore men should take heed of burthening themselves with the vaine feare of sinning when they breake no commandement of God but only unwarranted traditions either on the left hand or the right 8 The constant omission of religious duties and good workes proves a man to be a carnall person aswell as the committing of manifest injuries or grosse offences Here the Periphrasis of a carnall person is That he did not doe what the Word required 9 Men that obey not the Word may bee wonne which should be a great comfort to penitent sinners It is true that disobedience clothed with some circumstances or adjuncts is very dangerous as when men have the meanes and love darknesse rather than light Iohn 3.20 and when men are smitten with remorse and have blessing and cursing set before them and see their sinnes and feele the axe of God's Word and yet will on in transgression Deut. 11.28 Mat. 3.10 or when men are called at the third or sixth or ninth howre and will put off and delay upon pretence of repenting at the eleventh howâ—e Mat. 20. or when men are powerfully convinced and will raile and blaspheme and contradict the Word Acts 13.45.46 18. 6. and when God pursues men with his judgements and they refuse to returne Ier. 5.2.3 or lastly when men despight the spirit of God and sinne of malice against the truth Heb. 10.26.27.28.29.30 10 The chiefe doctrine is That sound obedience to the Word of God is the character of a true Christian a mark to distinguish the true Christian from the false and from him that is no Christian at all God makes his count by righteousnesse Rom. 10. To professe the true religion to understand the Word to beleeve it with historicall or temporall faith to talke of the Word to receive Baptisme and the signes of the Covenants or the like makes not an essentiall difference It is obeying the Word proves us to be true Christians Not the hearers but the doers of the Word are acknowledged for just persons Mat. 7.26.27 Iames 1.22.23.24 But that we be not deceived in our obedience wee must know that unto sound obedience divers things are required as 1 That his obedience be from the heart Rom. 6.17 2 That his obedience ariseth from the love of God and the hatred of sinne as it is sinne and not from carnall and corrupt ends Deut. 30.20 Ioshua 22.5 Mat. 4.19 3 That his obedience be in all things with respect to all God's commandements though it be against his profit ease credit or the like Hebr. 11.8 Genes 22.12 Psal. 119.6 Exod. 15.26 4 That he doth righteousnesse at all times that he continue in his obedience and obey at all times that is constantly and not for a fit Psal. 106.2 Hos. 6.5 Gal. 5.7 2. Kings 18.6 Iam. 1.23 5 That he make conscience of obeying the least commandement aswell as the greatest Mat 5. â—9 6 That obeyes the commandements of the Gospel about beleeving in God and Iesus Christ aswell as of the Law that practiseth obedience of faith and lives by faith 2. Thes. 1.8 Rom. 1.5 Mat. 16.16 11 It is
give men up to delusions and to beleeve lies 2. Thes. 2. 3 Vaine glory the very desire to be some-body and to excell others makes some Christians gladly to receive or bring in different opinions 1. Cor. 4.8 Phil. 2.3 Gal. 5.26 4 Over much trust upon the judgments of some men they esteeme when they respect some Ministers so much as to be of their opinion though their consciences be not enformed of any sound reason from the word of God for it This estimation of men above that is written hath deceived many 1. Cor. 3.21 4.6 5 Respect of earthly things Some men teach and professe to hold opinions of dissenting sometimes meerely for advantage to their estates either to get maintenance or preferment in the world by it Tit. 1.10.11 Rom. 16.19 20. 6 Prejudice is the roote of dissenting many times as the Gentiles would not abide yeelding to ceremonies out of very dislike of the Iewes and the Iewes would not understand the needlesnesse of their ceremonies out of very contempt of the Gentiles and so the strength of faction on both sides kept them from agreeing 7 Heaping up of Teachers disorderly when Christians are so diseased with humour and so hard to bee pleased with sound doctrine that they hunt up and downe to heare all sorts of men it many times prooves hurtfull in this respect that they get infection from the different humours of the many Teachers they heare Disordered hearing in this respect breeds as a surfet of the inward regard of sound doctrine so a great aptnesse to receive divers and strange doctrines 2. Tim. 4.3 4. 8 The contempt of their godly Teachers and want of sound affection to them To them I say that have a charge over their soules whom they ought to obey And this is the more vile as some Christians order the matter because of their hypocrisie in magnifying the judgement or gifts of Teachers that are absent and have not the charge of their soules and abusing the due respect of their owne Teachers which is yet more vile if this injury be done to such as were their fathers in Christ. Thus of the use for reproofe By the limitation given before from other expresse Scriptures wee learne so to understand this doctrine of unity as it excludes all unity of opinion or practise with such Churches or particular persons as hold doctrines against the foundation of Christian religion so as wee must never agree with them As for instance Wee may not without the damnation of our soules be of one minde with the Church of Rome for there are many things which they beleeve and practise which we must in no case joyne with them in and it is impossible to reconcile us to them unless they change their minds I will instance indivers things wherein wee cannot without losing Christ be of one minde as 1 In opinion of merite of workes for thereby we make the Gospell or Doctrine of Gods grace of none effect and the promise of God voide which is to deny the very grounds of Christian Religion Gal. 5.3 Rom. 4.14 11.6 2 In the opinion of worshipping Saints and Angels for the Apostle saith expressely that they that doe so hold not the head and so cannot be true members of Christ. Col. 2.18 19. 3 In their Polatry in making and worshipping of Images and almost infinite superstitions contrary to the second Commandement expressely and so as wee are commanded to get out of this spirituall Babel in respect of her spirituall fornications 4 In their doctrine of Traditions for they teach that Traditions that are not agreeable to Scripture yet are to be received if they be delivered by the Church in equall authoritie with the Scriptures If wee be of one minde with them herein we cannot escape Gods eternall curse as these Scriptures shew Gal 1.8 Rev. 22 18. 5 In their doctrine of perfection for they teach a man may perfectly keepe the Law of God No this is so dangerous an errour that the Apostle saith there is no truth in the man that holds it 1. Iohn 1.8 10. I omit the rehearsall of other differences Thus of the first vertue The second vertue charge upon Christians is compassion one towards another Have compassion one of another The word signifies such a fellow-feeling or sympathie that makes us like affected as if we were in their case The doctrine then is cleer That we ought to have a sympathie one towards another this is a singular vertue In handling of which point I will observe these things 1 The Proofes of it from other Scripture 2 The Explication of the sense shewing in what things we should be like affected 3 The Reasons of it 4 The Vses 1 The Proofes are very pregnant and full in these other Scriptures Rom. 12.4 15. Heb. 13.3 2 For the Explication this sympathy is to be exprest both in the case of the evills of others and in the case of the good of others In the case of the evills of others we ought to be tenderly affected towards them both in respect of their sufferings troubles griefes and crosses Heb. 13.3 10.34 Ioh 30.25 whether they be inward or outward as also in respect of their falling by infirmities when it proves a griefe and affliction to them Gal. 6.1 Iude 22.2 Cor. 11.29 So likewise in the case of the prosperity of others wee ought to rejoice with them that rejoice and bee affected as if the blessing had been ours Rom. 12.15 3 The Reasons are manifest First because hereby wee prove our selves to be fellow members in the mysticall body of Christ which is to be doubted if this sympathy be not in us in some measure 1. Cor. 12.12 25 26. Secondly because hereby wee shew our selves conformable and like to Christ our Head who excelled in this vertue Heb. 4.15 Mat. 25.40 Thirdly because that which is the case of others now may bee our case hereafter as the Apostle shewes in the case of temptation Gal. 6 1. Fourthly a reason may be drawne from the excellency of the grace It excells almes and outward workes of mercy for when a man gives an almes hee gives somewhat without himselfe but when wee shew compassion we relieve another by somewhat that is within our selves and from our selves And lastly the coherence shewes that this may be a meanes to keepe us from trouble our selves The use may be first to import the miserie of living in this world This life must needes be a vale of teares when we have not only occasion of sorrow many wayes for our own estates but also such varietie of occasions of sorrow from the condition of others deere unto us Neyther is our case the better but the worse if we doe not sorrow with others Secondly this may greatly humble all sorts of men for their Apathie or want of care or feeling or sympathie in the distresses of others and the rather now when whole Churches are in great distresse Amos 6.6
God and walke in his waies 3 It greatly staies and supports the heart of man in the evill day when temptations or afflictions befall us yet the comfort of our assurance sustaines us and refresheth us greatly For helpe in the evill day the Apostle saith wee should above all things put on the shield of faith which if it remove not the crosse yet it quencheth the fiery temptations of Sathan with which we may be assaulted Eph. 6.16 and it greatly helpes us against the feare and terrour of death Heb. 10.19 20 22. In a word it overcomes the world 1. Iohn 5.4 5. 4 The faith of a Christian is all his living hee lives by faith in all the occasions of life as his faith helps him when all other meanes failes him and makes all other meanes more successfull when he useth them The just man lives by faith The people in captivity that were Gods children raised a living for themselves in a strange land by their faith Hab. 2.5 5 It puts life into all the duties of religion or righteousnesse it worketh by love it sets all our affections on worke towards God and his people and creatures Gal. 5.6 6 It opens a spring of grace in the heart of a Christian every good gift from above is excited and made to flow from within him by the benefit of his certaine knowledge and assurance of faith Iob. 7.38 Now if any aske how a Christian comes to know his calling I answer 1 By his sensible feeling of his sinnes to be a heavie burthen to him of which hee is truely weary so as hee desireth more to be rid of them than of any burthensome crosse whatsoever Mat. 11 2â— 9.13 2 By his manner of receiving the voice of Christ and the preaching of the Gospell not in word but in power The voice of Christ hath a marvellous power over him above all things in the world which appeares by the effects of it For he feeles in hearing the word first such an estimation of it as he acknowledgeth nothing like it for power and wisdome 1. Cor. 1.23 24. Secondly he finds at sometimes especially such an assurance of the truth of his religion and the doctrine hee heareth that he is fully established and â—â—eed from his naturall uncertainties about the true religion Thirdly the Word worketh in him spirituall senses and very life from the dead which hee feeles in all parts of his conversation making conscience of his waies in all things bewailing his frailties and striving to be such as God would have him to be Fourthly it makes him to separate himselfe from the world avoiding all needlesse society with the wicked and exciting in him constant desires to use the world as if he used it not Fiftly much spirituall joy before the Lord even then when in respect of outward things he is in much affliction The most of these effects are noted 1. Thes. 1.4 5. 3 By the Image of the vertues of Christ in his heart by new gifts in some measure for when God calls a man he reveales his Sonne in him Gal. 1.15 16. There is begotten in him a likenesse of Christ his very disposition is changed into the similitude of the vertues of Christ God gives him a new heart with the Image of Christ stamped upon it and hee is like Christ in respect of lowlinesse of minde and meeknesse and contempt of the world and love of God and the godly mercy wisdome patience love of his very enemies and desire to live without offence and praying to God as to his father Quest. But if Christians may know their calling what should be the reason that so many Christians are so unsetled and are not assured of their calling Ans. Distinguish of Christians some are Christians in name and outward profession but not in deed beeing not at all converted though they have the meanes of conversion and this is the estate of the most men and women in all places Now some are indeede converted but are weake Christians as it were infants that lye but in the cradle of religion Now for the first sort the answer is easie They know not their calling because they are not called yea they are so far from knowing it that they generally are offended at it that we should teach that any body can know his owne calling certainly Carnall Christians then know it not because they have it not and in particular the causes why these Christians attaine not assurance is because they rest upon common hope of mercy in God which house is but like the house of a Spider and will give up the ghost when the evill day commeth upon them And besides they live in knowne sinnes which they love and preferre before all things can bee offered to them by the Gospell Now it is impossible to have true assurance and to lye at the same time in knowne grosse sinnes without repentance And further many Christians by their wilfull unteachablenesse and incurablenesse in sinning doe so provoke God that all meanes notwithstanding yet those things that concerne their peace are hidden from their eies Luk. 19.42 Now for the weake Christian the causes of his want of assurance are such as these Sometimes ill opinions about assurance either that it may not be had contrary to the charge given 2. Pet. 1.10 or if it be had it will not bee profitable contrary to the reasons given before Sometimes it is their ignorance they are so unexpert in the Scriptures that not discerning the frame of godlinesse in generall they can never tell when they fully know this or any other doctrine in particular And this let is the stronger when they smother their doubts and will not aske the way or seek resolution in things they understand not especially in cases of their owne consciences In some Christians this want of assurance ariseth from meare slothfulnesse though they bee often called upon and convinced yet they returne to their former carelesnesse and will not bee at the paines to use the directions given them for the setling of their hearts In some Christians it is a violent pronenesse in their natures to take offence at such infirmities or mistakings as they observe in such as have professed religion before them yea sometimes they take offence at the liberty of those that are truly godly though they abuse not their libertie And this offence is sometimes so deadly that they give way to the projects of renouncing of all religion because they have observed such things in those that professe religion As in the primitive church many Christians took grievous offence at other Christians for the use of their liberty in things indifferent so as the Apostle was affraid they would fall away and perish in their scandalls Lastly some Christians are not setled because when the evill day comes upon them they cast away their confidence and strive to thinke that because God afflicteth them therefore they are not his being for the
not be satisfied with silver Man walketh in a vaine shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vain Eccles 1.9 5.10 Psal. 39. A shadow is something in apparance but nothing in substance if a man would seeke to claspe it or receive it to himselfe 5 All these things are transitory and uncertaine and mutable which may be considered of three waies First if thou love these things thou art not sure thou canst keepe them they may be lost suddenly and fearefully for either they may wear out of themselves or they may be taken from thee they are liable to vanitie in themselves or to violence from others Matth. 6.19.20 1. Pet. 1.24 Secondly if thou be sure to enjoy them yet they will be suddenly lost to thee because thou canst not make thy heart to take delight in the same things still for not onely the world passeth away but the lusts therof also 1. Iob. 2.15 Eccles. 6.1 7. 9.3 Thirdly if neither of these befall thee yet thou art mortall thou must be taken from them and thy life is short like a dreame and passeth away like the winde and thou art but a stranger and pilgrime here and thou must carry nothing out of the world but in all points as thou camest into the world so must thou goe hence Psal. 90. Iob 7.7 Eccles. 5.13 14 15. All flesh is grasse Esay 40.6 6 That a man may receive much hurt from them they may steale away our hearts from God The amitie of the world is the enmity with God Iam. 4. They are like pitch to defile there is a snare and temptation in all of them they fill mens hearts with foolish noysome lusts and a man may damne his soule for too much loving of them 1. Tim. 6.9 Phi. 3 18. and they may serve to witnesse against a man at the day of judgment Iam. 5.1 Lastly consider that there is no comparison betweene the commodities of this life and the commodities of the life to come There are rivers of pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. ult There are Crownes of honour and glorie such as will neither be held with envie nor lost with infamie there shall men possesse enduring substance Heb. 11. treasures not liable either to vanity or violence Matth. 6.20 an inheritance immortall and undefiled and that withereth not and lieth in heaven 1. Pet. 1.3.4 Thus of the second doctrine A third Doctrine may be gathered out of these words and that is That in some cases there is a permission of the love of life In that he gives rules to such as will love life it imports that God is contented to suffer or tolerate that humour in men Now this toleration may be considered of as it is granted to some men or as it extends in some sort to all sorts of men Some men that are in high place and have publike imployments and are about some speciall service for the glory of God and good of the Church or Common-wealth in these men the desire to live longer in it selfe is not sinfull This was the case of David and Hezekiah Now further unto all sorts of men the Lord doth allow a certaine kinde of liking of life so as they observe such cautions and rules as he appoints as namely that the cares of this life hinder not the preparation for death or the provision for a better life and withall that they limit not God for the time of life but be willing to dye when God calls for their lives Now for a conclusion to this point I would advise those that have such a minde to live here to looke to certaine rules which will prevaile with God to grant them long life if any thing will prevaile as first they must bee exhorted to take heed of overmuch desire of life they must moderate their desires after life If they could once attaine to it to bee content to die when God will it may bee they should finde life prolonged according to that of our Saviour Hee that will lose his life shall finde it Secondly such as have parents in nature or religion must be verie carefull to give them due honour for to such God hath promised long life in the fift Commandement Thirdly godlinesse hath the promises of this present life as well as of the life to come and therefore ever the more godly we are in all manner of conversation the longer wee may be likely to live and contrariwise a prophane man hath no assurance to live out halfe his daies Thus of the first forme of speech The second forme of speech by which the persons hee adviseth are described are such as will see good daies And see good daies Before I come to the observations here is worke of large enquiry and consideration about the sense for these words import That in the life of man there be some good daies and some evill daies Physitians tell us in their profession of some daies in the yeare that bee good daies and some that be evill daies for their directions and superstitious and idle people in the world tell us that there are some good daies to beginne businesses in and some evill It seemes here the Prophet David in Theologicall contemplation findes that in the life of man some daies be good and some bee evill This would be enquired into And that wee may finde out which bee good daies wee must first enquire which be evill daies and that by Scripture account And that wee may distinctly understand this wee must enquire which be evill daies 1 For wicked men 2 For godly men The daies of wicked men must bee considered more generally or more specially generally all the daies of the wicked are evill both because hee is a transgressour every day and because the curse of God is upon him all his daies even then when hee lives longest and enjoyes most prosperous times Esay 65.20 Every day the wrath of God hangeth over his head and every day God judgeth him Psal. 7. either in soule or body or name or estate either by withholding his blessings or by mingling the curse with the good things hee enjoyeth Psal. 78.33 as the Israelites under censure of death from God More specially the daies of the wicked man are evill eiin this life or after this life In this life his daies are evill in two speciall senses either in respect of the shortning of them or in respect of the afflicting of them It is a speciall evill to some wicked men that their daies on earth are shortned Some men live not out halfe their daies and dye in the middest of their daies Psal. 55.24 Ier. 17.11 and so it is a curse that his daies are few Psal. 109.8 Eccles. 8.13 Againe the daies of wicked men are said to bee evill in respect of some speciall judgements of God to bee powred out upon them for their sinnes These daies are called the daies of Gods wrath and anger and daies of Gods visitation Isa. 10.3 the day of