equally from every Minister alike yet it must be acknowledged that there is something we know not what to call it more acceptable reception of those who at first were the means of bringing men to God then others like the opinion some have of Physitians whom they love The Apostle comforts these strangers of this dispersion by the spiritual union which they obtained by Effectual calling and so calls off their eyes from their outward dispersed and dispised condition to look above that as high as the spring of their happiness the free love and Election of God Scattered in the Countries and yet gathered in Gods Election chosen or pickt out Stangers to men amongst whom they dwelt but known and foreknown to God removed from their own Country to which men have naturally an unalterable affection but made heirs of a better as followes verse 3.4 And having within them the evidence both of Eternal Election and that expected salvaâ—ion the Spirit of holiness verse 2. At the best a Christian is bâ—t a Stranger here set him where you will as our Apostle teacheth after and 't is his priviledge that he is so and when he thinks not so he forgets and disparages himself and descends far below his quallity when he is much taken with any thing in this place of his Exile But this is the wisdom of a Christian when he can solace himself against the meaness and any kind of discomfort of his outward condition with the comfortable assurance of the love of God that he hath called him to holiness given him some measure of it and an endeavour after more and by this may he conclude that he hath ordained him unto salvation if either he is a Stranger where he lives or as a stranger deserted of his friends and very near stript of all outward comforts yet may he rejoyce in this that the Eternal unchangable Love of God that is from Everlasting to Everlasting is sealed to his soul O what will it avail a man to be compassed about with the favour of the world to sit unmolested in his own home and possessions and to have them very great and pleasant well moneyed and landed and befriended and yet estranged and sever'd from God not having any token of his special Love To the Elect The Apostle here denominates all the Christians to whom he writes by the condition of true Believers calling them Elect and sanctified c. And the Apostle St. Paul writes in the same stile in his Epistles to the Churches not that all in these Churches were such indeed but because they professed to be such and by that their profession and Calling as Christians they were obliged to be such and as many of them as were in any measure true to that their Calling and profession were really such Besides it would seem not unworthy of Consideration that in all probability there would be fewer false Christians and the number of true believers usually greater in the Churches in those Primitive times then now in the best reformed Churches because there could not then be many of them that were from their Infancy bred in the Christian Faith but for the greatest part were such as being of years of discretion were by the hearing of the Gospel converted from Paganisme and Iuduisme to the Christian Religion first and made a deliberate choise of it to which there were at that time no great outward Encouragements and therefore the lesse danger of multitudes of hypocrites which as Vermine in Summer breed most in the time of the Churches Prosperity Tho no Nation or Kingdom had then universally received the faith but rather hated and persecuted it yet were there even then amongst them as the writings of the Apostles testifie false Brethren and inordinate walkers and men of corrupt minds earthly minded and led with a spirit of envy and contention and vainglory Howsoever the question that is moved concerning the necessary qualifications of all the members of a true visible Church can no way as I conceive be decided from the Inscriptions of the Epistle but eertainly they are useful to teach Christians and Christian Churches what they ought to be and what their holy profession requires of them and sharply to reprove the gross unlikeness and inconformity that is in the most part of man to the description of Christians As there be some that are too strait in their Judgement concerning the being and nature of the visible Church so certainly the greatest part of Churches are too loose in their practice From the dissimilitude betwixt our Churches and those we may make this use of reproof That if aâ— Apostolical Epistle were to be directed to us it behoved to be Inscribed to the Ignorant prophane maliâ—ious c. As he who at the hearing of the Gospel read said Either this is not the Gospel or we are not Christians So either these Charâ—cters given in the Inscription of these Epistles are not true Characters or we are not true Christians Verse 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience and sprinckling of the blood of Iesus Christ. IN this verse we have their Condition and Causes of it Their Condition Sanctified and Iustified the former expressed by Obedience the latter by sprinkling of the blood of Christ. The Causes 1 Eternal Election 2. The Execution of that Decree Their Effectual Calling which I conceive is meant by Election here the selecting them out of the World and joyning them to the fellowship of the Children of God so Ioh. 15.19 The former Election particularly ascribed to God the Father the latter to the Holy Spirit And the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God is here the cause of their Justification and so the whole Trinity concurring dignifie them with this their Spiritual and happy estate First I shall discourse of these seperately and then of their Connection 1. Of the state it selfe and first of Iustification tho named last This sprinkling has respect to the Rite of the Legal Purification by the sprinkling of Blood and that appositely for these Rites of sprinkling and Blood did all point out this Blood and this Sprinkling and exhibited this true ransome of souls which was only shadowed by them As the use and end of Sprinkling was Purification and Expiation because sin merited death and that the pollutions and staines of human nature was by sin Such is the pollution that it can be no manner of way washt off but by Blood Heb. 9. â—2 Neither is there any Blood able to purge from sin except the most precious Blood of Jesus Christ which is called the blood of God Act. 20.28 That the stain of sin can only be washt off by Blood inâ—imates that it merits Death And that no Blood but that of the Son of God can do it intimates that this stain merits Eternal Death and it had been our portion except the death of the Eternal Lord of life had freed
of the World So long as we neglect our noblest trade of growing Rich in Grace and the comfortable enjoyment of the Love of God Our Saviour tells us of one thing needful Importing that all other things are comparatively Unnecessary By-works and meer Impertinences and yet in these we lavish out our short uncertain time we let the other stand by till we find leasure Men who are altogether prophane think not on it at all some others possibly deceive themselves thus and say When I have done with such a business in which I am engaged then I will sit down seriously to this and bestow more Time and pains on these things that are undeniably Greater and Better and more worthy of it but this is a slight that is in danger to undo us what if we attain not to the end of that business but end our selves before it or if we do not yet some other business may step in after that Oh then say we that must be dispatch'd also thus by such delayes we may loose the present opportunity and in the end our own souls Oh be perswaded it deserves your dilligence and that without delay to seek somewhat that may be constant enough to abide with you and strong enough to uphold you in all Conditions and that is alone this free Grace and Love of God While many say Who will shew us any good set you in with David in his choise Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon me and this shall rejoyce my heart more then the abundance of Corn and Wine This is that Light that can break into the darkest dungeons from which all other Lights and Comforts are shut out and without this all other enjoyâ—ents are what the world would be without the Sun nothing but darkness Happy they who have this light of Divine favour and Grace shining into their souls for by it they shall be led to that City where the Sun and Moon are needless for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Rev. 21.23 Godliness is profitable for all things saith the Apostle having the Promises of this life and that which is to come all other blessings are the attendants of Grace and follow upon it This blessing that the Apostle here and so St. Paul in his Epistles joynes with Grace was with the Jewes of so large a sense as to Comprehend all that they could desire when they wish'd Peace they meant all kind of good all welfare and prosperity And thus we may take it here for all kind of Peace yea and for all other blessings but especially that spiritual Peace which is the proper fruit of Grace and doth so intrinsecally flow from it We may and ought to wish to the Church of God outward blessiings and particularly outward Peace as one of the greatest so one of the most valluable favours of God thus prayed the Psalmist Psal. 122.7 Peace be within thy walls and Prosperity within thy Palaces But that wisdom that doth what he will by what means he will and works one contrary out of another brings Light out of Darkness Good out of Evil Can and doth turn Tears and Troubles to the advantage of his Church but certainly in it self Peace is more suitable to its increase and if noâ— abus'd proves so too As in the Apostolick Times it s said The Church had Peace and Increased exceedingly Act. 9.31 We ought also to wish for Ecclesiastical Peace to the Church that she may be free from Dissensions and Divisions These readily arise more or less as we see in all times and haunt Religion and the Reformation of it as a malus genius S. Paul had this to say to his Corinthians though he had given them this testimony that they were enriched in all Utterance and Knowledge and were wanting in no guift Cap. 1. v. 5. Yet presently after v. 13 I hear that there are Divisions and Contentions among you The Enemy had done this as our Saviour speaks and this Enemy is no fool for by divine permission he works to his own end very wisely for there is not one thing that doth on all hands choak the seed of Religion so much as Thorny debates and differences about it selfe So in succeeding Ages and at the breaking forth of the Light in Germany in Luther's time Multitudes of Sects arose Profane men do not only stumble but fall and break their necks upon these Divisions We see think they and some of them possibly say it ouâ— that they who mind Religion most cannot agree upon 't Our easiest way is not to Embroyl our selves nor at all to be troubled with the business Many are of Gallio's temper they will care for none of those things Thus these Offences prove a mischief to the prophane World as our Saviour sayes Wo to the World because of Offences Then the erring side that is taken with new opinions and fancies are altogether taken up with them their main thoughts spent upon them and thus the sap is drawn from that which should nourish and prosper in their hearts sanctified useful knowledge and saving grace The other are as weeds that divert the nourishment in Gardens from the Plants and Flowers and certainly these weeds viz. Mens own conceits cannot but grow more with them when they give way to them then solid Religion doth for their hearts as he said of the earth are Mother to those and but Step-mother to this It is also a Loss even to those that oppose Errors and Divisions that they are forced to be busied that way for the wisest and Godliest of them find and such are sensible of it that disputes in Religion are no friends to that which is far sweeter in it but hinders and abates it viz. these pious and devout thoughts that are both the more useful and truly delightful As Peace is a choice blessing so this is the choisest Peace and is the peculiar inseparable Effect of this Grace with which it is here joyntly wish'd Grace and Peace The flower of Peace growing upon the Root of Grace This spiritual Peace hath two things in it 1 Reconciliation with God 2 Tranquillity of Spirit The quarrel and matter of enmity you know betwixt God and Man is the Rebellion the sin of Man and he being naturally altogether sinful there can proceed nothing from him but what foments and increases the Hostility 'T is Grace alone the most free Grace of God that contrives and Offers and makes the Peace else it had never been We had universally perish'd without it Now in this is the wonder of Divine Grace that the Almighty God seeks agreement and entreats for it with sinful clay which he could wholly destroy in a moment Jesus Christ the Mediator and Purchaser of this Peace bought it with his Blood kill'd the enmity by his own Death Eph. 2.15 And therefore the Tenor of it in the Gospel runs still in his name Rom. 5.1 we have Peace with God
and set with Princes As there is Joy from Faith so also from Love Though 't is in it self the most sweet and delightfull passion of the Soul yet as we foolishly misplace it it prove often full of bitterness but being set upon Jesus Christ the only right and worthy Object it Causeth this unspeakable Delight and Rejoycing 1. T is matter of joy to have bestowed our Love so worthily and though our Saviour seems to withdraw himselfe and sometimes sadden the soul that loves him with absences in regard of sense yet even in those sad times the soul delights to Love him and there is a pleasure in the very pains it hath in seeking after him And this it knowes that his mercies are Everlasting and that he cannot be long unkind but will return and speak comfortably unto it 2. Our Love to Christ gives us assurance of His to us so that we have not only chosen worthily but shall not be frustrate and dissapointed and it assures us of his not as following but preceeding and Causing ours for our Love to Jesus Christ is no other but the reflex of his on us Wine maketh glad the heart but thy love is better then wine saith the Spouse And having this perswasion that he hath loved us and wash'd us in his blood and forgets us not in our conflicts that though he himself is in his Glory yet that he interceed's for us there and will bring us thither what condition can befal us so hard but we may Rejoyce in it And in them so far as we are sure to arrive at that full Salvation and fruition of him who hath purchas'd it Then there is the third Cause of our Rejoyceing viz. our Hope Now Hope is our anchor pitch'd within the vail that stayes us against all the stormes that beat upon us in this troublesome Sea that we are tossed upon The Soul that strongly Believes and Loves may confidently Hope to see what it believeth and Enjoy what it loves and in that rejoyce It may say whatsoever hazards whether ontward or inward whatsoever Afflictions and Temptations I endure yet this one thing puts me out of hazard and in that I will Rejoyce the salvation of my Soul depends not upon my own strength but is in my Saviours hand my life is hid with Christ in God and when he who is my Life shall appear I likewise shall appear with him in Glory The Childish world is hunting shadows and gaping and hoping after they know not what but the Believer can say I know whom I have trusted and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day Now we have not only right to those things but withal there must be frequent Consideration of them to work Joy The Soul must often view them and so Rejoyce My meditation of him shall be sweet saith David I will be glad in the Lord Psal. 104. And the Godly failing in thiâ— deprive themselves much of that Joy they might have and they that are most in these sublime thoughts have the highest and truest Joy The Excellency of this Joy the Apostle here expresseth by these two words Vnspeakable and full of glory That 't is Vnspeakable no wonder seeing the matter of iâ— is Inconceivable it is an Infinite Good God reconciled in Jesus Christ and testifying and sealing his Love unto the soul and giving assured hope of that blessed Vision of Eternity what more unspeakable than this And for the same Reason 't is Glorious or glorified joy having the highest and most glorious Object for it derives all its Excellency from thence Vnspeakable The best worldly Joyes are easily speakable they may be express'd to the uâ—most yea usually more is spoke of them then they are indeed Their name is beyond their worth they are very seldom found upon experience equal to the opinion and expectation that men have of them But this spiritual Joy is above the report any can make of it say what they can of it who are of happiest Expression yet when a Man comes to know it in his own breast he will say as that Queen said of Salomons wisdom the half was not told me of it Again earthly Joyes are Inglorious Many of which Men are asham'd of and those that seem most plausible yet are below the Excellency of the Soul and cannot fill it but the Joyes that arise from Union with Christ as they are most avowable a Man needs not blush to own them so they are truly contenting and satisfying and that 's their Glory and the Cause why we may glory in them My soul shall make her boast in God sayes David For Application of all this If these things were believed we would hearken no more to the foolish prejudice that the World hath taken up against Religion and wherewith Satan endeavours to possess mens hearts that they may be scarr'd from the wayes of Holiness 't is that they think it a Sour Melanel oly life that hath nothing but Sadness and Mourning in it but to remove this prejudice Consider 1. Religion barres not the lawful delights that are taken in natural things but teaches the moderate and regular use of them which is far the sweeter for things lawful in themselves are in their excess sinful and so prove Bitterness in the end and if in some cases it require the forsaking of lawful Enjoyments as of pleasure or Profits or Honour for God and for his Glory this is Generous and truly more delightful to deny them for this reason then to enjoy them Men have done much this way for the Love of their Country and by a Principle of Moral Vertue but to lose any delight or to suffer any hardship for that highest End the glory of God and by the strength of love to him is far more Excellent and truly Pleasant 2. The delights and pleasures of sin Religion indeed banishes but 't is to change them for this Joy that is unspeakably beyond them it calls men from sordid and base delights to those that are pure delights indeed it calls to Men drink ye no longer of the pudle here are the Crystal streams of a living fountain There is a delight in the very despising impure delights as he said how pleasant is it to want these pleasures But for such a change to have in their stead such delights as in comparison the other deserve not that name To have such spiritual joy as shall end in Eternal Joy 't is a wonder we hasten not all to chuse this joy but 't is indeed because we believe it not 3. 'T is true the Godly are subject to great Distresses and Afflictions but their Joy is not extinguished by those no nor diminished either but often sensibly increasâ—d When they have least of the Worlds joy they abound most in Spiritual Consolations and then Relish them best They find them sweetest when their taste is not depraved with Earthly enjoyments We rejoyce in
he forget who he is and by what means he attain'd to be what he is therefore the Apostle persuading his Brethren no holiness puts them in mind of this as the strongest incentive not onely have you the Example of God set before you as your father to beget in you the love of holiness being your liveliest resemblance of him and the justice of God as your Judge to argue you into a pious fear of offending him but Consider this that he is your Redeemer he hath bought out your liberty from sin and the world to be altogether his and think on the price laid down in this Ransome and these out of question will prevaile with you We have here The evil dissuaded from viz. A vain Conversation 2. the dissuasion it self 1. 't is called Their vain Conversation 2. Receiv'd by tradition from their fathers By this I conceive is not onely understood the superstitions and vain devices in Religion that abounded amongst the Jews by tradition of which our Saviour often reproved them while he was conversant amongst them as we find in the Gospel and all this was mean't Verse 14. by the Lusts of their former ignorance but generally all the corrupt and sinfull customes of their lives for it seems not so pertinent to his purpose exhorting to Holiness of life to speak of their superstitious Traditions as their other sinfull habitudes which are no less hereditary and by the power of Example traditionall which by reason of their common Root in Mans sinfull nature do so easily pass from parents to Children Nature making their Example powerfull and the Corruption of Nature giving iâ— most power in that which is Evill And this is the rather mention'd to take away the force of it and cut of that influence which it might have had into their mindes there is a kind of Conversation that the authority of your fathers pleads for but Remember that it is that very thing from which you are delivered and called to a new estate and form of life and have a new patterne set before you instead of that corrupt Example 'T is one great Errour not onely in Religion and manners but even in humane science that Men are ready to take things upon trust unexamin'd from these that went before them partly out of easiness and sparing the paines of triall partly out of a superstitious overesteem of their Authority but the chief Reason why corruptions in Religion and practice of preceeding ages take so much with posterity is that before mention'd the universal sympathy and agreement that those evils have with the corrupt Nature of Man The Prophet Ezekiel observes this particularly in the Jewes Chap. 20. Verse 24. That their eyes were after their Fathers Idols Contrary to Gods express forewarning Verse 18. This was the great quarrel of the Heathens against the Christian Religion in the Primitive times that it was new and unknown to their Fathers and the ancient Writers of those times are frequent in shewing the vanity of this exception particularly Lactantius Instit. lib. 2. cap. 7 8. The same prejudice doth the Church of Rome sing over continually against the Reform'd Religion where was it before Luther c. But this is a foolish and reasonless diversion from the search of Truth because Errour is more at hand or from the entertaining it being found because falshood is in possession As in Religion so in the course and practise of Mens lives the stream of sin runs from one age into another and every age makes it greater adding somewhat to what it receives as Rivers grow in their course by the accession of Brookes that fall into them and every Man when he is born falls like a drop into this main current of Corruption and so is carried with it down and this by reason of its strength and his own nature which willingly dissolves into it and runs along with it In thiâ— is manifest the power of Divine Grace in a Mans Conversion that it severs him so powerfully from the prophane World and gives him strength to run contrary to the great current of wickedness that is round about him in his Parents possibly and in his Kindred and Friends and in the most of Men that he meets withal The voice of God that powerful word of Effectual calling that he speaks in to the heart makes a Man break through all and leave all to â—ollow God as Abraham did being called out from his kindred and Fathers house to journey towards the Land that God had promis'd him And this is that which is spoke to the Church and to each believing soul by the spirit of God Forget also thine own People and thy Fathers house so shall the King greatly delight in thy beauty regard not what others think though thy nearest friends but study only to please him and then thou shalt please him indeed do not deform thy face with looking out a squint to the custom of the World but look straight forward on him and so thou shalt be beautiful in his eyes When God calls a Man in a remarkable manner his prophane Friends are all in a tumult what needs this to be more precise then we and all your Neighbours But all this is a confused noise that works nothing on the heart that the Lord hath touched it must follow him though by trampling upon friends and kindred if they lye in the way we see how powerfully a word from Christ drew his Disciples to leave all and follow him The Exhortation is against all sinful and unholy conversation by what Authority and Example soever recommended to us the Apostles Reasons in those words are strong and pressing there is one express'd in the very Name he gives it 't is vain Conversation The mind of Man the Guide and source of his actions while it is Estranged from God is nothing but a forge of vanities the Apostle St. Paul speaks this of the Gentiles that they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned Rom. 1.21 Their great Naturalists and Philosophers not excepted and the more they strove to play the wise men the more they befool'd themselves thus likewise Eph. 4.17 and thus the Lord complains by his Prophet of the extream folly of his People Isay. 44.20 and by Ieremy that their bearâ—s are lodges of vain thoughts and these are the true cause of a vain Conversation The whole course of a Mans life out of Christ is nothing but a continual trading in Vanity running a Circle of toyle and labour and reaping no profit at all This is the vanity of every natural Mans Conversation that not only others are not benefited by it but it is fruitless to himself there arises to him no solid good out of it That is most truly vain that attains not its proper end Now all a Mans endeavours aiming at his satisfaction and Contentment that Conversation that gives him nothing of that but removes him further from it is justly called
gave beginning to the world and to time with it made all to set forth his goodness and the most excellent of his Creatures to contemplate and enjoy it But amongst all the works that he intended before time and in time effected this is the master piece that is here said to be forâ—ordained the manifesting of God in the flesh for mans Redemption and that by his son Jesus Chirst as the first born amonst many brethren That those appointed for salvation should be rescued from the common misery and be made one mysticall body whereof Christ is the head and so entitled to that Everlasting glory and happiness that he hath purchas'd for them This I say is the great work wherein all those glorious attributes shine joyntly the Wisdom and Power and Goodness and Justice and Mercy of God as in great Maps or Pictures you will see the border decor'd with Meadows and fountains and flowers c. Represented in it but in the middle you have the main designe thus is this fore-ordained Redemption amongst the works of God all his other works in the world all the beauty of the Creatures and the succession of Ages and things that come to pass in them are but as the border to this as the main piece But as a foolish unskillfull beholder not discerning the excellency of the principall piece in such Maps or Pictures gazes onely on the fair border and goes no futher thus do the greatest part of us our eyes are taken with the goodly show of the world and appearnce of earthly things but this great work of God Christ foreordained in time sent for our Redemption though it most deserves our attentive regard yet we do not view and consider it as we ought Was manifested in those last times for you This is the performance of that purpose he was manifested both by his Incarnation according to that word of the Apostle St. Paul Manifested in the flesh c. manifested by his marvellous Works and Doctrine and by his Sufferings and Death and Resurrection and Ascension by the sending down of the Holy Ghost according to his promise and by the preaching of the Gospel in the fulness of time that God had appointed wherein all the prophecies that foretold his comeing and all the Types and Ceremonies that prefigur'd him had their accomplishment The times of the Gospell are called the last times often by the Prophets for that the Jewish Priesthood and Ceremonies being abolished that which succeeded was appointed by God to remain the same to the End of the world besides this the time of our Saviours Incarnation may be called the last tiemes because although it were not near the End of time by many ages yet in all probability it is much nearer the end of time then the beginning of it some resemble the time of his sufferings in the end of the world to the paschal Lamb in the Evening It was doubtless the 〈◊〉 time but not withstanding the Schoolmen offer at reasons to prove the fitness of it as their humour is to prove all things None dare I think conclude but if God had so appointed it might have been either sooner or later and our safest is to rest in that that it was the fit time because so it pleased him and to seek no other Reason why having promis'd the Messiah so quickly after Man's fall he deferr'd his coming about Four Thousand years and a great part of that time shut up the knowledge of himself and the true Religion within the narrow compass of that one nation of which Christ was to be born Of these and such like things we can give no other reason but that which he teacheth us in a like case even so Father because it seemeth good unto thee For you The Apostle represents these things to those he writes to particularly for their use therefore he applies it to them but without prejudice of the Believers that went before or of those that were to follow in after ages He that is here said to be foreappointed before the foundation of the world is therefore called a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world And as the vertue of his death looks backward to all preceeding ages whose Faith and Sacrifices look'd forward to it so the same death is of force and perpetuall value to the End of the world after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever says the Apostle to the Hebâ— He sate down on the right hand of God for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified The Crosse on which he was extended points in the length of it to Heaven and Earth reconciling them together and in the breadth of it to former and following ages as being equally salvation to both If this appropriating and peculiar interest in Jesus Christ is not happiness without which it availes not that he was ordained from Eternity and in Time manifested 't is not the Generall contemplation but the peculiar possession of Christ that gives both solid Comfort and strong persuasion to Obedience and Holyness which is here the Apostle's particular scâ—â—e Verse 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your Faith and hope might be in God NOW because 't is Faith that gives the soul this particular title to Jesus Christ the Apostle addes that to declare who he meant by You sayes he who by him do believe in God c. Where we have 1. The compleat Object of Faith 2. The Ground or Warrant of it The object God in Christ. The Ground or warrant In that he raised him up from the dead and gave him glory A Man may have living out of Christ yea he must he cannot chuse but have a conviction within him that there is a God and further he may have even out of Christ some kind of belief of those things that are spoken concerning God but to repose on God as his God and his Salvation which is indeed to believe in him this cannot be but where Christ is the mids through which we look upon God for so long as we look upon God through our own Guiltiness we can see nothing but his wrath and apprehend him as an armed enemy and be so far off from resting on him as our happiness that the more we view it it puts us upon the more speed to fly from him and to cry out Who can dwell with Everlasting burnings and abide with a consuming fire But our Saviour taking sin out of the way put himself betwixt our sins and God and so makes a wonderfull change of our apprehension of him When you look through a red glass the whole Heavens seem bloody But through pure uncoâ—our'd glass you receive the clear light that is so refreshing and comfortable to behold When Sin unpardoned is betwixt and we look on God through that we can perceive nothing but Anger and Enmity in his Countenance But
unvail'd and appear what they are indeed before Men and Angels 't is a poor thing to be approved and applauded by Men while God condemns to whose sentence all men must stand or fall Oh seek to be approved and justified by him and then who shall condemn 'T is no matter who do How easily may we bear the mistakes and dislikes of all the world if he declare himself well-pleas'd with us It is a small thing for me to be judged of Man or mans day he that judgeth me is the Lord. Saith the Apostle But these evils are here particularly to be put off as contrary to the right and profitable receiving of the word of God for this part of the exhortation Laying aside Desire look's to that which follows and is specially so to be considered There is this double task in Religion When a Man enters to it he is not only to be taught true wisdom but he is withall yea first of all to be untaught the Errours and wickedness that are deep rooted in his mind which he hath not only learn'd by the corrupt conversation of the world but brought the seeds of them into the world with him and they improve and grow indeed by the favour of that example that is round about a Man But they are orginally in our nature as it is now they are connaturall to us besides continuall custome which is another nature There is none comes to the School of Christ suiting the Philosopher's word ut taâ—ula rasa as blank paper to receive his doctrine but on the contrary all scribl'd and blurr'd with such base habits as these malice hypocrisie envy c. Therefore the first work is to raze out these to cleanse and purifie the heart from these blotts those foul characters that it may receive the impression of the image of God And because it is the word of God that both begins and followes forth this work draws the lineaments of that divine Image on the soul therefore to the receiving this word aright and this proper effect by it the conforming of the soul to Jesus Christ which is the true growth of the spirituall life this is prerequir'd that the hearts of them that hear it be purged of these such and like impurities malice hypocrisie c. These are so opposite to the profitable receiving of the word of God that while they possess and rule the soul it cannot at all embrace those divine truths While it is fill'd with such guests there is no room to entertain the word They cannot dwell together by reason of their contrary nature the word will not mixe with thâ—se the saving mixture of the word of God in the soul is that the Apostle speaks of and gives the want of it as the cause of unprofitable hearing the word Heb. 4.2 the mixing of it with saith For by that the word is concocted into the nourishment of the life of grace united to the soul and mix'd with it by being mix'd with faith as the Apostle's expression imports That 's the proper mixture it requires but with these qualities here mention'd it will not mix There is a naturall antipathy betwixt them as strong as in those things in nature that cannot be brought by any means to agree and mingle together Can there be any thing more contrary than the good word of God as the Apostle calls it and those evil speakings Than the word that is of such excellent sweetness and the bitter words of a malignant tongue Than the word of life and words full of deadly poyson For so slanders and diffamings of our brethren are And is not all malice and envy most opposite to the word that is the message of peace and Love how can the gall of malice and this milk of the word agree Hypâ—crisie and guile stand in direct opposition to the name of this word that is called the word of truth and here the very words shew this contrariety sincere milk and a double unsincere mind These two are necessary conditions of good nourishment 1. That the â—ood be good and wholesome 2. That the inward constitution of them that use it be so too And if this fail the other profit's not This sincere milk is the only proper nourishment of spiritual Life and there is no defect nor undue quality in it but the greatest part of hearers are inwardly unwholesom diseas'd with the evils here mention'd and others of the like nature and therefore either have no kind of appetite to the word at all but rather feed upon such trash as suite with their distemper as some kind of diseases incline those that have them to eat Coales or Lime c. Or if they be any wayes desirous to hear the Word and seem to feed on it yet the noxious humours that abound in them make it alltogether unprofitable and they are not nourish'd by it as this evill of malice and envying so ordinary among Men and which is most strange amongst Christians as an overflowing of the Gaul possesses their whole minds and not only they are not nourish'd by the word they hear but are the worse by it their disease is fed by it as an unwholsom stomach turns the best meat it receives into that bad humour that abounds in it Do not they thus that observe what the Word sayes that they may be the better inabled to discover the failings of others and speak malitiously and uncharitablely of them and vent themselves as is too common This word met well with such a one's Fault and this with anothers Is not this to feed these diseases of Malice Envy and evill-speakings with this pure milk and make them grow in stead of growing by it our selves in grace and holiness Thus likewise the hypocrite turnes all that he hears of this word not to the inward renovation of his mind and redressing what 's amisse there But only to the composing of his outward carriage and to inable himself to act his part better to be cunninger in his own faculty a more refin'd and expert hypocrite not to grow more a Christian in deed but more in appearance only and in the opinion of others Therefore it is a very needfull advertisment seeing these evils are so natural to Men and so contrary to the nature of the word of God that they be purg'd out to the end it may be profitably receiv'd A very like exhortation to this hath the Apostle S. Iames and some of the same words but in another Methapor Iam. 1.21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word He compares the word to a plant of excellent vertue the very tree of life the word that is able to save your souls but the only soyle wherein it will grow is a heart full of meekness a heart that is purg'd of those Luxuriant weeds that grow so rank in it by nature they pluck up and throw them out to make place for this
others of such vertue that a touch of him is the only cure of Spiritual diseases Men tell of strange vertues of some stones but it is certain that this precious stone hath not only vertue to heal the Sick but even to raise the dead Dead bodies he raised in the dayes of his abode on earth and dead Souls he still doth raise by the power of his word The Prophet Malachy calls him the sun of righteousness which hath in it the rareness and excellency we speak of he is singular as there is but one Sun in the world so but one Saviour and his lustre such a stone as outshines the Sun in its fullest brightness and then for his usefull vertue he addes that he hath healing under his wings this his worth is unspeakable and remains infinitely beyond all these resemblances 2 There is here the laying of this foundation and it s said to be laid in Sion that is it is laid in the Church of God and first laid in Sion literaly being then the seat of the Church and true Religion he was laid there in his manifestation in the flesh and suffering and dying and rising again and afterwards being preached through the world became the foundation of his Church in all places where his name was receiv'd and so was a stone growing great till it fill'd the whole earth as Daniel hath it He saith I lay by which the Lord expresseth this his own proper work as the Psalmist speaks of the same subject Psa. 118. This is the Lords doing and it is marvelous in our eyes So Isa. 9.7 Speaking of this promis'd Messiah the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this And this is not only said I lay because he had the first thought of this great work the model of it was in his mind from eternity and that the accomplishment of it was by his Almighty power in the morning of his Sons birth and his Life and death and Resurrection but to signify withal the freeness of his grace in giving his Son to be a foundation of happiness to Man without the least motion from Man or motive in Man to draw him to 't and this seem's to be signified by the unexpected inserting of these prophetical promises of the Messiah in the midst of complaints of people's wickedness and theatning them with punishment intimating that there is no connexion betwixt this work and any thing on Mans part fit to procure it although you doe thus provoke me to destroy you yet of my self I have other thoughts there 's another purpose in my head And Isi. 7. 't is observable to this purpose that that clearest promise of the virgin's son is given not only unrequir'd but being refus'd by that profane King This again that the Lord himself is the layer of this corner stone teaches us the firmness of it which is likewise expres'd in the Prophets words very emphatically by redoubling the same word Musad Musad fundamentum fundamentum So Psal. 2.6 I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion who then shall dethrone him I have given him the Heathen for his Inheritance and the ends of the earth for his possession and who will hinder him to take possession on his right if any offer to do so what shall they be but a number of earthen vessels fighting against an Iron Scepter and so certainly breaking themselves in pieces Thus here I lay this foundation stone and if I lay it who shall remove it and what I build upon it who shall be able to cast down For it is the glory of this great Master-builder that the whole Fabrick that is of his building be unruinable and for that end hath he laid an unmovable foundation and for that end are we taught and remembred of its firmness that we may have this confidence concerning the Church of God that is built upon it To the Eye of Nature the Church seems to have no foundation as Iob speaks of the earth that it is hung upon nothing and yet as the Earth remaineth firm being establish'd in its place by the word and power of God the Church is most firmly founded upon the word made flesh Jesus Christ as its chief Corner stone and as all the winds that blow cannot remove the earth out of its place neither can all the attempts of Men no nor of the gates of hell prevail against the Church it may be beat with very boysterous stormes but it cannot fall because founded upon this Rock Thus it is with the whole house and thus with every stone in it as here it followes he that believeth shall not be confounded 3. There is next the building on this foundation This is plainly to be built on Christ to believe in him But in this the most deceive themselves they hear of such priviledges and happiness in Christ and presently imagine 't is all theirs without any more ado as that Mad man of Athens that wrote up all the ships came into the haven for his own We consider not what this is to believe in him and what is the necessity of his believing that we may be partakers of the salvation that he hath wrought 'T is not they that have heard of him or that have some common knowledge of him or are able to discourse of him and speak of His Person and nature aright But they that believe in him Much of our knowledge is as the poor Philosopher or as a Geometer that can measure Land exactly in all its dimensions but possesseth not a foot who defineth riches exactly and discourseth of their nature but possesseth none and truely 't is but a lifeless unsavoury knowledge men have of Christ by all books and study till he Reveal himself and perswade the heart to believe in him Then indeed it sayes of all the reports it heard when it sees him and is made one with him I heard much yet the halfe was not told me There is in lively faith when it is infus'd into the soul a clearer knowledge of Christ and his excellency than before and withall a recumbence of the soul upon him as the foundation of its life and comfort a resolving to rest on him and not to depart from him upon any termes Though I be beset on all hands be accus'd by the law and mine own conscience and by Satan and have nothing to answer for my self yet here I will stay for I am sure in him there is salvation and no where else All other refuges are but lies as it s in the words before these in the Prophet poor base shifts that will do no good and God hath laid this Precious stone in Sion for this very purpose that weary souls may rest upon it and why should not I make use of it according to his intention he hath not forbid any how wretched soever to believe but commands it and himself works it where he will even in the vilest sinners Think it not enough that you
the exactest obedience they can reach and this is an imperfect kind of perfection 't is Evangelical but not Angelical 2. To impute the scandalous falls of some particular Persons to the whole number 'T is a very short incompetent rule to make judgement of any one Man himself by one action much more to measure all the rest of the same Profession by it and they yet proceed further in this way of misjudging 3. That they impute the personal failings of Men to their Religion and disadvantage it by the faults of those that profess it which as the Ancients plead well is the greatest injustice and such as they would not be guilty of against their own Philosophers They could well distinguish betwixt their Doctrine and the manners of some of their followers and thus ought they to have dealt with Christians too Consider their Religion in it self and the Doctrine that it teaches and if it were vitious the blame were just but if it taught nothing but Holiness and righteousness then the blame of any unholiness or unrighteousness found amongst Christians was to rest upon the Persons themselves that were guilty of it and not to be stretch'd to the whole number of Professors much less to the Relion that they profess And yet this is still the custom of the World upon the least failing they can espy in the Godly or such as seem to be so much more with open mouth upon any gross sin in any of them But seeing this is the very Character of a profane mind and the badge of the Enemies of Religion beware of sharing at all with them in it give not easy entertainment to the reports of profane or of mere civil Men against the professors of Religion they are undoubtedly partial and their testimony justly suspected Lend them not a ready ear to receive their evil speakings much less your tongue to divulge them and set them further going Yea take heed that you take not pleasure in any the least kind of scoffs against the sincerity and power of Religion And all of you that desire your selves to walk as Christians be very wary that ye wrong not one another and help not the wicked against you by your mutual misconstructions and miscensures one of another far be it from you to take pleasure in hearing others evil spoken of whether unjustly or though it be some way deservedly yet let it be alway grievous to you and no way pleasing to hear such things much less to speak of them It is the Devils delight to be pleas'd with evil speakings The Syrian calls him an Akal Kartza eater of slaunders or Calumnies They are a dish that please his pallate and Men are naturally of his Diet. In the 35. Psal. V. 6 There is a word that is rendered mockers at Feasts or feasting-mockers that feasted Mens ears at their meetings with speaking of the faults of others scoffingly and therefore shared with them of their cakes or feasts as the word is but to a renewed Christian mind that hath a new taste and all new senses there is nothing more unsavoury than to hear the defaming of others especially of such as profess Religion did the Law of Love possess our hearts it would regulate our Ear and Tongue and make them most tender of the name of our Brethren it would teach us the faculty of covering their infirmities and judging favourably taking alwayes the best side and most charitable sense of their actions and to blunt the fire-edge of our censures upon our selves our own hard hearts and rebellious wills within that they might remain no more sharp against others then is needful for their good And this would cut short those that are without from a great deal of Provisions of evil speaking against Christians that they many times are furnish'd withal by themselves through their uncharitable carriage one towards another However this being the hard measure that they alwayes find in the World it is their wisdom to consider it aright and to study that good which according to the Apostles advice may be extracted out of it and that is the second thing to be spoken to 2. Your Conversation As the Soveraign power of drawing good out of evil resides in God and argues his primitive goodness so he teacheth his own Children some faculty this way that they may resemble Him in it he teacheth them to draw sweetness out of their bitterest afflictions and increase of inward peace from their outward troubles And as these buffetings of the tongue are no small part of their sufferings so they reap no small benefit by them many wayes particularly in this one that they order their Coversation the better and walk the more exactly for it And this no doubt in Divine Providence is intended and ordered for their good and all their other trials The sharp censures and evil speakings that a Christian is incompassed withal in the World is no other but a hedge of thornes set on every side that he go not out of his way but keep straight on in it betwixt them not declining to the right hand nor to the left whereas if they found nothing but the favour and good opinion of the world they might as in a way unhedged be subject to expatiate and wander out into the Meadowes of Carnal Pleasures that are about them that would call and allure them and often amuse them from their journey And thus it might fall out that Christians would deserve censure and evil speakings the more if they did not usually suffer them undeserved This then turnes into a great advantage to them making them more answerable to those two things that our Saviour joynes to Watch and Pray to be the more vigilent over themselves and the more earnest with God for his watching over them and conducting of them Make my wayes straight sayes David because of mine enemies the word is My Observers or those that scand my wayes every foot of them that examine them as a Verse or as a Song of Musick if there be but a wrong measure in them they will not let it slip but will be sure to mark it And if they that are the Godly's enemies wait for their halting shall not they themselves scand them that they may not halt and examin them to order them as the wicked do to censure them and withal depend wholly upon the Spirit of God as their guide to lead them into all truth and to teach them how to order their Coversation aright that it may be all of one piece holy and blameless and still like it selfe Honest Fair or Beautiful the same word doth fitly signifie goodness and beauty For that that is the truest and lastingest beauty growes fresher in Old age as the Psalmist speaks of the Righteous Psal. 92. as trees planted in the house of God Could the Beauty of Vertue be seen said he it would draw all to love it A Christian holy Conversation hath such a beauty as when
hath no other purpose in his being and living but only to honour his Lord that 's to live to righteousness he doth not make a by-work of it a study for his spare houres no 't is his main busines his all In this law doth he meditate day and night This life as the other is in the heart and from thence diffuses to the whole Man he loves righteousness and receiveth the truth as the Apostle speaks in the love of it A natural Man may do many things that for their shell and outside are righteous But he lives not to righteousness because his heart is not possess'd and rul'd with the love of it but this life makes the godly Man delight to walk uprightly and to speak of righteousness his Language and wayes carry the resemblance of his heart Psa. 37. Ver. 30.31 I know 't is easiest to act that part of Religion that is in the Tongue but the Christian ought not for that to be Spiritually dumb Because some Birds are taught to speak Men do not for that give it over and leave off to speak the mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his Tongue talketh of judgement and his feet strive to keep pace with his Tongue which gives evidence of its unfainedness None of his steps shall slide or he shall not stagger in his steps but that which is betwixt these is the common Spring the Law of God is in his heart of both and from thence as Salomon sayes are the issues of his life that Law in his heart is the principle of this living to righteousness 2 The Second thing here is the design or Intendment of this death and life in the sufferings and death of Christ he bare sin and died for it that we might dye to it Out of some conviction of the consequence of Sin many have a confus'd desire to be justified to have sin pardon'd and look no further think not on the importance and necessity of sanctification the nature whereof is express'd by this dying to sin and living to righteousness But here we see that sanctification is necessary as inseparably connexed with justification not only as its companion but as its end which in some kind raises it above the other that it was the thing which God ey'd and intended in taking away the guiltiness of sin that we might be renew'd and sanctified If we compare them in point of time either backward holiness was alwayes necessary unto happiness But satisfying for sin and the pardon of it was made necessary by sin or if we look forward the estate we are appointed to and for which we are delivered from wrath is an estate of perfect holiness When we reflect upon that great work of Redemption we see it aim'd at there Redeem'd to be holy Eph. 5.25 26. Tit. 2.14 And go yet higher to the very Spring the decree of Election And then it s said Chosen before that we should be Holy and in end it shall Suit the designe Nothing shall enter into the new Ierusalem that is defiled or unholy Nothing but all purity there not a spot of sinfull pollution not a wrinkle of the Old Man for this end was that great work undertaken by the Son of God that he might frame out of polluted Mankind a new holy generation to his Father that might compasse his throne in the Life of glory and give him pure praises and behold his face in that eternity Now for this end it was needfull according to the all-wise purpose of the Father that the guiltiness of sin and sentence of Death should be once removed and thus the burden of that lay upon Christs shoulders on the Crosse and that done it is further necessary that Souls so deliver'd be likewise purg'd and renew'd for they are design'd to perfection of holiness in end and it must begin here Yet is it not possible to perswade Men of this that Christ had this in his eye and purpose when he was lift up upon the crosse and look'd upon the whole company of those his Father had given him to save that he would redeem them to be a number of holy Persons We would be redeem'd who is there would not but he would have his redeemed ones holy and they that are not true to this his end but crosse and oppose him in it may hear of redemption long and often But litle to their comfort Are you resolv'd still to abuse and delude your selves Well whither you will believe it or no this is once more told you there is unspeakable comfort in the death of Chirst but it belongs only to those that are dead to sin and alive to righteousness This Circle shuâ—s out the impenitent world there it closes and cannot be broke through but all that are penitent are by their effectual caling lifted in to it translated from that accurs'd condition wherein they were So then if you will live in your sins you may but then resolve withal to bear them your selves for Christ in his bearing of sin meant of none but such as in due time are thus dead and thus alive with him 3. But then in the Third place Christs Sufferings and death effects all this 1. As the exemplary cause the lively contemplation of Christ crucified is the most powerful of all thoughts to separate the heart and sin But 2. besides this working as a Moral cause as that example Christ is the effective natural cause of this death and life For he is one with the Believer and there is a real influence of his death and life into their Souls This Mysterious Union of Christ and the believer is that whereon both their Justification and Sanctification and the whole frame of their Salvation and Happiness depends and in this particular the Apostle still insists on it speaking of Christ and Believers as one in his Death and Resurrection crucified with him dead with him buried with him and risen with him Rom. 6. Being arisen he applies his death to those he dyed for and by it kills the life of sin in them and so is aveng'd on it for its being the cause of his death according to that of the Psalm raise me up that I may requite them He infuses and then actuates and stirres up that faith and love in them by which they are united to him and these work powerfuly in this 3. Faith look's so stedfastly on its suffering Saviour that as they say intellectus fit illud quod intelligit it makes the Soul like him assimilates and conformes it to his Death as the Apostle speaks That which some fable of some of their Saints of receiving the impression of the wounds of Christ in their body is true in a Spiritual sense of the Soul of every one that is indeed a Saint and a believer it takes the very print of his Death by beholding him and dyes to sin and then takes that of his rising again and lives to righteousness as it applies it to justify so