may be obserued is that Christ is the main Fountain of all grace and holinesse It is he that fils all in all things Eph. 1. vlt. All the treasures of wisdome and grace be in him in whom the God-head dwels bodily Col. 2.3 9. It is he that is made vnto vs of God wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 10.30 He was long since acknowledged to be the Lord our righteousnes Ier. 23.6 The knowledge heerof may both inform instruct and comfort vs. First it may inform vs concerning the grieuousnes of our disease The nature of man is so farre past cure that vnlesse the Sonne of GOD sanctifie himself with vnspeakable holinesse we can neuer be sanctified Iohn 17.19 yea the Word it self is not auaileable without the grace of Christ as it appears in that seuenteenth of Iohn where both the Word and Christ are intreated of Secondly it may teach vs first to ascribe glory to Christ who in this respect is most worthy to be acknowledged the Head of all Principalities but especially the Head of the Church from whom commeth influence of all grace and goodnes Eph. 21 22.23 Secondly it should teach vs aboue all gettings to labor to get Christ crucified into our hearts It is Christ in vs that must be our riches and our hope of glory Col. 1. 27. yea this will bee vnsearchable riches to vs we should determine to knowe nothing saue Iesus Christ and him crucified 1. Cor. 2.2 Thirdly let him that glorieth glory in the Lord Iesus 1. Cor. 1.4 7. And therefore God forbid I should reioice in anything but the Crosse of Christ whereby I am crucified to the world and the world is crucified to me Gal. 6.14 Thirdly it should bee a great comfort to the Godly both in respect of their vnion with him in regard their Head is so infinite in holinesse as also in respect of that supply and help that they may continually haue from him against all their infirmities and defects and lastly in respect of the hope of the full confirmation of their holinesse in the day of Christ. And thus of the generall Doctrine The first thing in the exhortation to bee considered is the Proposition in which two things are to be marked First what Christ is secondly what the Christian must bee in respect of Christ. There are fiue things in the description of Christ. First he is a gracious Lord that is imported in the first word To whom that is which gracious Lord mentioned in the end of the former verse Whereby the Apostle applies that to Christ which was before spoken of God generally as hee that is God with the Father and as that person in whom the Lord shewes his graciousnes to men Secondly hee is a liuing stone Thirdly hee is in respect of the world and the base respect and vsage of him once disallowed of men Fourthly he is elect of God Fiftly he is precious Now that which Christians must be and doo that they may receiue holinesse from Christ is that first they must come vnto him Secondly they must bee liuely stones Thirdly they must be built vp in him Fourthly they must become a spirituall house Fiftly they must bee a holy priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices vnto God such as may be acceptable in Iesus Christ. For it is to be noted that the word Are built vp may be rendred Be ye built vp howsoeuer it bee read The intent is to perswade them thereto Ye are built vp that is if you bee right that is a thing must not be wāting so the sense is the same First then of the description of Christ. And therein the first point of doctrine that offereth it self to our consideration is that Christ is a gracious Lord. He is a Lord and Master to all true Christians and such a Lord and Master as neuer men serued for wonderfull graciousnes That he is a Lord to the faithfull is euident by other Scriptures also 1. Cor. 1.2 He is said to bee a Lord to all that call vpon him in euery place Thus Dauid cals him My Lord Psalme 110.1 And great Apostles confesse themselues to bee his seruants Rom. 1.1 Iude 1. 2. Pet. 1.1 And that hee is most gracious the Apostle shewes when hee tels that all Ages haue cause to wonder at the maruellous kindnes that God hath shewed to men in Christ. The vse may be both for information instruction and consolation First we may hence be informed that Christ is God with the Father For the which the Prophet Dauid Psalme 34 whence the words of the former verse are borrowed Giue to God the Apostle applies heer vnto Christ and the reason of the application may in the second place inform vs that God is gracious to men onely by Iesus Christ. It is impossible euer to feel or taste of Gods graciousnes but in his Son And thirdly we are heer told as it were that Christ is God visible God is made visible and sensible to men by Iesus Christ This is that mystery of godlines God is manifested in the flesh Secondly Is Christ our Lord and Master then these things will follow 1. That we must liue and die vnto Christ Rom 14.7 8 9. we are not our owne men wee must liue to him that died for vs 2. Cor. 5. vlt. The loue of Christ must constrayne vs and all old things must be passed and all things must become new vnto vs. If Christ be our Lord where is his seruice he must rule vs and rule ouer vs. If we walke in the vanitie of our mindes according to the deceiueable lusts of our old conuersation we haue not yet learned Christ nor the truth that is in Iesus Eph. 4. And therefore let vs euery one looke to his waies as he that must one day giue account of himselfe vnto Christ which will bee Iudge both of quick and dead Rom. 14. 2. That euery knee must bow at the name of Christ and euery tongue must confesse his soueraignty to the glory of God Philip. 2.1 Rom. 14. We must all take notice of his supreme authority and forme in our hearts all possible reuerence toward him 3. We must not iudge one another For what haue we to doe to iudge another mans seruant He stands or falls to his owne Master Rom. 14.4 9. Thirdly it ought to be the singular ioy of our harts that wee serue so glorious a Master Neuer seruāts serued such a Lord as may appear by the enumeration of diuers particular differences As First other masters are not wont to die for their vassals Christ shed his blood for vs one drop of whose blood was more precious then all the bloods of all the men in the World and this he did onely to ransome and redeeme vs that wee might bee a peculiar people vnto him Titus 2.13 Secondly neuer Master had such power to prefer his seruants Christ hath all power in heauen and in earth Mat. 28. and all that to
that to suffer for any kinde of wel-doing is acceptable before God though a man doo not suffer for Religion but for the duties of his particular Calling as the case washeer yet euery such suffering is gracious before God Verse 21. For heerunto yee are called for Christ also suffred for vs leauing vs an example that ye also should follow his steps THus of the first reason taken from God's acceptation the same reason followes in the beginning of this Verse and that is taken from their calling and for these words For thereunto were yee called the sense is that vnto patient suffering for well-dooing they were tied by their calling if need did require Now God calls men to suffering diuerse waies First by his decree for he hath heer destinated men to be made like to his Sonne in suffering vniustly they were ordayned to afflictions Rom. 8.29 1. Thes. 3.3 Secondly by his Word or Law wee are called to it because the Word of God doth require that wee should take vp our crosse and suffer for the truth as many Scriptures shew Thirdly by the work of God's grace when hee makes vs again new men in Iesus Christ for by the same calling that he calls vs to be Saints he calls vs to suffer for sanctity and this seems to bee intended specially heer Fourthly God calls vs to suffer by his speciall gift for as he hath giuen vs to beleeue so hath he giuen vs to suffer for his sake Now God by euery gift doth really call vs to the execution and vse of it when there is occasion Fiftly Seruants and other Inferiours are called to suffer correction though it should be vniust euen by their particular Calling Sixtly the coherence shewes that the example of Christ suffering vniustly is a pattern that calls vs also to suffer and so to walk in his steps This last and the third way of Calling are especially meant in this place and so from thence diuerse things may be briefly noted by way of doctrine For of our effectual Calling I haue at large intreated both in the former chapter and the tenth verse of this chapter First all God's people or seruants become His by Calling it is the way by which God hires seruants and makes a people to himself for by nature euen the Elect are not a people but liue in darknes dead in sinne sensuall and carnall as other men and re-creation is such a link in the chain of saluation as cannot be wanting Rom. 8.30 And therefore men should labor to make their Calling sure as euer they would haue comfort that they are God's seruants or people Secondly God works great things many times without any great toile or power of instruments as heer To conuert a man is but to call him To make him liue is but to bid him liue Thus God can call vp generations of men out of the heap of dead and forlorn mankinde Thus the dead shall be raised at the last Day by the voice of the Sonne of God which should teach vs to liue by faith in all estates and rest vpon Gods power by which wee are kept to saluation Thirdly God's Calling accepts not the persons of men it puts no difference all are called alike as to honour so to labour and danger The Apostle puts-in all Christians by this Calling to suffer if need require as well as seruants So with God there is neither circumcision nor vncircumcision Iew nor Gentile bond nor free but all are one in Christ Col. 3.11 Which should bee a maruellous comfort to Christians that are meaner than others in the world to think on it that God requireth as hard work of the richest as hee doth of them and makes as great account of a poor Christian as of the mightiest Monarch And it should teach Christians humility and not to striue so much for precedency but rather if men will excell others it should be in seruice and sufferings Fourthly all men are not called hee saith heer Yee are called as importing that it was a speciall honour done to them Many haue not the meanes of Calling and many refuse their Calling when they haue the means Which shewes the wofull estates of worlds of men or to whom the voyce of God by his Word in the Spirit comes not Fiftly the Calling of God doth propound conditions vpon which his election in time doth depend for many are called but few chosen vpon that Calling and the reason is because they yeelded not to the Conditions of their Calling God calls men to a new Couenant and requires first â—he beleef of all things promised on his part Secondly sanctify and holinesse of life thus they are said to be Saints by Calling 1. Cor. 1.1 Thirdly to suffer for well-doing if there bee occasion so heer Now vpon the conscience and consent of the heart vnto these conditions doth God make his choice or acknowledge men and therefore heerby mens hearts must bee tried or men must try their hearts and estates whether they be effectually called or no. Sixtly men are bound to take notice of and to learn and obey the will of GOD reuealed in his Word though it be hard to finde out as heer the Apostle saith They were called to suffer which is a thing that is not easie to prooue by expresse Scripture but must be found out as it lies enwrapped in consequences in diuers places of Scripture For if the lawes of men binde and oblige vs to punishment though we knowe them not because we ought to take notice of them much more must we study the Lawes of God though they be many in number and hard to finde out without much labour and many helps Seuenthly our generall Calling doth binde vs to a carefull obseruation of our particular Calling as heer their Calling in Religion to be God's seruants did bind them to look to their duty as mens seruants yea and to be subiect to their corrections though vniust And therefore those Christians are farre out of the way that neglect their particular Calling and the charge God hath deliuered them vpon sentence of religion their generall calling Eightthly the main doctrine in them or in the scope of them is that God calls his seruants all of them to suffer for the truth Hee shewes them heauen and the saluation of their soules and bestowes rich treasure vpon their hearts but withall tells them hee looks they should arme themselues with a resolution to suffer what may befall them for well-doing Our Sauiour Christ told his Disciples plainly that they must think of taking vp the Crosse daily before they come to wearing of the Crown And therefore they doo foolishly that vndertake the profession of Religion before they haue set down to cast what it will cost them Thus of the second reason The third reason is taken from the example of Christ who suffred greater wrongs than can befall seruants or any other sort of men and this doctrine of Christ's suffering he handles
A COMMENTARY OR SERMONS VPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE FIRST Epistle of Saint Peter WHEREIN METHOD Sense Doctrine and Vse is with great variety of matter profitably handled and sundry heads of Diuinity largely discussed By NICHOLAS BYFIELD late Preacher of God's Word at Isle-worth in Middlesex LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes for George Latham and are to be sould at his shop in Paul's Church-yard at the Signe of the brazen Serpent 1623. TO THE HONOVRABLE KNIGHT SIR HORATIO VERE Generall of the English forces in the Low-countries and to his most worthy Lady the Lady MARY VERE all happiness that a poor widow may in their behalfe pray for at the Throne of Grace My much-honoured Lord and Lady AS that speciall duty which I my self owe to you both so that purpose which my deare husband had while hee liued of dedicating to you this Commentary of his vpon S. Peters Epistle bindeth mee who am left his sole Executrix to see his Will euery way performed to set out this first of his workes published since his death vnder your Honourable Names It pleased you to take into your Family a childe of his body be further pleased I pray you to take into your Patronage this childe of his soule which as an Orphane yea as a Posthumus in all humility is presented vnto you You manifested more than ordinary kindnes to my husband while he liued wee and ours haue oft tasted of the sweetnes of your bounty so that I should deserue to be accounted most ingratefull if I should bury so many fauours in obliuion or neglect to prouoke others to loue and good works by proposall of your example Accept I beseech you this poore acknowledgement of thanks which is most due first to that primary Fountain of all goodnes Almighty God for keeping your Lordship safe in your late imployment in the Palatinate and for freeing your Ladiship from those fears wherunto you could not but be subiect by reason of his long absence and for giuing you both a mutuall and comfortable fruition one of another And next to your selues for all those kindnesses which while my husband liued you did to him and his and since his death you continue to do to such as he hath left behinde him Now the good God continue his blessed protection ouer you both and take all that belong vnto you vnder the wings of his fatherly Prouidence And so I rest with the renewall of my sute that you would cast your eyes vpon this Worke of him who much honoured you in his life-time and is after his decease offred to you by Your humble Oratrix ELIZABETH BYFIELD To the Christian Reader MAny and great are the means which the Lord hath beene pleased since this latter Spring of the Gospell begunne aboue an hundred yeeres agoe to afford vnto his Church for opening of the mysteries of the Gospell Neuer since the Apostles times were the Scriptures more truly interpreted more fully expounded more distinctly diuided or more powerfully pressed then in our Times The number of those who haue taken good paine in this kinde is not small Wee may well put into the Catalogue of them the Authour of this Commentary vpon the second Chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter Master Nicholas Byfield by name who continued for the space of twenty yeeres to take more then ordinary paines in the work of the Lord. Hee had a singular gift in diuing into the depth of those points which he vndertooke to handle As the many other Treatises which in his life time he published doe verifie as much so in particular this Commentarie here commended vnto thee In it thou shalt find besides the Grammatical exposition Logical resolution and Theological obseruations many diuine points copiously handled by way of Common-place which hath made the booke to arise vnto that bignesse that it hath In this manner of handling the holy Scriptures hee hath not gone alone Many of the main Pillars of the reformed Churches haue beaten out a path before him as Martin Bucer Peter Martyr Musculus Zanchius Lauater Perkins and sundry others The large volume of Peter Martyrs common-Common-places was gathered out of his Commentaries on the holy Scriptures The Church of God hath reaped much good by such copious and distinct handling of heads of Diuinity Their labours therefore who take paines therein are not to bee concealed from the Church If it had pleased the Lord to haue continued the life liberty and ability of this his Seruant longer vnto his Church he had questionlesse gon on further in this course which hee so well began and so might wee haue had by his paines as compleat a Commentarie on the two Epistles of Saint Peter as we haue vpon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Colossians published by this Author In his life-time he entred vpon the third Chapter and went thorow a good part thereof all which is fairely copied out and prepared for the presse But there is so much matter in that which remaineth as it will make a competent Treatise by it selfe This I make knowne not that thou shouldst let this Book alone till the other be published for when it is published it cannot bee bound vp with this in one volume by reason of the bignes of both of them As care hath been had to print this Commentary on the second Chapter euery way answerable to the former on the first Chapter so like care shall be had of printing that which remains answerable to them both that so you may haue all the labors of this faithfull and painfull Minister of Gods Word on this part of Scripture in three euen volumes which is in a manner as good as if they were all in one volume They may for their matter be well distinguished into seueral volumes for though one continued Scripture be handled in them all yet the points in euery of them are different In this respect there is an Alphabeticall Index in the latter end that by the help of it you may the more readily finde out such points as you most desire to reade If the Author bee of force to commend a Work the more this Work may receiue no small commendation from the Author of it for hee was a man of a profound iudgement strong memory sharp wit quick inuention and vnwearied industry He was in his Ministery very powerful and that vnto all turns as we speak When he had to doo with tender and troubled consciences he was a Barnabas a sonne of comfort but when hee had to doo with impudent and obstinate sinners hee could make his face hard and strong and shew himself like to Boanerges the sonnes of thunder Graue sober and temperate he was in his carriage and yet with his intire familiar friend he could be modestly pleasant God gaue him a great measure of patience and hee had in his very body that which tried his patience for it appears that he carried a torturing stone in his bladder fifteen
Psal. 48.9 and so farre as this promise reacheth to temporall things it must bee vnderstood with that common limitation Esay 54.4 viz. so farre as it is good for them they shall be kept from shame as for pouerty or sicknesse or the like that is if it bee good for them But yet if this temporall shame doe fall vpon them for their sinnes repentance will remoue it as is promised Ioel 2.13.26 Lastly the Lord will giue his people double for all their confusion Esay 61.7 and therefore it is not to be reckned as a crosse for which they haue so much recompence made them Vses The vse of all this remaines then to bee considered of which concernes first the godly secondly the wicked The Godly should heere learne First to take notice of their priuiledges aboue other men in this respect c. Secondly To sue out this promise vpon all occasions For since they haue a graunt of freedome in this kind they should seek vnto God for the obtaining of it as they shall find need when either their crosses presse them or their hearts faile them so did Dauid in many places of the Psalmes as Psal. 31.1 17. and 119.116 and in diuers other places Thirdly but they must euer looke to it that they bee such as may answer the conditions of this promise expressed in this or in other Scriptures as 1. They must preserue a constant respect vnto God's commandements and in all their waies be sound in God's statutes else wilfull sinne and shame will be companions Psalm 119.6 80. 2. They must not bee ashamed of GOD's truth and the profession of it but witnes a good profession before all men Psalm 119.46 3. They must not be too tender in matter of reproach from the world but learn of Christ to despise the shame and scorns of men Heb. 12.2 Esay 51.6 7. 4. In this Text they must hould fast their faith and liue by it it is a promise to the Godly as he is a beleeuer and will relie vpon Gods mercy in Iesus Christ we must be established in the faith The wicked may hence gather an argument of of singular terror For this Text imports that such as liue in their sinnes without repentance and haue not a liuely faith in Iesus Christ shall certainly be confounded and this will more particularly touch such sorts of men as are distinctly designed out to shame and confusion Quest. Now if any ask who are they shall be ashamed and confounded Ans. I answer out of seuerall Scriptures They shall be ashamed and confounded First that worship grauen Images and trust vpon them Psalm 97.7 Esay 42.17 Secondly that wish euill and hate the Godly and reioice at their misery and seek to doo them mischief Psalm 44.7 Psalm 129.5 Esay 26.11 and 41.11 Thirdly that are proud and deal peruersly for pride is a fore-runner of shame Pro. Fourthly that call not vpon the Name of the Lord that vse not praier Psalm 53.5 Fiftly that vse customary lying they shall be lothsome and come to shame Pro. 13.5 Sixtly that put their trust in men and not in the Lord Esay 20.5 Seuenthly that are ashamed of Christ and the Gospell in this world Mark 8.38 Lastly that go about to establish their owne righteousnes Rom. 10.4 Verses 7.8 7. Vnto you therefore which beleeue it is precious but vnto them which be disobedient the stone which the Builders disallowed the same is made the Head of the corner 8. And a stone to stumble at and a rock of offense euen to them which stumble at the Word being disobedient vnto the which thing they were euen ordained IN these words the Apostle expounds or applies the former testimony of scripture which hee vrgeth both for the beleeuer and against the vnbeleeuer The beleeuers he cals vpon to take notice of their felicity assuring them that that Scripture doth auouch that Christ is an incomparable treasure to them Concerning the vnbeleeuers he speaks terrible things whom hee describes both by their sinne and by their iudgement The sin is disobedience their iudgement is to be considered as it is denounced first against their Leaders whom he cals Builders and then against the whole body of vnbeleeuers The plague vpon the Builders is that the Kingdome of Christ shall bee aduanced in spight of their hearts they shall perish and be confounded but Christ shall raign and flourish The plague vpon the body of vnbeleeuers is that Christ shall bee to them a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense which is amplified by the consideration of the causes partly in themselues which is their stumbling at the Word and disobedience and partly in God who in his iustice hath appointed them thereunto Thus of the order of the words Now before I come to the full opening of each particular in these two verses I may obserue diuers things from the coherence and generall consideration of all these words First in that the Apostle doth not rest satisfied to alleage the Text but doth withall apply it it shewes the necessity of application We cannot profit by the Word if it be not laid particularly to our hearts as food doth not nourish if it bee not eaten nor a medicine cure the distaste if it be not taken nor a plaister heal the sore if it bee not laid to it nor are our wants supplied by coming to the market if we doo not buy and carry home Which should work in vs a sound care of application of the Word wee hear or read and withall it should waken vs to a care of obseruing all the rules that may further vs in applying which are these and such like First we must be carefull to vnderstand rightly the Scriptures we would apply this is the very foundation of all application that is profitable 2. Pet. 3. else wee may growe peruerse and wrong both the Word and our owne selues Ob. But some priuate man might say This is hard how can we learn to knowe the cleer meaning of the Scripture and the sense of the Text Sol. For answer heerunto thou must knowe that there bee diuers rules that may help thee to vnderstand or at least keep thee from wrong and dangerous mis-application First thou must be wise to sobriety and not presume to knowe aboue what is meet nor to meddle with such Secrets as should lead thee into knowledges that belong not to thy calling or are not euidently reuealed in Scripture Secondly thou must haue respect vnto other Scriptures to take no sense that is contrary to other apparant Scriptures Thirdly thou must haue respect to the Analogie of faith to auoid all senses which oppose any article of faith or thy faith Rom. 12.3 Fourthly thou must auoid all doubtfull disputations and vnprofitable questions and vain ianglings that tend not to edification and the saluation of thy soule and account it as a happinesse to be able to keep thy self free from intanglements therein And therefore stand at the
must needs be the worst kinde of restraint Thirdly because these crosses are more hardly cured it is much easier to heal a sicknes in the body than a disease in the soule Fourthly because these iudgements for the most part are inflicted vpon the worst offenders I say for the most part for sometimes the Godly themselues may be scourged for a time and for iust reasons with some kindes of spirituall iudgements Vse The vse may be first for reproof of the madnesse of multitudes of people in the world that can bee extremely vexed and grieued for worldly crosses yet haue no sense or care of spirituall iudgements they howle vpon their beds if GOD take from them corn or wine or the fruits of the field but neuer grieue if God take the Gospell from them they are much troubled if they lose the fauour of their greatest friends but neuer mourn because GOD hath forsaken them they are very impatient if their bodies be sick and yet very quiet if their soules bee sick they would think themselues vndon if they were carried to prison who yet are not much moued at it that God should deliuer them vp to Satan And yet I would not be mistaken I do not mean to say that wicked men should not mourn for worldly or outward crosses It is true godly men should not or not with great sorrows but for wicked men they ought to be extremely grieued for euery outward affliction because it comes in wrath from God and is but the beginning of euils But then two things must bee noted First that their sorrow should be godly viz. for their sinnes that brought those iudgements not for the crosse it self secondly that they ought to bee more troubled for spiritual iudgements than for temporall Secondly this should much comfort godly men and women in all their afflictions and it should make them patient because though God afflicts them in their bodies or states yet hee spareth their soules and doth not execute those outward crosses but with much compassion Thirdly it should teach vs how to pray in the case of afflictions if they bee spirituall iudgements wee may pray directly for the remoueall of them but for temporall iudgements we must pray with condition And thus of the generall obseruations Before I enter vpon the particular breaking open of the doctrine of this verse it will not be amisse to shew that this and such doctrine as this is not vnprofitable Quest. For some one might say To what end serues this doctrine of God's dealing with vnbeleeuers Ans. I answer it is profitable both for godly men and wicked men For wicked men may hence hear and fear and doo no more wickedly seeing hence they may discern what they may come to if they preuent it not by repentance And for godly men they may hence be the more inflamed with the admiration of Gods goodnes when they shall heare of their owne priuiledges by grace Such Scriptures as this containe the arraignment and triall of the vngodly Now it is very profitable for vs to stand by and hear the triall Wee know multitudes of innocent men flock to the Assises to heare the araignement of malefactors which breeds in them first contentment in the obseruation of the solemnity and manner of administration of Iustice Secondly a feare to offend the terror of their sentence frightes the heart for many daies after Thirdly a loue of innocency it makes men loue innocency much the better for a long while after Fourthly compassion to malefactors it softens the heart and makes men fit to shew mercy to these poore condemned men The like to all this is bred by the consideration of such Doctrines as this In the words of this verse then two things are to bee noted first the kindes of punishments inflicted vpon the body of vnbeleeuers secondly the causes of it The kindes are two first God will deliuer them vp to scandall and then to despaire to scandall as Christ is a stone of stumbling to despaire as Christ is a rocke of offence These words are taken out of the Prophet Esay Chapter 8. where the Lord intends by them to denounce the reprobation of the Iewes as some think or rather foretels the spirituall Iudgements which shall bee inflicted vpon them The Apostle in this place applies the words to the vnbeleeuers of his time among whome the obstinate Iewes were chiefe to shew that as the other Scripture was comfortable to the Godly so were there places that did threaten the wicked that as the former place did proue Christ a stone of foundation for the godly so this did shew that Christ was a stone in another sense to the wicked Christ is a stone of triall to all men in the Church because the Doctrine of Christ tryes men whether they be elected or reiected good or bad so Esay 28.16 Againe Christ is a precious stone to the beleeuer and thirdly heer a stone of stumbling to the vnbeleeuers Now that we may know what offence or scandal is we may be helped by the Etimology of the originall words For Scandall in the originall is either deriued of a word that signifies to halt or els it noteth any thing that lieth in a mans way a stone or a piece of wood against which he that runneth stumbleth and so hurteth or hindreth himselfe It most properly signifieth rest or a certaine crooked piece with a baite vpon it in instruments by which mice or wolues or foxes are taken and thence the Church translated the name of scandall to note the snares by which men are catched as beastes are in grins and baites so the word it seemes is vsed So then a scandall is any thing which causeth or occasioneth offences by which a man is made to halt or is brought into a snare or made to stand still or fall in matter of Religion or saluation And so the sorcerers were a stumbling block to Pharaoh and the false prophets to Ahab and the lying signes of Antichrist to such as loue not the truth Now all scandall may be thus diuided Scandall is either actiue or Passiue that is giuen or taken Scandall giuen is when the authour of the action is likewise the cause of the hurt that comes by it Thus Elies sonnes were scandalous thus Dauid by his greeuous sinnes gaue offence 1. Sam. 2.17.2 Sam. 18.22 c. and thus Scandall is giuen either by euill doctrine first whether hereticall secondly or superstitious or else by wickednes of life or by wilfull abuse of Christian liberty Offence taken is either from our selues or from others A man may bee an offence a stumbling blocke to himselfe by dallying with some speciall beloued corruption of which our Sauiour Christ saith If thine eye offend thee pull it out or thy hand or thy foot c. Math. 5.29 Scandall taken from others is either that they call humane or that they call diabolical Scandall taken which they call humane may either bee found in Godly
the shining of the Sun at noon-day Thus of the punishment of vnbeleeuers and so also of the first argument taken from testimony of Scripture Verses 9 and 10. But yee are a chosen generation a royall Priest hood an holy Nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the vertues of hâ—â— that hath called you out of darknes into his maruellous light Which in times past were not a people yet are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now haue obtained mercy THese words contain the second argument to perswade Christians to make their constant recourse vnto Christ and from him to procure vertue to enable them for holinesse of conuersation and it is taken from the consideration of the excellency of that estate vnto which they were brought by Christ. For the description whereof the Apostle singles out two places of Scripture with which hee makes vp a compleat narration of their great prerogatiues aboue all other people and aboue that they themselues were in former times The places of Scripture he makes vse of are Exod. 9. and Hosh. 1. And before I open the words two things may be heer noted First the Apostle's care to prooue what he saith from the scripture whether it be against wicked men or for godly men which shews that we should much more take heed to GOD's Word being lesse than Apostles especially such an Apostle Secondly we may hence note that the promises or praises giuen to the Godly in the old Testament are not enuied to Christians in the new Testament God is no respecter of persons but wee haue free liberty to search the books of God and to chuse out of all the examples of the sutes of godly men or the preferments what we wil and if we make a sute of it to god he wil not deny it but shew vs their mercy Now for the particular opening of these words we must obserue that it is the purpose of the Apostle to shew briefly the priuiledges of the godly aboue all others or what themselues were before their conuersion And the priuiledge of their estate may be considered either positiuely in it self or comparatiuely It is described positiuely verse 9. and comparatiuely verse 10. In the ninth verse there he reckons vp a number of prerogatiues belonging to the Godly and withall shews the vse they should make of them or the end why they were conferred vpon them The Godly excel in diuers respects if we consider First their election they are chosen of God Secondly their alliance or kinred they are a chosen kinred Thirdly their dignity aboue other men they are royall Kings Fourthly their function or priuate imploiment before God Priests Fiftly their behauiour or outward conuersation they are holy Sixtly their number they are a Nation Seuenthly their acceptation with God they are a peculiar people First for Election The Apostle looking vpon the words in Exodus 19.5 6. and seeing that they described the happinesse of Christians in this life doth in the Fore-front put-to this priuiledge of their election as the foundation of all the rest and would haue Christians much affected with the consideration of this prerogatiue It is one of the chief and prime comforts of a Christian to consider that he is elect of GOD Psalm 106.4 5. 2. Pet. 1.9 elect I say both before time and in time Before time in God's decree and in time when the Godly are singled and called out of the world and picked out one of a city and two of a tribe in all the ages of the world and distinguished from other men by beleeuing in Iesus Christ. As the Israelites were chosen out of all the nations of the world so now the Elect out of all the Ages of the world Quest. But what is there in the election of a Christian that should so much affect him as to account himself so wonderfull happy in that respect Ans. There are many things in our election which should much rauish vs as to consider First when wee were chosen viz. before the foundation of the world from all eternity Oh what a fauour is it to think that God had such thought of vs before euer we had any beeing Ephes 1.4 Secondly by whom we were chosen viz. by God Men are wont to be affected if any of any degree almost doo point out them aboue others vnto any condition of praise or preferment To be beloued and in request with any is a contentment but especially if Kings or great persons should chuse vs out to set their loue vpon vs how would we be moued with that Oh! what comparison can there be between the greatest men on earth and the great God in heauen Thirdly to what wee were chosen viz. to a Kingdom and great glory For meaner persons to be chosen to any preferment it would proue a great contentment but especially to be aduanced to the highest honors why God hath chosen and called vs to no lesse an happinesse than a Kingdome and glory yea his Kingdome and glory in heauen Mat. 25.34 2. Thes. 2.13 14. Fourthly for how long this choise must last viz. for euer To be chosen to a great office though it were but for a yeere is a great honour in the account of some men but especially to enioy a kingdome if it may be for diuers yeers as 20 30 40 or the like how would men reioyce that could attain to such an election But behold our happines is greater For wee haue by our Election an entrance into the euerlasting Kingdom of Iesus Christ. Fiftly vpon what reasons we were chosen viz. vpon God's free and meer grace and goodnes he chooseth whom he will It was his good pleasure to chuse vs to such a Kingdome wee had it not by descent or desert Rom. 9.18 21. Ephes. 1.11 Sixtly in what manner he chose vs viz. vnchangeably to bee chosen to so great an estate though it had beene but during pleasure and that pleasure to such as might change had beene a great aduancement But Gods purpose remaines according to his choise and whom he elected he calles and whom hee calles hee iustifies and whom he iustifies hee glorifies Rom. 8.30 The foundation of God remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 Lastly to consider whom he chose which hath a double incitation in it For first the Scripture tels vs Many are called but few are chosen Now this increaseth our honour that but a few onely can be admitted to the participation of it If many had enioyed it the commonnesse of it might haue had in it some occasion of lessening the valew of it Deut. 7.6 7. Math. 20.16 Secondly God chose vs that were most vile creatures polluted in bloud couered with filthines falne from him by vile Apostasie and our rebellion in our first parents and beeing guilty of many treasons in our owne actions And this shold much moue vs that God should set his heart vpon such vile wretches as wee euery day are prooued to
What hast thou to do to iudge another man's seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne master Rom. 14. Secondly that all masters haue authority ouer their seruants though the master be a poor man or an ignorant man or a cruell man or a froward man or a hard man yet the seruant must bee subiect to him and bear himself as reuerently and obediently as if he were the richest or wisest or worthiest master in the world and the reason is because the subiection is due not to the masters riches or gifts or greatnes but to the authority which God hath giuen him as a master and therefore seruants must look to this point and the rather because it will be the greater triall of their subiection and singlenesse of heart when neither feare nor reward nor any outward respect doth compell or constrain them but simply the conscience of God's Commandement and the masters authority Thirdly wee may heer inquire how masters come by this authority ouer seruants by nature they haue it not and therefore must haue it by law The lawes of men cannot make one man a seruant and another a master therefore it is by the Law of God Since it is by the Law of God if wee haue recourse to the tenne Commandements wee shall finde that it is the fift Commandement which giueth masters this authority and honor the exhortations of the Apostle being but interpretations of that Law And that this point may bee cleered two things must be searched into First what sorts of men are called fathers and mothers there and secondly why they are so called in the Commandement seeing the most sorts of them in the vsuall life of man haue other titles For the first This tearm Father wee shall finde in Scripture to be giuen first to such as begat vs Heb. 12.9 Secondly to Ancestors Ioh. 6.18 Thirdly to Tutors so Students are called Children of the Prophets Fourthly to such as beget vs in respect of grace as to our Ministers 1. Cor. 4.15 Gal. 4.19 Fiftly to Magistrates Gen. 41.43 1. Kings 24.12 Ezra 1.5 Sixtly to Elders in age 1. Tim. 5.1 Seuenthly to the Inuentors or Authors of any science art or trade Gen. 4.20 Lastly it is giuen to masters so Naaman's seruants called him Father 2. Kings 5.13 And from hence masters were wont to be called Patres familias as Magistrates were called Patres patriae For the second Magistrates Tutors Ministers Masters and all Superiours are called Fathers first because the father was the first degree of superiority and the fountain and seminary of all society Secondly God of purpose preserues this title in all superiority thereby to sweeten subiection to Inferiors and to make them think the seuerall dangers burdens labours and subiections in each condition to be not onely tolerable but meet to be born because they endure them vnder parents as it were and so such superiority for that reason should not bee resisted or enuied Thirdly that thereby Superiours may bee put in minde of their dutie to auoid insolency cruelty oppression and the too much respect of themselues God charging them by this title to remember that their Inferiors are to them by God's Ordinance as their children Thus of the proposition of the duties of seruants The exposition followes and so first he sheweth the manner how they must be subiect viz. With all feare Seruants must subiect themselues to their masters in all feare which being put downe indefinitely must be vnderstood both in respect of God and in respect of their masters Seruants must shew their feare of God in their places diuers waies First by auoiding such sinnes as are contrary to the will and commandement of God in their generall life such as are swearing lying slandering hatred of the godly drunkennesse whoredome and the like Psalm 101.3 4 5. Secondly by carefulnesse to doo God seruice as well as their masters not onely by spending the Sabbath in the duties of Religion but in redeeming the time in the week-daies as may be without hindrance of their work or offense to their masters to imploy themselues in praier reading conference c. and the reason is because as seruants must doo their masters work as they are seruants so they stand bound in the common obligation to do God's seruice as they are men and no man but is subiect to the Law of God who hath giuen all his Commandements to seruants as well as to masters Thirdly by dooing their masters work out of conscience respecting the will and commandements of God and therefore seruing their masters with all faithfulnesse as if the seruice were to bee done to God himself or to Iesus Christ Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.23 Fourthly by praying for their masters and for the good successe of their labours for their masters commodity thus Abraham's seruant is commended for his practice of the feare of God and left for an example to all seruants to doo likewise Genes 24. Fiftly by dooing their masters work without eye-seruice being as carefull and as diligent when their masters are absent as when they are present as remembring that the Lord sees them though their masters doo not Col. 3.22 The feare then toward their masters they may shew diuers waies First by auoiding what might displease their Masters such as is answering again Tit. 2.10 contention with their fellowes and all vnquietnesse Phil. 2.4 sullennesse Prou. 29.19 and all vnfaithfulnes shewed either by purloining in the least things Tit. 2.10 or carelesness in disappointing the trust committed to them as also masterfulnesse pride and haughtie behauiour when they will not abide it to be told or directed or doing what they list not what they be appointed Secondly by reuerent behauiour to be shewed by lowlynesse of countenance by giuing titles of honor and respect Iohn 13.13 by standing before them when they sit Luke 17. by auoiding rude behauiour or sawcy familiarity as accounting them in heart worthy of all honor 1. Tim. 6.1 one point of which reuerence is that seruants should not presume to deliuer their opinions easily in their Masters presence vnlesse it be required or may bee gathered by argument from the lesse Iob 32.6 7. Thirdly by their secrecy in all the affayres of their Masters especially they should take heede of discouering their Masters infirmities to others abroad out of the family Fourthly by auoyding inquisitiuenesse to meddle only with their owne businesse the seruant knoweth not what his Master doth Iohn 15.15 Fiftly by doing their work with all faithfulnesse and diligence in absence as well as presence that when the Master comes he may finde them so doing Math. 24. Thus of the manner of the duty â—he persons to whom they must thus submit themselues follow And so they must be subiect with all fear not onely to the good but also to the froward To the good and gentle For the sense we must enquire who are good Masters and who gentle Good Masters are discerned by diuers signes
at large from verse 21. to the end of the chapter Which doctrine of Christ's suffering is fitted partly to the case of seruants and partly to the vse of all Christians Concerning the Passion fiue things are in all these verses noted First who suffred Christ suffred verse 21. Secondly the end of his suffering viz. to leaue vs an example c. verse 21. Thirdly the manner how he suffred set out 1. Negatiuely and so he suffred first without sin verse 22. secondly without reuiling verse 23. 2. Affirmatiuely and so he commits himself to him that iudgeth righteously Fourthly the matter what he suffred viz. our sins in his owne body on the tree verse 24. Fiftly the effect of his sufferings 1. In respect of vs and so his suffrings serue To kill our sinnes Verse 24. To make vs aliue to righteousnes Verse 24. To heal our natures Verse 24. 2. In respect of himself and so they procured his exaltation to be Shepheard and Bishop of our soules verse 25. Thus of the order Euen Christ suffred The first thing to be considered in the Apostles description of the Passion of the person who suffered is that it is named heer with speciall Emphasis Euen Christ or Christ also Christ is the sir-name of our Sauiour as Iesus was his proper name Iesus is a name onely giuen him in the new Testament but Christ was his name in both Testaments and signifies Anointed being a Greek word as Messiah doth in the Hebrew And so it is a name importing his office of Mediator as being thereby proclaimed to bee the substance of the ceremoniall types euen the supreme Doctor or Prophet Priest and King of the Church for these three sorts of men were anointed in the old Testament and were types of Christ's anointing It is true that we doo not reade that our Sauiour was himself anointed with oile because his anointing consisted in the substance of that shadow For the shadow signifieth two things First ordination to the office secondly the pouring out of gifts by the holy Ghost for the exornation of the office Now whereas Christ is Mediator in both natures his anointing must bee distinguished according to his natures The whole person was anointed but yet differently in respect of his natures for gifts could not be poured out vpon his diuine nature yet as the Sonne of God the second person in Trinity he was anointed in respect of ordination to the office of Mediator and as the Sonne of man he was anointed in respect of the pouring out of the gifts of the holy Ghost vpon that nature in measure as the Psalmist saith aboue his fellows Psalm 45. The first doctrine about the Passion is heere briefly contained in these three words of the Apostle Euen Christ suffred which is a doctrine full of excellent vses for thence First wee may see how vile the errour was of those Hereticks they called Patri-passianus who taught that God the Father suffred whereas in this and other Scriptures we are taught that it was onely Christ the second Person in Trinity that suffred The ground of their error was that there was but one Person in the Deity which in heauen was called the Father in earth the Sonne in the powers of the creatures the holy Ghost and thence they affirm the same things of the Father they did of the Sonne that he was visible mortall and immortall passible and impassible passible on earth and impassible in heauen But we haue learned from the Prophets and Apostles to beleeue three Persons and so to acknowledge that the second Person suffered onely and that in his humane nature Secondly we may hence learne that Christ was subiect to the Law after a peculiar manner so as no other man was subiect For hee did not onely fulfill the Law by a most perfect obedience but hee suffered the malediction and curse of the Law also Some men are subiect to the malediction of the Law onely and so are all the wicked reprobates that obey it not Some men are subiect to the Commandements of the Law and not to the malediction and so our first parents were while they continued in their innocency because God did not require them to suffer so long as they obeyed the Law and so all godly men in Christ are vnder the Law in respect of obedience but not in respect of malediction onely Christ is subiect to the malediction and obedience of the Law as our surety Thirdly hence wee learne a plaine demonstration of the truth of the humane nature of Christ Hee had not a fantasticall body but a true body because he did verily suffer in the flesh as followes afterward Fourthly Hence wee may bee informed of the excessiuely vile disposition of the world in that it is so set on wickednes that the very Sauiour of the world if hee come into the world shall suffer from the world Fiftly wee may hence learne that Christ suffered willingly and of his owne accord For in that hee that is God suffered it shewes hee had power to preserue himselfe so as all the world could not haue forced him to suffer and therefore wee haue cause so much the more to admire his loue to vs that suffered for our sakes as the next point will shew Sixtly wee may hence learne to know how abominable sinne is that makes the Sonne of God suffer miserable things if hee become a surety for sinne Seuenthly wee may hence learne to know the ineuitable destruction and fearefull perdition of impenitent sinners For if God spared not his own Sonne that was but a surety for sinne and did none himselfe will hee euer spare them that are principals and monstrous offenders Eightly did euen Christ suffer then we should euermore arme our selues with the same minde and prouide to suffer in the flesh 1. Pet. 4.1 It is a shame for vs to expect or desire a life of ease and prosperity seeing the Prince of our saluation was consecrated through afflictions Heb. 2.10 and 12.3 And the more should wee bee confirmed to suffer in willingnes in this life because God hath predestinated vs to bee conformed to the image of his Sonne in sufferings Rom. 8.29 Lastly in that it was Christ that suffered wee may hence gather comfort to our selues in his passion all the daies of our life because his sufferings must needes bee of infinite merit being the sufferings of him that is God as well as man Thus of the Person suffering The persons for whom hee suffered follow For vs. The sufferings of Christ were not casuall such as befell him for no vse nor were they deserued by himselfe For hee neuer offended God nor did hee seeke his owne peculiar good in them but hee suffered all hee did for our sakes Esay 53 5. Hee was wounded for our transgressions the chasticement of our peace was laid vpon him and verse 8. Hee was plagued for the transgression of God's people and as the Apostle saith hee was deliuered to death for
all others in diuers respects First because these writings were inspired all of the holy Ghost 2. Tim. 3.17 2. Pet. 1.21 so were no other writings Secondly those writings containe a wisdome far aboue all that that can be had by the Princes and men of this world the platforme of the wisdome that is in God himselfe 1. Cor. 6.7 Thirdly they were penned by more excellent men then any other writings the greatest wisest holiest men Moses Dauid Salomon the Prophets Euangelists Apostles c. Fourthly they haue such properties as no other writings haue they are more perfect pure deep and immutable then any mans writings These can tame all things necessarie vnto faith and a good life 2. Tim. 3.17.18 These writings onely are pure without fault or error or any corruption in them and for depth and maiesty neuer any writings came neere them and for vnchangeablenes Heauen and earth must passe away but a iot of Gods Word shall not passe away Math. 5.24 1. Pet. 1.23 Fift If wee consider the effects that must bee acknowledged to the praise of the Scriptures which can bee true of no writings besides no writings can describe God so fully to vs no writings do so bring glory to God no Scripture but this can conuert a soule to God Heb. 4.12 13. Other writings may shew vs some faults to bee auoided but giue no power to subdue them Psal. 19.8 These writings onely can minister solid comfort to vs in aduersity and these onely can make vs wise to saluation and perfect to euery good word and worke The consideration whereof should work in vs a singular loue to this booke aboue all other bookes in the world yea aboue all the treasures in the world we should account them with Dauid more sweet then hony and more precious then Gold Psal. 19.11 Psal. 119.14 15 27. Thirdly the third thing may bee noted from hence is the harmony of all these bookes they all agree as if they were but one writing yea one sentence yea one word Though the bookes were written by diuers men yet they agree so perfectly that they all sound one thing for they were all inspired by the same Spirit of God which should teach vs when wee meete with doubts or obiections or seeâ—ing contradictions to condemn our owne ignorance and to be fully resolued that there is a sweet harmony though wee doe not see it And secondly and especially it should knit our harts to the Scriptures wee should be affected as with the most delightfull musick of the world or in the world Fourthly the fourth thing concernes the vse of Scripture and so wee may note two things First that we must receiue no opinions but what can bee proued by Scripture To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to these it is because there is no truth in them Isaiah 8. Secondly we may note hence that the best men must proue what they teach by Scripture If the Apostles did it who were men priuiledged from error then much more must other men wee must beleeue no man aboue what is written 1. Cor. 4.6 and he is accursed that teacheth other things then what is written Gal. 1.7 though he were an Angel from heauen Which should teach vs to get proofes into our heads for all that wee beleeue and to take heed of receiuing traditions euen from good men For there be traditions on the right hand as well as on the left Ioh. 5.39 Acts 17.1 Thes. 5.21 Secondly Thus of the place where this testimonie is The manner how it is there is in the word Contained It is contained in Scripture Contained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is much adoe about the word heer rendred Contained among Interpreters The word sounds actiuely in the Originall as if it were rendred doth containe or he containeth But the Translators and many Interpreters think the actiue is put for the passiue He containeth for It is contained If we read it actiuely then the Name of God must bee supplied thus Hee that is God contained it in Scripture noting that as a singular treasure God hath placed this Testimonie in Scripture concerning Christ and faith in him and sure it is a great treasure that wee may haue places in the sure Word of God that so plainely testifie of Christ and our happines in him wee should take great notice of them and bee much thankfull to God for giuing vs such sentences so briefely and yet so plainely and fully to informe vs. Some supply the name of Christ and so they say Christ containeth that is excelleth as the word may signifie Hee is had fully and excellently in Scripture and in particular in this testimonie of Scripture The word rendred Contained signifies sometimes barely to bee had sometimes to bee possessed as Luke 5.9 They were possessed with fear And so we possesse a great treasure in Scripture when wee haue such Testimonies as these There is a Nowne deriued of this Verbe which is thought by the exactest Diuines to mean a speciall Section or portion and when it is applied to a place in Scripture it signifies such a Scripture as is diuided from the rest as a principall matter either to bee meditated of or expounded Such was that speciall portion of Scripture which the Eunuch had to meditate of and Philip expounded to him Acts 8.32 where the word is vsed And so whether the word bee vsed actiuely or passiuely it commends vnto vs this place of Scripture and withall shewes vs a way how to inrich our selues namely by singling out such choise places throughout the Scripture as may most fittingly furnish our thoughts for meditation in the maine matters of Religion Wee may heere note what cause we haue of thankfulnes to God for the helpes wee haue in teaching seeing wee haue the Chapter and verse quoted to vs which they had not in the Primitiue Church and withall wee may obserue that one may haue the profit of the scriptures though he cannot quote Chapter and verse And thus of the second thing concerning this testimonie Thirdly the third followes which is the matter testified which concernes either the giuing of Christ or the safety of the Christian in beleeuing in him In the words that describe the giuing of Christ obserue First the wonder of it in the word Behold Secondly the Author of it God I lay or put Thirdly the manner of it Hee laid him downe as the stone of a foundation in a building Fourthly the place where In Sion noting that this gift of Christ belongs onely to the Church Fiftly what Christ was vnto the Church viz. a chiefe corner stone elect and precious Behold This word is vsed in Scripture sometimes to note a thing that is vsually knowne or ought to bee knowne so Dauid saith Behold I was conceiued in sinne Psalme 51. Sometimes to note that some great wonder is spoken of and must bee much attended In this place it may note both For it is certaine
Acts 2.6 or else a spirituall grace in the heart of a Christian by which his soule mournes and is abashed and ashamed with him And so there may bee three reasons or rather causes assigned wherein the godly ought to bee confounded As first in repentance for their sins of which these places intreat Ezech. 36.32 Ierem. 31.19 Ezech. 16.61 and for this cause rebellious offenders must be noted and their companie shunned that they may bee confounded in themselues for their sinnes 2. Thes. 3.14 and the Lord complains that the people were not ashamed for their sinnes Ierem. 6.15 Secondly when God or Religion or the godly are reproached and disgraced thus Psalm 44.15 16. Ierem. 51.51 Thirdly the people that profess the truth do erre through indiscretion or giue offence or liue in any grieuous euill Isaiah 29.22 23. Ezra 9.6 7. Now because the confusion here mentioned is a miserie God will turne away from the beleeuer therefore I will explaine that point and shew how many waies God keepes the beleeuer from being confounded They shall not be confounded This God will make good vnto them both in this life and in the day of Iudgement In this life they shall not bee confounded neither in respect of their outward estate nor in respect of their spirituall estate For their outward estate whether we respect their condition and credit or the meanes of their preseruation For their credit God will doe one of these two things For either God will make them exceeding glorious and make them high in praises as Esay 49.2 3. or at the least though they may passe through euill reports yet they shall not be vtterly shamed God will giue them good report amongst the godly and will greatly esteem them himselfe 2. Cor. 6.8 Heb. 11.2 Faith shall obtaine a good report And for the meanes of their preseruation Either first God will saue them from the temptations that fell on the world so as in the euill time they shall be prouided for and preserued from distresse as Psal. 37.19 or else secondly God will not disappoint their trust but come to their succour and deliuer them as Psal. 22.6 and 25.3 and Rom. 5.3 or else thirdly if God doe deferre for a time hee will in the meane time refresh their hearts and lighten their faces with the comfort of his fauor and presence as Psal. 34.6 Or else fourthly if the Lord let the affliction yet continue hee will giue them strength to beare it and patience and magnanimity so as it shall bee no great burthen to them as it is shewd of Christ Isaiah 50.6 7. so of Paul Philip. 1.20 2. Tim. 1.12 Or else fiftly though they may be many waies distressed yet they shall neuer bee forsaken or perplexed so as to haue cause to despaire They shall not bee destroied 2. Cor. 4.9 In all these sences they shall not bee confounded in respect of their outward estate And for their spirituall estate they shall not be confounded and this may bee shewed in diuers things First in respect of illumination they shall not abide in darknes Ioh. 12.46 Secondly in respect of iustification their sinnes are not imputed to them and the Lord so surely forgiues the beleeuer that the conscience shall be satisfied with that propitiation is made in the bloud of Christ for it is not ashamed of the former euill waies because it beleeueth that they enioy Gods pardon as if they had neuer been Zeph. 3.11 Thirdly in respect of Adoption because by beleeuing they are made the sonnes of God and so need not bee ashamed at any time of their condition Ioh. 1.12 Fourthly in respect of accesse vnto the presence of God For by faith he is priuiledged he may go with boldnes and confidence into the presence of the King of Kings and therefore what should confound them Eph. 3.12 Fiftly in respect of the promises of God For by faith he obtaineth many rich and precious promises each of them like a Well of ioy and a verie spring of contentment 2. Pet. 1.4 Heb. 11.13 33 34 Sixtly in respect of the hope of glory For by faith we haue accesse to this grace whence we stand and reioice in the hope of the glorie to come Rom. 4.2 And for the Day of Iudgement it is certaine they shall not bee confounded in two respects First they shall haue boldnes at that Day and hower and praise before all the world They that are not a shamed of Christ in this world hee will not then be ashamed of them And secondly they shall bee deliuered from eternall confusion and damnation They shall enioy euerlasting saluation and shall not bee confounded world without end Isaiah 45.17 Quest. So that by this which hath bin sayd we may in part know how to answer that obiection which may be made For some one may say The Scripture in diuers places seemes to graunt that Gods seruants haue bin ashamed confounded Ans. Now for answer heereunto diuers things must be distinctly considered of First the godly shall not bee ashamed or shamed with euerlasting shame or they shall not be asham'd at the day of Iudgement though it were graunted they might bee ashamed in this life Esay 45.17 in that World which is without end they shall not bee ashamed Secondly wee may answer with the Prophet Daniel that shame and confusion belongs vnto the godly if wee respect their deserts but they are freed from it by the couenant of grace in Christ Dan. 9.7 Thirdly if wee consider of the state of the Church in the publike condition of it as both good and bad are mingled together so God may powre out terrible shame and confusion vpon visible Churches for their great prouocations as Ierem. 9.19 and 17.13 Fourthly this promise shewes what God will make good to the beleeuer if the fault bee not in himselfe he shall bee set in such a condition as he shall haue no reason to bee ashamed but in all distresses two things shall bee certaine first that God will come quickly to his succor Heb. 10.35 36. Secondly that till his deliuerance hee shall haue a faire assurance and euidence for his hope in God by his promises so as if hee doe not withdraw himselfe through vnbelief in rest and quietnes hee shall be fortified Esay 30.19 Fiftly if wee restraine the sence to the coherence and particular drift of this place wee may answer three things First that he shall not be so confounded as to bee driuen to run headlong vpon the vse of any vnlawfull meanes Secondly that hee shall not fall downe from the foundation which is Christ though he should endure many a sore storme And thirdly he shall not bee ashamed in the point of Iustification hee shall neuer repent that hee relied vpon Christ and his merits and righteousnesse Sixtly It is true that in some temporall crosses they may bee foiled in the iudgement of the world and in their owne sence as the Prophet confesseth
door of euery opinion and before thou let it in ask this question What shall my soule bee aduantaged by this opinion at the day of IESVS CHRIST And if it cannot answer to it directly reiect it Psal. 119.66 Dauid praies God to teach him good iudgement and knowledge Fiftly let the publique Ministery of GOD's seruants be the ordinary rule of thy interpretation so long as no sense is taught there contrary to the former rules 1. Cor. 14.36 and where thou doubtest thou must seek the law at the Priest's mouth and be very fearfull in any thing to bee wiser than thy Teacher I mean to nourish priuate opinions which are not iustified by publick doctrine Sixtly pray to God to â—each thee and to giue thee his Spirit to lead thee into all truth vnderstanding is God's gift 2. Tim. 2.7 and hee will teach thee humbly his way Psal. 25. Thus of the first rule wee must first soundly vnderstand the sense of the Scripture wee would apply Secondly thou must bring a minde apt to bee taught willing to be formed and to bee all that which God would haue thee to bee thou canst neuer profit by application without a penitent minde a minde that will part with any sin God shall discouer in thee and a minde carefull to obserue the conditions required aswell as the promise tendred Iames 1.21 This is indeed to glorifie the Word Thirdly it is an excellent help in application to follow the guiding of the holy Ghost in thy heart thou shalt finde in all doctrines a difference Some things read or heard haue a speciall taste put vpon them by Gods spirit or a special assurance of them wrought at the time of reading or hearing Now thou must be carefull to take to thee these truths which the Spirit of GOD doth cause to shine before thee Eat that which is good Esay 55.2 Try all things and keep that which is good 1. Thes. 5.20 Fourthly knowe that serious and secret meditation vpon the matter thou hearest is the principall nurse of fruitfull application it is but a flash can be had without an after deliberate meditation and about meditation remember these rules 1. Let it be secret 2. He must let it be full Giue not ouer till thou hast laid the truth vp in thy heart take heed of that common deceit Psalm 119.45 of resting in the praise or liking of the doctrine bee not a Iudge against thine owne soule For if the doctrine be worthy of such praise why darest thou let it slip and run out Let not the diuell start it out of thy heart Mat. 13.20 or the cares of life choke it Luke 11.28 3. Let it be constant Bee at the same point still from day to day till it bee soundly formed and seated in thy heart How rich might many Christians haue been if they had obserued this rule Psal. 1.2 Psalm 119.3 5. Esay 26.9 Fiftly be wise for thy self take heed of that errour of transposing thy applications say not This is a good point for such and such till thou haue tried thine owne heart whether it belong not to thee Psalm 119.59 Pro. 9.7 Sixtly by any means bee carefull of the seasons of doctrine be wise to vnderstand the season There bee many truths which if thou let passe the opportunity of informing of thy selfe thou maist perhappes neuer haue it so again and therefore take heed of losing precious things when thou hast the time and meanes to attaine them c. Thus of the first point The second thing is the speciall duty of Ministers to apply the Scriptures to the hearers that belong to their charge we see the Apostles doe it and for this purpose hath God set apart the ministery of the Word that by them it might be applied God inspired the Scriptures and the Ministers are to vrge them and whet them vpon the hearts of their hearers for their Instruction Reproofe or Consolation 2. Tim. 3.17 They are like the Priests for cutting vp or diuiding of the Sacrifices 2. Tim. 2.15 And this may serue to iustifie the course of godly and painfull ministers that most studie the sound application of their doctrine and secretly staineth the pride of these men that auoide with scorne application vainly affecting the praise of wit and learning Thirdly we may hence note that all men in the visible Church haue not a right to the comforts of the Scripture and it is the Ministers dutie to driue wicked men off from claiming anie part in the promises which are the only treasure of the Saints as here we see in these two verses the Apostle carefully doth Men must doe the workes of Iacob if they would haue the comforts of Iacob Micah 2. verse 7. A Minister must separate betimes the cleane and vncleane His word must be like a Fanne that will driue the chaffe one way and the Wheat another and though wicked men brooke not this yet God requireth this discretion at the hands of his people Gods Ministers must not dawbe with vntempered morter or giue the childrens bread to dogs or cast holy things to swine Fourthly they may hence cleerly also see that no other difference may be put between many then what faith and vnbelief obedience and disobedience make Men must not be knowne after the flesh Fiftly t is hence also apparant that all the godly haue a common right to the promises made in Christ. The godly in the Apostle Peters time had right to the former consolation as well as the godly in the Prophet Esaies time God is no respecter of persons Col. 3.11 Thus in generall Two things are to be obserued in particular The one concernes the godly who are comforted The other concernes the wicked who are terrified The Godly are comforted in these words To you therefore which beleeue he is precious In which words it is the drift of the Apostle to raise a vse for consolation out of the former Text whence consider First the persons comforted viz. you that beleeue Secondly the happinesse applied vnto them He is precious For the first It is manifest that the Apostle directs them to look for faith in their hearts if they would haue comfort in God's promises It is not enough to knowe that beleeuers shall bee saued but we must be sure that men in particular are beleeuers we must examine our selues whether we be in the faith or no 2. Cor. 13.5 Which should both reproue and direct It reprooues the great shamefull slothfulnesse of Christians that suffer the tempter to keep them without the assurance of faith some haue no faith at all and the better sort liue in too much doubtfulnes in the point of the assurance of faith And therefore we should bee warned and directed to try our faith and to make it sure that we are beleeuers Quest. What is it to be a true beleeuer Ans. It is To imbrace with our hearts the reconciliation and saluation which by Christ is purchased for vs
nor looketh after them as it were and though they haue Lawes and a kinde of gouernment yet their Lawes and Customs are vain Esay 10.3 altogether insufficient to make them liue happily Vse The vse may be First for information and so it may inform vs in two things First the vanity and insufficiency of worldly things riches power honour conquests carnall parentage and the like auaile men nothing vnto a blessed life the Gentils had all these in their greatest glory and yet not worthy to be called a people Secondly wee may hence gather the reason of these strange deuouring iudgements which fall vpon the world by warres famine pestilence c. For inasmuch as worlds of men liue without the compasse of the obedience to God's gouernment and stand out as so many Rebels the Lord therefore seeing they will not bee his people fights against them from heauen and makes wonderful hauock among them as a great King that reuengeth himself by the strength of Armies vpon Rebels Secondly for instruction and so wee that were sinners of the Gentiles should hence learn to acknowledge praise the free grace of God who without our deserts hath reckned vs in the Court of his people wee that were by nature viz. none of God's people Thirdly and especially it should set out the misery of all men liuing in their sins without repentance and the rather should we bee mooued with this terror 1. Because no place can priuiledge impenitent sinners for not onely professed Gentiles but euen wicked Israelites are in Scripture reckoned as no people The wicked are accounted as no people though they liue in the Church and dwell among God's people For what is the chaffe to the wheat though both lie together Yea though men bear the name of God's people yet God hates them neuer a whit the lesse for that and therefore to distinguish them and shew how little he regards them hee calls them the euill people Ier. 13.10 the disobedient and gain-saying people Rom. 10.21 the people of Gomorrah Esay 1.10 the people of my curse Esay 34.5 2. Because God will shew by his fierce wrath that hee doth not reckon of them at all but will cast them off as a girdle that is good for nothing Ier. 13.10 Many places of Scripture shew this All the sinners of the people shall die Amos 9.10 God will take away his power from them euen his louing kindnes and mercies and would not haue them much pitied Ier. 16.5 Behould saith the same Prophet in another place the whirl-winde of the Lord goeth forth with fury a continual whirl-wind it shall fall with pain on the head of the wicked Ier. 30.23 so Ezech. 11.21 Esay 34.5 Ob. But when men liue in the Church and are baptized c. how may it bee knowne that they are not Gods people what signes are there of men that are not Gods people Sol. They are described in diuers Scriptures where we may finde out what people it is God excepts against First such as can liue without God in the world are not Gods people Ephes. 2.12 Such as can goe whole daies weekes moneths yeeres without any harty care of God or his glory or fauour These are euidently not a people Secondly such as are of a stifneck such as will not let Gods yoke come vpon them such as wil not obey his voice but walk in the imaginations and counsels of their owne euill hearts Ierem. 7.23 24 c. 13.10 especially such as refuse to heare his voice and are withall gainsaiers and such as are talkers whose lips carry about them the infamy of Gods true people and the blasphemy of Gods name Rom. 10.21 Ierem. 10.13 Ezech. 36.3 c. Thirdly it may be discerned by their manner of seruing of God for such as God reiects from being of his people may draw neere to him with their lips but their hearts are from him and they doe him no seruice but as mens lawes feare them to it A constant habituall alienation of the heart from the care of Gods presence in Gods ordinances is a sure signe of persons God regards not Ob. But there are faults in the best men in the world and therefore why should such as liue in the Church and professe the true Religion be cast off only for liuing in sin seeing all are sinners Sol. I answer with the words of the holy Ghost Deut. 32.5 6. Their spot is not the spot of Gods people that spot that is in the wicked is a spot of leprosie and therefore they ought to bee put without the Campe till they be cleansed The sins of the Godly are sins of infirmity and the sinnes of the wicked are sinnes of presumption The wicked neuer obey from the heart which all the godly doe sinne doth not raigne in them as it doth in the wicked Thus of their estate by Nature as they were not a people their estate by Grace is described in those words Are now the people of God Are now the people of God The difference of reading here from that of the prophet is to be noted for wheras in the prophet it is thus In the place where it was said ye are not my people it shall be said vnto them Ye are the sonnes of the liuing God which words are somewhat doubtfull for some might gather that therefore all which were not a people should in time be the people of God The Apostle therefore applies it so as that it may appeare that the comfort only belongs to godly Christians and in stead of the words Ye shall be called the Sonnes of the liuing God he saith Ye are now the people of God which in sence differs not and the Apostle leapeth to the direct Antithesis and takes it for granted that all God's People are God's Sonnes also vnlesse we conceiue that hee borrowed these words out of Hosh. 2. vlt. which I rather incline vnto though Interpreters most take to the words and the first Chap. Ye are now the people of God For the sence of the words we must vnderstand that men are in Scripture said to be God's people three wayes First in respect of eternall Praedestination see Rom. 11.2 He will not cast off the people hee knew before Secondly in respect of the couenant in the Law and so the sonnes of Abraham were God's people and none other as many Scriptures shew Thirdly in respect of the couenant in the Gospell and so it is to be taken here and all vnregenerate men were not a people and all that beleeue are God's people by the benefit of the couenant of Grace in the Gospell Now for the coherence I might note That they that are not the people of God may be the people of God and so acknowledged of God himselfe which should teach vs with meekenesse and patience to waite when God will turne those that lie in their sinnes and despaire of no man and restraine fierce and peruerse censures concerning the finall estate of
declared himself that hee will not shew mercy or pity towards diuers sorts of offenders Thirdly that the things men vsually obiect will not be auailable to deliuer them from Gods wrath Fourthly what sorts of men in particular God will not be mercifull vnto For the first that men are apt to plead God's mercy when it belongs not to them is apparant through the whole course of Scriptures to haue euer been in the disposition of most wicked men they blesse themselues in their hearts when their iniquity is found worthy to be hated Psal. 36.2 They liue at ease and put far away the euill day from them Amos 6.1 3. They cry Peace peace when sudden destruction is made to come vpon them 1. Thes. 5.3 For the second that God will not bee mercifull to many a man that liues in the visible Church is manifested by many Scriptures as Deut. 29.19 Ier. 16.5 Ezech. 5.11 and 7.4 9. and 8.18 Hosh. 1.6 and 2.4 and in many other places For the third their excuses and pretenses are all vain for 1. If they stand vpon their greatnes in the world it is certain that riches will not auaile in the day of wrath Iob 36.18 19 c. 2. Nor will it help them to be born of godly Ancestors for rather than God will bee tied to the wicked seed of Abraham hee will raise vp children of the stones to Abraham Mat. 3. 3. Nor can multitude priuiledge them For though hand ioin in hand yet sin shall not go vnpunished and God turns nations of men into hell Psalm 9.17 4. Nor will their outward seruing of God serue their turn It is bootlesse to cry The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord if men redresse not their waies Ier. 7.4 8 9 10. 5. Nor wil it help them that some Ministers speak comfortably to them and by their preaching they may expect mercy for GOD will iudge those Prophets that strengthen the hands of the wicked The stubborn people were neuer a whit the safer when the Prophet told them they should haue peace and no euil should come vnto them but the Lord protesteth that the whirl-wind of his fury should fall grieuously vpon the head of the wicked for all that Ier. 23.15 19 20. that at length they should consider it perfectly and the Lord threatneth that he will rent the wall of security which the Prophets haue built with vntempered morter that he will rent it euen with the fierce winde of his furie and there shall be an ouerflowing showre in his anger to consume it Ezech. 13.10 to 15. 6. Neither may the patience of God proue that he meanes to shew expected mercy for though a sinner prolong his daies an hundred times yet it shall not be well with the wicked nor ought he to settle his heart the more freely on his sinne because sometimes it is not speedily executed for God will finde a time to set his sinnes in order before him and then he may teare him in peeces and none can deliuer him Eccles. 8.11 12 13. Psal. 50.19 7. Neither will it ease them that there are so many promises of mercy in Scripture For they are limited and besides in diuers places where mercy is promised the Lord explains himselfe by shewing that he will not cheere the wicked Ex. 34.7 as was alleaged before so Nahum 1.3 and v. 7. compared with the 6. 8. Neither will their Baptisme helpe them for neither Circumcision nor vn-circumcision auaileth any thing but a new Creature Gal. 6. Ob. If any say But though they be not now vnder mercy yet hereafter they may bee vpon Repentance Ans. I answere that in this they say truely but yet not safely For many men that haue promised themselues the late Repentance and mercy haue died in their sins before they could euer repent And thy times are in Gods hands thou knowest not when nor how thou shalt die and therefore the surest way is Now to turne to God with all thy heart as they were counselled more at large Ioel 2.12 13. Now for the fourth it may awake some sort of offenders the more effectually that besides the generall threatnings against wicked men they in particular are assured that they are not vnder mercy As first such as shew no mercy to men Iam. 2.13 and such as transgresse of malicious wickednesse Psal. 59.6 and such as are people of no vnderstanding Esay 7.11 and such as walk after the imaginations of their owne wicked hearts and will not harken vnto God Ierem. 16.5 10 12. and such as blesse themselues in their heart when they heare the curses of the Lawes Deut. 29.19 and such as steale murther commit adultery and sweare falsely Ier. 7.9 and many other particulars Catalogues might be instanced in all the seuerall Scriptures the Prophet Malachy puts in such as deale corruptly in tything and offring Malach. 1.8 9. To conclude the counsell of the Prophet Ieremy is excellent in this case who most effectually speakes thus Heare yee giue eare bee not proud for the Lord hath spoken Giue glory to the Lord your God before hee cause darknes and before your feet stumble vpon the dark mountaines and while yee look for light hee turne it into the shadow of death and make it grosse darknes But if you will not heare my soule shal weep in secret for your pride and mine eye runne downe with teares Ierem. 13.15 16. Vse 2. Secondly the consideration of this doctrine may iustify the practice of godly Ministers that denounce the iudgements of God vpon their hearers that liue in sinne without repentance It is their duty to shewe them that they are not vnder mercy they are required to cry aloud and to shew Gods people their sinnes Esay 58.1 And the Prophets that cried peace peace are extremely threatened of God so as for not warning the people the blood of their soules is required of the Prophets Ezech. 33. verse 2. to 10. Vse 3. The third vse may bee therefore for the singular humiliation of wicked men that liue in the assemblies of Christians Though they haue obtained a place in Gods Church yet they haue not obtained mercy but liue vnder the fearefull displeasure of God and this is the more terrible if they consider three things First that this is the case of multitudes of men in the Church but a remnant are vnder mercy which will appeare more distinctly if you draw out of our assemblies such as in Scripture are expresly said not to bee vnder mercy as 1. Take all such as yet liue in their naturall Atheisme that mind not God nor Religion that onely care for earthly things and shew it by a constant either neglect or contempt of the publike assemblies of Christians amongst vs These cannot obtaine mercie because they refuse to heare Gods voyce and to seeke to the ordinary meanes of mercie Isaiah 50.1 2. Heb. 3.7 2. Draw out then secret offenders such as sinne in the dark and say Who seeth vs
some way breed in vs a hatred of vice and a loue of honesty this is the vse of all Scripture 1. Tim. 3.16 17. Which may serue for triall of such as come to the Word they may knowe whether they be good or euill hearers by the impression made vpon their hearts by the Word And it may serue for information to shew vs the excellency of the Word aboue all other Writings because there is no line in Scripture but some way it tends to the redresse of our natures from sin and to plant holinesse in vs which can be true of no human Writings And withall it shewes the happy estate of the godly who though they haue many diseases in their natures yet they haue wonderfull store and variety of medicines in God's Word to heal their natures If for the diseases of our bodies there bee but one herb in the whole field that is good for cure we haue reason to think that God hath prouided well in nature for vs but how is his mercy glorious who in the spiritual Field of his Word hath made to growe as many herbs for cure of all our diseases as there be sentences in Scripture And lastly it should teach vs to vse the Scriptures to this end to redresse our waies by them And thus in generall The first part of the epilogue hath in it matter of dehortation where obserne First the parties dehorted who are described by an epithet importing their priuiledge aboue other men viz. Dearly beloued Secondly the manner of propounding the dehortation viz. by way of beseeching I beseech you Thirdly the matter from which hee dehorts viz. fleshly lusts Fourthly the manner how they are to bee auoided viz. abstain from them Fiftly the motiues First Yee are strangers and pilgrims secondly these lusts are fleshly thirdly they fight against the soule Dearly beloued This tearme is not vsed complementally or carelesly but with great affection in the Apostle and with speciall choice and fitnes for the matter intreated of which we may obserue in the most places where this louely epithet is giuen to the godly in other Scriptures GOD is exceeding choice of his words hee neuer mentioneth the teaâ—ms of loue but hee brings to his children the affections of loue as I may so say Men through custome vse faire complement of words when their hearts be not moued but let our loue bee without dissimulation But let that go The point heer to bee plainly obserued is that Christians are beloued of all other people they are most loued I will but briefly explicate this First GOD loues them and that with infinite and euerlasting loue and hath manifested it by sending his owne Son to be a propitiation for their sinnes 1. Iohn 4.9 10. Secondly Christ loueth them which hee shewed by giuing his life for them Thirdly the Angels of heauen loue them which they shew by ioying in their conuersion and by their carefull attendance about them Fourthly the Godly in generall loue them There is no godly man that knowes them but loues them for euery one that loues God that begot them loues euery one that is begotten of God euery one I say that he knowes 1. Iohn 5.1 Lastly the godly Teachers loue them which they shew in that they are not onely willing to impart to them the Gospell but euen their owne soules because their people are dear vnto them 1. Thes. 2.8 Now this loue of God of Christ of the Angels of the godly men Ministers should serue to support vs against the contempt and hatred of the world wee haue a loue that is much better than the loue of worldly men can be to vs. First because it is of better persons and secondly because it is of a better kinde for it is more feruent and it is more pure and more constant Worldly men can shew no loue that hath comparison to the loue of God or Christ or any of those for the feruency of it And if worldly men loue vs it is to draw vs vnto one euill or other and besides it will not last for wicked men will agree with themselues no longer than so many Curres will agree they are alwaies contending hatefull and hating one another Secondly this point should much check the vnbeliefe of Christians and their vnthankfulnesse for many times they are affected as if they were not beloued of any whereby they much dishonour the loue of God and of Christ and of Christians towards them also and thereby they flatly contradict the Text which saith They are beloued Thirdly impenitent sinners should bee moued heerby to become true Christians because till then they are monstrous hatefull creatures GOD loaths them and their works Iohn 3.36 Esay 1.11 c. And such vile persons are vile and odious in the eâ—es of the godly Psalm 24.4 Psalm 15. Fourthly Christians should labour to preserue this loue vnto themselues with increase of the comfort of it and so diuers things would much aduantage them in this loue as 1. Faith To liue by faith commends them wonderfully to God's loue as being the condition mentioned when he sent his Sonne into the world Iohn 3.16 For without it it is impossible to please God 2. Humility would much commend them to the loue of the Angels who reioyce more in one sinner that is penitent than in 99 iust men that need no repentance 3 The fruits of wisdome mentioned Iam. 3.17 haue a maruellous force to win loue among men To be pure in respect of sincere Religion to be gentle and peaceable free from passion and contention to be easie to be intreated to be also full of mercy good works and all this without iudging or hypocrisie to bee no censurers nor counterfets oh this is exceeding amiable if these things were carefully expressed 4. And for their Ministers two things would much increase their loue to them First obedience to their doctrine for this will preuail more than all the bounty in the world 1. Thes. 2.13 Heb. 13.18 Secondly to conuerse without back-biting or vncharitable iudging of them By these two the Philippians and Thessalonians were highly aduanced in the affection of the Apostle and through the want of these the Corinthians lost much in the loue of the Apostle Thus of the persons dehorted The manner of the dehortation followes I beseech ye In that the Apostle in the name of God doth beseech them diuers things are imported as First the maruellous gentlenesse and loue of God to men hee that may command threaten punish yea cast off yet is pleased to beseech men Secondly the dignitie and excellency of a cleane heart and honest life It is a thing which God by his seruants doth vehemently begge at our hands Thirdly the honor of a Christian he is spoken to as to a great Prince as the two former reasons shew him to be Fourthly a rule of direction how to carry our selues towards others in the case of reformation wee must learne of the
as intreat of the resurrection last Iudgement and the glory of heauen proue it Now for the other sort that confesse the life of the Soule after the last Iudgement but deny that the Soule liues after death till then there are diuers Scriptures against their opinion As First the former Scriptures The Soule cannot be killed at all Math. 10. And God was presently the God of Abraham as then liuing and for eternal life it is not said He shal haue but He hath eternall life that beleeueth Secondly Christ said to the theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise not at the last day Thirdly Rom. 8.38 Death cannot separate vs from God in Christ as it would if the Soule were dead or a-sleepe and did not enioy God Fourthly the dead that die in the Lord are forthwith blessed Reuel 14.14 Fiftly the soules of Abraham and Lazarus were in ioy and aliue after death so was the soule of Diues in hell Sixtly Iohn saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the testimony of Iesus and they cried with a loud voice O Lord how long c. Reuel 6. Seuenthly the soules of the wicked die not but are kept in prison and are now in prison too 1. Pet. 3.19 Before I leaue this point of the immortalitie of the soule it is profitable briefly to answere certaine obiections which may bee brought out of some words in the Scriptures as Ob. 1. The Soule that sinneth shall die Ezeth 18. Therfore it seems the soule is mortall or at least for sin it must die and the rather because it was threatned in Paradise That day that thou eatest therof thou shalt die the death Sol. The Scriptures euidently shewe that since the fall and sinne yet the Soule doth not die as the places before alleaged proue But the answere is that this death threatned or inflicted is not the destruction of the being of the Soule but the depriuing of it of the grace and fauour and presence of God Ob. 2. Eccles. 3. It is said that there is one end of the man and of the beast As dieth the one so dieth the other Sol. These are not the words of Salomon but of the Epicure who is here as in other places of that booke brought in declaring his minde of things For Salomon himselfe concludeth euidently that the Soule returneth vnto God that gaue it as in the last Chapter The other obiections are the obiections of the dreamers that is of such as imagine that the Soule lieth a-sleepe till the day of Iudgement and perceiues nothing and is without operation which is to say it is dead seeing life is nothing else but the continuall motion and action of the Soule Ob. 1. It is said that man when he dies that he sleepeth as Christ said that Lazarus He sleepeth and Stephen slept in the Lord Iohn 11. Act â—7 Sol. Other Scriptures adde another word viz. in the graue or in the dust Iob 7.21 and Psalme 78. sleeping in their graues but it is euident that the Soule cannot sleepe in the graue but the body onely And Stephen deliuered his Spirit to Christ. Ob. 2. Paul saith that if the body rise not we are of all men most miserable That it seemes cannoâ— be true if the Soule enioy blessednesse without the body Sol. The immortalitie of the Soule and the resurrection of the body are conioyned For the Soule without the body can be for euer because it is the forme of the body though God for the time do by his power and grace prouide for the Soule in glory yet it is not at full happinesse till it be ioyned to the body againe For without the body it hath no vse of vegetation or sences but onely of reason But for the Argument of the Apostle it holds good of that part of man which is in question which is the body of man For the bodies of Godly men are more miserable then other men kept vnder and exposed to many restraints and paines eyther by mortification or persecution which the bodies of wicked men are not exposed vnto Ob. 3. It is said of the spirit of Princes that it returneth to his Earth and in the day of death his thoughts perish So the Soule thinkes of nothing after death till the day of iudgement Sol. The place is corruptly alleaged two waies One in the Words the other in the Sence for the text doth not say That his Spirit returneth to his earth but thus his Spirit returneth viz. out of his body to God and he not it returneth to the earth viz. in respect of his body for the other these words his thoughts perish must not be vnderstood of his vnderstanding after death but of his proiects while hee liued For men are exhorted not to trust in Princes For they may die and then all their promises and proiects will bee of no vse and come to nothing Obiect 4. It is said that the dead cannot praise God Psal. 88. and 1 13. and 30. Sol. That the soules of the godly in heauen doe praise God is manifest Reuel 5.11 13.14 and 19.1 Now the Scriptures cannot bee contrary one to another and therefore the places in the Psalmes must not bee taken simply but onely in some respect The dead doe praise God but not as the liâ—ing did in their liues their praises cannot prouoke other men to beleeue in God or serue him as in this life they might Thus of the immortality of the soule The next thing to bee inquired after is about the originall of the soule and about this point in seueral ages diuers men haue breathed diuers and strange conceits erring because they knew not or regarded not the Scriptures First some conceiued so highly of the soule as to think it was no creature but vncreated and eternall without beginning but this must needes bee false 1. Because then the soule should bee God and infinite too For God onely is vncreated 2. Because then the soule had vnderstanding and thoughts and willed from eternity whereas till it was in our bodies it did not work and to imagine it should bee as a dead lump all that while is monstrously absurd Secondly others haue conceiued that when men die their soules goe into the bodies of other men that be borne and so our soules heeretofore were the soules of some men that bee dead This was the opinion of diuers of the Philosophers and it is apparant that diuers of the Iewes were infected with it for about Christ they said some that hee was Elias some that he was Ieremias and some one of the Prophets and some Iohn Baptist. Now they saw that his body was not theirs and therefore they thought that his soule was the soule of some of them Now this opinion cannot bee true 1. Because no Scripture giues any notice of it For in that place the conceit of the Iewes is told with dislike 2. Because the soules that were deliuered out of the miseries
all patience instruct men and call vpon them and perswade them to saue their soules Doct. 7. Wee may yet further from hence obserue that before calling the very Elect of GOD may bee as bad as any other as heer till God visited those elect Gentiles they were railers as well as others so were the former sinnes mentioned 1. Cor. 6.9 found in the very Elect as the eleuenth verse sheweth This appears by the example of Manasses Marie Magdalene Paul and the thief on the Crosse see further Tit. 3.3 And the reasons may bee easily assigned for first the very Elect before calling haue the same corruption of nature that other men haue and so all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God so as there is not one of them doth good no not one Secondly they haue the same occasions to sinne from the Deuill and the world Thirdly and were their natures somewhat better then other mens yet they would haue beene leauened as they were a part of the lump of infected mankinde This may both inform vs teach vs in diuers things It may inform vs in three things viz. about our election and our iustification and about the Gospell as the means of our vocatiō For election this point proues it must bee free seeing there was no goodness in the very elect more then in the reprobate in the estate of nature And for Iustification the Apostle Paul vseth the consideration of this doctrine in the third Chapter to the Romans to prooue it cannot be by workes And for the Gospell wee may here see the mighty power of it it may well bee called the Arme of the Lord and his power to saluation that can thus mightily and suddenly change men And it should teach vs also diuers things as it concernes either our selues or other men or God 1. For our selues it should teach vs to walke both more humbly all our daies seeing wee haue beene vile as well as others and also more watchfully seeing wee carry about vs a nature that hath beene so rebellious against God and besides wee should resist the beginnings of sinne in vs as hauing knowne by experience whither sinne will lead vs if wee giue way to it and dally with it 2 For others not yet called it should teach vs both compassion of their miserie it hauing beene our owne case and a care to shewe all meekness to all men in wayting for their conuersion and patience in bearing their wrongs 3 For God how can wee euer sufficiently loue him that hath shewed such loue to vs euen when wee were his enemies Yea wicked men that are smitten with terrors for the hainousnesse of their sinnes should hence confirme themselues against despaire seeing they may hence learne that as great offendors as they haue beene conuerted and saued 2. Tim. 1.15 There is one thing that from hence men must take heede that they doe not learne that is that they abuse not these examples to confirme themselues in sinne for there is matter to daunt them and fright them from this presumption For first not all that haue liued licentiously but some few onely haue beene saued the rest perished in their owne wickednesse Secondly of those that were saued none were saued without amendment of life and regeneration and therfore so long as thou liuest in thy sinne so long their example fits thee not Doct. 8. The last Doctrine that may from hence be made is in particular concerning the sinne of speaking euill of the godly and the point is That Gods gracious visitation doth cure that disease exactly Hee will neuer raile any more that is truly gathered vnto God in his day of visitation It is possible Christians may speake euill one of another in particular and it is lamentable when they doe so but that is vpon supposall of particular faults in those of whom they speake euill But that a man should speake euill of godly men in generall because they are godly with desire he might finde them euill doers is a vice not found in such as are truly called And therefore let such as are guilty of that sinne of speaking euill of good Christians because they follow goodnesse know That their day of visitation is not yet come Verse 13. Submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as superior FRom the 13 Verse of the first Chapter to the 9 Verse of the third Chapter is contained matter of exhortation and the exhortation is either generall or speciall The generall exhortation concernes all Christians and hath beene set downe from the 13 Verse of the first Chapter to the end of the 11 Verse of this second Chapter Now those words and those that follow to the 9 Verse of the next Chapter containe speciall exhortations which concerne some Christians onely namely subiects seruants wiues and husbands Of the duty of subiects he entreats from Verse 13 to Verse 18 Of the duty of seruants from Verse 18 to the end of this Chapter of the duty of wiues in the seuen first Verses of the third Chapter and of the duty of husbands in the eightth Verse of that Chapter So that the Apostle hauing taught all Christians before how to behaue themselues in their generall calling hee now vndertakes to teach some sorts of Christians in particular how to order themselues in their particular callings and so hee teacheth them in some things that concern the Politickes and in some things that concerne the Oeconomickes Vnto order in a Common wealth belongs the duty of Subiects and vnto houshold gouernment belongs the duty of Seruants Wiues and Husbands From the coherence and the generall consideration of the whole exhortation diuers things may be noted before I breake open the particulars of the Text. 1 The Word of God must be the warrant of all the actions of our life it not onely giues order about the businesses of Religion but it prescribes matter of obedience in all our conuersation it tells vs what to doe in our houses and in the Common wealth as well as what to doe at Church which shewes vs the perfection of the Scripture Theologie is the Mistresse of all Sciences it perfects the sound knowledge of the Ethicks Politickes or Oeconomickes and it should teach therefore in our callings whether generall or particular to seeke warrant from the Word which warrant we may finde either expressed particularly or else implied in generall directions and withall we should take heed that wee make not more sinnes in any estate of life then are made in Scripture and so not affright or disquiet our selues with vaine fears that way 2 The Apostle would haue Christians in a speciall manner careful that they offend not the lawes of the Princes of this world this appeares in that hee enioynes them the duties of Subiects first and in that they doe teach them the duty of submission both in this and other Scriptures with great force and
violence as it were of arguments which shewes that they were wonderfull desirous to charge and instruct the Christians so that if it were possible they might not offend that way and the reasons are diuers many why Christians should bee aboue all men carefull to keepe the lawes of Princes first because by breaking the lawes of men they sinne against God Secondly because euill minded men haue in all ages watched godly Christians to see whether they could finde any fault by them in the matters of the kingdome Thirdly because if earthly Princes bee prouoked it may cause a generall trouble of the Churches the offendors many times suffer not alone but many others vpon displeasure raised by them Fourthly because if earthly Princes be good the carefull obedience of their Subiects may incourage them to bee great helps to religion euen to bee Nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Churches 1. Tim. 2.2 Fiftly because peruersnesse and contempt and carelesse neglect of the lawes of Princes many times prooues scandalous and VVee must not offend them that are without 1. Cor. 10. 2. Col. 4.5 Many that were somewhat enclined to embrace the sincerity of the Gospell haue beene cast backe and professe that therefore they abhor such people because they obserue their disobedience against humane gouernment either through indiscretion or nice scruples or peruerse wilfulnesse The vse may bee to reproue the carelesnesse of many Christians this way and that for diuerse offenses as first for sluggishnes in not studying the Lawes of the Countries where they liue Some Christians haue a secret iealousie against the lawes of men and doo in heart think meanly of them and vnlesse the equity of the Law stare them in the face they doo without any further consideration securely cast aside the care of it and rush into the breach of it Secondly diuerse Christians doo much sinne against the holy desire and direction of the Apostles in the intemperancie of their words when in ordinary discourse they speak with much scorne of the obseruation of the lawes of men which they vnderstand not A Christian that will not study to be quiet in respect of the laws of men is a singular plague to the Church where he liues Doct. 3. We may hence note that it is necessary for Ministers often to teach their hearers their duty to Magistrates and to shew the power that Princes haue to make lawes to gouern them by And this is fit to be noted because of the strange weaknes and peruersenesse of some Christians that are much offended with their Teachers if they fall vpon doctrine of this nature with any application to the times they mistrust them or censure them to be temporizers and to speak out of flattery or wilfulnesse or the like corruption of conscience I speak not now of such Ministers as plead the rights of Princes onely for their owne ends or in such a manner as they discouer an apparant hatred of godlinesse it self for these are worthy to bee blamed but euen of such Ministers as prooue the rights of Christian Princes with compassion and loue and meeknes without prouoking or reuiling tearms euen these I say are mistrusted and censured though we hear and see in other Scriptures that they are bound to proue and defend the authority of the Magistrate in any thing wherein it is vniustly questioned Doct. 4. It is necessary we should first be taught our duty to God and those things that concerne a religious life and then our duty to man and in particular to Magistrates This the Apostle intimates in that he first instructs them as Christians and then as Subiects and there is apparant reason First in respect of God secondly in respect of themselues and thirdly in respect of the Magistrate First in respect of God for wee are first and chiefly bound to God our first couenant is made with God and we are more behoulding to God than to all the world besides and therefore again to respect his glory and obedience to him in the first and chief place Secondly in respect of our selues and our owne profit we must study God's Lawes as well as the lawes of men yea with our first and chiefe cares and accordingly yield obedience because though by keeping the lawes of men we may liue quietly and safely and with much reputation yet all this will not protect vs against the breach of GOD's Law but the hand of God may pursue vs while we liue and we may be damned in hell when wee die for want of a religious life Thirdly in respect of the Magistrate hee shall haue the better subiects by it good Christians are the best Subiects and the knowledge of Religion and God's Word makes men obey not for feare or custome but for conscience sake and for feare of God's displeasure And besides it makes men humble and charitable humble not to think themselues too good to obey and charitable in not suspecting the meaning of Princes further than they must needs And it restraines the excessiue pronenesse of mens natures that are without Religion apt to speak euil of those that are in authority and chiefly because true Religion will make men pray heartily to God for their Gouerners and GOD himselfe doth spare or blesse them the rather for the praiers of the righteous The vse should be to informe and teach all sorts of men to take heed of separating what God hath ioyned together It is an extreme folly to giue vnto Caesar what is due to Caesar and not to giue vnto God what is due to God and so it were to giue vnto God what is due to God if men could doo it and not to giue to Caesar what is due to Caesar. The respect of God's Laws should make vs more carefull to obserue mans lawes And contrariwise it is a fearfull case that many liue in that think they haue done enough if they liue in obedience in respect of the authority that rules them in the places they liue in they would be much troubled if the Magistrate should be offended with them but are neuer troubled though they prouoke God to his face and they are maliciously foolish that would haue the lawes of men obeyed when they are against the Lawes of God or would haue men so rest in obseruing the iust lawes of men as not to be so forward and busie about the duties of Religion Further a question may be heer asked Why the duty of Magistrates is not heer set downe as well as the duties of Subiects I answer that in those times of the Apostles the Magistrates were without so farre from being Christians that they did for the most part persecute that way and therefore they doo auoid meddling or vndertaking to teach them that would not learn but rather be incensed against such Teachers Besides if this and other Scriptures of the new Testament bee marked wee shall finde that the duty of Inferiours is both more often and more fully taught than
merit or necessity to saluation then the Magistrate sinnes in so commanding and the Subiect sinnes in obeying but if the Magistrate command things to bee vsed which in their owne nature are indifferent and professe to disclaim the opinion of holinesse worship merit or necessity then it is lawfull to obey his commandements in such cases So then traditions brought-in with an opinion of necessity c. are vnlawfull but traditions brought-in for order and decorum are lawfull 1. Cor. 14.40 and this is apparant For if God haue left the ordering of things indifferent to men why may not Magistrates appoint that order And if Christians may take-in or bring vp customes in the time of God's worship why may not the Magistrate doo it by his authority If Christians may make an order for what garments women should wear on their heads in the time of God's worship why may not the Magistrate make an order what garments Ministers should weare in the time of God's worship If subiects may of their owne heads appoint a feast of their owne making at the time of God's feast as they did their loue-feasts in the Primitiue Church and withall appointed the action or gesture of kissing one another why may not the Magistrate by his authority bring in an action or gesture it being such a gesture as God hath neither commanded nor forbidden Finally if in things indifferent a priuat man may vse things indifferent of his owne head why may hee not vse them which the Magistrate commands and when hee commands him and if hee may refuse to vse some things onely because of his owne will why may hee not refuse them when the Magistrate forbiddeth him But that this point may bee more cleer I will set downe a Catalogue of inuentions of men vsed for religious endes and vses without any commandement of God and that both before the Law and vnder the Law and vnder the Gospell First before the Law wee read of these things The laying of the hand vnder the thigh in swearing Genesis 24 c. Iacobs piller erected as a religious monument Genesis 28.18 Secondly vnder the Law wee read of these instances The Altar of the two Tribes and a halfe Iosuah 22.10 and 27.30 Dauids dancing and playing on all sorts of instruments and songs before the Ark 1. Chron. 13.8 and 15 16. and 2. Sam. 6.14 Dauids wearing of a linnen Ephod the garment of the Leuites 1. Chron. 15.27 Dauids appointing of the offices of the Leuites and his bringing in of the newe order of singing men into the Temple 1. Chron. 24. and 25. The vse of sackcloth and ashes in fasting Salomon built another Altar besides the Altar of the Lord 2. Chro. 7.7 Hezekias kept the Passeouer at a time not appointed by the Law and the people kept it seuen daies longer 2. Chron. 30.2 3 27. About the celebration of the Passeouer it is manifest that the godly Iewes brought in of their own heads 1. The gesture of sitting which Christ himselfe also vsed 2. The solemn vse of the cup of which mention is made also that Christ vsed it Luke 22.17 The Rechabites abstinence not onely from wine according to the Law of the Nazarites but from husbandry and houses Ierem. 35. The Iewes had euery where Synagogues which were not commanded by the Law Luk. 7.5 Mardocheus appointed the feasts of Pur or lots Iudas Macabeus appointed the feast of Tabernacles which our Sauiour graced with his presence Thirdly vnder the Gospell Our Sauiour Christ approued the gesture of sitting and the Cup at the Passouer the Iewish Synagogues and the feast of Tabernacles The Apostle Paul vsed the Iewish ceremonies when they were no more the ordinances of God as Circumcision shauing the head purifying vowing contributing yea sacrificing Acts 21. Abstayning from meat sacrificed to Idols The obseruation of the Iewish Sabbath The womens couerings 1. Cor. 11. The Loue-feasts The holy kisse Quest. But heere might some one say Things indifferent in their own nature in the vses of them not inconuenient may bee commanded by the Magistrate and subiects must obey but what if the Magistrate command some things to bee obserued as are very inconuenient and burthensome though they bee not vnlawfull Ans. Things inconuenient euen in matters of Religion may bee commanded in some cases as when it is to redeeme a far worse inconuenience For of two euils of punishments the Magistrate may take the lesse as wel as any other priuate man And if that subiects to preuent worse inconueniences may vse inconuenient ceremonies then may the Magistrate to preuent worse inconueniences command inconuenient ceremonies If the Apostles may vse the inconuenient Iewish ceremonies then the Apostles may inioyne for a time the vse of inconuenient ceremonies as they did make ordinances about things which yet they called burthens Acts 16. And Moses may make an ordinance about the vse of a bill of diuourcement which yet was a grieuous inconuenience to redeeme a worse inconuenience But if Magistrates doe appoint inconuenient things and burthen the Church with them when there would be no great inconuenience to the Church if such things were not then such Magistrates must giue their account to Christ for so doing but yet the people are bound to obey still because wee cannot bee freed from our subiection layd vpon vs by God except it appeare to vs that they command not onely an inconuenience but a sinne as all sound Diuines confesse But that this point may bee distinctly vnderstood let vs suruey the inconueniences amongst vs vsually pretended and then enquire whether such things may bee viz. There bee fiue things are thought each of them to make the inuentions of men very inconuenient and burthensome and so not to be vsed as First If there bee no necessary vse of them Secondly if they swarue from some paterne may bee had in such things in Scripture Thirdly If they bee things haue beene or are abused to superstition Fourthly if they haue signification put vpon them by men Fiftly if they bee scandalous in the vse of them For the first It is manifest that there was no necessary vse of the Iewish ceremonies For now the substance and body was come there was no need of those shadowes and yet they were vsed by the Apostles For the second in ceremoniall and circumstantiall things it is not alwaies a sinne to swarue from examples in Scripture It doth not follow that Christ did sit at the Lords Supper and therefore it is vnlawfull to kneele For I can shew that godly men haue swarued from the shewe of paterns that did serue to bind stronglier then that example or such like can doe As for example The godly Iewes did sit at the Sacrament when yet the gesture imported in the Law was standing and this sitting at the passeouer was manifestly an inuention of man For it was no where cōmanded yea the Christians that now obiect the example of Christ in the gesture yet doe not
to liue such a discreet and profitable life that they may see that wee differ from all other sorts of men in the goodnes of our conuersation If wee would doe what might bee specially pleasing to God we must bee carefull of these two things Doct. 8. Lastly wee may heere note that the will of God may bee knowne effectually though it bee not knowne distinctly The Apostle is sure this is the will of God and yet there is no Book Chapter nor Verse quoted nor can any particular place be alleaged that these precise words doo expresse God's will but inasmuch as the meaning is to bee found in the scope of many places of Scripture therefore it may bee well so called The will of God Thus of the authority of this rule The matter of it follows which is well-dooing With well-dooing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is not the same with that in the former verse for heer it is a Participle of the present time and notes the continuall custome of well-dooing and giues vs to vnderstand that if euer we would effectually silence wicked men we must be continually exercised in well-dooing Our good works though of great excellency yet work but a sudden blaze the effect of them will be quickly ended or soon put out and then will wicked men return to their old course of reproaching if they bee not daily confuted by the still fresh and new fruits of a Christian wee must bee full of new and good fruits Iames 3.17 and neuer weary of well-dooing The sense of the word then is this as if it were rendred thus This is the will of God that they that are daily exercised in doing good should put to silence foolish men for the originall word doth note the person as well as the good done which affoords another doctrine Doct. 2. God would haue good men that are full of good fruits to enter into the lists against wicked men to vanquish and silence them which implies that God would not haue formal Christians or hypocrites to meddle with the quarrell of Religion for they will spoil all in the end when their hollownesse and hypocrisie is discouered they will make foolish men rail and blaspheme worse than before Such are fit to plead for and defend Religion as be manfull and full of good works And therefore the weak Christians should not be ouer-busie and fiery in meddling with wicked men or putting themselues forward to defend sincerity til their works could plead for them before we set-on to be great talkers for Religion we should prouide good store of good works by which wee might demonstrate the truth and power of godlinesse in vs. Of well-doing in it self I haue intreated before onely before I passe from it me thinks it is lamentable that our hearts can bee no more fired to the care of it Oh that wee were once brought but to consent from the heart with confirmed purpose to set vp a course by our liues to win glory to our Religion We see how fain God would haue vs do so and it would plague wicked men that would fain rail at vs nothing would more confute them And besides other Scriptures shew no life aboundeth more with stedfastnes and contentment than a life fruitfully spent especially how can wee bee still thus careless if we remember the great recompense of reward in another world Oh this formality and outward shew and seruing God for fashion how deeply is it seated in mens manners It is likely the most of you that hear this doctrine will say it is good and perhaps some one or two of you wil be a little toucht with a kind of consultation in your selues which way you might doe well But alas alas out and alas Oh that I could get words to gore your very Soules with smarting paine that this Doctrine might be written in your very flesh for a thousand to one you will goe the most of you away and not redresse your waies Religion shall not be honored by you more then before cursed be that worldly drosse or spirituall security that will thus robbe and spoyle your Soules and keepe Religion without her true glosse and beautie and shining glory I might here also note that submission to the ordinances of men is one part of a Christian man's well doing and a speciall ornament of the sincere profession of Râ—ligion because it is the discharge of the duty enioyned vs by God and so is a part of the obedience due to God himselfe to keepe their ordinances is to obey God's commandement Secondly because such a conscionable submission to mans Lawes makes the religious workes of Christians to be the more vnrebukeable in the eyes of wicked men and therefore they are to bee warned of their rashnesse that say that conformity to mens lawes is euill dooing when God sayes it is well doing they say it is a sinne God sayes it is a good worke It is neerer to the truth and safer to say that not conforming is a sinne because it is a breach of God's expresse commandement in the former verse and therefore also godly Christians whether Ministers or priuate persons that obey the lawes of men simply out of Conscience of God's Commandements and not for corrupt ends may comfort themselues that the good God doth like of what they doe because it is his will that so they should doe and he sayes they do well though som good men are coÌ„trary-minded out of weaknes censure them as euill doers Then it is implyed heer that the conscionable conformity of godly Christians shall be rewarded in Heauen For all well-doing shall bee rewarded in Heauen but submission to humane Ordinances is well-doing and therefore shall be rewarded in Heauen Paul is crowned in Heauen for his holding to the Iewish Ceremonies to win the Iews and further the liberty of his Ministery Thus of the matter required The end follows That you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men The word heer rendred To put to silence is diuersly accepted or the force of it is shewed by diuerse tearmes in seuerall Scriptures Sometimes it is translated to still a thing that is tumultuous and raging and so the Sea was silenced or made still Mark 4.39 Sometimes it is translated To make speechlesse or dumb so Math. 22.12 Sometimes To confute so as they haue not a word to answer so Mat. 22.34 Sometimes To muzzle or tie vp the mouth so 1. Cor. 9.9 1. Tim. 5.18 and so it signifies properly and so well-doing is intended heer as a means to muzzle the mouthes of wicked men The word heer rendred Foolish-men signifies properly men without a minde or men that haue not vse of their vnderstanding and so are either naturall fooles or mad men The Doctrines that may bee gathered from hence are many For it may bee euidently collected from hence Doct. 1. That wicked men do vsually in all places speake euill of godly men they are prone to it
the lawes of Magistrates in things indifferent is in Gods account a sinne of malice partly because God reckons it as hateful as malice and partly because it flowes vsually from a heart that is not well-affected vnto the Magistrate but some way is wanting in that harty respect ought to be borne to the Magistrate Secondly in things indifferent that are left free to vse or not to vse and so Christian liberty is abused when it is vrged to defend such things as are scandalous or offend such as are weake and this is that which the Apostles in other Scripture so much vrge when they write of offending the weak brother Thirdly in things indifferent whether free or vnder the Ordinances of men There bee cases wherein Christian libertie may bee vilely abused As 1. When things indifferent are vrged as matters of necessity and with opinion of holinesse and merit Gal. 5.1 2. 2. When Christians doe bite and deuoure one another by quarrelling censuring back-biting one another and make diuisions about these things this is a reciprocall abuse about these things of Christian liberty and zeale ill spent seeing brotherly loue is the fulfilling of the Law c. Galat. 5.13 14 15. and the Kingdome of God stands not in garments gestures meate and drinke but in righteousnesse power and ioy in the holy Ghost Romanes 14.17 As the seruants of God These words are the reason why Christians must not neglect their obedience vnto the Magistrate nor abuse their liberty to licenciousnesse or maliciousnesse For though they be free by Iesus Christ yet they are entertained by God still in the nature of seruants and so are bound to do what he commands and hee doth command them to submit themselues to the Ordinances of the Magistrate For matter of Doctrine two things may be heer noted Doct. 1. God entertaynes none by Iesus Christ but he takes them bound to be his seruants All God's people are God's seruants And thus it is with men not onely in the new Testament but was so alwaies before Thus Abraham Iob Moses and Dauid are called God's seruants Vse The vse should be for instruction diuersly First seeing we are God's seruants wee should make Conscience of it to do his worke he hath by the Gospell hired vs to that end to imploy our selues in the workes of righteousnesse mercy and piety Tit. 2.12 Secondly since we belong to God who is so great a Master we should not onely doe his worke but do it in such a manner as becomes the seruants of the King of all kings God's seruants should serue him 1. Reuerently and with feare and trembling we must humble our selues to walke with God Psal. 2.11 Mic. 6.7 2. Zealously we should be zealous about this worke and so we should do it readily It is a shame for vs to bee dull and carelesse and prone to shifts and excuses the Centurions seruants goe when hee bids them and come when he calls for them and do this when he requires it and our zeal should bee shewne by our cheerefulness and willingness God's people should be a willing people and our hearts should be full of desires aboue all things to approue our selues to God we should make it appeare that we not onely are his seruants but loue to be his seruants Isaiah 56.7 and in matters of his worship or the meanes thereof the zeale of his House should eate vs vp 3. Wisely and discreetely Kings get the wisest men they can light vpon to serue before them and therefore the King of all kings will not be serued with fooles Since we serue GOD we should be circumspect and be sure we vnderstand what the will of God is Eph. 5.15 16. And therefore wee haue need to pray with Dauid that God would giue vs true vnderstanding hearts to search his Law Psalm 119.124 4. Sincerely Iosh. 24 14. And this sincerity in God's work wee should shew fiue waies First in seeking none but him Deut. 6.13 Wee must not be the seruants of men 1. Cor. 7.23 to satisfie mens humours or stand-vpon their liking or disliking Wee may not serue Mammon in our owne lusts No man can serue two Masters God refuseth vs for his seruants if we serue riches Luke 16.13 Secondly we should shew our sincerity in obeying him in all things there is no work hee requires that we should think our selues too good to do it we must not dare to neglect any thing he requires They are none of God's seruants that will do onely what they list in Religion Thirdly we should shew it in dooing all things that may bee best for his aduantage seeking his glory in all things 1. Cor. 10.31 We must not seek our owne praise or profit but his whom we serue Fourthly by dooing his will indeed without dissimulation 1. Chron. 28.9 Fiftly in newnes of spirit bringing new hearts to his work not trusting the old man to do any worke for God Rom. 7.6 5. We must doo his work constantly A seruant is not he that doth a daies work and so is gon but hee that works all the yeer nor hath God any seruants that hee hires not by life Hee hath none from yeer to yeer Psalm 119.17 Wee must finish his work and neuer giue-ouer till wee fulfill the task appointed vs Lukeâ— 74 Reu. 7.17 6. We must serue him with our spirits God is a Spirit and will be serued in spirit and truth If he may not haue the seruice of our hearts hee reiects the seruice of our bodies we must serue him with all our hearts and all our soules Deut. 10.12 Philip. 3.3 7. Confidently Seruants to ill or poor masters are fain to trust them for diet and wages how much more should wee relie vpon God and commit our selues wholly to him taking no care but onely to doo his work leauing all the rest to him Esay 43.11 8. With one shoulder or with one consent they must agree one with another Zephany 3.9 9. With all modesty Acts 20.19 without pride or self-conceits or conceitednes acknowledging that when we haue done all wee are vnprofitable seruants Luke 17.10 and with sorrow for our failings Acts 20. Luke 15.29 and the rather because God can finde faults in his best seruants Iob 4.18 Vse 3. Thirdly since God's people are God's seruants they should learn in all places to stand for the honour and glory of their Master and not suffer God to bee dishonoured by the seruants of a strange god Lastly since all God's people are his seruants and do his work it serues for the discouery of the miserable condition of multitudes in the visible Church who are heerby proued not to bee God's people because they are not God's seruants And so these sorts of men following are reiected as none of Gods people because they are none of his seruants First all prophane persons that aske what profit it is to serue God Iob 21.15 Malac. 3.15 and serue their owne lusts Math. 24.49 Secondly all worldlings
mercy Thirdly hee causeth the Gospell to be preached to all sorts of men without exception And so grace is offred to them and there is no other let but their refusall of grace offred Fourthly the example of all sorts of sinners that haue returned As great sinners as they haue been receiued to mercy and they are set out as examples to encourage other men to seek mercy as Manasses Mary Magdalene Dauid Peter Paul and others Many among the Corinthians haue been notorious offenders but were iustified and sanctified The explication of the doctrine of returning followes where these things are to be considered of c. First the motiues to perswade men to return Secondly the persons that need returning Thirdly the time when men must return Fourthly the false waies men must auoid in returning Fiftly what a number of lost sheep doo vsually return Sixtly the aggrauations against certain persons for not returning Seuenthly the means of returning Eightthly the manner how we must return or the rules to be obserued in returning Ninthly the signes of a lost sheep returned Lastly the lets of returning For the first I mean not to insist vpon all sorts of motiues but to follow the word Return as it is vsed in Scripture and take a few of the fittest motiues as it is vsed in this place And so diuers things should make a man to return as First the consideration of God's maruellous goodnes and amiablenesse of nature to all such as turn vnto him he is wonderfull gracious to them and mercifull and will repent him of the euill Ioel 2.12 13. Ier. 31.19 20. The parable of the lost sheep shewes this fully Secondly the great danger that men are in if they return not GOD is angry with the wicked euery day Psalm 7.12 And his fury may break forth suddenly vpon them like fire Ier. 4.4 For the words of his seruants will certainely take hold vpon them Zach. 1.4 6. and iniquity will be their ruine Ezech. 18. verse 30. Except they repent they must perish Luke 13.5 And therefore if wee warne men of their sinnes and they will not returne wee are deliuered and their blood will bee vpon themselues Ezech. 3.19 Thirdly if a man consider but the happines of such as doe returne GOD will forgiue them all their sinnes he will aboundantly prouide for them Esay 55.7 If they returne they shall liue and not die Ezech. 18.23 and 33.11 and euerlasting ioy shall bee vpon their heads and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Esay 51.11 and in this verse the Apostle shewes their happines For they shall alwaies liue vnder Iesus Christ as the Shepheard and Bishop of their soules For these and many other reasons it is the onely wise course to returne Luke 1.16 And there is not one wise man amongst all them that returne not Iob 17. And thus of the motiues The second point is the persons that need returning It is certain that those that liue out of the visible Church or in false churches neede returning As Pagans Turks Iewes Papists Schismaticks and all Hereticks Yea Iuda and Hierusalem neede repentance Ierem. 4.4 and 26.2 3. Men that liue in the visible Church and are baptized need to returne or else they wil perish Luke 13.5 Iohn 3.3 The third point is the time of returning and in short the best time to returne is the present time while it is yet called to day while wee haue the meanes of returning when God cals vpon vs by the ministry of his seruants especially when hee knocks at the dore of our hearts and laies the axe to the roote of the tree it is wonderfull dangerous to defer repentance for euen the longer thou liuest in sinne the more hard will thy heart bee Heb. 3.13 and the meanes of grace euen the Kingdome of God may be taken away or God may cut thee downe euen by sudden death or may cast thee into a reprobate sence and giue thee vp to a heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.4 5. The fourth point is the false waies to bee auoidid in returning and these are First to returne with despaire or to goe back without the guide faith in Gods mercy or to goe the way that despair leads In this way Cain and Iudas perished Secondly to returne fainedly and not with a mans whole heart to make a shew of returning when men doe not returne indeed Ierem. 3.10 Thirdly to returne but part of the way and to repent by halues as Ahab and Herod did Fourthly to returne when it is too late euen when the dore is shut to repent when it is too late Iob 27.9 The fift point is the aggrauations that lye against diuers persons about their not returning For if it be euill in it selfe for any not to returne then how fearefull is their case First that are proud of their skill in going out of the way that are wise to doe euill Ierem. 4.22 Secondly that are deepely reuolted that is that are such as liue in horrible and fearefull sinnes Esay 31.6 Thirdly that will not returne though their transgressions bee vpon them and they pine away in them Ezech. 33.10 They will not giue ouer though they haue no peace and are daily buffeted for their euill doing and their consciences beare the shame and trouble of their offending Fourthly that will not returne though the seruants of God openly testify against them Neh. 9.29 2. King 17.13 14. Fiftly that will not returne though the hand of God bee vpon them euen to consume them Ierem. 5.3 Sixtly that are turned back by a perpetuall backsliding Ierem. 8.4 that hold fast their sinnes and refuse to returne Ierem. 8.5 The sixt point may bee this viz. what number of lost sheepe doe vsually returne not all that goe astray Our Sauiour tels vs of a parable of one lost sheepe returning and the Prophet Ieremie tels vs of one of a Tribe and two of a Tribe Ierem. 3.14 Multitudes of men perish and neuer returne The seuenth point is the meanes or cause of our returning and these are either Principall or Instrumentall The principall causes are GOD and Christ that good Shepheard It is God that turneth back the captiuity of his people Psal. 14. vlt. and three times in one Psalme the people pray God to turne them againe Psalme 80.3 7 19. This is Ephraims sute Turne thou mee O Lord and I shall bee turned Ierem 31.18 So the Church saith Lamen 5.21 And Christ is that good Shepheard that seekes that which is lost yea laieth downe his life for his sheep Iohn 10. The instrumentall causes of returning are either externall or internall The externall meanes of returning is the Word preached and so both the reproofes of Gods seruants testifying against the wicked to make them turne from their sinnes Nehem. 9.26 29. as also the promises of the Gospel by which the sinner in the name of Christ is as it were wooed and intreated to returne with assurance of