A GODLY FRUITFUL EXPOSITION Upon all the FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER BY That Pious and Eminent Preacher of the WORD of GOD JOHN ROGERS of Dedham in ESSEX JOHN 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me 2 PETER 1. 20 21. Knowing this first that no prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation For the prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost LONDON Printed by JOHN FIELD and are to be sold by Peter Cole at the Sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange 1650. To the Reader THe Name alone of the Author of this Exposition and Commentary doth put a great price and value on it yea command thy reading and study of it It is the work of John Rogers Minister of Dedham in Essex written by his own hand Being dead he yet speaketh that is his Name is as a sweet savour poured forth and his praise amongst the Saints in all the Churches of Christ wheresoever he is spoken of this may be said of him That he was a burning and a shining light having a heart inflamed with love to Christ Truth and the Souls of men his words were as sparks of fire As his light directed his zeal so his zeal wrought with his light and made it powerful Animum non faciunt qui animum non habent Some Books are like a frosty day clear but dry and cold and leave the Reader in the same temper As in preaching so in writing also the stirring of the heart and affections should be endeavored as well as Information and such words be used and so set as may rather make a Sermon then a Tract and beget rather a love to the Matter as this Author endeavoreth then an opinion or an esteem of the VVriters abilities He was a Scribe indeed taught of God instructed and prepared for the Kingdom that is the Church of God having yea being a Treasure of things both new and old that is of all sorts of Doctrine and all ways of Application of them He was a Boanerges a Son of Thunder for the power and efficacy God gave unto his Ministry and a Barnabas a Son of Consolation too As the Thunder shaketh the Pillars of the Earth overthroweth the Rocky Mountains causeth the wilde and savage Beasts to fear and as the Lightning powerfully insinuates it self breaking the bones but not the flesh So was it the pleasure of the Lord to bring down by his Ministry the high and stout hearts of many rebellious ones and to lead them in subjection to his wil through Christ To throw down and to build up by him even as high as Heaven As the Scriptures give us the Genealogies of the Saints so many came out of Adam Abraham c. How numerous are the Children whom this Author hath had given him by God Many Families persons of all sorts and ranks in many Counties and Nations even so far as his sound went forth will and do acknowledge him to have begotten them to God and call him Blessed Reader read his VVorks and thou shalt know him work what thou readest on thy own heart that thou mayst be like unto him one of his children also which is the hearty desire of him who cannot but make this honorable mention of the Author and is May 1650. Desirous of thy good in Christ SIDRACH SIMPSON THE CONTENTS OF THIS EXPOSITION Page THe scope of this Epistle both general and particular with the several parts thereof and matter contained therein 1 CHAP. I. Verse 1 2. 1. THe sum and parts of the Preface 2 2. The several names of this Apostle and why so named ibid. 3. What names Parents are to give to their Children ibid. 4. Such as set forth Books ought to set their names thereto ibid. 5 Why some worthy men have not done thus 3 6. Wherein the Apostles differed from all other Ministers ibid. 7. A Minister must have an inward calling and an outward ibid. 8. Why our Apostle nameth his Apostleship 4 9. Repentance wipeth away our sins 5 10. Why the Jews were called strangers ibid. 11. Among them there were sundry believers ibid. 12. Gods Church here on earth is under persecution 6 13. Lawful to fly in the time of persecution 7 14. The large extent of the Church under the New Testament ibid. 15. The Apostles diligence and care in his charge ibid. 16. God hath chosen some to salvation 8 17. How we may know the election of others ibid. 18. Christians must so live as that even others may be perswaded they belong to God 9 19. Why God decreed to save some ibid. 20. The ends why we were elected 10 21. Sanctification the end of our Redemption ibid. 22. Christs obedience and sufferings the meritorious cause of our Salvation 11 23. Christs death is to be particularly apprehended by faith 12 24. A proof of the holy Trinity 13 25. Election the work thereof ibid. 26. Why Gods favor is to be sought ibid. 27. Ministers must labor that their people may be brought into Gods favor ibid. And may grow in grace 14 Verse 3. 1. THe sum and substance of the whole Epistle 14 2. Gods blessing man mans blessing man and mans blessing God 15 3. Gods mercies to be thought on and spoken of with admiration ibid. 4. We must not think or speak of God but with reverence 16 5. Why God is termed the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ibid. 6. Gods Son why termed Jesus Christ our Lord ibid. 7. What meant here by Hope 17 8. Assurance of Salvation comes not by nature 18 9. The means whereby God works Faith ibid. 10. Why termed a lively hope 19 11. Gods free favor the cause of all our good 20 12. Man could not be saved without abundant mercy ibid. 13. The means whereby we are begotten to this hope 22 14. Benefits arising from Christs Resurrection ibid. Verse 4. 1. THe Kingdom of Heaven why termed an inheritance 23 2. The happiness of Gods people in heaven abideth for ever 24 3. Why termed undefiled ibid. 4. The Kingdom of Heaven always one and the same ibid. 5. God hath appointed to glorifie his Saints in Heaven 27 6. The prevention of a conceit of the Jews and of an Objection 28 7. Gods Children shall not miss of Heaven 29 8. To be particularly assured of Heaven a special comfort ibid. Verse 5. 1. THe prevention of another doubt 30 2. Gods Children have many Enemies to hinder their salvation 31 3. Christians cannot stand of themselves 31 4. Gods almighty power is sufficient to uphold us against all our enemies 32 5. Gods people are kept through Faith 33 6. How Faith bringeth us to Salvation ibid. 7. Christians must not look here for outward prosperity 34 8. The fulness of our happiness not to be had here 35 9. The
this Ark perished The making of this in likelihood was a matter of great cost of great toil and without doubt he had many a mock for his labor when he went first about it and whilest he continued working at it yet went he on As that was for the body so are Faith and Repentance for the soul whosoever have these shall never perish but have everlasting life For these we must labor whatsoever pains they cost us yea and if it were to hinder our outward estate hereupon and expose our selves to mockings and revilings Whosoever misseth of these whatsoever else they have shall questionless perish the word tells it and we are to believe it 1. This rebukes the monstrous folly and madness of the world Gods Ministers his Noahs preach the flood and perswade every man to make ready his Ark but alas how few look after any such matter nay as in the old world they rather mock at those that do or that take pains to hear the Word which is the way to get Faith or that take pains to lead a godly life O these precise fellows they be so holy and these Scripture fellows they be so holy as they will be in heaven ere their bones be cold c. whereby it appears that as Lots sons in Law about the destruction of Sodom they believe no flood at all no judgement at all to come or else haply they think it an easie matter to make an Ark at any time either thinking that some easier and nearer may be found then by Faith and Repentance as those that hope to be saved by their good meaning good prayers civil life c. which will assuredly deceive them or that they are easie to be obtained Was Noah One hundred and twenty years in making an Ark to save him from drowning in the waters and can they at pleasure and on the sudden make an Ark to save them from Hell and to get into Heaven as most hope by Lord have mercy upon me to be saved But as no doubt many used sundry shifts to save themselves when the flood came and none prevailed but the Ark so shall it be with all such O what if the flood should now come as it may ere the morrow is your Ark ready or not If it be not defer the time no longer No man knows that he shall live One hundred and twenty days or a quarter so long yet though Noah knew he should live so many years he did not defer the time delay the making of the Ark It will not be done on the sudden and after this life there 's no making of any as there was no hewing of timber or stone in the Temple but all in Mount Lebanus Look to it therefore betimes regard neither the costs nor pains you may be put to It s no matter so you be saved 2. This may comfort them that have their Ark prepared though thousands and ten thousands perish yet they shall not do amiss but be preserved and saved as Noah then shall not we weigh what pains we have taken to make it to hear the Word to humble our selves to repent c. And have not others taken as much pains for transitory things that will vanish and never do them good and though you have been mockt yet will the time come when those mockers will change their note Again in that they saw and heard of this Ark a building which ought to have been a real Sermon to them yet were not moved their sin becoming hereby the greater 2. Note That when God addes to his Word Examples and to the Ministery real Sermons also these ought much to prevail which when they do not as well the sin as the judgements of the Delinquents become the more fearful for the more means men have if they profit not thereby the greater will be their judgement as our Savior said of Corazin and Bethsaida When God threatens to plague wicked men it should make them stand in awe but when they see the same it cannot but pierce more To this end though God hath left some part of Scripture in Precepts and Doctrines yet hath he left most in Story and Example accordingly the Prophets used both Therefore when God in his Word exhorts to diligence in laboring after Salvation and to lead an holy life this ought much to move but when men see Examples of such people before their eyes this ought to move the more This condemns the notorious obstinacy of our times that notwithstanding the Word God addes so many examples of his judgements on wicked men more by far then we could have lookt for in the days of the Gospel as untimely ends upon Drunkards and notorious prophane persons c. that would take no warning yea haply of a dozen of them which have been in a Town cut off by one judgement or other yet who fears nay do not others continue in the same state as some old Drunkards without amendment as other new ones grow up every day The like may be said of other sins Belshazzar profited not by the judgements of God on his Father as most do not by any judgement on others What answer have they to make and what judgement waiteth them that have had many examples and yet never the better so of notorious covetous gripers oppressors rakers how blockishly and fearfully they have dyed with the miserable end of their goods either wofully wasted by drunkards or dispersed to those that never sweat for them yea oftentimes to their very enemies who seeth not yet who are moved hereat let these look for greater judgements so when God raiseth up many godly Christians that earnestly labor after their salvation taking great pains to hear the Word and to live godly most receive no profit by these real examples and Sermons but some mock at them and think them more precise then needs as others are blockish and are no whit moved thereby They might think with themselves when they see some such take such pains that there is somewhat in it some ill to be avoided some good to be obtained some great matter that should move these people to take such pains surely might they say it s not for nothing they have business as well as we which they could tend if a greater thing were not in the way it s not for nothing that they thus weary themselves But most do not understand or consider thus much with themselves and yet God hath raised up such as lights to draw on others and they that be not won by the Word nor moved by the examples of the godly their answer will be fearful Little do these people think that those that have travelled by their doors wet and dry and come through their grounds to hear the Word shall one day be their Judges It had been happy for them if they had dwelt further off 3. In that this ark did betoken the judgement of
if Preachers alleage Fathers Councels School-men c. O how they applaud them but if any shall alleage Scripture properly and plainly Oh he is a plain homespun Preacher he may do well in a Countrey Town but Christs sheep do otherwise they reverence and adore above all the Word of God This condemns the Papists that deal most treacherously and will not have the scriptures to be judge but Fathers Councels the Church And who is the Church but themselves and the Head of Councels but the Pope and so upon the point the Pope is the Church and so its like enough to go well on their sides And in their Councels who is any thing but the Pope and his Consistory as he will have every thing so it shal be as in their last Councel of Trent which they so magnifie as the most sacred Assembly that ever was which indeed was nothing else but a conspiracy of Traitors against the Crown and Dignity of Christ Jesus and his Truth there such were pickt as were fast to the Pope and the Religion of Rome and such as were sworn to be true thereto and when some few spake somewhat more boldly in some things then was well liked of they were quickly packt out and this charge they had after they had sate a while That they should interpret no Scripture but such as might stand with the Doctrine of Rome this was good stuff that whereas they should have brought their Doctrine to the rule of Scripture they must bring Scripture to their Doctrine as if the Carpenter should cut his rule according to the piece and not the piece according to his rule And howsoever they sate there at Trent disputing for a fashion yet nothing was concluded but such as the Pope and his Consistory at Rome devised which being set to them they were to publish and thus the parties become Judges and they that should stand at the Bar to be judged sit on the Bench to judge their own cause therefore it must needs go well on their side They cannot away that the Scripture should be the Judge because they then know how it would go with them and their Doctrine but we must receive it and try all Doctrine by it and stand to the sentence thereof as being the onely Judge So here the Apostle enjoyning holiness takes this as a sufficient proof It is written though that was against their nature and disposition though by following after it they might be counted Puritans Singular Proud Hypocrites c. yet they must not stand reasoning the case with flesh and blood they must be holy for so it was written If then we know any thing once proved by the Word of God we must make no more ado if the Word command a thing we must yield and obey if forbid a thing as vile we must dare no more meddle therewith then to eat poison For the Word of God is the Royal Law that Rule of Righteousness that must command all the world Prince and people must stoop hereunto This is the Law of his Kingdom whereby all we his Subjects must be ruled If the Lyon roar the Beasts tremble and if the Lord speak who is our Soveraign is it not meet that we should take knowledge hereof and yield obedience thereto this was ever Preface enough to the Prophets in their Sermons Thus saith the Lord The Word of the Lord c. and his Word not being left us in vain to shake it off at our pleasures the same may command obedience 1. This condemns the prophane and dissolute world do men go by any such rule and try ere they do any thing what God saith of it in his Word O that were too much preciseness But by what rules then If it stand with my pleasure with my profit with my ease with my credit most do so I shall be accounted a fool if I do not so O cursed rules What shall Profit Pleasure Mammon and our Lusts become now as it were our God dare we cast the word of God behinde us do we provoke the Lord to anger are we stronger then he Oh let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall It s written we must be holy therefore we must be so why then it s written we may not swear therefore we must not swear so oppress deceive commit uncleanness c. because the contrary is prescribed in the Word And yet how dare men live in those very sins against the Scriptures Hath not the world smarted sufficiently yet whereat to take warning What threw Adam out of Paradise drown'd the old World brought such variety of Judgements upon the Jews from time to time if not their disobedience have there drunkards enough swearers prophaners of the Lords-day Usurers c. been plagued and sent to Hell already This rebelling against the Word of God hath made all the racket and havock in the world and hath brought to confusion the Proudest and Mightiest If we had not the Word but were left to the light of nature God might condemn us for our sins how much more when by the Word he hath told us all his minde Well let us look to it if the Word may not be a light to guide us it will be a fire to consume us If it be not strong enough to make us yield obedience it will be strong enough to throw us headlong to confusion as whereby we shall be judged at the latter day If when God smites any one part of us with pain in extemity we be weary of our selves when yet we have many comforts and many to pity us and hope also of an end thereof what shall their care be that are smitten and plagued in all parts of Body and Soul there being no eye to pity them nor hope of an end which yet ensueth upon the disobedience to Gods Word Then will they fret and vex themselves O beast that I was that took not warning at such and such a time c. 2. For as many as are willing the Word should guide them and be it with or in appearance against them are willing to be ruled let these be of good comfort It s a good mark of Christs sheep they hear his voyce and follow him and he is of God that heareth and obeyeth his word Again in that it s said It is written we note That the Word of God is the rule of all Truth and Doctrine This condemneth the Papists which as if the written Word of God were insufficient and imperfect and the Prophets and Apostles either would not or could not or might not leave a perfect direction for us divide the word into written and unwritten Thereupon imposing a great number of Traditions Degrees and old received Opinions and Customs upon the people as matters whereon to ground their Faith and binde their Conscience as much as any of the written Word and that upon
1. EVery natural man is like a beast 378 2. Every unregenerate man is out of his way 379 3. How they come to be misled 379 4. No natural man can of himself come home to God 380 5. The natural man is in continual danger ibid. 6. All believers are in a safe condition 381 7. The Ministers of the Word are Shepherds under Christ 382 CHAP. III. THe contents of this Chapter 385 Verse 1. 1. MArriage in Gods account an high and honorable state 385 2. Both husbands and wives must learn to know their duty ibid. 3. The duties of wives ibid. 4. Why the Apostle insisteth so largely about the same 386 5. Gods Ministers have been at all times liable to be slandered ibid. 6. The prevention of an Objection ibid. 7. Wives must be subject to their husbands ibid. 8. Wherein their subjection consisteth 387 9. Wives must be subject even unto bad husbands 388 10. Wives are not to marry irreligious husbands 389 11. Such as live in disobedience are unbelievers ibid. 12. Good examples excellent preparatives to conversion ibid. 13. Wives professing Religion must shew it by their behavior towards their husbands for their conversion ibid. Verse 2. 1. HOw bad husbands may be won 390 2. Chastity and reverence why required of wives ibid. 3. What chastity is and by whom it is to be observed 391 4. How wives ought to fear their husbands ibid. Verse 3 4. 1. A Preservative of subjection and chastity 392 2. What apparelling it is that the Apostle forbids ibid. 3. How far costly apparel is forbid and to whom and when 393 4. Rules about wearing of apparel ibid. 5. The matter and maner thereof considered 394 6. Reasons against access in apparel 395 7. Objections answered 397 8. An useful meditation upon the putting on and off of our apparel 398 9. A remedy for excess of apparel ibid. 10. Inward purity required ibid. 11. Our principal care should be to adorn the soul ibid. 12. The covetous and curious reproved 399 13. Grace is of an incomparable nature 400 14. A meek and quiet spirit the proper ornament of a good wife 401 15. The worth of grace ibid. 16. It s of great price in the sight of God ibid. Verse 5 6. 1. REasons of the forementioned Exhortation 401 2. The amplification of either reason ibid. 3. The examples of Gods servants are to be followed in all their vertues 402 4. Antiquity joyned with verity is to be esteemed ibid. 5. There have been always holy women as well as men 403 6. Why women are as forward as men ibid. 7. It s needful there should be good women 404 8. Holiness is that which commends one ibid. 9. Marriage no hinderance to holiness ibid. 10. Holiness cometh by faith in Christ 405 11. Holiness may be where there are weaknesses ibid. 12. Wives cannot perform their duty aright unless they be holy ibid. 13. Why more good men then women are mentioned in Scripture ibid. 14. Why wives must imitate Sarahs obedience and reverence 406 15. It s not enough to do duties unless done in a right maner ibid. Verse 7. 1. SUperiority exempts not from duty 407 2. Wherein the husbands duty consisteth ibid. 3. Husbands stand in no less need of instruction then wives ibid. 4. Husbands are to dwell with their wives ibid. 5. In what cases they may be absent 408 6. Husbands must be men of understanding 409 7. In what particulars the same will appear ibid. 8. What honor the husband is to give to his wife 410 9. The particulars implyed therein 410 10. The Reasons thereof 411 11. Sundry sorts of husbands reproved ibid. 12. Objections answered 412 13. Wives are the weaker vessels 14. Wives are no less heirs of the grace of life then their husbands 414 15. Husbands should pray with their wives ibid. 16. Whatsoever may interrupt our prayers is to be avoided 415 Verse 8 9. 1. THere must be between Christians unity in Religion ibid. 2. Who disagree from the truth in the foundation 416 3. Who holding the foundation do yet erre from the truth ibid. 4. Differences for matters of ceremony 417 5. The evils which ensue hereupon ibid. 6. Differences about private Opinions ibid. 7. There must be unity in our conversation ibid. 8. Christians must be of like affection each to other 418 9. That Christians may love one another what they are to do and what to avoid 420 10. What pity is and that we must pity our selves ibid. 11. We must pity the souls of others 421 The Reasons 422 12. Why we must pity the bodies of others 423 13. Means conducing hereunto 424 14. We must be pitiful to our beasts ibid. 15. What courtesie is and that Christians are to be courteous 425 And how it shews it self ibid. 16. Christians must not revenge themselves on their Enemies 426 17. Lawful revenge on our selves and others 427 18. Gods children must even outwardly differ from the wicked ibid. 19. We must requite evil with good ibid. 20. An Objection Answered ibid. 21. Another Objection Answered 428 22. Reasons why we are to requite evil with good ibid. 23. The effectually called are willing to do any thing for God 429 24. The excellency and worth of effectual calling ibid. 25. How to discern hereof ibid. 26. Why many Christians are unsetled herein ibid. 27. The word always perswades us to our good 430 28. Christians are a blessed people ibid. Verse 10 11. 1. VVHy we ought to be patient and requite evil with good 431 2. A peaceable and patient man shall live the longer and the quieter ibid. 3. Life and long blessings of God which his children may desire 432 4. Why the godly are at sometimes taken away by death ibid. 5. Long life proveth not a blessing to the wicked and yet might ibid. 6. In what respects it may be lawful to desire to live 433 7. Whence it is that most are desirous to live long 433 8. In what respects days may be said to be good here and in what evil 434 9. Mens days be usually evil ibid. 10. Mans life short ibid. 11. Good days are a blessing of God ibid. 12. The wicked may live long yet have not good days 435 13. Prosperity why denyed for the most part to Gods children ibid. 14. Whether we may pray for prosperity ibid. 15. Whether we may pray for afafliction 436 16. Whoso would be happy must refrain from evil speaking 437 17. Means whereby to bridle the tongue ibid. 18. Reasons inducing thereunto ibid. 19. We must abstain from the close and covert evils of the tongue 438 20. Guile to be avoided in Religion towards God ibid. 21. Guile to be avoided in carriage towards men 439 22. What the evil of sin is and that we must avoid it 440 23. The evil of sin worse then the evil of punishment ibid. 24. All sins are to be eschewed ibid. 25. They are to be eschewed at all times in all places with all the kindes thereof under
have some extraordinary motion of the Spirit of God to the contrary as it 's written of some of the Martyrs or finde themselves as yet not strong enough to endure their rage Those I say may slie to be reserved as a seed to propagate the Church afterward Throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythynia The places whereunto they fled for habor were Regions and Countreys in Asia the less where there were then famous Churches Note hence 1. The large extent of the Church of God in the time of the New Testament that whereas before it was kept within the pale of Judea in the New since our Saviours ascension it 's dispersed over all Nations far and wide from the Sun-rising to its going down that it might be fulfilled which God spake to Abraham that in his seed all the Nations of the world should be blessed But what 's become of those Churches of Asia now They are all lamentable to be spoken under the tyranny of the Enemy of God and Christ Jesus the Turk They are now no Churches but Synagogues of Satan cages of unclean birds so are also the Churches to whom Saint John wrote in his Revelation Be we not therefore high minded but fear for if God hath not spared the natural branches take heed lest he also spare not us yea considering our luke-warmness unthankfulness contempt of the Word and such other our crying sins we have cause to fear the like judgement 2. The singular diligence and care of this holy Apostle over the charge committed to him Not onely did he preach to them being present with them but wrote also being absent being in persecution and scattered throughout strange Countreys he encourageth them unto constancy and that they should not faint under their troubles of such helps there is great need in such cases and at such times He was careful not onely to gain them to God and the Faith but to hold them fast that as they were begotten so they might be nourished up in the faith as they were converted so he was careful to confirm them this being no less necessary then that For Non minor est virtus quam quarere parta tueri having offended but again put in trust with the sheep he is now careful of his Commission which is set down for the example of all Ministers even as we love Christ so will we must we feed his sheep and lambs We must labor by all diligence and faithfulness to convert and build up yea in times of sickness or any affliction when Satan waits to tempt them and they be weak we are to come and strengthen them we are to shoar them up that they reel not to comfort them that they despair not But how do they perform this duty that never come at their charges seldom or never preach put it off to another though never so unfit how also they that either preach not or but unprofitably which come not to a poor or mean mans house upon any occasion How shall they be able to answer the great Shepherd of the sheep when they shall be called to an account See Heb. 13. 17. Elect c. Here he describes them by their inward estate to God-ward I will not here handle the common place of Election I have done it at large and I reserve such things to Catechizing onely now of such things as are necessarily occasioned by the text whereof this may be one That God hath chosen out some men to salvation as he did of the Angels which are called the Elect Angels Before the world he Ordained and decreed some persons to obtain salvation even the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory See to this purpose Acts 13. 48. Eph. 1. 4. 1 Thess. 5. 9. This must needs be so for whatsoever falls out in the world universally or particularly God in his eternal and unchangeable decree Ordained the same And if wise men do not especially great things whereof they have not before deliberated much lels doth God Let us hold fast this truth inviolable according to the Scriptures casting away all carnal conceits of cruelty or the like in the Lord and with the Apostle Paul what we cannot understand learn we to adore and admire Q. But how could the Apostle know they were Elect may one know the Election of another A. For our own we may as we shall hear by an by for others we may also though not with the same knowledge and judgement of certainty because the heart of man is known to none but to God only and a man may go far who yet may fall away but with the judgement of charity which hath degrees according to the fruits we see in them if they only profess Religion and be in the Church we may hope but it is but weak hope where we see no fruits where we see some good likelihoods of religion some good beginnings we may more strongly be perswaded for to such a man may say If these things be in you in truth you are the very Elect of God Now when we see the fruits of faith sanctification and godliness in men and that they shew it not by fits but constantly not in some things but in all not in prosperity onely but in adversity too in persecution and under the Cross we may the more yea very boldly judge of them as the Elect of God and so doth out Apostle here as appears by the next words Unto Sanctification of the Spirit He saw good signs of Sanctification in them and that they suffered persecution for Religions sake therefore he so hoped of them he so stiles them We should not onely labor to have sound testimonies to our selves of our Election and Salvation but so live as we may get a good and full testimony thereof in the conscience and minde of the Church and Brethren with whom we live For a good name in the Church is a precious thing and much to be desired The voice of the Church is the voice of God We are so to live that whatsoever befalls us as to die suddenly or strangely or to have great and extraordinary afflictions while we live our lives notwithstanding may have spoken so well for us as we may have good report while we live and when we be dead So have many poor godly ones in Scripture and in our times when great and mighty ones that have been wicked their names be rotten and so not at all or else stinking and so as a dunghil or puddle which the more it is stirred the more it stinketh They therefore that live vilely in their lusts bring an ill name upon themselves who can judge they are Elect or shall be saved yea many be desperate they care not what men say as bad a sign as can be such also as walk hollowly and by halfs in some things well and in some other taking
we mean to raign with him we must be Baptized with the Baptism wherewith he was Baptized It is true that godliness hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come but of this only so much as God shall see meet Therefore let us dream of no tranquility here but expect that in Heaven where we shall be happier then can be uttered Ready to be revealed in the last time When shall we have it It was prepared before the world we shall have a measure of it in death but the fulness thereof is deferred till the day of Judgement Christs second coming which is called the time of refreshing and our full redemption By the last time may be understood in divers places of Scripture all the time from Christs coming in the flesh till the end of the world so called in respect of the former times and because they go directly and immediately before the end and because God hath perfected his will and the revelation thereof to his Church in his Son and no more is to be added They under the Law waited for a cleerer and fuller manifestation thereof but now we have all we shall ever have but by the last time here the worlds end is meant for then shall there be no more time as there was none before the creation the Sun Moon and Stars were made for signs and season Winter and Summer to measure days moneths years c. but then shall they cease in Hell the wicked shall have none in Heaven the godly shall need none so there shall be no more time no more day in Hell but all night no night in Heaven but all day Well our full Salvation we shall have at the last day and not before then shall our bodies whatsoever in the mean time becometh of them as they have been companions with our souls in well-doing and have been redeemed by Christ as well as they be raised up and set on the right Hand when both joyntly shall hear this comfortable sentence Come ye blessed of my Father c. then shall we be ever with the Lord in Heaven both in body and soul Now our life is hid with Christ in God But when Christ which is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory We must therefore wait patiently not making too much haste in the fulness of time we shall have our hearts desire Christ was promised in the beginning of the world but came not till long after even when the fulness of time came so shall our happiness in the appointed time We are taught to pray Thy Kingdom come and in the Revelation it s mentioned that the souls under the Alter cried How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth True but yet patiently awaiting Gods good time that he hath appointed Hereby also we may stop the mouths of mockers that shall come to us and say Where is the promise of his coming we may answer it is coming and it will be here too soon for you and God is not slack as you think but therefore deferreth as willing that all men should come to Salvation even all such as he hath elected who being once all born and called the end shall quickly come And as this may stop their mouths so it may make us patient to tarry for our fellow brethren When we therefore make too much haste what is it but that we would have our full happiness and leave out some of the elect to be quite put off as if we should desire to be over a water and then draw the bridge that the rest shall not come over And the rather let us be patient not onely because of the greatness of the reward when it cometh but also because it hasteneth we have the vantage of our Forefathers which lay long in the earth waiting for that day but now it s at hand we hasten to it and it hastens to us we shall meet ere long and as our Apostle saith The damnation of the wicked sleepeth not so neither the Salvation of the godly now ready to be revealed Last time Some gather hence That we shall have no part in glory at all till the day of Judgement but that the souls of the Saints go to a middle place c. confuted by our Saviors speech to the thief Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paridise the Angels carrying Lazarus of soul into Abrahams bosom See also Eccle. 12. 7. Phil. 3. 13. Rev. 6. 10. This should make us labor for pure and holy souls seeing they must be in Heaven as soon as ever they depart from our bodies which we know not how soon it may be They must be carried up above the Starry Heaven into the most solemn appearance that ever was Verse 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be yeare in heaviness through manifold temptations HAving shewed the Inheritance at large here he sheweth by what way God will bring us thither namely by weeping-cross by the rough way of affliction which yet shall not be to our hurt or consuming but to the trial of our Faith that it may be being purified to our honor at Christs coming Therefore though our afflictions breed heaviness yet not such but that the assurance of our Salvation makes us in the same to rejoyce Wherein that is In which Election Sanctification Lively hope and happy Inheritance ye rejoyce Here he setteth down another benefit bestowed upon us by the Gospel namely Spiritual joy and rejoycing proceeding from Faith and Hope yea and that in adversity He knew they rejoyced in the assurance of their happiness he knew it by himself he did so and therefore they could do no other for the same Spirit worketh alike in the elect which makes that they can the better tell how to speak to advise counsel and understand one another But in commending them he exorteth them namely That they would do so still for being now in persecution he requires them to reioyce yet in the assurance of their eternal happiness as Paul of himself in another case Hence note that Its the duty of all those that be assured of their Salvation to rejoyce in it which being attained unto breeds joy and no marvel For Is liberty joyful to the captive health to the sick sight to the blinde life to the dead Then must Salvation needs be so to them that have felt themselves condemned for them to be the children of God that were the slaves of Satan heirs of Heaven that were firebrands of Hell Who can but rejoyce that knoweth that there 's no condemnation to him Though thousands perish God loves him he shall want nothing such need not fear though Heaven and Earth should
the very Angels as they wondred at the wonderful mystery of Christs Incarnation and learned as is very probable something by the Apostles Ministery which they knew not before so into the fulness of this Salvation they desired to see So we have a commendation of the Gospel or the way of Salvation therein preached 1. By its antiquity the Prophets knew and embraced it 2. The Apostles not of their own heads but by the Spirit extraordinarily sent upon them preached it 3. The Angels desire further to see into it In the Prophets search we are to observe 1. The substance they sought 2. The circumstance of time for the substance it was privately for their own benefit who therefore enquired into it and searched it our diligently and publiquely for the benefit of the Church who therefore prophesied of it Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired c. In that the Apostle to prove that this was the true way of salvation produceth the writings of the Prophets in the Old Testament learn That for all matters of faith that we reach the people and would have them receive we must ground them on no other proof but the Word of God no point ought to be admitted touching salvation whereof God is not the author and author he is of nothing but of that which is in his written Word which is a perfect Rule able to teach all truth and confute all error 1. This confutes the Papists who lean so much on Councels as they banish the Scripture as a dumb Judge Of those howsoever the more ancient of them are to be reverenced and did worthily oppose conclude against the Heresies of their Times yet even in them some things are left rawly whether those worthy men intending the greatest less regarded smaller matters or whether they erred as men that we might not put too much confidence in them or give too much to them But for many latter ones they are patcht by the Pope and his Adherents which will be sure to do nothing against him and the greater part overcomes the better part Therefore we are not to rest in these but go to that Law and to that Testimony which alone must Judge and bear Rule in the Church For though Christ hath promised that where two or three be gathered together he will be amongst them yet they must be mâ—t in his Name which is when they all submit themselves to the Word of God and suffer Christ to be President of their Assembly by his Word and not when they will set up Conceits of their own devising 2. Ministers must learn in all matters of faith to bring forth the written Word of God and not mens Judgements which are of no force to stablish the Conscience neither Popish Traditions by them termed Apostolical and unwritten Verities 3. People also for their part must receive nothing but that which they see grounded hereupon To this end they are to search the Scriptures and with the Bereaâ—s to confer place with place to finde out the truth If an Angel from heaven should bring any Doctrine contrary to this we are to hold him accursed Assuredly for want of Catechizing publikely and reading the Scripture privately if a cunning Heretique should in most Congregations open his pack of Wares they would go for currant few or none being able to control him Enquired and searched The words imply the great pains they used herein as Daniel by prayer fasting and meditation They had a little hint from God and they found the savor of it so as they followed it most earnestly to get out more and plodded upon it to see further and further What then are all of us to beat our heads and to set our hearts upon even upon the mystery of our Salvation by Christ that we may 1. Know it and every part thereof 2. Give full assent thereto 3. Labor for a particular perswasion thereof by faith These things belong to us whom it much concerneth to know this by an effectual knowledge feeling the power of Christ in us causing us to dye to sin and live to righteousness and this we should do 1. For that its the chiefest thing in the world Its life eternal to know him and all is dung to this yea we should desire to know nothing but Christ and him crucified 2. Because in seeking we may finde more in one day then all the Prophets and Fathers could finde by all their diligence all the days of their life This condemns the monstrous Unthankfulness of our days that make no reckoning of this so blessed Gospel of those glad tidings that should be the glory of the world without which the world is dead in sin and comes to confusion O how few regard to hear the Word Many run to Sports and Pastimes others to Markets and Fairs but in many places what thin Churches their Oxen and Farms draw them away Others hear yet it is without any regard any life Israel never loathed Manna more then most do the preaching of the Gospel O they have had Sermons in many Congregations until they have even loathed them O how few can be brought to see their own misery how few to prize Christ and to whom he is indeed welcom how few that will stoop to his yoke Sundry in shew would have him their Savior and talk that they hope to be saved by Christ but that 's but a Bawd for their sins whereby they may go on the more freely in them yea are not the truest and painfullest Preachers and Professors of the Gospel hated what this will come to is easie to see assuredly being like Châ—raziâ— and Bethsaida we may justly fear some iudgement at hand Time was when Christ was welcom amongst us and the kingdom of heaven suffered violence as haply it doth still in some parts of the land but O dead hearts and unthankful in most places Those under the Law saw but a little yet took it thankfully we have much revealed yet little regard it To prize the Gospel and seek after Christ will be our wisdom and welfare then to enquire for Salvation by Christ there can be no greater thing it becomes us well if for this we be counted fools well we be such fools as the Prophets were who enquired and searched after Christ God be thanked for our so doing let us continue in Gods name this shall bring us comfort living and dying when carnal Wordlings shall perish for want of comfort and go to hell But did they onely enquire after Salvation and the way to it and found it not Yes as they foretold Christ to others so did they finde that in him they sought for and were saved by him The Prophets and old Fathers were saved by Christ as well as we This confutes two pestilent Opinions 1. That of the Anabaptists That the Fathers had no other but earthly Promises and Rewards and
Time and of our own Nature 3. To affect heartily all good but especially those good things that the World and Times least regard and our selves be most untoward unto If by these notes we finde we be called then have we cause to rejoyce and to praise the Free-grace of God who for no desert but his meer mercy hath vouchsafed to call us that were vile as Abraham an Idolater Paul a Persecuter Zacheus a covetous person the Goaler a desperate Ruffian and hath now put a difference and that for no goodness in us rather then in others And hath he done so to all our companions No they abide in ignorance unbelief impenitency And now our work must be this even to study after holiness more and more being called out of the world that we should no longer fashion our selves according to the same having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reproving them rather As you would be loath to be put back with the world and have as they shall so be not as they no not in the least things and as our hope is in Heaven so have we our conversation there as being called of God to that high Priviledge If you be not effectually called and have had so long and so great means of calling it s a fearful sign that you hearken not because the Lord will slay you The earth that after much cost yet yields nothing but bryars and thorns is reproved reprobate ground near the curse whose end will be to be burned If the Gospel be hid it s hid to them that perish So many as were ordained to eternal life believed therefore if thou hast hitherto stopt thine ear against the Lords calling take heed thou provoke him not further but to day whilest it is called to day give ear and obey It s more then thou couldst have looked for that he should have all this patience abuse it no longer lest it turn into fury and the Lord in his wrathful indignation flying away from thee pronounce that he will never more speak to thee and either snatch thee from the Word and send thee to Hell or the Word from thee or if thou hear that he yet bid the Minister preach to harden thee and let thee alone agreeable to that He that is unjust let him be unjust still c. which is most fearful and curse thy heart as Christ did the Figtree never fruit grow on thee never good motion come in thy heart or if any do let them dye presently not live and give thee over to be more strongly tempted by Satan Devil take him and hurry him at thy pleasure lay down thine own corruption unbridledly which is the fearfullest curse under heaven O le ts seek to escape it and tremble to prevent this fearful judgement which lighteth on many that have long lived under preaching and are hardlier won at last then before Some of you haply having barren Trees in your Orchard and having resolved to cut them down have tryed one year more ere you cut them down We may fear there be sundry of us in this place going upon our last year who they be God knows If now you listen not the Lord will hew you down and cast you into the fire and then will you call and cry to God but in vain he will not answer you then When God shall cast such into their deserved place how shall they then fret and vex themselves What beasts were we that we did not yield to the Word of God which so often called upon us Others obeyed and they are well O that we had profited at such a time when such good motions came in our mindes O that we had yielded to them and not cast them off as we did but then all too late they may fret and gnaw their tongues for vexation but to no purpose Endeavor we therefore in time to prevent this Thus of the Exhortation Now follows the Reason of the Exhortation laid down in the 16 Verse Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy where 's to be considered 1. That he urgeth still the matter in hand and cannot have done with it 2. How he urgeth it even by Scripture It is written 3. The Text it self Be ye holy for I am holy 1. I say he still urgeth the matter in hand much pressing his Exhortation unto holiness and is very earnest herein The Reasons may be these 1. Because the thing in hand is so excellent and necessary then which nothing can be more Holiness makes us like God and Angels unlike Devils and our selves without which there 's no seeing of God 2. Because we are altogether so untoward thereunto Who seeth not what a work we have to bring any to turn from their sins and to take an holy course how few such and with what a deal of pains and when converted and brought to a love of holiness and desire to please God yet who findes not what a stir he hath to bring himself to any good Duty Prayer Meditation Examination of his heart c. or when we are brought to do good things yet to do them in a right maner but the heart will be gone especially in all things and in our whole conversation therefore no marvel though the Holy Ghost dwell long upon it 1. This teacheth us Ministers in weighty points to dwell as it were upon them and not sliding from them too quickly to urge them again and again questioning their hearts whether indeed they will do so and so or not c. 2. People when they perceive their Ministers so to urge such and such a point they must consider it the more seriously so when we read any thing wherein the holy Ghost is more earnest or repeats it often as to search and examine our selves we must take knowledge of the weight of the matter and of our own dulness dwelling the more thereon in our observation and attention where the holy Ghost is earnest we must not pass it slightly over 2. He proves it by Scripture and so must we when we would prove any thing to the Conscience for Gods Word is the Judge of all truth and falshhood good and evil it s the Golden rule the Ballance of the Sanctuary Philosophers prove things by Reason in Gods School proof must be from the Scripture We must not look what this man or that man or twenty men say this stablisheth not the Conscience but the Word of God that bears meat in the mouth that is of weight and authority either to make to yield or at least to leave without excuse One Testimony of Scripture is of more weight then the testimony of a thousand men for that is the Word truth and all men are subject to error and thereto may people say indeed The voyce of God and not of man A number of people in Cities and great Towns
travellers that have loytered in their way when they see Night approach ride hard so let us be as earnest and go as far to draw men to God as we were wont to call them to vanity let old men that came in so late call upon yong men and give them counsel by their own miserable experience and if any call us let us go as readily and gladly as ever we did to any pastime and the worse we have been before be now as the Apostle Paul so much the more zealous What shall we say to those that came not in till the tenth or eleventh hour had they not need to work night and day as also set forward the work in others all that ever they can calling on others and on their Families to this end and spending all thier affections about this They cannot but vex to think how they have spent their youth and middle age thereupon wishing with all thier soul that they had spent the same in Gods service 5. But for those that have long continued in this Christian course they must not now leave off but continue therein to the end There 's no time wherein we must cast off our care or lay away our Armor or be off our watch What! must ancient Christians walk in awe and fear of offending still Alas yea Have they not still an evil and false heart Will the Devil ever be at peace Nay he laboreth with old Christians most that he may foil them in the end to make them call their estate and all they have done into question and to shame their profession and open their enemies mouthes The righteous are but scarcely saved all our diligence watchfulness care is little enough to carry us through this evil world wherein so many enemies lye in wait for our souls Besides we see such famous Examples as Moses and Aaron those famous servants of God who yet in their old age at the waters of Meribah doubted and did not glorifie God but said Hear ye rebels c. So Noah that had seen the old world drowned himself miraculously preserved and been a Preacher of Righteousnes so long in his old age was caught with Wine and uncovered in his Tent So Solomon to whom God appeared twice and was the mirror of Wisdom yet how fell he in his latter time so Asa and Joash The Devil will say of an ancient Christian This man hath done me much hurt hath been constant many years and many have followed him now if I can foil him in his old age it will be worth the while so shall I make him call all the time past into question shake weak ones make my company cry out Look on this old professor they are all Hypocrites Be we therefore in the fear of the Lord all the day long for happy is the man that feareth alway O let ancient Christians look to themselves now a while and anon they shall be at their journeys end so look to thy self that as thou hast begun and proceeded well so you mayest shut up all well as Abraham Isaac and Jacob who dyed in the faith and had good report in the Church of God Of your sojourning We are here but for a little while not Dwellers but sojourners and must away to our Countrey and Home in Heaven Therefore we must pass this little time so as we may honor God and so provide for our end as that dying we may live for ever our life is so frail as that it cannot as I may so speak be set out by things frail enough It s compared to a Tent set up in the Morning pulled down at Night some booths stand two or three days some a weak but easily overthrown quickly removed so to a Vapour a Bubble a Ship under Sail having Wind and Tide with it an Eagle in the Aira Post a Weavers Shuttle a Tale that is told a Thought yea to nothing whether we be eating drinking sleeping waking playing c. it continually runs on and never stands at a stay The swiftest things have staid even the Sun it self at Joshua's prayer but not Joshua's life nor any mans Many dye the same day they are born some the same year some in their youth and even they that live longest yet dye We are as a Traveller that lodgeth in an Inn for a Night as a Player comes on the Stage to play his part longer or shorter and comes away when it s done or as one that goes to the Market to buy one thing and to sell another and then home again Therefore we have great reason to spend the time of our sojourning here in fear we should spend that little time in well-doing to glorifie God do good in our places and work out our own Savation not havocking away our precious time or spending it about needless things as God hath given us this time so to do the work that he hath sent us hither for This the Apostle requireth of the Galarians As we have therefore opportunity let us do good unto all men where 's implyed that having but a little while to tarry we are to bestir our selves Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might saith the Preacher even whatsoever our duty doth any way require of us I must work the works of him that hath sent me saith our Savior while it is a day so must we This is the effect of that prayer Teach us so to number our days as being few flitting and hasting away that we may apply our hearts to wisdom even do a wise mans part to know the work we came hither for see we do it and not spend our few days in other business and lewdness that we must after be ashamed of such work as we shall never have thanks for Seeing we are but on this Stage to play a part and down again it were meet we should play an honest Mans part the Christians part the good Magistrates the good Ministers part the good Husbands the good Parents part not a Thieves part nor a Cousener nor the part of an idle Person 1. This condemns them that make the clean contrary use let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye as if they had said the Prophets say we shall be cut off and dye let 's be merry while we may Such Epicures that think there is neither pleasure nor pain when they be gone hence shall finde though no pleasure because they have had it already yet that pain and that eternal will lay hold on them Sowre sawce to their sweet meat 2. This condemns the common sort which will not consider of the shortness of their life though both the Scriptures and Experience preach it continually and therefore thinking the time long care not how they squander it away and thereupon follow their pleasure as drinking riotous living c. even selling themselves hereto and
pleasure but by fair means endeavor that he may see and leave the same she must also be obedient to all his lawful commands and frame herself to his nature and liking so far as she may with a good conscience Indeed to consent to his evil or to do evil at his command that she may not by any means for God is to be obeyed rather then man yet even in these she must refuse with humility and due respect to her husband Though she have a good cause yet she may handle it ill This rebuketh the contrary unreverence and base esteem which too too many wives have of their Husbands O how unseemly and stout is their behavior towards them Not a few having many good qualities in them yet are curst snappish stand too stifly in their own conceit will carry away the day and have the last word especially if they have a good cause such do grosly forget themselves Whatsoever parts a woman hath yet if she be not subject and dutiful to her husband they are nothing she is as a curst Cow that gives a good pail of milk and kicks it down with her foot Let such endeavor to see this fault in themselves and repent thereof from their heart striving against their froward nature let such know that as subjection is Gods Ordinance so it s the very being of a wife What 's an hand if it have no power of handling or any eye if it see not so a wife without subjection Though there may be Parentage Portion Beauty Housewifery c. yet if this be wanting there is nothing of a wife There are also others which be so unreasonable so froward so mad and bedlem-like which do so scold and brawl as they care not what they say being a vexation to their Husbands hearts and corruption to their bones that are as it were a whipping stock and house of correction to them continually the contention of such is a continual dropping and it is better to dwell in the corner of a house top then with such in a wide house But hereof I have heretofore spoken at large That if any obey not the Word c. Not onely must wives be subject that have good Husbands but even they which have infidel husbands cross unkinde and most irreligious Husbands for they are their husbands whom they have chosen and are now in covenant of God withal and which God hath laid out for them as a blessing or cross if any shall say This is very hard let such know that Christians mnst do difficult things and such as no other can do whether Papist Hypocrite or Civil persons every Bungler can make good work of good straight Timber but he that can make good work of that which is crooked and knotty is worthy commendation 1. This rebuketh those that except against their husbands Oh will some say if my husband were as such a womans husband kinde courteous religious c. it would not grieve me to do any thing for him I could lay my hand under his feet but mine is thus and thus Ans. Ye must not look what others be but what your own is though they fail in their duties towards you yet must not you in yours towards them stoppage is no payment Gods Word must be your rule 2. If they that have such ill husbands yet must do their duty willingly how much more they that have loving godly careful husbands How great is their sin that do not their duty to such but are ever finding fault complaining murmuring unquiet such may justly fear lest God take away those and send them such as will be a cross to them If any have found it so let it lead them to repentance and let others take heed by their example But howsoever it be necessary for wives to do their duties to unbelieving husbands yet it follows not that they may lawfully match themselves with such This were an unequal match which is often spoken against in the holy Scriptures This were to make league with the wicked and Gods enemies This were the way to pollute our selves Thus was Solomon himself beguiled This is the means of a corrupt and sinful generation for commonly children do follow the steps of their parents Such as were thus born spake half the language of Canaan and half of Ashdod When both Parents be godly their children for the most part prove gracious God vouchsafing to draw the threed of his election through the loyns of the faithful when both be wicked their children are for the most part ungracious yea if but one of them be wicked most children prove after the worse side Let therefore Parents as they regard their own comfort and the wel-doing of their posterity be careful with whom they match them and those that intend to marry let them in their matching not so much regard wealth beauty birth c. as Gods fear yet how many are carryed away with those not caring to please God herein matching themselves even with such as are most irreligious But how doth our Apostle decipher an unbeliever by his fruit disobedience he is such a one as doth not obey the Word Whosoever he is that liveth in flat disobedience to any of Gods Commandments is yet an unbeliever and without Faith In vain therefore do they boast of Faith whosoever they be that live in open disobedience and known sins May without the Word be won by the conversation of the wives In general note we that Although the work of conversion is to be ascribed to the preaching of the Word For faith cometh by hearing and its the Interpreter one of a thousand that must declare unto man his righteousness yet are good examples excellent preparatives hereunto as fire that heats the iron and makes it fit to be fashioned by them a man may be brought to a better liking of Religion and of the Word and so to the hearing thereof whereby he may be converted Davids constant and true carriage of himself towards Saul made him confess he was more righteous then himself Do not we then content our selves with forwardness in profession and other good gifts but look that our conversation be such so holy modest godly c. as that we may stop the mouthes of the bad and draw on the backward so much as in us lies and thus shall we adorn the Gospel but the contrary in most is every day too too manifest In particular that Wives professing Religion shew it in all meekness subjection and good behavior towards their Husbands according to the rule of Gods Word may in time be a means to bring home their Husbands to God What knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thine Husband saith the Apostle If not yet they shall so restrain them as that they shall be
another Greet one another saith the Apostle with an holy kiss and in another place with the kiss of charity both speeches be to very good purpose This hath been of ancient standing even to greet one another at meeting or passing by and hereof we have examples in the holy Scriptures We must also give the upper hand and highest seat in our Meetings which also our Savior doth require We must also be affable in our speeches whilest we be in company not too strange or dark but free and chearful this is required in Scripture under the name of Meekness even the smallest duties that we owe one to another are here set down for this is Moses commended so our Savior Christ he was so affable as poor ones yea poor women durst speak to him his disciples also asked him questions from time to time which he refused not to answer yea even unto him that smote him he spake courteously If I have evil spoken bear witness of the evil This tends greatly to peace and to procure love What force was in Absoloms courteous speeches to steal away the hearts of the people The contrary breeds heart-burnings evil surmisings contentions what not Our Nature can abide nothing worse then to see our selves contemned or neglected by others what can we do less then greet and use them kindely If they be our equals is it not reason we should use them as courteously as we would be used of them If our inferiors its noble for us to use them kindly as its a point of a base minde to insult over or trample them under Thus would they murmure against God and envy us whereas our courteous behavior would be a means to make them contented with their place yea though we are not to be familiar with the wicked or open our hearts to such or joyn our selves in near communion with them or bear with them in their evil courses but speak earnestly against the same yet are we to carry our selves courteously towards them that thereby we may win them the more This rebuketh those that fail in either extreme On the one part there are some 1. Which are proud scornful and disdainful in their looks and carriage towards others passing by them without saluting them or once speaking to them such have base mindes And what can be more strange then that any mortal man which is but a Worm should thus deal with one that is his own flesh the image of God yea haply one better then himself 2. Which strive and justle for the highest rooms wall or seats in the Church and elswhere which strive for the way upon the Road c. Hereby they display their pride and in stead of honor bring disgrace upon themselves 3. Use curst and cruel speaking like Nabal who was so wicked that none could speak to him or carry themselves so high as their inferior cannot speak to them Hence is the common Proverb They had rather speak to the greatest Gentleman or Nobleman in a Countrey then to such a mean man and have a better answer Naaman and Job would hear their Servants speak 4. Such as for frowardness and heart-burning cannot speak when they meet nor salute each other but pass by each other as if they were dumb and tongue-tyed a goodly matter if they could wound and kill one another as good cheap would they not do it and is not this sin before God doth not God behold the same On the other there is 1. Counterfeit courtesie in low crouchings and greetings c. wherein being void of love and kindeness men do altogether seek themselves as Absolom did 2. Treacherous courtesie when men salute kindely but intend devilishly under a fair vizard bearing mischief in their hearts Thus Joab in killing Abner and Amasa and Judas in betraying Christ thus many will speak very friendly to them against whom behinde their backs they will by and by rail and plot mischief 3. Excessive courtesie when men be too full of it If some in humility and true simplicity shew a great deal more courtesie towards their Superiors then they would have it s not much amiss but when men exceed in it towards their equals it doth often carry much falshood with it according to the old Proverb Much courtesie much craft it s also seen often that there are none more hollow then they that seem most courteous God for the present seeth their hypocrisie and man in time will and loath both it and them It s a fault among Christians that at their meetings they stand striving who should take the place or sit down first c. to the great disturbance of the whole company modestly to refuse the place at the first is commendable as it s also in them that offer it but for either to stand long complementing about it ridiculous Not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing Now of our carriage towards wicked and injurious men They are naturally bent to speak evil of us especially being the servants of God but we must not requite them with the like we must not revenge our selves on them They that make a trade hereof are but carnal and have naughty hearts It s also a vile thing fittter for Turks and Heathens then such as know God as we would be forgiven of God we must for give one another But of this already on Vers. 23. of the foregoing Chapter There 's lawful revenge on our selves as in Zacheus the Publican Mary Magdalene the Apostle Paul the Incestuous person c. Thus we are to revenge our covetousness by more large giving our ryot by more sparing from the body our earnestness and pains in evil by the like or greater in hearing the Word and holy Exercises There 's also an holy revenge upon others which is rather upon sin then their persons being zealous against the same in whomsoever we finde it whether our children servants or others accordingly avenging the glory of God by bringing those to punishment that hinder or hurt the same But contrariwise blessing The lives and language of Gods children should not onely be differing from the world but in many things they must be quite contrary for they are led by contrary principles the one by the flesh the other by the spirit the one mindes onely earthly things the other heavenly This is a step higher an harder lesson then the former to requite evil with good The wicked render evil for evil so must not we as light and darkness Christ and Belial we must be herein contrary to them Some weak Christians there are that come too nigh the fashions behavior and speech of the wicked many too much set upon the world as the wicked are fie upon it To be easily provoked and hardly entreated to be reconciled is the fashion of the world but such must not ours be By blessing in this place we are to understand praying
in vanity but the Scriptures call for Religion even at the hands of yong men There are also Reasons to disswade yong men from tainting their yong years and laying up matter for their age to roar for the sins of their youth from losing this freest and fittest time The fittest because they be fresh and apt to conceive remember and are strong which way they set themselves to good or evil The freest as not being incumbred with cares worldly businesses c. old age also is dull and unfit to learn the trade of Christianity is to be learned betimes You yong men and maids and yonger women shew your humility in being ready to listen and follow any good councel or example If you have seen God go before you in your Elders and follow them not your judgement will be great and sin without excuse There be indeed Religious and sober good youths and yong folks married and single and such as shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before their Elders children before their Parents and Servants before their Masters and yong men which be able to instruct and be paterns to the aged These are comely persons but how few be of these These also must remember to reverence their Parents Masters Elders though they should not be for knowledge or grace as they ought and themselves have more then they All of you be subject one to another He lays not this duty on the yong onely as in the former words but now requireth it of all even of Superiors to Inferiors and equalls each to other not that he forgets himself or would lay all common and make a confusion as if the Superior ought as much submission to his Inferiors as they to him and so equals each to other not so but they must submit themselves to them in another kinde as Superiors to Inferiors to care for them and seek their good and bear with them and equals to stoop to do each other good and to bear one with another and yield and give way to each other not standing stifly upon terms For Superiors they must submit to their Inferiors even Princes Councellors Nobles Judges c. must beat their heads study and take pains for the good of the Subjects as the Subjects must submit to them in reverence obedience tributes c. So they care for them put themselves to pains to do them good for God hath appointed no Calling to take all and pay nothing but every honor hath a burthen of care going with it As in the Members of the the natural Body not one is allowed to be idle but every one works for the good of the whole the eye looks the tongue talks the foot walks the hand works c. Now some may think that all these work and the stomack and belly in the midst lie still and be idle doing nothing but it s not so for though they work not as the other yet their work is as profitable and necessary without which they could not long stir namely they concoct the meat and nourish the whole body the like may be said of Princes and Magistrates So Ministers even the greatest must stoop low and take care publikely and privately of the meanest in the Congregation He that is chief must thus be servant of all So the chief men in Towns must take care for the good of the poor they must visit them into their poor houses and look in their cupboards c. it s their glory thus to do The Angels tend on us and scorn not yea God stoops to take care of us poor Creatures He numbers the hairs of our heads and makes all our beds in our sickness So our Savior Christ being rich became poor for us and the Holy Ghost takes up us miserable Creatures for his lodging Housholders also as they look for submission from their Families so must they submit themselves to have care not of their bodies only but to instruct teach and admonish them for the good of their souls so Husbands must bear with their Wives weakness and not stand strictly upon every word amiss when they are at sometimes disquieted Neither is it any disparagement for a Superior to yield to his Inferior but a commendation for so did Abraham to Lot let every one know we be the Lords Stewards and therefore must lay out as well as take in For equals There must be a doing good each to other being not born for our selves The useful man is the man that will be beloved and have comfort we may stand in need one of another and therefore must do good one to another also we must yield each to other not as they that will strive for the wall or way and lay each other in the dirt in reasoning we must not be stiff and seek to have the last word in fallings out if our adversary will not come at us we must go to him In matter of commodity if he will not yield an inch we must if he be angry break off be silent or answer mildely c. This is so far from being any disgrace as that its our honor and credit what though we could master and subdue another we are far wiser if we can overcome our selves and subdue our own hearts to the word and will of God This also tends greatly to peace and blessed are the peacemakers without this no peace A flint and steel being the one beat against the other make fire not so if we strike it against a cushion The world thinks shall I yield to him O this great courage to stand out but its carnal and beastly courage of Bulls and Bears not of Christians How many might have saved an infinite deal of trouble and charge yea haply their lives if they would but have yielded a little at first which afterwards they have wished when it was too late Be cloathed with humility He exhorts to another vertue which is the mother and fountain of this submission would you thus submit your selves then be humble whence as we may note that where this submission is not it s for want of humility and pride bears sway which its needful we should take knowledge of that we may the better seek the cure so we may learn That Whatsoever submission proceeds not from humbleness of heart is but dissimulation and hypocrisie as Absolom that behaved himself so lowly to all the people which yet had a most proud heart in him to aspire to the kingdom in his fathers life time So the Pope calls himself Servus servorum Dei when yet he lifts up himself above all makes himself head of the Church to have Supremacy over Princes to set up and cast down at his pleasure c. So the Monks and Fryers that pretend great humility in fasting and punishing themselves which yet proceeds from a proud heart thinking hereby to merit at the hand of God So they that profess voluntary
preach to them he writes which would stick to them and whereunto they might resort again and again at their pleasure Hence I might speak of the profitableness of writing Epistles how much good Gods servants may do to each other being absent by Prayers by Letters How much good hath been done by the Letters of the Fathers and of godly men in latter times as of Calvin Beza the Martyrs c. who knoweth not what a fault is it that it s no more used as Parents to their Children being absent friends to friends c. whereas wanton Letters and Letters about worldly businesses are frequent enough Written Thus God moved the hearts of his Servants and assisted them extraordinarily to pen the parts of holy Scripture O what a a benefit it is that we have the whole and most holy Word of God written and before us and how should we in token of thankfulness be exercised therein But most busie their heads with other matters namely Their worldly profits and pleasures fools bables in the mean time little using or regarding the Bible Briefly 1. Because he would have them the oftner in it and take the more delight to read it over 2. Because he sent Silvanus to open and unfold it at large by preaching out of it and making application thereof for their good Here see how God in his infinite wisdom hath provided us his Word wherein is all his minde and that in few words to provoke us to be exercised therein for if the Word had been written as large as we had need for our understanding the world could not have contained the books that must have been written but the Lord hath revealed his will briefly laid down much in few words yet for our further benefit God hath Ordained the Ministery of his Word and given gifts to men to preach it expound it apply it to every bodies use so that both together do most happily How should God have provided better for us If therefore people profit not their answer must be heavy Exhorting and testifying c. These words afford sundry points as 1. In that the Apostle testifieth by sound Arguments that they were in the right way note that Its needful for every one to know and be well assured of the Religion he professeth that it is the truth of God for there be many Religions yet but one truth miss that and perish we must not go by guess in our Religion It s not enough that we have the true Religion except we know it to be so that we be not wavering and carried about with every wind of contrary Doctrine 1. This rebukes those that take occasion because there be so many Religions therefore they will meddle with none but take their ease and tarry till all agree 2. It rebukes those that profess a Religion as all do but know not whether it be truth or not but believe as the Church believes as they be told but have no ground from the Word for the same Turks may not its death to question about their Religion Papists may not especially the Laity who are forbid to read the Bible or any good Book that way but we may yet how do the most in this Land profess the Gospel which by Gods goodness is the truth indeed alas how few know and are able to prove it 3. As it s our duty to testifie and prove our Religion to be the onely true way of Salvation so it s yours to know and acknowledge it that if an Angel should come and inform you otherwise you might not give ear to him 2. In that the Apostle thought it not enough to prove to them that that was the true Religion they were in but exhorted them to continue constant in the same note that They that know the truth ought so highly to esteem it and be so thankful to God for it as they never suffer themselves to be removed therefrom whether for hope of gain or fear of trouble c. we must buy the truth not sell it The Martyrs would rather lose their lives then the truth if we let that go we lose our Souls 3. In that the Apostle takes such care and pains with those Jews that now stood in the truth to hold them therein we may note that Its an hard matter for those to hold out stedfast that have begun to do well for our heart is deceitful the Devil is subtile and strong and there are also many Seducers many baits many discouragements c. What are they then that say there 's too much Preaching and Reading They know nothing that belongs to true Christianity A little means may serve to keep men in a loose carnal and prophane course but to keep us in a good course there must be precept upon precept line upon line c. and all little enough Therefore Ministers ought to continue with all diligence not onely to gain home more but even to hold on and confirm them that be gained that they fall not away into error sin and security and people have also need to use all good means to this end 4. In that his Epistle consisteth in testifying by sound reasons for the confirmation of their judgements and then of the Exhortation for the whetting on of their affections Note That Both parts are necessary in Preaching the one still to accompany the other 1. Ministers therefore must labor in and for both 2. People must make use and account of both regard Doctrine for knowledge and suffer Exhortation for practice Some cannot endure Application and Exhortation but are all for knowledge and to feed the understanding and it appears in their lives for they cannot endure but to live at elbow-room as they list notwithstanding the profession some make in hearing Sermons Verse 13. The Church that is at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you and so doth Marcus my son ANother part of the conclusion consisting of Salutations from the whole company of the faithful with him and particularly from Mark. The Church The company of the faithful that were at Babylon knowing of our Apostles writing to these his dispersed Brethren entreat to be remembred to them and pray the Apostle for he would not send their commendations without their knowledge that he would signifie to them that they remembred them loved and reverenced them and were glad of them praying to God for them c. Gods people though far distant one from another yet must be mindeful one of another Which is at Babylon Namely a City of Assyria whither the Jews were carryed Captive by Nebuchadnezzar and there abode for Seventy years There were here now sundry believing Jews as God hath his Church in the worst places where Satans Throne is and though most of the Jews rejected Christ yet some here and in other Cities embraced him The Papists will needs have this meant of Rome but upon
94. 1. Rom. 12. 19. Use. Num. 26. 9 10. 1 King 2. 24. God is a righteous Iudge Acts 17. 31. Use. Iam. 5. 6 7. Prov. 22. 23. Christs passion set out by the ends thereof Heb. 1. 2 3. Deut. 21. 23. Gal. 3. 10. We must not be weary in meditating on Christs passion and hearing thereof 1 Pet. 1. 12. Phil. 8. 9. A brief of the sufferings of Christ set down at large by the Evangelists See Luke 12. 50. Iohn 13. 27. Use 1. Use 2. Ioh. 3. 16. Psal. 116. 12. Use 3. Iohn 5. Use 4. For whomsoever Christ dyed he dyed to kill sin in them 1 Cor. 1. 30. Tit. 2. 14. See 1 Cor. 6. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 15. Luke 1. 74. Eph. 5. 25. Use 1. See Rom. 3. 31. Tit. 2. 12. Eph. 2. 10. Use 2. Use 3. Acts 15. 9. 1 Iohn 3. 3. 1 Kings 2. 28 34. Use 4. Rom. 8. 1. Obj. R. Phil. 5. 25. The two parts of Repentance Christians must endeavor to mortifie their lusts Use 1. Use 2. Gal. 5. 24. As we must be dead unto sin so must we be alive unto God See Luk. 1. 75. Tit. 2. 12. Rom. 6. 18. Use. Luke 1. 75. Tit. 2. 14. All that Christ suffered was for our profit Christ dyed even for poor servants Sin is a disease Our bodies are subject to many sicknesses Christ is our Physician Sin hateful to God Use. How we may speed in our suits to Christ. Psal. 103. 3. Every natural man is like a beast Psa. 22. 12 13 16 20. Psal. 32. 9. Isa. 1. 3. Ier. 8. 7. Prov. 6. 6. Isa. 1. 2. Deut. 32. 1. Use. Isa. 11. 6. 7 c. Every unregenerate man is out of his way Isa. 53. 6. Rom. 3. 12. Psal. 58. 3. Reasons How they come to be misled Psal. 95. 11. â— Ier. 8. 6. Prov. 14. 12. Acts 2. 37 26 18. No natural man can of himself come home to God Iohn 6. 44. Use. The natural man is in continual danger Prov. 4. 19. Use. All Believers are in a safe condition Iohn 17. 11. See Psal. 43. 1. and 46. 4. Use 1. 2 Kings 6. 16. Use 2. The Ministers of the Word are Shepherds under Christ. Ezek. 32. 7. 34 8. Their duty See Act. 20. 28. Use 1. Use 2. The Contents of this Chapter Doctor Marriage in Gods account is an high and honorable state Heb. 13. 4. Use. Doctor Both husbands and wives must learn to know their duty The duties of wives Why the Apostle insisteth so largely about the duties of wives Obs. Gods Ministers have been at all times lyable to be slandered See 2 Cor. 6. Use. Prov. 18. 13. The prevention of an objection Doctr. Wives must be subject to their husbands 1 Cor. 11. 8 9. 1 Tim. 2. 13. 1 Tim. 2. 14. Eph. 5. 22 23. Col. 3. 18. Reasons Wherein their subjection consisteth Simil. Acts 5. 29. Use. Simile Simil. Prov. 12. 4. Prov. 19. 13. and 21. 9. Doctr. Wives must be subject even unto bad husbands See Mat. 5. 41. Simile Use 1. Use 2. Doctr. Wives are not to marry irreligious husbands See Gen. 6. 2 3 Ezra 9. 10. 2 Cor. 6. 14. 2 Chron. 19. 2 Neh. 13. 24. Use. Doctr. Such as live in disobedience are unbelievers Use. Doctr. Good examples are excellent preparatives to conversion Rom. 10. 17. Iob 33. 23. Simile See Deut. 4. 6. Mat. 5. 16. Iames 3. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 12. 1 Sam 24. 17. Doctr. Wives professing religion must shew it by their behavior towards their husbands for their conversion 1 Cor. 7. 16. Use 1. 1 Sam. 18. 7. Use 2. Heb. 11. 7. How bad husbands may be won Chastity and reverence why required of Wives 2 Tim. 3. 5. Use 1. Matth. 5. 14. Use 2. What Chastity is and by whom it is to be observed Use. Prov. 7. 25 27. How wives ought to fear their husbands Use. A preservative of subjection and chastity What apparelling it is that the Apostle forbids 2 Tim. 2 9. Quest. Ans. Gen. 24. 23 30 Exod. 3. 22. Psal. 45. 9. Mat. 6. 29. and 11. 8. How far costly apparel is forbid and to whom and when 1 Cor. 1. 25. Obj. Sol. Note Rules about wearing of apparel 1 Cor. 12. 24. Deut. 22. 5. 1 Tim. 2. 9. Phil. 4. 9. The matter thereof considered Luke 16. 19. Mat. 22. 11. The maner Zeph. 1. 8. Use. Isa. 2. 11 12. and 3. 24. Ezek. 16. 49. See Christ. Warfare part 2. c. 15. p. 375. Reasons against excess in apparel Gen. 2. 25. Simile Simil. Mat. 6. 32. Maa 7. 13. Simile Mat. 6. 28. Simile Simil. Use. Objectious answered The 1. Rom. 12. 17. Acts 24. 16. Matth. 5. 16. The 2. The 3. Exod. 23. 2. The 4. A useful meditation upon the putting on of our apparel and putting off the same A remedy for excess in apparel Inward purity required Our chief and principal care must be to clothe and adorn the soul. Reasons Rev. 3. 18. Use 1. The covetous reproved As also The curious Simil. Simil. Use 2. Grace is of an incorruptible nature Use. A meek and quiet Spirit the proper ornament of a good wife Iames 3. 17. Gal. 5. 23. Use. Iames 1. 26. Eccles 7. 9. 1 Pet. â— 4. The worth of grace It s of great price in the sight of God Reasons of the forementioned Exhortation The amplification of either reason The examples of Gods servants are to be followed in all their vertues See Luk. 7. 32 1 Cor 10. 6. Heb. 11. 4 5. and 12 1 c. Use. Heb. 11. 7. Mat. 2. 41. Antiquity joyned with verity is reverend and to be followed Use. 1 Pet. 1. 18. There have been always holy women in the world as well as men Reasons Why women are as forward as men Use 1. Use 2. It s needful there should be good women Holiness is that which commends one Prov. 31. 30. and 20. 15. Isa. 4. 3. Marriage no hinderance to godliness Heb. 13. 3. Use. Luke 4. 39. Holiness cometh by Faith in Christ. Holiness may be where there are weaknesses Use 1. Rev. 11. 2. Use 2. Wives cannot perform their duties aright unless they be holy Why more good men be mentioned in Scripture then good women Heb. 11. 32. Use. Simil. Gen 18. 6. Wives must imitate Sarahs obedience and reverence Reasons hereof Use. Neh. 7. 64. It s not enough to do duties but we must do them in a right maner Superiority exempts not from duty Col. 4. 1. Wherein the husbands duty consisteth Husbands stand in no less need of instructions then Wives Husbands are to dwell with their Wives In what caces they they may be absent Matth. 19. 6. Prov. 5. 18 19. Use 1. Matth. 19. 8. 1 Cor. 7. 5. Use 2. Use 3. Husbands must be men of understanding Mat. 6. 22. Psal. 133 2. See 1 Cor. 14. 35. In what particulars the same will appear Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. 1 Tim. 5. 8. What honor the husband is to give to his wife Acts 10. 26. Rev. 22. 9. Sundry
of other in prosperity and adversity for body and soul and this is for the continuance and increase of love True it is the Husband may be absent from his Wife either by the commandment of his Prince being imployed in any service whether in Church or Commonwealth or upon his own necessary affairs as Merchants and Marriners or upon meer necessity as many dwelling in one place do yet work in another yet must not he fail in his absence to pray for her to keep himself chaste to have her as it were still present with him sending to her as often as he can and returning as speedily as he may Also if any contagious disease should be they may with mutual consent part for a while It must be matter of weight must keep them any time asunder not any unkindeness yea though both be willing to dwell asunder For whom God hath joyned together no man must sunder And as they may keep in one house so one bed and board must hold them therefore it is that she is said to lie in his bosom and Let her breasts satisfie thee at all times 1. This condemneth all unlawful parting 's of Husband and Wife as of the Jews which put away their Wives when they took dislike of them by giving them a Bill of divorcement This came of the hardness of their hearts but was not so from the beginning Of sundry in our times which live asunder as have been married yong through some sinister respects of their Parents or rashly or inconsiderately though come to years of discretion which afterwards they have disliked neither party loving the other according to Gods Ordinance of those Husbands that idly give themselves after marriage to travel to see Countreys and Fashions thus exposing as well themselves as their Wives to Satans temptations Of those that for the most part haunt Inns Alehouses and Taverns Gusling Gaming and Whoring being but seldom at home If the Husband is to leave Father and Mother much more such places to cleave to his Wife Of those which following their Recreations and Pleasures put all upon their Wives chiding them for whatsoever is done amiss by Servants or others those prove cruel taskmasters to their Wives like Pharaoh's to the Israelites were it not better for such their businesses being over to read confer and lovingly converse with their Wives and should not their company be better to them then all companies in the world 2. This condemneth those that part boards the Husband being either so proud as he thinks his Wife not good enough to sit with him at Table or she so unquiet that he eats by himself each Hog in his own Trough yea and beds too and that either continually or upon discontent for some time or upon surliness and overmuch coyness when the Husband will not be troubled with the childes crying c. as if he were not sometimes to bear such marriage troubles but lay all upon his Wife 3. This condemeth the marriage of Children who must be kept asunder many years This comes from the excessive haste of Parents which dare not trust God for a marriage rich enough till they come of years but thus prevent the Lord Such think they work wisely but for the most part it s but foolishly They think thus to build their houses but for the most part it proves their ruine such seldom loving one another According to knowledge Husbands must be men of understanding and knowledge in the Scriptures and grounds of Christian Religion that they may do good to their wives and whole family They are the head therefore must be able to guide the eye therefore must see If the eye be dark all must needs be dark as the oyntment on Aarons head ran down on his beard and thence to the skirt of his garment their knowledge must be exercised for the good of their wives and the meanest in their family They must be men of knowledge 1. To instruct them in the ways of God to pray with them and especially when through weakness or sickness their wives have been forced to stay at home to inform them of such Points as were publikely delivered by the Preacher 2. To comfort them in their heaviness of minde affliction of body loss of children and the like and that from the Word of God being able to asswage the bitterness of their grief 3. To advise and counsel them for the best 4. How to admonish and reprove them They must not do it without cause nor when there is cause in an ill maner before company or with carnal bitterness but rather in the terms of the Scriptures and in love 5. When to yield to their requests or perswasions Herein Adam Sampson and Ahab failed but Job in rebuking his wife shewed he was a man of knowledge 6. To bear with their weaknesses and infirmities meet to be born with 7. Not prescribing them to do any unlawful or unreasonable thing whether on the Lords day or at other times as to say They are not within when they are within c. 8. Not keeping such a number of Dogs as may be both loss and continual vexation to their wives or removing up and down till they have wasted all they have Thus bad wives may be brought on to goodness and good wives made better 1. This condemneth the common abuse of this Land How few husbands be men of knowledge able to instruct comfort advise govern or admonish their wives how few able to pray with them repeat a sermon to them or comfort them in any of their heavinesses Hence it is that they burthen their wives with needless things Hence many women of some good parts and towardness matching with such Worldlings and Ignorants have been undone Hence so many jars and contentions in families How many wives would perform their duties if their husbands would go before them in performing theirs O what evils might be avoided if husbands had but discretion but most are void of understanding cannot give a reason of their Faith cannot pray in their families scarce give thanks for their meat check and discourage their wives from goodness if they have any inclination thereto Alas in these days if they get a little hair on their faces and their portion into their hands they think themselves fit to marry though they have neither wit nor understanding or if they stay some years it s to get goods to set up with not that they may be furnished with knowledge Parents enquire after wealth and how their daughters shall live but do not much regard their living with men of knowledge 2. This condemneth the Papists which forbid the Layety to read the Scripture But where 's knowledge to be learned if not by them It s enough with them that their Priests have knowledge yet must not they marry 3. For those that are married and have failed herein let them redeem the
time If he be worse then an infidel that provides not bodily maintenance for his family then what is he that provides not spiritual For those that are to marry let them beg for wisdom and labor for knowledge that being married they may live Christianly and according to knowledge For parents let them instruct their sons in knowledge and before they provide them wives let them know indeed that they are men of knowledge and for those that have daughters to marry let them not so much aym at wealthy husbands as with those which may live with their daughters according to knowledge Giving honor unto the wife The honor which is here prescribed is not Divine honor Peter would none of it at Cornelius his hand nor the Angel at Johns nor that honor which an Inferior is to give to his Superior whereof we may read in the fifth Commandment but such as a Superior may give to an Inferior so is the wife in some things but as anunequal to his equals so is the wife in many things This comprehends diverse things 1. That the husband is to respect and esteem his wife as of a most comely necessary and profitable instrument appointed of God as a meet help for him for the comfortable passing of his life and such a one as he could not be without profitable to the encrease of posterity to the building up of his house for the bringing up of his children for the ordering of his family and disposing of things within doors wherein he himself hath no skill and which being left to servants are but sorrily done profitable also to converse with in prosperity to take comfort from in adversity yea by joyning with him in every good duty to further his souls salvation She is every way a necessary not evil as the world faith but good an help meet for man both in respect of body and soul who more careful painful faithful comfortable to her husband then she If God take away the wife alas how lame and maimed is the husband his one hand is gone When husbands do not thus esteem of their wives they discourage them occasion unquietness in them if they be women of Spirit or otherwise make them foolish 2. That the husband is to ask his wives counsel and advice in businesses God hath made her of his privy councel and two eyes see more then one yea oftentimes that he may not despise her she more then he Jacob sent for his wives into the field and conferred with them about his journey Many husbands have confessed that if they had taken their wives counsel it had gone better with them Naaman heard his servants advise and followed it much more should the husband the wives Abraham heard and yielded to Sarah about Hagar and Ishmael such are indeed injurious to their wives that will never make them of their counsel 3. That according to his ability he is to allow her competent maintenance for her self children and family not spending all abroad as too many do 4. That he is to give her a fit employment for her place It were a foul wrong for her to sit in a chimney-corner or set about some base employment a servant in the mean time carrying the keys and having the whole disposal of the house And as he is thus to give her a fit employment so therein to let her alone not prying narrowly into every thing and following her from room to room and taking account of every thing and every peny made of it as distrusting his wives thrift wisdom or faithfulness 5. That he do not over burthen his wife or require more of her then she is well able to go through He must not be a task-master to her lest she cry unto God and he hear in his anger especially not when she is sickly or childe-bearing when she is big or after her delivery for then he is to bear much with her Such as fail herein whereby either their wives or children are cast away have they not a guilty conscience and an hard answer to make 6. That he must not reprove her before company no not before her Children or Servants for as this provokes her so it weakens her authority that she shall prevail the less with her Family in her husbands absence 7. That he ought not to take part with Childe or Servant when she rebukes or corrects them though haply she be in a fault he must tell her thereof in private 8. That he is to use her lovingly and kindely not proudly tyrannously or cruelly abusing his authority for though God hath given him preeminence yet is he not to use it as he list but as God prescribes What may not incite husbands hereunto God requires it they are their own flesh Christ loved his Church dearly as accordingly they are to love their wives She hath forsaken all for him and he hath chosen her from all others Her Friends entrust her with him and expect kindeness at his hands He promised the same at the time of his Marriage before God and the Congregation This also will provoke her to her duty and so further a comfortable living together Whoso then regards the Commandment of God and will suffer it to bear â—way with them or their Covenant and Promise must thus honor their wives This condemneth 1. Those Monsters which not onely lade their wives with Curses and Railings but abuse them also with blows and heavy strokes oftentimes in their drunken fits shurting them out of doors these be bruit beasts when knew you the Cock spur the Hen Devils in the shape of men Its marvel their Neighbors take them not and binde them for mad men for none but mad men beat themselves and their own flesh whom Bedlam or Bridewel would fit better then to be at liberty unless they could use it better 2. Those though not altogether so bad as the former yet can lend their wives a box on the Ear or a dowse on the Neck or a spurn with their foot 3. Those which though they can rule their hands yet are so hoggish and churlish to their wives as they know not how to please them ever unquiet and like Nabal so wicked that one cannot speak to them yea will both rail on them and revile them 4. Those that sometimes be pleasant and use their wives well who yet at small things will be so hot and angry as they break out into unseemly harsh and bitter words that vex and grieve the spirit of their wives This argueth much weakness in the heart Anger resteth in the bosom of fools and He that is hasty to wrath exalteth folly as He that is slow to wrath is of great wisdom Such sharp and unkinde speeches fall out sometimes between those that love well and be good Christians but it s their fault and matter of humiliation Neither let any please themselves with this that they are