it still if thou live free from it For the first if any body hate thee observe these rules 1. Render not evill for evill to any man at any time Rom. 12.17 2. If thou have any way done wrong seek to be reconciled Mat. 5. 3. If the contention be secret complain to no body but goe and debate the matter with thy neighbour himselfe and discover not thy secret to any other Prov. 25.4 4. Be courteous and patient and tender hearted and ready to doe any good to them speaking no evill of them without a calling Rom. 12.17 Ephes. 4.3 Tit. 7.2 To keep thee from other mens malice observe these rules First keep thee from other mens strife meddle not with the strife that belongs not to thee Prov. 26.17 Secondly Wrong no man but follow that which is good both among your selves and toward all men 1 Thess. 5.14 Thirdly strive to shew all meeknesse and softnesse to all men Tit. 3.2 Iames 3.13 17. Guile The second sin to be avoided is Guile The word here rendred Guile is diversly accepted in scripture Sometime it is taken in good sense and so there is a justifiable Guile so Paul caught the Corinthians by craft he wonne them by his discretion and godly policy 2 Cor. 12.6 So Samuel by a godly policy giving it out that hee came to sacrifice did safely performe his chiefe businesse of anointing David 1 Sam. 16. and so did Paul deale cunningly when in the broile hee cryed out he was a Pharisee But most usually this word is taken in ill sense and so sometimes it is all one with hypocrisie as Hos. 11.12 Psal. 17.2 But so it is not taken here by all likelyhood because hypocrisies are mentioned in the next words sometimes it signifieth fraud and falshood in opinions either in the matter when the doctrine is strange and false and so the false Apostles were deceitfull workmen when they put in that for good stuffe which was counterfeit and devillish 2 Cor. 11.13 Or when good doctrine is handled corruptly deceitfully for wicked ends 2 Cor. 42.1 The. 2.3 Sometimes it signifieth deceit in words and so flattery is Guile Psal. 12.2 3. And lying is Guile Mich. 6.12 Zeph. 3.13 And so is all false testimony Sometimes it signifieth deceit in workes and so false weights and ballances and all fradulent dealing and cousenage in buying and selling is Guile Mich. 6.10 11. So there is Guile in Tything Mal. 1. ult And so all lying in waite to seek occasion against others and all subtle dealing to oppresse others is Guile Psal. 105. 2 Cor. 11.12 13. Mat. 26.4 Mar. 14.1 and such Guile was in them that would make a man sin in the word Isay 29. Bribery also is Guile Iob 15. ult Now if any aske me why this sin should be avoided in them that desire to profit by the word I answer it is to be avoided as it is a sinne that much dishonours God and the profession of godlinesse It is a â—â—amefull offence in any that would seeme to love the word but more particularly the sinnes of deceit are a great impediment in hearing the word For first the guile of false opinions and strange doctriâ—e is like a poison to the sincere milk of the word and to bee eschewed of all that follow the Truth Ephes. 4.14 15. Heb 13.7 Secondly a heart accustomed to deceit and subtlety cannot be a plaine and honest heart and without a plaine honest and good heart men can never receive with any fruitfulnesse the seed of eternall life Luke 8. Thirdly he that is false to men will never be true to God he that will lie to men will lie to God Also he that is not faithfull with men will compasse God about with deceit Hos. 11.12 He will never be faithfull in the true treasure that is unjust in outward things Luke 16. Fourthly it is a sinne that God in a speciall maner hates Psal. 5.7 Fiftly the sinnes of deceit usually attend upon some Idoll in the hearts of men which hath such command over the deceitfull person that he cannot attend to the word of God or not have leisure to practise it he is so mastered by this particular corruption Ier. 9. The use of this may be threefold For humiliation to all deceitfull persons that use lying fraud subtlety and guilefull dealing in their trades and callings and course of dealing and conversation with men they shall never prosper in spirituall things The Ordinances of God are blasted to them Moreover there are two considerations which should wonderfully affright such as are accustomed to lying and deceit First it is certaine they are wicked men and have not the feare of God before their eyes they are the children of the Devill and enemies of Righteousnesse as these places fearefully shew Psal. 36.1 3. 10.7 Rom. 3.13 1.29 Acts 13.10 Secondly the curse of God is upon them God will weigh them in the balance Iob. 31.5 They are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 11.1 20.23 The Lord will surely visâ—t and his soule will be avenged on such persons Ier. 8.26 27 29. They shall be destroyed Psal. 52.4 They shall not love 〈◊〉 halfe their dayes Psal. 55. ult And as this is terrible to all deceivers so especially to such as are guilty of the aggravations of the sinne As 1. When deâ—eit is covered with smooth words and a flattering stile Ier. 9.8 Prov. 26.24 c. 2. When men delight in it and take a contemplative kinde of pleasure in their â—uilefull projects as the voluptuous person doth in his lust When â—ens belâ—â—â—â— prepare deceit Iob. 15. ult not their heads but their bellies Psal. â—â— 2 4. 3. When men make a trade of it give their tongues to evill and will frame deceit Psal. â—0 19 Bend their tongues to lyes and teach their tongues to speake lyes and weary themselves to commit iniquity Jer. 9.5 4. When men think all time spent about Gods service too long they would have the Sabbaths over that they might practise deceit Amos 8.5 5. When men sweare deceitfully Psal. 24.4 6. When men boast of it Psal. 52.1 3. And as deceit is aggravated by the maner so may it be by the persons upon whom it is practised so it is an aggravation to deceive ones neighbour and ones brother Jer. 9.5 and so it is to deceive the harmlesse and quiet of the Land Psal. 35.20 And as by the persons so by the time It is an aggravation when men imagine deceit as the Prophet David saith all the day long Psal. 38.12 Now if the former terrors belong to deceitfull persons in the generall how much more to them that are guilty of deceit with all these or any of these aggravations Some one might here say wee feele the sweetnesse of it wee grow rich by it and wee see many men in the world waxen great by the same courses and if wee should not lie and deceive wee
119 2â— esteeming it above all riches Ps. 119.14 72 110. exercising our our selves in it day and night redeeming some time constantly to be imployed in it labouring most for the foode that perisheth not Ioh. 6.27 Amos 8. 12. being resolved to deny our reasons profits pleasures credits and carnall friends and all for the words sake Marke 10.2 Thus in generall In particular two things may be noted in this verse First the praise of the word for the continuance it abideth for ever Secondly the explication of the kind viz this is true of the word which we preach unto you The first thing theÌ„ is that the word abideth for ever which other scriptures with like plainnesse avouch Ps. â— 17.2 Mat. 5. 24. Two things would be explained 1. how the word abideth for ever 2. of what word of God this is true For the first the word of God abides for ever in divers respects 1 In the Archetipe of it in God the plotforme in the minde of God though all Bibles were destroyed yet the word of God could not because the originall draught of it is in God himselfe 2. In the very writings of the word it shall last for ever that is till time be no more If all the power on earth should make warre against the very paper of the scriptures they cannot destroy it but the word of God written will be to be had still It is easier to destroy heaven and earth than to destroy the Bible 3. In the sense of it all that is said in scripture shall be performed the counsell of the Lord shall stand not a word of Gods promises or threatnings shall faile Psal. 33.11 12. 4. It abideth for ever in the hearts of the godly the impressions made in the mindes of the godly are indelible every godly man hath the substance of Theologie in his owne heart which seed will abide in him 1 Ioh. 3. 5. Lastly it abideth for ever as it makes us abide for ever and so it abideth in the gifts of the minde wrought by it in the life of grace quickened by it and in the fruits of righteousnesse to which it perswaded men Rom. 11. The gifts of God are without repentance and the word begets an immortall seed in us and the fruits of the faithfull will remaine and their righteousnesse for ever Ps. 111. 3. 1 Pet. 2.3 Ioh. 15.16 1 Cor. 3.14 1 Cor. 13. ult 2. Now for the second It is true of every word of God of every jott or tittle of it that it abideth for ever The Law and the Gospell by the law I meane the morall law for the ceremoniall law lasted but for the Jewish eternity which was till Christ repaired the world and made all things new The Use may be First for information and so in five things 1. Concerning the vanity of all outward things the perfection of them doth come to an end but of Gods word there is no end Psal. 119. 2. Concerning the estate of hypocrites and such whose righteousnesse is but as the morning dew Hosh. 6.5 this shewes they have not received the power of the word in that it doth not abide in them 3. Concerning the misery of all wicked men heaven and earth shall passe away before one tittle of the curses and woes denounced against them shall faile or be unaccomplished yea it will remaine to judge them at the last day Ioh. 7. 4. Concerning the morality of the Sabbath For since this is one of the ten words of Gods law even this word of the Lord must abide for ever else more then a tittle of it should faile before heaven and earth faile 5. Concerning the madnesse of two sorts of men 1. Such as account all diligence in preaching reading and hearing to be foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.18 2. Such as are scorners and jest at the threatnings of scripture and say with them in the Prophet let the word of the Lord come that wee may see it Ezech. Secondly for instruction and so it should teach us all to adde to â—ur cares and desires after the word as that which will doe us good another day since in the lasting profit of it it will indure above all things else and therefore is better then all treasures yea to get this perpetuity of good wee should not thinke much to be at any labour or cost for it and the rather seeing it is such a sufficient portion or heritage Lastly this is comfortable to the godly divers waies 1. Against their unbeleefe when they are in distresse especially of spirit they thinke the word of God was wonderfull comfortable to David and such like but they cannot beleeve it should be so to them this doctrine assures them that the word of the Lord endureth through all ages and is as able to save their soules and sanctifie and comfort them as ever it was 2. Against the weaknesse of their memories The word will abide for ever some seeds of holy truth will never be lost and the spirit will lead them to all truth and bring the sayings of the word to their mind when they shall have need 3 Against the scornes of the world though men deride their counsell in making the Lord and his word their refuge yet they may be well pleased in themselves and resolve with the Psalmist still in God to praise his word For the profit of it will last to them when riches and honor and pleasures fade like the flower of the grasse to wicked men 4. Against their feare of falling away For the word of God in effect abideth for ever and it makes them abide for ever This is the word which is preached unto you These words explaine the sense of the former and direct mens minds to that use of the word which is most proper and powerfull to effect immortality in us and so there is a threefold limitation 1. That the word of God doth then cheefely beget in us eternall graces and abiding fruits when it is preached to us The intent of the Apostle is to exalt preaching not to deny efficacy to the translation or reading of the word but to shew that then it is most lively when it is in preaching fitted and applied to us and this may both instruct us what to doe and informe us what to thinke It should teach us especially two things the one is to depend upon hearing as the especiall meanes by which our soules may live for ever Heare and your soules shall live Esay 55.4 2. and it should also settle us in the resolution to heare if this be so let him that heareth heare Ezech. 3.7 It may likewise informe us in two things 1. of the misery of all such as have not the benefit of the word preached how doe their soules perish for ever 2. of the honor God doth to his poore servants the Ministers of the word when he treâ—â—â— about eternall life he sends the people to their Ministers as if he would tell
hearts Ier. 7.23 24. 13.10 especially such as refuse to heare his voyce and are withall gainsayers and such as are talkers whose lips carry about them the infamy of Gods true people and the blasphemie of Gods name Rom. 10.21 Ier. 10.13 Ezek. 36.3 c. Thirdly it may be discerned by their manner of serving of God for such as God rejects from being of his people may draw neere to him with their lips but their hearts are farre from him and they do him no service but as mens lawes feare them to it A constant habituall alienation of the heart from the care of Gods presence in Gods ordinances is a sure signe of persons God regards not Ob. But there are faults in the best men in the world and therefore why should such as live in the Church and professe the true Religion bee cast off only for living in sinne seeing all are sinners Sol. I answer with the words of the holy Ghost Deut. 32.5 6. Their spot is not the spot of Gods people that spot that is in the wicked is a spot of leprosie and therfore they ought to be put without the campe till they be cleansed The sinnes of the godly are sinnes of infirmitie and the sinnes of the wicked are sinnes of presumption The wicked never obey from the heart which all the godly doe sinne doth not raigne in them as it doth in the wicked Thus of their estate by Nature as they were not a people their estate by grace is described in these words Are now the people of God Are now the people of God The difference of reading here from that of the Prophet is to be noted for whereas in the Prophet it is thus In the place where it was said ye are not my people it shall be said unto them Ye are the sonnes of the living God which words are somewhat doubtfull for some might gather that therefore all which were not a people should in time be the people of God The Apostle therefore applies it so as that it may appeare that the comfort only belongs to godly Christians and in stead of the words Yee shall be called the sons of the living God he saith Yee are now the people of God which in sense differs not and the Apostle leapeth to the direct Antithesis and takes it for granted That all Gods people are Gods sonnes also unlesse wee conceive that hee borrowed these words out of Hos. 2. ult which I rather incline unto though Interpreters most take to the words and the first Chapter Ye are now the people of God For the sense of the words we must understand that men are in Scripture said to be Gods people three wayes First in respect of eternall Predestination see Rom. 11.2 He will not cast off the people he knew before Secondly in respect of the covenant in the the Law and so the sonnes of Abraham were Gods people and none other as many Scriptures shew Thirdly in respect of the covenant in the Gospel and so it is to be taken here and all unregenerate men were not a people and all that beleeve are Gods people by the benefit of the covenant of grace in the Gospel Now for the coherence I might note That they that are not the people of God may be the people of God and so acknowledged of God himselfe which should teach us with meeknesse and patience to waite when God will turne those that lie in their sinnes and despaire of no man and restraine fierce and perverse censures concerning the finall estate of other men but the maine point is that Gods people are the onely people in the world None worthy to be called a people in comparison of them no subject in any government so happy as Gods people under his government in Christ and therefore to be made the people of God here is reckoned as a condition beyond all comparison Now that Gods people excell all other subjects in the world may appeare many wayes First in respect of the love of God that hee beares to his people which hath foure matchlesse praises that no King on earth can affoord to his subjects For first it is an everlasting love when all the favour of the Princes on earth is both mutable and mortall Secondly it is a particular love to each subject All the people are loved and by name Deut. 33.3 the Lord counteth when he reckons his people hee was become their God Psalm 87.5 6. Thirdly it is a free love there was no desert in us whereas Princes looke at somewhat that may pleasure themselves even where desert is lesse Fourthly it is a tender Love and therefore Gods people are said to be married to their King and God Hosh. 2.19 and therefore God is said to account his people to be his Portion Deut. 32.9 Secondly they are an elect people which hath a twofold consideration in it For first they are elect from all eternity and so every one of the people hath a particular act of Parliament to assure his right Rom. 11.2 and secondly they are elect in time that is they are separated and culled out of all the people of the world Exod. 33.6 Thirdly all Gods people have a generall pardon given them for all offences Ierem. 31.34 He saves his people from their sinnes And this pardon is grounded upon a sufficient atonement made by a most faithfull high Priest for them Heb. 2.17 who also sanctified all this people with his owne blood Heb. 13.12 Christ is given for covenant he is their surety for them and their witnesse Esa. 42.6 55.5 who also redeemed them with his blood All a people of purchase Fourthly all Gods people are qualified with new gifts above all the people in the world their natures be amended they are all washed and cleansed from their filthinesse there is not one vile person amongst them Ezek. 36.25 and 37.23 c. Hee hath formed them for himselfe and his owne service Esa. 43.22 Fifthly all Gods subjects are adopted to bee Gods sonnes and so can no Prince on earth say of his They are as it were the fruit of his wombe Psal. 110.3 Sixthly the Lawes by which they are governed are the perfectest in the whole world For the Law of God is perfect Psal. 119.8 Seventhly all Gods people live in his presence and see his glory Exod. 33.16 Levit. 26.11 12. Zac. 1.10 11. Psal. 95.7 Other Kings have many subjects they never saw and few that have the preferment to live in the Kings presence or neere about him Eighthly God feasts all his subjects and that often and in his owne presence and with the best provision of the world Esa. 25.8 and 65.13 14. Ier. 31.14 Kings would soone consume their treasure if they should do it often or almost once c. Ninthly no people so graced of their King in hearing requests and receiving petitions For all Gods people may cry and be heard and at all times and in all suits which
looke so precisely to the manner as well as to the matter of Gods will Ephes. 5.15 Secondly we must therefore increase in the knowledge of his will Col. 1.10 for the more things are to be done or the more exactly God wills us to doe the more care wee must have to increase our knowledge and study his will since all must be just so as he wils to have it Thirdly wee should bee stirred up to pray for our selves and one for another seeing it is such a hard thing to live a Christian life and to please God Marke with what force of words the Apostle prayed about this point Heb. 13.20 21. Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus that great shepherd of the sheepe through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant Make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom bee glory for ever and ever Amen Quest. But can a Christian be so exact as to answer the patterne to doe just so as God wils him Ans. 1. He may for the substance of the obedience though not for all the degrees or circumstances 2. He may doe it in desire he must set his patterne before him as that he desires to follow and strives as well as he can and is vexed because hee cannot doe it and with God if we have alwayes done as much as well as we did desire to doe he accepts the desire for the deed but it is certaine of the most of us in the most things that wee have neither done the things right nor brought the desiring to doe them and therefore it is just with God if wee lose what we have wrought Doct. 7. That in some cases God would have us take notice of his will in more especiall manner he hath certaine speciall wils there are some things that he doth as it were more stand upon than other things and these speciall wils of God we must heedfully take notice of as for instance 1 Thess. 4. aâ—out avoyding fornication this is the will of God hee meaneth his speciall chiefe will so about thanksgiving 1 Thess. 5.18 where the Apostle urgeth the will of God as a thing that God would above many other things have done Above all things give thanks for this is the will of God c. So our Saviour Christ notes in his owne occasions an especiall will of God Ioh. 6. 39 41. So here God doth in a speciall manner will us to obey Magistrates and to silence wicked men by well-doing Use. The use should be to teach us to marke what things God doth specially require of us and to apply our selves to his will that the Lord may take pleasure in us say of each of us as he did of Cyrus He is the man of my will which is here explained Hee is the man that executeth my counsell Esay 46.11 It was Davids singular glory that he would doe all Gods will whatsoever speciall service God had to doe David was ready to execute it Acts 13. For herein lyeth the triall of a sound Christian he doth the will of his heavenly Father and â—ests not in talking of Religion onely and professing it Mat. 7.21 Rom. 2.11 1 Ioh. 2.17 And in particular in this text we see there be two things that God would faine have us doe to silence wicked men and stop their mouthes First he would have us so to behave our selves that we keepe out of their danger in respect of the lawes of Magistrates Secondly and then to live such a discreet and profitable life that they may see that we differ from all other sorts of men in the goodnesse of our conversation If we would doe what might be specially pleasing to God wee must bee carefull of these two things Doct. 8. Lastly we may here note that the will of God may bee knowne effectually though it be not knowne distinctly The Apostle is sure this is the will of God and yet there is no booke chapter nor verse quoted nor can any particular place be alledged that these precise words doe expresse God's will but in as much as the meaning is to be found in the scope of many places of Scripture therefore it may be well so called The will of God Thus of the authority of this rule The matter of it followes which is well-doing With well-doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is not the same with that in the former verse for here it is a participle of the present time and notes the continuall custome of well-doing and gives us to understand that if ever wee would effectually silence wicked men wee must bee continually exercised in well-doing Our good works though of great excellency yet worke but a sudden blaze the effect of them will be quickly ended or soone put out and then will wicked men returne to their old course of reproaching if they be not daily confuted by the still fresh and new fruits of a Christian wee must bee full of new and good fruits Iam. 3.17 and never weary of well-doing The sense of the word then is this as if it were rendred thus This is the will of God that they are daily exercised in doing good should put to silence foolish men for the originall word doth note the person as well as the good done which affords another doctrine Doct. 2. God would have good men that are full of good fruits to enter into the lists against wicked men to vanquish and silence them which implyes that God would not have formall Christians or hypocrites to meddle with the quarrell of Religion for they will spoile all in the end when their hollownesse and hypocrisie is discovered they will make foolish men raise and blaspheme worse than before Such are fit to plead for and defend Religion as be manfull and full of good works And therefore the weaks Christians should not be over-busie and fiery in meddling with wicked men or putting themselves forward to defend sincerity till their works could plead for them before we set on to be great talkers for Religion we should provide good store of good works by which wee might demonstrate the truth and power of godlinesse in us Of well-doing in it selfe I have intreated before onely before I passe from it me thinkes it is lamentable that our hearts can bee no more fired to the care of it Oh that we were once brought but to consent from the heart with confirmed purpose to set up a course by our lives to win glory to our Religion We see how faine God would have us doe so and it would plague wicked men that would faine raile at us nothing would more confute them And besides other Scriptures shew no life aboundeth more with stedfastnesse and contentment than a life fruitfully spent especially how can wee be still thus carelesse if wee remember the great recompence of reward in another world Oh
that he was never guilty of any offence against God or man Thus of the sense of the words Divers Doctrines may be gathered out of these words but because one is principall I will but touch the rest Doct. 1. Mens sinnes are of mens making man made sinne God made none Doct. 2. It is a hatefull thing to be a maker of sinne As it was most glorious for God to make a world of creatures so it is most ignominious for man to make a world of sinnes Doct. 3. Christ made no sinne This is the chiefe Doctrine and plaine in the Text He was not only free from the first and worst kinds of making of sinne mentioned before but he was free from all sinne in all estates of his life he knew no sinne he did none iniquity he was that just One by an excellency Quest. But how came it to passe that the man Jesus had no sinne seeing all other men bring sinne with them into the world and daily sinne Answ. He was sanctified from the wombe being conceived by the holy Ghost which no other are so as both originall sinne was stopped from flowing in upon him in his conception and besides hee was qualified with perfect holinesse from the wombe and therefore is called that holy thing borne of the Virgin Luke 1.35 And it was necessary his humane nature should bee so holy and that hee should doe no sin because his humane nature was to be a tabernacle for the Deity to dwel in Col. 2.9 and besides from his very humane nature as well as from his Deity must flow unto us life and all good things and therefore he must needs be undefiled The man-hood of Christ is as the conduit and the God-head as the spring of grace unto us Besides his sufferings could not be availeable if he were not innocent himselfe The Uses follow and so Uses First we see the difference between the two Adams the first made sinne and infected all the world with it the other made no sinne but redeemed all the world from it The first Adam as he had power not to sinne so he had power to sinne but the second Adam had not only a power not to sinne but also no power to sinne not only as they say in Schooles Posse non peccare but also Non posse peccare Secondly we may hence see in what a wofull damnity against goodnesse the world stands when this most innocent Man that never did any sinne that never offended God or man in all his life when he I say comes into the world how is he despised and rejected of men Who looked after him unlesse it were for his miracles few honoured him for his holinesse How is the world set on wickednesse that it should account him without forme or handsomenesse that shone before God and Angels in such a spotlesse innocency Oh what wit had the rulers of this world that condemned him as a malefactor that had no spot in him from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot that never did man wrong or sinned against God Isa. 49.7 and 53.2 3 4. Thirdly we may hence see cause to wonder at the love of Christ to us Oh how is it 〈…〉 of such a world of sinnes that yet himselfe never knew sinne What heart of man can sufficiently admire his love unto us that can abase himselfe to be made sinne for us that never did sinne himselfe Fourthly is it not hence also most manifest that impenitent sinners shall not be spared or pitied of God Did not God spare his owne Son that never offended in all his life and shall he spare them that never left offending of him Oh what madnesse hath besotted men so as with stubborne wilfulnesse still to trust upon an unknowne mercy in God yea such a mercy as God could never conceive in the case of his Sonne that was not to him as they are in any respect Were these men but throughly beaten from this sinfull plea of mercy in God they would repent of their sins in time and seeke true mercy from God which never is with-held from penitent sinners Lastly Did our Saviour Christ suffer so patiently such extreme things that never deserved any evill in himselfe What a shame is it for us to be so unquiet and dejected or so froward or so unsettled when any crosses or afflictions fall upon us who yet have deserved at Gods hands to suffer a thousand times more and worse things than those that doe befall us In his mouth was found no guile We reade in the Scripture of guile in the spirit when we have false hearts and guile in the hands by false weights and ballances and guile in the mouth in deceitfull words Guile in words is committed many wayes First by lying when men speake what they thinke not Secondly by flattering when men praise others after a corrupt maner or for corrupt ends Thirdly by backbiting when men censure others behind their backs of malice or whisper evill against others Psal. 41.7 Fourthly by wresting the words of others to their hurt Psal. 56.11 and 52.1 2. Fiftly by with-holding the just praises of others or Apologie Sixtly by fearefulnesse in evill times when men will not stand for the truth or speake against their Consciences Seventhly by disgracefull jests Ephes. 5.4 Eighthly by telling the truth of malice 1 Sam. 22.9 10. Ninthly by boasting of a false gift Pro. 27.1 Tenthly by hypocrisie and dissimulation and that divers wayes as 1. When men speake faire to mens faces but reproach them behinde their backs or flatter them meerely to catch them and intangle them in their talke as the Pharisees often tempted Christ. 2. That reproveth sinne in others and yet commits it himselfe Rom. 2.19 3. That colours sin under pretence of Religion Marke 12.40 4. That professeth Religion in words and yet denieth it in his heart 5. That hideth his sin by deniall or excuses to avoyd shame and punishment 6. That gives good words to men in affliction but relieves them not 1 Iohn 3.17 18. None of these nor any other wayes of guile were found in Christ though they called him a deceiver and sought all occasions against him Thus of the sense the doctrines follow Doct. 1. Guile in words is a vice that wonderfully dishonours a man it was a fault would give great advantage to the enemies of the truth As it is a sinne which is in a speciall manner hatefull to God Psal. 5.7 so it is shamefull amongst men and therefore as any man would enjoy good dayes let him refraine his tongue from evill and his lips that they speake no guile Psal. 34.13 Doct. 2. When he saith that they found no guile in his mouth it imports that they sought it And so we learne that the godly are so hated of the wicked that they seeke occasion against them when they see not or heare not of any faults in them they search and inquire and lie in waite
conversation in the world but have no taste of religion or conscience of zeale for Gods glory fourthly all open worldlings that minde not heavenly things and savour nothing but the things of this world and lastly all hypocrites that make a shew of mortification and yet are not mortified and then suppose how small a number will be left in every place to be reckoned in this lift of true Christians Doct. 2. Mortification is the very first step of grace and the entrance into all power of godlinesse Till our sins be soundly crucified and dead no worke of Religion that is acceptable to God can be done and therefore Iohn Baptist and Christ and the Apostles call for repentance as the first thing that opens a way into the kingdome of heaven because else sin unrepented like a prison will infect all wee doe Esay 1.13 to 16. Besides the heart of man being naturally like a stone or iron till it be softned no impression of grace can be fastned upon it and if the ground of our hearts be not well plowed up the seed of the Word cannot but be lost Ier. 4.4 The seed cast upon the high way will be picked up by the fowles of the aire and not grow or if any seed or plant of grace did grow for a while in the heart yet the weeds of sin would overgrow and choake all as is evident in seed sowne iâ— thorny ground or plants set in ground that is not digged and weeded And fâ—â—ther while the person is evill the worke will be vile and abominable An evill tree canâ—ot bring forth good fruit And therefore this shewes that such Christians as leape into the profession of Religion so easily and thinke it is no more but to give-ovâ—r ill courses and fall to the practice of good duties are deceived for if by â—ound mortification their sins past be not bewailed and they soundly humbled either their sins will after a while grow and revive againe or else the conscience of these sins will secretly throughout their lives torment them or else the Divell on a sudden may seize upon them with deâ—paire having so manifest a reason against them that they did never practise mortificâ—tion for their sins Besides lamentable experience shewes in those places where Christians are not soundly formed at first in the exercise of mortification they leade their lives in a dull course of profession and have not the experience of the life and power of Religion in themselves for the joyes of it or towards others in the practice of it The mourners in Sion and such as are broken-hearted are the most glorious and the most fruitfull Christians Is. 61.1 2 3 4. and continue in the greatest power of Religion And further it may be noted in the best of those that their separation from the love of the world is most really performed as hath appeared when in any speciall workes of men or for the help of the Church of God they are called upon to shew their zeale by their bounty in such cases one poore Macedonian would shame a hundred of those rich Corinthians 2 Cor. 8. Doct. 3. True repentance for sin doth in divers respects kill a man it strikes him dead to repent is to be a dead man not only in respect of the world which casts off a man that will not run in the excesses of the time as a dead man indeed Col. 3.3 but in respect of themselves For first by the assise a man must keep upon himselfe he will be found dead by sentence when he judgeth himselfe before the Lord he stands as a man condemned in the flesh he sentenceth himselfe to eternall death for his deserts by confessing what he meriteth 1 Pet. 4.6 Now a condemned man is reckoned for a dead man in Law Secondly repentance destroyes the senses and affections and conceits and reason that were wont to be alive in men it dissolves the very frame of the old conversation The word rendred dead signifies to undoe what was done about the life of man to unmake him as I may say so as all the old things passe away and all becomes new 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 6.6 1 Iohn 3.8 In the new Convert there is not left the savour sent lust or affections after sin and the sinfull profits and pleasures of the world he doth not find that inflammation or inticement he was wont to feele from evill example or the glory of the world or evill compaâ—y or the things before he most esteemed and delighted in Thus he is dead to himselfe because he denies himselfe and could be well contented to forget that ever he had beene such as he was before Thirdly in some of Gods children their repentance is performed with such griefe and sorrow as brings their life almost to the buriers as is noted Iob 33.19 20 21. Fourthly they may be said to be dead in repenting because repentance is never fully finished till their naturall death sin sticks so fast as they have daily cause of mortification in some degree and it will never be gotten wholly out till they be indeed dead men though in the mean time God accepts of their first repentance as if it were perfect This Doctrine serves effectually to discover the estate of multitudes of Christians not to be right as they That doe nothing at all about their sins That excuse their sins and hide them and favoâ—r them and cast the fault upon others Pro. 28.13 Gen. 3. Iob 20.11 12 13. That blesse themselves in their hearts when their iniquity is found worthy to be hated Psal. 36.2 That haunt with such persons as may make them sin more That say It is no profit to walke humbly before the Lord Mal. 3.14 and rather blesse the proud That hate and revile such as are mortified That are dead rather in faith and good workes and finde a deadly savour in the Word That have sense and savour onely in the things of the flesh Secondly this should teach all that mind their owne salvation to looke carefully to the truth of their mortification and not to thinke it is such a sleight and easie worke but to consider that in repenting for sinne they must never cease till they be like Christ dying for sinne and that is in the sense before given So our bearing of the similitude of Christs death in our repentance notes divers particular things in our repentance as 1. That our sorrowes be voluntary not inforced he gave his life it was not taken from him we must not tarry till the Divell fire us with the terrors of despaire 2. That we be pained at the very heart for our sins so was Christ it must be a hearty griefe 3. That wee shew forth the fruits of our repentance so hee suffered openly 4. That he suffered by degrees and ceased not till he died so must we by degrees resist sin and never cease untill it be quite abolished Hence also we may know whether we have truely
meant carnall Christians that had turned from Gentilisme and received the profession of Christian religion but yet followed their carnall courses we may then note that the bare change from a false religion to the profession of the true is not sufficient to salvation A man that hath professed a false religion had need of two conversions the one is from his false religion to the true and the other from profanenesse to sincerity in that religion The corne must be fetched from the field into the barne but that is not enough for so is the chaffe but it must then be taken from the barne into the garner To leave Popery and turne Protestant is not in it selfe sufficient unlesse a man turne from the profanenesse that is in the multitude in true Churches to embrace the sincere profession of the Gospel And there is reason for it for in changing from a false religion to a true a man doth but change his profession or his mind at best but he that will be changed effectually must change his heart and whole conversation and become a new creature So that then these words describe a carnall man viz. that he is such a one as doth not obey the word of God By the Word he meanes here the doctrine published by the Prophets and Apostles and now contained in the Scriptures Many Doctrines may be hence observed 1 The Scripture is Gods Word because God thereby doth expresse the sense of his mind as men doe by their words The Scripture is not the word which God the Father begate but is the word which God the Father uttered and is the word which God uttered to us bodily creatures God though he be a Spirit yet doth speake both to spirits and bodies to spirits by a way unknowne to us to bodies he hath spoken many wayes as by signes dreames visions and the like so by printing the sense of his mind in the minds of creatures that could speake and by them uttered in word or writing what he would have knowne Thus he spake by the Patriarks Prophets Christ and the Apostles They that deny that God hath any words either deny that God is as Psal. 14.11 or else that conceive him to be like stockes or stones or beasts as Rom. 1.23 or else thinke he can speake but will not because hee takes no care of humane things as Iob 22.23 These are Atheists 2. The Scripture is called the Word by an excellency because it is the only word we should delight in God since the fall did never speake unto man more exactly than by the Scriptures and we were better heare God talke to us out of the Scriptures than â—eare any man on earth yea or Angell in heaven yea it imports that we should be so devoted to the study of the Scriptures as if we desired to heare no other sound in our eares but that as if all the use of our eares were to heare this Word Let him that hath eares to heare heare 3. This Word of God now in the time of the New Testament belongs to all men in the right application of the true meaning of it Once it was the portionof Iacob and God did not deale so with other Nations to give them his Word but now that the partition wall is broken downe the Gospel is sent to every creature That is here imported in that unbeleeving husbands are blamed for not obeying the Word which should teach all sorts of men to search the Scriptures and â—o heare the Word devoutly and withall know that the comforts terrours and precepts coâ—â—ained in it will take hold upon all sorts of men respectively 4. The Word of God ought to rule all sorts of men That is implied here in that fault is found with these unbeleevers that they obeyed it not It was given of God to that end to instruct reprove and direct men in all their waies 2 Tim. 3.16 17. It is the Canon or rule of mens actions Gal. 6. 16. It is the light and lanthorne God hath given to men it hath divine authority If we will shew any respect to God we must be ruled by the Scripture which is his Word 5. Unregenerate men have no mind to obey the Word and the reason is because they are guided by other rules which aâ—e false as their owne reason the customes of the world the suggestions of the divell and the like and because too the Word is contrary to their carnall desires and therefore they yeeld themselves to be guided by such rules as are most pleasing to their corrupt natures and besides too the light of the Word is too glorious for his eyes he cannot see into the mysteries contained in it because they are spiritually to be discerned and the naturall man therefore cannot perceive the things of God 6. It is a dangerous thing not to obey the Word of God they are accounted for lost and forlorne men here that doe not obey the Word Men be deceived if they thinke it is a course may be safe for to disobey Gods Word for Gods Word will take hold of them and destroy them and it will judge them at the last day Zech. 1.4 5. 2 Thes. 1.8 They are but lost men cast-awaies that care not for Gods Word 7. Nothing is to be reckoned a sin which is not disobedience to the Word That which is not contrary to some Scripture is no transgression and therefore men should take heed of burthening themselves with the vaine feare of sinning when they breake no commandement of God but only unwarranted traditions either on the left hand or the right 8. The constant omission of religious duties and good workes proves a man to be a carnall person as well as the committing of manifest injuries or grosse offences Here the Periphrasis of a carnall person is That he did not doe what the Word required 9. Men that obey not the Word may be won which should be a great comfort to penitent sinners It is true that disobedience clothed with some circumstances or adjuncts is very dangerous as when men have the means and love darknesse rather than light Iohn 3.20 and when men are smitten with remorse and have blessing and cursing set before them and see their sins and feele the axe of Gods Word and yet will on in transgression Deut. 11. 28. Mat. 3 10. or when men are called at the third or sixth or ninth houre and will put off and delay upon pretence of repenting at the eleventh houre Ma. 20. or when men are powerfully convinced and will raile and blaspheme and contradict the Word Acts 13.45 46. 18.6 and when God pursues men with his judgements and they refuse to returne Ier. 5.2 3 or lastly when men despight the spirit of God and sin of malice against the truth Heb. 10. 26 27 28 29 30. 10. The chiefe doctrine is That sound obedience to the Word of God is the Character of a true Christian a marke to distinguish the true
sake that he may see it comes from the force of religion in her a good wife discreet provident carefull to please meeke such an one as his heart may trust in her and delight in her Wives that be foolish wastfull idle froward or busie-bodies if they have never so much shew of religion yet they are not fit for this worke to win any body much lesse their husbands Secondly she must looke to her conversation in things of her religion that therein she behave her selfe as becommeth religion Tit. 2.3 and so she must take heed of conceitednesse and contempt of others or neglect of her calling upon pretence of duties of her religion and looke to it that she be not her selfe guilty of any knowne fault unreformed and withall she must strive to shew the power of her godlinesse in good fruits labouring to abound in good workes 1 Tim. 2.10 both at home and abroad being pitifull mercifull ready to help them that are in misery according to her power and in the things she hath liberty to dispose of Other things follow in the three next verses Verse 2. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with feare IN these words is contained the second thing the Apostle chargeth upon wives in his exposition viz. A chaste conversation with feare so ordered as their husbands may daily behold it and observe it in them Where the Apostle implies what the husbands will doe viz. they will observe the conversation of the wives and expresseth what the wives ought to doe viz. in conversation to shew chastitie coupled with feare First then we are to consider of that which is implied viz. what the husband will doe and this is imported in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While they behold While they behold The originall word signifies to observe and prie into a thing to finde out the secrets of it and so it notes That carnall men such as these husbands were doe watch and marke the conversation of such as be religious to observe all they can in them that professe true religion Thus they watched David and Christ and Daniel and so doe they all the godly and thus they imploy themselves in spying and marking the wayes of the godly sometimes out of the naughtinesse of their hearts supposing godly men to be like unto themselves and therefore hope to find out wickednesse in their practise sometimes out of malice lying in wait to find out any fault in their carriage of which they may accuse them and vilifie them in the world and sometimes they doe thus as compelled by the force of their naturall conscience which gives glory to the graces of God in the conversation of true Christians while they observe in them that holinesse which they find not in themselves or other carnall men And therefore the Use should be to teach all that professe religion to looke carefully to their waies and walke circumspectly that they give not occasion of offence but rather carry themselves so as to make proofe of their sincerity and good conversation by their workes Secondly from hence we may gather also That a Christian must looke to his justification before men as well as to his justification before God for as God beholds his waies so doe men and he is bound to seeke his justification from men as well as his justification from God And therefore as the Apostle Paul had taught the justification of a sinner before God so the Apostle Iames urgeth the justification of the godly man before men which this Apostle imports in this place when he requires such a conversation as may compell carnall men to say they are just men So our Saviour Mat. 5.16 Quest. What can carnall men see in the conversation of the godly to make them give glory to God or the truth Answ. By the good conversation of true Christians they gather the goodnesse of the law or religion which they professe And besides they thence gather that they are not hypocrites but are religious indeed whence they see what power their religion hath over them in all their waies And further the scandall of reproaches cast upon the godly is often by the observation of their conversation utterly removed in the hearts of such carnall men as set themselves throughly to observe and marke the course of the godly Your chaste conversation The word here translated Chaste in all other places of the New Testament is translated Pure and so shewes that it ought to be accepted here in a larger sense than the word chaste doth import yet so as chastity is a part of the purity of a Christian. Doct. A pure conversation is required in all true Christians yea even in women as well as men That purity is required is manifest by divers Scriptures yea to be examples in purity 1 Tim. 4.2 It is the chiefe fruit of the wisedome is from above Iam. 3.17 A pure heart is required 1 Tim. 1.5 and a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 and pure hands 1 Tim. 2.8 And that it may be had is apparent for our Saviour saith Yee are all pure Iohn 15.3 Quest. How can a man in this world be pure can any man be without sinne Answ. No there is no man that sinneth not In many things wee sinne all James 3.2 Who can say I have made my heart cleane and am pure from my sin Pro. 20.9 And If any man say he hath no sin he is a liar and the truth is not in him 1 John 1.10 And yet though in that sense no man is pure yet in other senses the godly man may be called pure and is bound even by the Gospel to purity as 1. In respect of some particular offence A godly man may be so pure as to abide the triall of God himselfe as David wills God to judge him according to his righteousnesse and the innocency of his hands meaning in that point of false or treacherous dealing against Saul which was charged upon him Psal. 3.4 5. 18.15 2. In respect of imputation every beleever is perfectly pure all his sins are as if they had never beene and Christs righteousnesse is his and in that righteousnesse of faith he is perfectly pure before God himselfe Rev. 19.8.14 3. In respect of men he may be pure in conversation though not in respect of God and so he is pure when he is unrebukeable and unblameable amongst men And this ought to be found in the conversation of every Christian to live without offence and without rebuke Phil. 2 15 16. 4. There is a pure conversation in respect of God not that we can converse without sin but God is pleased for Christ his sake to account our conversation pure when it hath divers prints and markes of his true grace in us And so Christian purity hath in it many things 1. Separation from impure men Psal. 1.1 2 Cor. 6.17 2. The desire of purity in the perfection of it God accounts his servants pure because
as God can curse the very blessings of the wicked so can he and doth blesse the seeming curses of the godly All shall worke together for the best to them that love God Rom. 2.28 All things are to bee measured for good or ill according to the use of them to us That which doth us hurt cannot be a blessing and that which doth us good cannot be a curse Now for the particular unfolding of this blessing they inherit we must know that godly Christians inherit blessing divers wayes 1. From other men and so the poore blesse them for their charity The blessing of him that is ready to perish many times comes upon them Iob 29.13 Their very loynes blesse them Iob 31.20 and their neighbours blesse them for peace making Mat. 5.8 and the godly blesse them for their gifts of grace and pray for Gods blessings upon them Psal. 134.3 and if they have any publike employments for God in Church or Common-wealth the eare that heareth them blesseth them Iob 29.11 And at some times God doth so guide and prosper the wayes of his servants that all sorts of men doe acknowledge them for the seed which the Lord hath blessed Esay 61.8 2. From their owne consciences if the world at any time testifie against him or revile him yea if Divells and men set against him yet he inherits this blessing that his owne conscience will witnesse for him to his singular joy 2 Cor. 1.12 The daily encouragements of a good conscience are like a continuall feaâ—â— within 3. From God and so they have Gods blessing certaine and this is a great inheritance and hath so much happinesse in it as it should swallow up all the grievance of afflictions and the contempts and scornes of the world It is enough if we have Gods blessing Now that this point may be distinctly beaten out we must understand that true Christians may be said to inherit Gods blessing first in a more restrained sense and then in a more large sense In a restrained sense blessing may here be taken for Gods comfortable speaking for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies blessing by words and so it answers to the coherence If they will use good words to men God will speake good words to them And in this sense we may hence gather That Gods naturall language to the called of Jesus Christ is blessing or comfortable words God will speake to his people peace Psal. 84.5 and therefore he gives a charge to his Ministers to speake comfortably to Jerusalem Esay 40.1 2. Secondly that Gods Elect never find this till they have their calling Thirdly that it is a great inheritance in this life to have God to speake well to us Fourthly that if the fault be not in us we shall never have God speake otherwise It is our inheritance to comfort us against all the miseries of life And therefore Ministers that are the mouth of God should studie comfort much and those Christians that desire to have the fruit of their inheritance in this thing should provide to live in such places where God speakes to men And those Ministers have a great account to make that set themselves to speake disgracefully and terribly to such as feare God striving to discourage their hearts and to strengthen the hands of the wicked Thus of the restrained sense onely note by the way That God speaks good words both for his people behind their backs and to his people before their faces They inherit Gods good word for them in their absence Thus God speakes excellently in the praise of Iob to the Divell before the Angels Iob 1. 2. and thus he can speake in the consciences of the greatest on earth in praise of his people as Esay 41.9 Now in the generall sense Gods people enjoy this blessing many waies and that both in this life and in the life to come In this life they have his blessing 1. In temporall things of all sorts he makes the earth blesse them and the heavens and the waters Gen. 49.25 he blesseth them in the Citie and in the field in the fruit of their bodies and of the ground and of their cattell in their basket and in their store when they come in and when they goe out yea God will command the blessing upon them in their store-houses and upon all they set their hands to and he will open his good treasures unto them and blesse all the worke of their hands Deut. 28.2 3 4 5 6 8 12. And if they enjoy not so much in quality of these things as some wicked men yet they have a faire portion and a good blessing because that they have is blessed both in the originall of it and in the nature of it and in the use of it and in their right to it 2. In the meanes of grace and salvation and so they enjoy the blessing of God in his house-keeping and great is that blessing wherewith God blesseth his people in his house on his holy hill and round about The Lord hath long since promised to make all the places about his holy hill blessings Yea there Gods people doe receive showers of blessing every powerfull Sermon is a shower of blessing every doctrine being as a blessed drop of instruction or comfort Ezek. 34.26 Exod. 20.24 Psal. 132.15 3. In the gifts of grace and so he hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things A poore Christian carrieth about with him in his heart more treasure than all the Monarchs of the world being not true Christians can any way possesse or command Eph. 1.3 Thus of Gods blessing in this life After this life who can recount the glory of their inheritance in the blessing they shall have then from God Oh that our hearts could be enlarged to thinke of the power of these words of Christ at the last day Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world The Use should be for great comfort to all true Christians They have great cause to rejoyce in their fathers blessing all their dayes and the rather if they consider that Gods blessing as a Father is better than the blessing of any earthly father for an earthly fathers blessingis most an end but verball in words Gods blessing is reall indeeds A father on earth cannot derive blessing to his child from himselfe but from God whereas Gods blessing is from himselfe Besides if an earthly father would blesse his childe yet he wants power to give him what he desires but God our Father is Almighty able to give as much as he wisheth Gen. 28.3 Finally an earthly fathers blessing may be lost as Chams was but Gods blessing cannot be lost he will blesse with everlasting mercy Secondly such as yet enjoy not the priviledge of Gods called ones should be greatly stirred up with desire to get this blessing even to have Gods blessing Let no man be
make a man truely happy and therefore much lesse these silly parcells of the world we can attaine to Eccles. 1.3 2. These are all common things and that in two respects first there is nothing now new to be had which hath not beene had heretofore ordinarily What is now hath beene before and will be afterwards Thou canst enjoy no felicity of life that can be proper to thy selfe Eccles. 1.9 10. 3.15 And then further all these things a foole may enjoy as well as a wise man and a wicked man as well as a godly man A man shall never know love or hatred by these things for they fall alike to all sorts of men Eccles 2.14 3. All things are full of labour who can utter it If men doe reckon the paines and care and unquietnesse and wearinesse they are put to about the getting or keeping or using of these things they would find little cause to love them especially considering that unto the use of the most of these is required a daily labour with toile that men that possesse these things cannot possesse themselves they are so overburthened with the cares and labours of life Eccles. 1.8 4. If a man had never so much of these things yet they cannot satisfie him his soule will not be filled with good The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver Man walketh in a vaine shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine Eccles. 1.9 5.10 Psal. 39. A shadow is something in appearance but nothing in substance if a man would seeke to claspe it or receive it to himselfe 5. All these things are transitory and uncertaine and mutable which may be considered of three wayes First if thou love these things thou art not sure thou canst keepe them they may be lost suddenly and fearefully for either they may weare out of themselves or they may be taken from thee they are liable to vanitie in themselves or to violence from others Mat. 6.19 20. 1 Pet. 1.24 Secondly if thou be sure to enjoy them yet they will be suddenly lost to thee because thou canst not make thy heart to take delight in the same things still for not onely the world passeth away but the lusts thereof also 1 Iohn 2.15 Eccles. 6.1 7. 9.3 Thirdly if neither of these befall thee yet thou art mortall thou must be taken from them and thy life is short like a dreame and passeth away like the winde and thou art but a stranger and pilgrime here and thou must carry nothing out of the world but in all points as thou earnest in to the world so must thou goe hence Psal. 90. Iob 7.7 Eccles. 5.13 14 15. All flesh is grasse Esay 40.6 6. That a man may receive much hurt from them they may steale away our hearts from God The amitie of the world is the enmity with God Iames 4. They are like pitch to deâ—â—le there is a snare and temptation in all of them they fill mens hearts with foolish and noisome lusts and a man may damne his soule for too much loving of them 1 Tim. 6.9 Phil. 3.18 and they may serve to witnesse against a man at the day of judgement Iames 5.1 Lastly consider that there is no comparison betweene the commodities of this life and the commodities of the life to come There are rivers of pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. ult There are Crownes of honour and glorie such as will neither be held with envie nor lost with infamie there shall men possesse enduring substance Heb. 11. treasures not liable either to vanity or violence Mat. 6.20 an inheâ—itâ—â—â—e immortall and undâ—â—â—led and that withereth not and lieth in heaven 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Thus of 〈◊〉 second doctrine A third Doctrine may be gathered out of these words and that is That in some cases there is a permission of the love of life In that he gives rules to such as will love life it imports That God is contented to suffer or tolerate that humour in men Now this toleration may be considered of as it is granted to some men or as it extends in some sort to all sorts of men Some men that are high in place and have publike emploiments and are about some speciall service for the glory of God and good of the Church or Common-wealth in these men the desire to live longer in it selfe is not sinfull this was the case of David and Hezekiah Now further unto all sorts of men the Lord doth allow a certaine kind of liking of life so as they observe such cautions and rules as he appoints as namely that the cares of this life hinder not the preparation for death or the provision for a better life and withall that they limit not God for the time of life but be willing to die when God calls for their lives Now for a conclusion to this point I would advise those that have such a minde to live here to looke to certaine rules which will prevaile with God to grant them long life if any thing will prevaile as first they must be exhorted to take heed of overmuch desire of life they must moderate their desires after life If they could once attaine to it to be content to die when God will it may be they should find life prolonged according to that of our Saviour He that will lose his life shall finde it Secondly such as have Parents in nature or religion must be very carefull to give them due honour for to such God hath promised long life in the fift Commandement Thirdly godlinesse hath the promises of this present life as well as of the life to come and therefore ever the more godly we are in all manner of conversation the longer we may be likely to live and contrariwise a profane man hath no assurance to live out halfe his daies Thus of the first forme of speech The second forme of speech by which the persons he adviseth are described are such as will see good dayes And see good dayes Before I come to the observations here is worke of large enquirie and consideration about the sense for these words import That in the life of man there be some good daies and some evill daies Physicians tell us in their profession of some daies in the yeare that be good daies and some that be evill daies for their directions and superstitious and idle people in the world tell us that there are some good daies to begin businesses in and some evill It seemes here the Prophet David in Theologicall contemplation findes that in the life of man some daies be good and some be evill This would be enquired into And that we may finde out which be good daies we must first enquire which be evill daies and that by Scripture account And that we may distinctly understand this we must enquire which be evill daies 1. For wicked men 2. For godly men The daies of
must know that in the first sense none enjoy good daies but good men Now good daies in the sense of the Scripture must be considered either in generall or in particular In generall and so first all the daies of Christ after he is revealed in a Christian are good daies and so all the daies of a true Christian from his conversion to his death are good daies Which appeares thus Saint Paul saith that Christ is our Passeover and the Passeover is a feast which we must keep 1 Cor. 5.8 and such high festivall daies are good daies especially the first and last daies of the Passeover were good daies in a speciall solemnity that is the day of thy conversion to spirituall life and the day of thy death which is the beginning of the day of eternall life Secondly all the daies in which Christians enjoy the preaching of the Gospel in the power of it and other ordinances of Christ in their glory all these daies be good daies for they are daies in which God makes rich feasts unto all Nations as is effectually described in the Allegory Esay 25.8 Thus David saith One day in Gods courts is better than a thousand any were else Ps. 84.10 The righteous flourish when Christ comes down upon their souls as rain upon the mowne grasse Ps 72.6 7. Thirdly those be good daies in which we see the Church of God in generall to prosper when God keeps his Church as his vineyard waters it every moment and watcheth it night day and destroieth every thing that might annoy it In particular a Christian finds divers sorts of good daies as first the Sabbath daies well sanctified are good daies above all other daies of the weeke when his body enjoyes rest and his soule is blessed according to Gods promise with spirituall rest and grace in Jesus Christ. Secondly the daies in which the soule of a Christian after sin and the judgement of God for it is humbled soundly and anew admitted into Gods presence and reconciled to God those daies when God entertaines the repenting sinner that prayes unto him especially at the first reconciliation are wonderfull good daies Iob 33.25 26. with the coherence 36.11 Psal. 90.14 Luke 4.21 with Esay 61.1 2 10. Thirdly all the daies in which a Christian thrives and prospers in the knowledge of Gods Word and growes in the spirituall understanding in the mysteries of Gods kingdome are all good daies for this knowledge is that wisedome Solomon speakes of which makes a man so happy Pro. 3.18 2 16. Thus of the good daies that are so in the judgement of the inward man God is pleased also to grant such good daies as are or ought to be so accounted in the judgement of the outward man and so First the daies of youth in which a man hath strength of body and vigour of mind to fit him not onely for the comforts of life but for the service of his Creator are good daies Eccles. 12.1 it being a blessed thing to beare Gods yoake in a mans youth Secondly the daies of speciall prosperity in the world which sometime God grants unto his people are also good daies when God gives his people aboundance of blessings in their families and estates and withall publike honour and respect with all sorts even the great ones of the world as was in the case of Iob which he describes in the whole 29th Chapter of his booke but then it must have this indeed that in this prosperity the godly man be imployed in all well-doing and get himselfe honour by the flourishing of his gifts and good workes as is shewed in that Chapter by Iob. Thirdly such daies in which a man enjoyes a quiet estare free from all trouble or vexation or contumely at home or abroad being free from Gods afflicting hand or mans injurious dealing are good daies and such as perhaps are specially meant in this place Thus of the sense of the words Divers Doctrines may be observed from hence 1. That the daies of men usually are evill which is true not onely of the wicked but of the godly also This Iacob said long agoe his daies were few and evill Gen. 47.9 but of this point before Only this may serve for great reproofe of those that so little minde a better life and so willingly love this life that though they live in much misery are loath to thinke of dying and make no conscience to provide for a better life 2. It is evident from hence that the life of man is but short whether he live happily or miserably yet his life is reckoned by daies not by longer measures of purpose to signifie the shortnesse of our lives This is expressely affirmed in other Scriptures Iob 10.20 Iob saith his daies were few and of all men that are borne of women that they have but a short time to live Iob 7.1 And this is resembled by divers similitudes so our life is compared to a Weavers shuttle Iob 7.6 to a Post for swift running out Iob. 9.25 to the grasse of the field Iob 7.12 Esay 40.6 to an hand breadth so as he saith his age is as nothing Psal. 39.5 to a watch in the night Psal. 90.4 to a sleep ver 5. to a tale that is told ver 9. Thus the life of man is said to be short either as he is in Gods sight with whom a thousand yeares are but as yesterday when it is past Psal. 90.4 or in his owne account if he measure time to come as he measures time past and in plaine reckoning let the life of man be improved according to mans utmost strength ordinarily a mans yeares are threescore and ten and if he live to fourescore it is but labour and sorrow to him Psal. 90. Quest. But what should be the cause that mens lives are so short Answ. If there were no other cause but the will of him that hath the disposing of the times and seasons in his owne power yet that might satisfie us but we may ghesse at other causes as both the mercy and justice of God This world is so bad to the godly that it is Gods mercie to take them quickly out of it and contrariwise it is so good to the wicked considering their desects that it is justice in God to take them hence and send them to their owne place which is hell Besides many men bring speedy death upon themselves by their owne ill courses or by sinning against their owne bodies by lewd courses and by eating up their owne hearts with worldly cares and sorrowes or by living in any grosse sin to provoke God to cut them off or by falling into such disorder as the Magistrate cuts them off or by laying of violent hands upon themselves or by getting their goods unlawfully to bring upon themselves that curse Ier. 17 11. Finally in this last age of the world there may be this reason assigned that the Lord makes haste to have the
God hath given of his free grace and shall be fully brought upon you at the last day when Christ shall bee shewed in his glory to the world Now there are six reasons which may induce you to the care of a holy conversation intended in the former dutyes 1. The first concernes the image of God ye are the children of God and therefore you should live so as becomes Gods children and expresse in your cariage the resemblance of the nature of God not given your selves over onâ— of the liking of sinne to the service and obedience of any of those corruptions which either your selves lived in before your calling or are usually found in such onely as know not GOD. But as God who by the power of his word hath converted you is holy so should you strive with respect of all his commandements to resemble the praises of God in all your carâ—age striving in every duty to follow your patterne And the rather because this hath beene anciently required in the old Testament of Gods people to propound unto themselves the imitation of Gods holinesse and to detest sinne because they would not be unlike to God 2. A second reason may be taken from the judgment of God For the time must certainly come when God whom we call a Father and call upon as a Father in this life will summon us before his Tribunall certainly and speedily and then no man shall escape but shalt be dealt with without partiality or any corrupt respect according as mens workes have beene either good or evill and therefore it behoves us that are in this world but as sojourners for a time to spend our daies in all carefulnesse and godly feare 3. A third reason may be taken from the consideration of our redemption which hath many important motives in it For it cannot bee but yee all know that your misery by nature was so great that yee could not be ransomed if all the treasures of gold and silver in the world had been given for you and when you were redeemed a chiefe respect was had to the freeing of you from the viciousnesse of your conversation in which vainely yee spent your times and which corruption in many things yee sucked in from the sinfull examples and precepts and ill education of your Parents and ancestors But especially if yee consider what a matchlesse price was given for your ransome even the pretious blood of Christ who as a most absolute sacrifice for our sinnes was without all soule of nature or life and so the full substance of all the ceremoniall sacrifices and in particular was the true lambe without blemish or spot that makes attonement for the sinnes of the world And the rather if yee consider that from all eternity God had ordained that Christ should dye for you and when the fulnesse of time came that God was to reveale his Sonne as the Saviour of the world hee shewed him in the flesh and caused him to be preached unto you and for your sakes with far more evidence and clearnesse than in forâ—er ages To you and for your sakes I say that doe constantly put your trust in Gods mercy through his merits that God that to shew he was fully paid the uttermost farthing of our debts came to the prison doore and let him out which he did when he raised him from the dead and besides exalted him to wonderfull glory when hee ascended up into heaven that so for the time to come you might beleeve and trust upon Gods goodnesse and favour to you without all feare or doubting 4. And the rather in the fourth place should you be carefull of the former exhortation if you consider your relation to the godly to whom ye are 〈◊〉 For seeing that by the spirit of God your soules are purified from the leprosie of inward evills by the holy course you have held in clensing your hearts of those evills which might hinder your internall sanctification in that obedience you yeeld to the truth of God and inasmuch as the end of all this reformation was that there might be a holy communion and affection without hypocrisie and dissembling among such as feare God who are all the children of one Father therefore see to it by any meanes that yee order your lives and hearts so that you may love one another both with ardent affection pure sincere hearts which you never doe unlesse you gird up the loines of your mindes and live soberly be setled in the assurance that yee shall altogether one day raigne in heaven 5. And fiftly the immortality of your soules should perswade with you you were made new men not as you were made men by a naturall propagation but inspired with a life that should never cease having the seed of this eternall life cast into your hearts by the word of God which in it selfe and by effect in you liveth and abideth for ever And lastly if you consider the mortality of your bodies All in a mans outward estate is but vaine and transitory the bodies of all men are but as the grasse which is to day and tomorrow is cut downe and cast into the oven Man is quickly and suddenly gone nor is the glory of mens outward estate better than their bodies For all the riches pleasures c. of this life in which men glory most they are but as the ' flower of grasse His body withereth like the grasse decaying in a short time till he have nothing left but the very roote of life and as for his riches and pleasures they like the flower fall off so as they are never recovered againe many times in this life but alwaies in death But on the other side the word of God upon which men should set their hearts continueth in the efficacie of it in the sense of it and in the fruit of it for ever and that you may not be mistaken this is that word of God which is daily preached unto you AN EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST EPISTLE generall of PETER CHAP. I. verses 1 2. 1. Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ to the strangers that dwell here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father unto sanctification of the spirit through obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ Grace and peace be multiplied unto you THe purpose of the Apostle in this Epistle is to confirme the Christians to whom he writes in the faith and to assure them that it was the true grace of God they had received and to perswade them to all possible care of sincerity of life becomming the Gospell and to constancy in tryalls The Epistle stands of three parts 1. The salutation Chap. 1. ver 1 2. 2. The body of the Epistle Chap. 1. ver 3. to Chap. 5. ver 12. 3. The Epilogue or conclusion Chap. 5. ver 12.
we might partake of his holinesse and live and there is much fruit in the afflictions of the godly all working together for the best unto them If God spare wicked men it is because they are bastards and not sonnes and yet there is a great deale of difference betweene Gods usage of wicked men and of godly even in their trouble For he spares and pitties his owne children as a man will spare and pitty his owne son He never strikes them but it is in measure and in their branches He doth not make a full end of them to confound them as he will doe with wicked men Heb. 12. Esay 27. Ob. The world sees no such excellency in them or in their Estate Sol. The world knowes them not because it knowes not God their father they are now the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall bee but we know that when Christ shall appeare we shall be all like him 1 Iohn 3.1 2. This doctrine of Gods fatherly love to his people may serve for instuction 1. To godly men 2. To carnall men 3. To earthly fathers 1. Godly men should learne here to live like the children of God and so they'doe if they looke to three things 1. That they live without sin and not shame their father by their wicked lives their workes should shew and beare witnesse by their care to finish them that God is their father and set them about them Iohn 5.36 Their righteousnesse must exceed the righteousnesse of civill men in this world Mat. 5.20 and therefore their daily prayers unto God should be that hee would establish them in holinesse before him till the comming of Iesus Christ 1 Thess. 3.13 2. Secondly that they live without care having such a heavenly father to provide for them Mat. 6.25 c. 3. Thirdly that they live out of the society with wicked men cleaving only to the houshold of God 2 Cor. 6.18 they should love their fathers house Psal. 27.4 and deny utterly the love of this world Iohn 2.15 16. 2. Carnall men should hence take notice if it may be to be better advised and not meddle with the godly no not to despise the least of these little ones Their Angels alwayes behold the face of God for them and their heavenly father will requite their wrongs Mat. 18.10 c. 3. Earthly parents should here learne of God God cares for his children before they were and shall not they care for their children when God hath given them to them Gods greatest care is to provide holinesse for his children and should not they learne of God therein Lastly this may serve for reproofe both of some of the godly and also of the wicked that live in the Church of God some of the godly doe greatly forget themselves about this point that is such as stirre not up themselves to take hold of God and to call upon his name in their distresses but sit downe dismaide and dead hearted as if there were not the compassion care or help of a father in God this is reproved Esay 64.8 Those sons of Belial also that live in the Church and call God father but live like the Devill who indeed is their father whose workes they doe those I say are most bitterly reproved in these and such like Scriptures even from their daring to call God father Mal. 1.6 3. ult Ier. 3.4 c. Mat. 3.9 7.21 Iohn 4.23 8.38.41.44 1 Iohn 3.15 2 Iohn 9. Through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ. There is difference of senses about the understanding and dependancy of these words amongst Interpreters Some take sanctification in a large sense for mans righteousnesse in generall and obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ as the two parts or kindes of it by obedience understanding mans righteousnesse or holinesse in himselfe and by sprinkling of Christâ— blood that righteousnesse of Christ that righteousnesse I say made ours by imputation both which are applyed or wrought by the spirit of God Some others make sanctification the end and obedience and sprinkling the meanes and so conceive that before mans sanctification there goes two things in God Election and fore-knowledge and two things in Christ obedience and sufferings and all this in both that we might be sanctified Others understand sanctification of the heart or spirit of man as a means intended in Gods Election for the fitting of us unto obedience of life and the fruition of the benefits purchased by the blood of Iesus Christ and thus I take it it is meant here The summe seemes then to be this that our lives may bee obedient to Gods will and that we may enjoy the benefit of Christs death we must be sanctified within in our spirits Sanctification of the spirit Man is said to be sanctified or made holy three wayes 1. Of not holy privatively and so man that was once without holinesse is made holy by regeneration and justification 2. Of lesse holy and so Gods children are daily sanctified by proceeding from grace to grace 3. Of 〈◊〉 holy negatively and so Christ as hee was man was sanctified For there was a time when Christ had not this holinesse in his humane nature viz. when his humane nature was not Spirit is taken sometimes for the holy Ghost sometimes for an evill Angell 1 Kings 22. Luke 10.20 sometimes for the Gospell which hath adjoyned to it the spirit or working of the spirit of God 2 Cor. 3.6 sometimes for the soule of man and so it is taken sometimes more strictly for the understanding the Queene of the soule the reason of mans minde and then the soule is taken for the feare of affections Ephes. 4. â—3 1 Thess. â— 23 sometimes more largely for the whole inward man the whole soule with all the faculties of it and so I take it here Divers things may be noted here in the generall 1. First that without sanctification we can never have comfort of our Election by our obedience others may discover our Election and by inward holinesse we may discerne it of ourselves 2. That our sanctification hath some dependance upon Gods election and that 1. as he hath ordained the rules of good workes we should walke in Eph. 2.10 2. as he hath bound himselfe by his decree to guide his people to the holinesse he doth require of them 3. That an outward civill life will not serve the turne God requires especially the sanctification of the heart of man 1 Sam. 16.17 when God looks for the markes of his owne people he trieth the heart and reines Ier. 11.20 4.14 Prov. 4.23 23.16 Gods wayes are in the blessed mans heart Ps. 84.5 4. That there is flesh in the best of Gods Elect in this life their spirits onely are sanctified Thus in generall More particularly concerning the sanctification of the spirit I propound two things distinctly
and soberly in this present world else thou câ—â—st never meete with true peace further then thou art good and true in thy heart and as thou increasest in the care of reformation in thy life so shalt thou increase in every good and perfect â—ift till thou come to a ripe age in Iesus Christ Tit. 2.12 Esay 32.16 Psal. 125. ult This likewise may bee comfortable to a poore Christian and that two wayes 1. First If he consider that grace is not given all at once but by degrees and therefore hee must not bee discouraged though hee have many wants 2. Secondly if he consider the bountifulnesse of God to all that seeke grace and peace it may be had in abundance For the Apostle implies that God will multiply grace and peace if wee bee constant in the use of the meanes and glorifie him by seeking to him hee will give liberally and reproach no man And thus much of the salutation Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead HItherto of the salutation the substance or the body of the Epistle followes the doctrine whereof is two wayes to be considered 1. as it is propounded 2. as it is repeated Three things are principally propounded and the same also repeated or gone over againe For there is first matter of consolation 2. Matter of exhortation 3. Matter of dehortation The consolation is from this third verse to the thirteenth of this Chapter The exhortation is from ver 13. of this Chapter to ver 8. of the 3. chap. The Dehortation is from ver 8. of the 3. chap. to the end of that chapter Then doth the Apostle a little changing the order goe over the same three things againe For he exhorts from ver 1. of chap. 4. to the 12. ver of the same chap. and then he comforts from ver 12. to the end of the 4. chap. and the Dehortation he lodgeth under request to the Elders and the people chap. 5.1 to 12. In this first part he intends to comfort where I consider first the Proposition of comfort ver 3 4 5. Secondly and the confirmation of that comfort ver 6 to the 13. In the Proposition I observe first the maner of propounding and the arguments themselves by which he would comfort The maner of the Proposition is that it is expressed in forme of thankesgiving in these words Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ. The arguments of consolation are 3. The first is taken from our Regeneration ver 3. the second from our Glorification ver 4. the third from our Preservation unto glory ver 5. Blessed be God c. Two things I observe from the coherence of these words First that a Christian can be in â—o such distresse but hee hath still cause to be thankfull to God for many blessings though he be a stranger and used like a stranger though he be scattered and driven to and fro yet in all the dayes of his dispersion hee may observe many memorable things for which he ought to blesse God Secondly that a Christian should never thinke of spirituall blessings but his heart should kindle in him with desire to praise God for them Blessing is diversly taken or caryed sometimes man blesseth man sometimes God blesseth man sometimes man is said to blesse God and so here Man blesseth God three wayes 1. In his heart when being refreshed with Gods favour and inflamed with the joyes of his presence and nourished with the sense of his blessings hee doth lift up his heart within him inwardly with affection striving to laâ—d God and acknowledge his mercy 2. In his tongue when he taketh to him words and openeth his lips to confesse and praise God either in secret or openly either privately or publikely 3. In his workes and that 4. wayes â— When hee sets up memorialls of Gods great workes or deliverances 2. When hee receives the Sacrament setting himselfe apart to celebrate the memory of Christs death by which the covenant of God was confirmed and the fountaine of all grace opened David when hee would render thankes unto God takes the cup of salvation And the Sacrament is called the Eucharist from giving of thankes and so the cup is called the cup of blessing 3. By the obedience of his life striving to glorifie God in a holy conversation 4. And lastly by shewing mercy and thereby causing the hearts and lives of others to blesse God Great reason hath man to blesse God 1. For God is blessednesse it selfe and whether should the water runne but into the sea from whence it is originally taken 2. Besides the Lord hath required our praise as the chiefe meanes of glorifying him 3. And thirdly he hath blessed us and therefore we have great reason to blesse him He hath blessed us in the creatures blessed the worke of our hands blessed the fruits of our loines blessed us in his sonne blessed us by his Angells blessed us by his Ministers blessed us in the blessings of the Gospell and blessed us in the fruits of the earth blessed us in his house and in our owne houses blessed us in our Sabbaths Sacraments the Word Prayer c. blessed us in our soules bodies states names c. And therefore let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee All thy workes praise thee and the Saints shall sing of thy praise and of the glory of thy power and the majesty of thy kingdomâ— The God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ c. This periphrasis is used to distinguish our God from the god of Turkes Jewes and Pagans The Lord was used to be knowne to the olde Church by the names of the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob but now in the Church of the Christians he is celebrated by the name of the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. Two things are here affirmed 1. that God is the God of Christ. 2. that he is the Father of Christ It is not against the use of Scripture to say that God is the God of Christ for Iohn 20.1 Christ saith I goe to your God and to my God and Psal. 45.7 it is said of Christ God even tâ—y God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes Now if any aske how this can be that God is the God of Christ I answer by distinguishing the natures in Christ. If you consider Christ in his divine nature he is God of himselfe but not sonne of himselfe His person is of the Father but his essence is of himselfe but I thinke that this is properly taken or meant of his humane nature for that he received from God by the mighty working and over shadowing power of the holy Ghost
observed to releeve us against temptations and these are twelve in number whereof some are preservatives against temptation and some of them are remedies to deliver us out of temptations 1. The first is prescribed by the Apostle Peter and that is to be sober and temperate in the use of all outward things For usually Sathan getteth in by the advantage he hath from our too-much liking or use of profits or credit or recreations c. 2. The second is to watch to watch I say indefinitely observing our own weaknesses by a care to represse the beginnings of sin in our own nature by avoiding the usuall occasions of sinne or tentations and by providing our selves against the time of the assault looking ever for it and standing upon our guard This if we did certainly the Devill would be afraid to attempt any assault upon us but our owne inconsideration and security and dallying with the beginnings of sinne or the occasions usually tempts the devill to tempt us 3. The third rule is to take heed of solitarinesse I meane not onely the inward solitarinesse or emptinesse of the minde but the very outward retyring from company without cause or calling The Devill set upon Eve when shee was alone and Christ was led aside into the wildernesse to be tempted 4. The fourth rule is to be diligent and faithfull in our particular calling It is almost impossible that a life full of idlenesse should not be also full of temptations this was noted to be the doore of Davids tentations whereas contrariwise faithfull employment barres out tentation It is exceeding good not to be at leysure to attend tentations Labour is a great preservative from a world of inward evils 5. The fift rule is to be carefull to walk uprightly and to keep our righteousnesse For he that walketh uprightly walks boldly and safely not onely in respect of evill men but of evill Angels also Righteousnesse is an excellent brest plate to preserve the heart of a man and usually outragious tentations get in by the love of some presumptuous sinne But to hold this rule that wee would not allow our selves in any sinne which is true uprightnesse is a sure course and seldome failes and it preserves against all fierce tentations 6. The sixt rule is to search the Scriptures and to get store of provision against the evill day Now this rule is both a preservative and a remedy It is good to keepe Sathan from assaulting us for when he tempts it is upon hope that we have no armour to resist or if hee dare assault It is written will be a sure weapon The Word is the sword of the Spirit that Christ fought withall and therefore we may be sure it is a safe weapon 7. The seventh rule is that we must not complain only as many doe but we must resist also we must doe our best to oppose tentation neither must we think this a slender help for it hath a cleare promise that the Devill shall flee from us 8. Eighthly prayer is a tryed medicine This Paul used when hee was tempted 2 Cor. 12. and certainly it is powerfull either to remove the temptation or to procure an answer or strength to beare it 9. The ninth rule is wee must specially remember to runne to the brasen serpent It is without all question that the sight of Christ is as availeable to help us against the stings of the old serpent as ever the sight of the brasen serpent was to cure them that were stung by the fiery serpents 10. The tenth we must labour for a perswasion that tentations shall never separate us from God unbeliefe gives them head and sometimes ere the more they are mistrusted the more they grow infectious whereas faith quencheth them though they were fiery darts 11. The eleventh If we find the devill practicing upon the flesh the way is not to revile the devill but to beat the flesh Mortification and the crucifying of the flesh with the lusts of it will expell the devill 12. The last rule is to be thankfull for all mercies we find in temptations and it is a great means to help us whereas unthankfulnesse doth wonderfully strengthen the temptation And thus much of the sixt verse Verse 7. That the tryall of your faith being much more precious than the gold that perisheth though it be tryed by fire might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. THis Verse containeth the fourth reason why afflictions and temptations should not darken the sense of our happinesse and that is taken from the effect of afflictions and tentations which is in this Verse both propounded and amplified It is propounded in these words the tryall of your faith and it is amplified two waies First by comparison with gold tryed in the furnace And secondly by consideration of the event it will be found to praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. First of the effect as it is briefly propounded The tryall of your saith Two things I would note here 1. In generall that God will try men 2. In speciall what God tries in men viz. their faith For the first It is certaine that the Lord hath his fire in Sion and his furnace in Ierusalem and he will melt man For what else should hee doe to his people Now the Lord is said to try men divers waies First by observing their waies and so to try or search them is nothing else but to take notice of them and their estates and so the word may be taken Psal. 139.1 2 3. Secondly God proves men when hee bestowes speciall blessings upon them Exod. 16.4 Thirdly God tryes men by the power and efficacy of his Word For that melts the heart of man like a furnace and tries and searcheth his inward parts Mat. 3.2 Heb. 4.12 Fourthly praise and applause is sometimes as the fining pot for silver and the furnace for gold Prov. 27.21 Fiftly one speciall way by which God tries men is by false Prophets and that is by suffering their dreams or signs or words to come to passe Deu. 13.1 Sixtly God tries men by afflictions and tentations so commonly it is meant and so here now God hath two furnaces of afflictions there is the furnace of his fury Ezech. 22.21 22. c. The other is the furnace of mercy and this is here meant Now the tryall in affliction is not simply or properly the affliction it selfe but certaine specialties of consideration in the affliction and thus God tries us 1. First when he sends many crosses one in the neck of another and some of them of longer continuance Dan. 11.33 35. and so in Iobs case 2. Secondly when hee sends upon our spirits strange and unwonted terrors Exod. 20.20 3. Thirdly when he smites some eminent men with sore and unexpected judgements Dan. 11.34 4. Fourthly when he delayeth or withholdeth expected favours Deu. 8.2 5. Fiftly when
which should teach us in imitation of God to separate betweene the precious and the vile accounting one that hath true grace above a thousand carnall persons and we should oppose the love of God and his account against all the scorns and oppositions of the world Besides it is an excellent comfort in affliction for this great account God makes of us may assure us that he afflicts us not willingly but with singular pitty To conclude hath God avouched us for his treasure and peculiar people and shall not we then avouch God to be our God to keep his commandements and set a high price upon the holinesse he requires Now for the second It is true also that the very afflictions and tryals of Gods servants are better than gold Moses thought they were better than the treasures of Egypt and they are so in divers respects 1. Because they take away our sinnes which is all fruit 2. In respect of the wonderfull joyes of God which a Christian findes in affliction 3. Because they are notable meanes to weane us from the world and fit us for heaven 4. Because they worke unto us an eternall waight of glory which all the treasures in the world would not purchase All which should greatly hearten us in all wrongs and troubles knowing that the Lord will cause all to work for the best and in all these we shall be more then Conquerors But I think chiefly it is to be referred to faith and so it assures us that grace is better than treasure and faith is better than gold and this will appeare better if wee compare the nature or the use or the end of these For the first The substance must needs be better than the shadow now gold is used but to resemble and shadow out the worth of grace Besides riches are neither true nor ours Not true for it is manifest that opinion sets the price upon these outward treasures Nor are they ours for they will not goe with us And for the use of these there is a great disproportion Grace may bring riches but riches cannot bring grace Iob 28.16 Prov. 24.4 Riches are but for the use or ornament of the outward man but faith and grace make the soule glorious Psal. 45.10 Riches occasion much sinne Esay 2.8.7 1 Tim. 6.9 but faith purifieth the heart Riches will not availe in the day of wrath Prov. 11.4 Ezech. 7.19 28.13.19 Zeph. 3.18 but faith will finde a propitiation to still Gods displeasure Rom. 3.25 Faith works a great deale of peace and inward tranquility but riches are like thornes and to have much gold is to have much care and all will still be vanity and vexation of spirit And lastly for the end of these it is apparant that the end of faith is the salvation of our soules 1 Pet. 1.9 but a rich man can hardly bee saved and because of riches thousands of men lose their soules The Use may be either for instruction or consolation For instruction two waies 1. First this should raise our estimation of poore Christians that are rich in faith Iam. 2.5 2. Secondly it should quicken us to the seeking of this precious faith aboue all treasures Receive faith and not silver and assurance above much fine gold and when thou hast gotten assurance keep that which God hath committed to thee And for consolation how can it but be comfortable to all that are thus honoured of God to be trusted with this true treasure God will be their gold as he said Iob 22.23 24 25. Oh happy are the men that findâ— the merchandise of faith Let all poore Christians rejoyce that they are thus exalted and contrariwise woe is unto the world because of faith men seek gold but who seeks faith what shall it profit him to have an empty soule and a full chest to have goods and not be good Yet before I passe from these words wee may note some things that are implyed First gold is precious He granteth that when he saith faith is more precious For these outward things are Gods creatures and he retaineth his title to them still It is his gold and his silver still which may teach men to be carefull how to dispose of these outward things For they must give an account of their stewardship even in these Secondly gold is here said to perish which is true both actively and passively Actively it makes many a man to perish and therefore it is called riches of iniquity and is said to drowne men in perdition and passively it perisheth because it vanisheth and will not continue Riches have wâ—ngs and either vanity will rust them or violence take them away and many times they are lost to the unexpressible griefe of the owner Nabum 2.9 10. But it seemes Faith doth perish too 1 Cor. 13. It perisheth in respect of the act of it but not in respect of the fruit of it for so it endures for ever And all this should teach us to have our conversation without covetousnesse Heb. 13.4 and if riches increase we should not set our hearts on them Psal. 62.10 but rather lay up for our selves a good foundation by the mercifull communicating of them 1 Tim. 6.17 Though it be tryed in the fire Fire is sometimes taken properly and so it may be referred to gold and then the sense is that faith is better than gold tryed in the fire Fire is sometimes taken metaphorically and so there is the fire of mortification 1 Cor. 3.13 and the fire of renovation Mat. 3.11 and the fire of tribulation and the fire of condemnation c. It is the fire of tribulation which is meant here Sometimes by this fire is meant any tribulation and sometimes a speciall fierce and unresistible crosse is meant by it and so I think the fiery triall 1 Pet. 4.12 is to be taken and so it may be understood here It is sure that God doth sometimes try his best servants with strange afflictions yet here is comfort that all this shall be for their good which should teach us in the greatest troubles to live by faith 1 Pet. 4.12 13. and in lesser afflictionâ— not to be moved seeing wee have nâ—t resisted unto so high a degree of affliction as many of Gods deare servants have Againe wee may hence note that Christians are not Stoicks they have sense of their affliâ—tions Crosses are fire and fire wil be felt no affliction for the present seemes joyous Thuâ— of the first way of amplification the second followes which is by the consideration of the event Might be found unto praise and honor and glory in the revelation or at the appearing of Iesus Christ. For the senâ—e of these words The words praise and honor and glory may be referred to God and so it is true â—hat tryall of the faith of Christianâ— in their manifold tentations shall bring a great deale of glory and honor to
may hence note one excellent pledge of Gods love and goodnesse he is not bound to give us any wages till the end yet see his mercy he doth recompence us every day 4. Fourthly woe unto wicked men their end is shame and confusion even the fruit of all their evill waies or as the Apostle saith their end is damnation Phil. 3.18 The salvation of your soules The soule is a spirituall substance within us by which we resemble God it can subsist of it selfe it hath neither matter nor end it was created of God of nothing and united to the body that God might be rightly knowne and worshipped The soule is a kind of picture of God within us that can live though the body were not when I say it is void of matter I meane it is not made of any other thing as our bodies be there is no metall as I may say of which it may consist and it is such a divine creature as it cannot die as the body doth and it was of purpose put into the body that so amongst the visible creatures God might be known and worshipped For if we had not a soule within us we could never attaine to any knowledge of God more than the bruit beasts For God cannot be knowne by bodily senses Now for the union how the body and soule are knit one to another I cannot expresse it Salvation notes especially that estate of excellency and glory which the faithfull have in another world though properly the word notes but onely what we are delivered and saved from in heaven This salvation excludes all misery and includes all happinesse All misery may be referred to foure heads 1. Sinne. 2. Infirmities 3. Adversaries And 4. Death none of these shall be in heaven All happinesse likewise may be referred to foure heads 1. Perfection of nature 2. Communion with the blessed viz. God Christ Angels and just men 3. And a glorious inheritance in the heaven of the blessed And 4. Immortality all these shall be enjoyed in that other world Now though the soule be taken synecdochically for the soule and body yet the salvation of the soule is principall and more glorious The use may be threefold 1. For information 2. For instruction 3. For reproofe 1. There are three things we may be informed in from the consideration of the salvation of the soules of the faithfull 1. First that godly men are in a wonderfull happy case whatsoever their outward estate be because their soules shall be saved there are springs of joy in the very hope of this immortall happinesse this salvation is so great a mercy as we may truely say his reward is with him 2. Secondly that there is a matchlesse love in God to man not onely in that he provides such an estate but first that he doth it freely without all respects of merit Tit. 3.4 and secondly because he sends up and downe the world to offer this salvation From hence ariseth the Phrase my salvation is gone forth 3. Thirdly that faith is wonderfull precious that brings us such a salvation 2. Further for the second there are divers instructions may be deduced from this doctrine as 1. First it should teach us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 the very thought of going to heaven should extinguish the desire of sinning 2. Secondly we would make God all our trust and our expectation Psal. 62.5 We should resolve to rest upon God For none else either will or can doe so much for us as he can Hee is well said to be the hope of Israel none have so great hopes as the faithfull 3. Thirdly we should labour for the assurance of salvation and lay hold upon it striving to get evidence for it Heaven should suffer violence seeing it may be had we should never be quiet till we can get it 4. Fourthly and lastly such as have attained some assurance of their salvation should looke to foure things 1. First they should strive for large affections to expresse the sense of so great salvation It is such an incomparable benefit as wee should be alwaies praising c. 2. Secondly it should quicken them to good works the remembrance that we shall be saved should be like a fire within us to inflame us to all possible care to please God and to be fruitfull in all well-doing Salvation should be as a burning lamp within us a Christian should never be without fire in his heart in respeâ—t of his care to maintaine good works 3. Thirdly shall wee not be content with any condition in this world seeing wee are so well-provided for in a better what should trouble us if we can remember that after a short time our soules must be saved 4. Fourthly shall we be so glorious in heaven why then our conversation should be in heaven we should be alwaies thinking of heaven our mindes should run upon it 3. Now as this doctrine may informe and teach so it may reprove whole troops of carnall Christians that never labour after this glorious estate that scarce ever aske what they should doe to be saved but sleepe it out in a Lethargie and never aske after nor remember their latter end Thus of the 9. Verse and so of the confirmation by prolepsis or the answer of their objections Verse 10. Of which salvation the Prophets searched and inquired diligently which prophesied of the grace that should come unto you THe consolation propounded verses 3 4 5. is confirmed first by Prolepsis or the answering of Objections verses 6 7 8 9. secondly by testimony of worthy and holy men verses 10 11 12. So that these words make good the consolation of Christians by setting before us what witnesse holy men of old have given of our happinesse that live now under the Gospell In the words five things are particularly to be noted 1. First who testifie or who are Gods witnesses and these are described 1. first more generally and so they were Prophets 2. secondly more specially and so they were those Prophets that were appointed of God to prophesie of the gracious priviledges should come unto us Christians 2. Secondly their adjunct paines and endeavors to furnish themselves in the knowledge of those things that concerne us They searched and inquired diligently 3. Thirdly the question they studied or unto which they testifie In generall it was of salvation ver 10. In speciall it was of the manner and time of the grace foretold 4. Fourthly the occasion that fiered them to this earnest desire after this knowledge and that was the inspiration of the holy Ghost driving them to foretell of the passion of Christ and glories that should follow Now they rightly conjectured that this glory did import some excellent estate of the Church then and that they would faine have knowne 5. Fiftly the successe and that was they were answered by revelation which answer is set downe verse 12. Prophets God hath revealed his will three waies 1. First
stir up our minds especially labouring to be of the same mind with them 7. We must carefully put on that girdle of truth mentioned Eph. 6. which is inward sincerity which is a care speedily to strive against those inward corruptions daily and with strength of resolution 8. Lastly in this text two things are exceedingly availeable viz. 1. sobriety in the use of earthly things 2. and perfect assurance of Gods favour and glory to come It is want of setled assurance and the love of earthly things that so much entangles men with the hurt of all sorts of impediments The fift thing to be observed is that he saith gird up and not cast off importing that in this life even in the godly there is not a perfect deliverance from the inward strife with hinderances that arise from our corrupt nature Those garments they have still but they are girded up which is true of the most of the impediments mentioned before The Use is for great reproofe of our incredible slacknesse herein the most of us who know not of any lets in our minde never observe ignorance carnall reason security love of earthly things worldly sorrow hypocrisie precipitation discouragement dulnesse and evill thoughts Those of us that doe discerne them how weak are our hearts how doe we trifle we feele them not to be a burthen we resist them not in the beginning How justly might God leave us to a very reprobate mind for our slacknesse herein even of knowledge How justly might we be left to our selves and so be turned out of the way and there left either never to returne or not without unspeakable horror of conscience Secondly let us be warned and stir up our selves in a daily care in the way to heaven and the labour of godlinesse Let us consider that this is given us here in charge in the very first place as the ground of all the rest in vaine to expect holinesse of life if we looke not to the daily lets of godlinesse And the rather let us be incouraged hereunto because though wee have these things in us yet if we use the meanes to gird them up it will not hinder our acceptation with God nor the successe of our godly profession Be sober There is a sixfold sobriety 1. Sobriety in opinions of which the Apostle saith be wise to sobriety Rom. 12.3 This hath in it 1. A feare to conceive of God or godlinesse after any senselesse or unwarranted course 2. A repressing of that itching desire after the knowledge of Gods secrets or hidden things Deut. 29. ult 3. Modesty in venting our opinions or delivering our judgement 4. A suspending in doubtfull things 5. A yeelding upon implyed dangers in things indifferent as in reformation of such abuses as we see good men condemne though wee have not expresse Scripture A singular waiwardnesse in many they will not leave their faults till direct Scripture be brought against it as in vanity of apparell c. 2. Sobriety in prayer 1 Pet. 4.7 and to be sober in prayer is 1. to be advised and deliberate desirous to pray according to Gods will 2. It is not to be intemperate or peevish as Ionah was 3. It is to be stayed and setled and stablished in perswasion not wavering unconstant or tossed with doubts and causelesse feares 4. It is to pray with due respect of Gods Majesty without trifling or vaine babling it is to let our words be few Eccles. 5.5 5. It is to keep Gods counsell not to be proud or boast of successe or speak of the secret sweetnesse of Gods love without calling it is to conceale the familiarity of God in secret 3. Sobriety in the practice of godlinesse in generall this the Apostle calls holinesse with sobriety 1 Tim. 3.15 which stands 1. in lowlinesse of minde and sense of our owne vilenesse it is to be holy without vain-glorious boasting 2. In keeping the bounds of the Word both for sins and duties it is to take heed of fansies or vaine stretching out of our practice to avoid such things as any way the word condemnes so in duties 3. In not medling with the businesse of others it is not to be a busie body to spend our selves in prying or censuring or inquiring after others It is a vile thing to sâ—ffer as a busie body 1 Pet. 4. 4. In avoiding rash zeale and indiscretion in the circumstances of well-doing The word is sometimes rendred discreet as Tit. 2.5 and vigilant ver 2. 5. In not judging Gal. 6.1 2. 4. Sobriety in respect of the pleasures and delights of this life and to be sober in them is 1. To let the Word of God be our rule for the matter of them not to delight in unlawfull pleasures as chambering and wantonnesse or unlawfull sports and games that are of ill fame 2. To restraine our affections in the use of them to use them as though we used them not not suffering our hearts to be stollen away by them 3. To restraine the excessive use of them not to make a vocation of them a speciall sinne in the Genâ—ry of this land and their followers 4. To be well advised for the circumstances the place time company and such like that we neither insnare our selves nor give occasion of offence 5. To restraine the passions that use to break out about them that they be not occasions of discord or contempt as Envie or any evill affection 6. Not to make merchandise of them as to use their sports as meanes of gaining from others 7. To use our delights with consideration of our callings as Ministers children women servants c. that which may be comely in others may not be so many times and in many things in these 5. There is sobriety in apparell 1 Tim. 2.9 10. This sobriety hath in it foure things 1. Comelinesse which takes order for both extreames that our apparell be neither rude to dishonour our body nor strange for the unwontednesse or unseemelinesse of it 2. Shame fastnesse and modestie which takes order 1. that our apparell be not the apparell of another sex Deut. 22.5 2. or of knowne dissolute persons modest women may not goe as whores goe 3. that it tend no way to provoke inordinate desires in our selves or others as painting perfuming naked breasts c. The third thing is frugality which hath respect 1. to our degree that we goe not above it 2. to our ability in that degree as if we be in debt or of lesse meanes then others of that degree 3. to the rate of our expences for to spend as much as the formost in our rank is no sobriety though we observe the two former rules It is sobriety not to be so costly or brave as others as wee by our degree might be The fourth thing is piety a Christian should in his very apparell proclaime his religion not onely by the moderation of it but by a free willingnesse to doe good to any
so matchlesse and perfect a rule and canon of holinesse written in the word of God to direct us 3. Having our natures by regeneration in part healed and freedome of will in part restored so as noâ— if wee be not holy it is because wee will not be holy 4. Having such mighty helps as are 1. The assistance and supply of the spirit of grace within us 2. Prayer with a promise of granting whatsoever we aske 3. Guides and spirituall Pastors to oversee and direct us 4. A cloud of witnesses even the examples of the godly of all sorts 5. Such acceptation with God if we be willing and love to be his servants Act. 10.36 But of this in the next point 4. Here is implyed how infinitely kinde God is in accepting our holy endevours if we desire to be holy in all our conversation he will account it to be holy as he is holy and yet alas it comes ten thousand degrees short of the holinesse of God yea far short of what it should be yea which is more of what it might be in us 5. The image of God is in conversation as well as nature we resemble God not onely in the renovation of our nature but in the renewed actions also so then we beare Gods image 1. In nature 2. In action or obedience Of this later here 6. A Christian should be especially carefull of his outward conversation even to shew forth the light of good works and holy carriage before men Wee should be exceeding carefull to expresse holinesse in conversing one with another There are many motives 1. We are Gods witnesses 2 Tim. 2.2 2. T is a good profession 2 Tim. 2.2 3. There are many witnesses to observe us 2 Tim. 2.2 4. Carnall men are crooked and perverse Phil. 2.16 5. A holy conversation will silence foolish men 1 Pet. 2.15 6. It will bring much glory to our heavenly Father Mat. 5. 7. It proves our justification and foretels our salvation 8. To walk upright is to walk safely Prov. 9. T is as it were to live in heaven Phil. 3.20 10. It will support us in wrongs adversity Act. 23.1.2 Cor. 1.12 11. It will shew our knowledge is not idle 2 Pet. 1.8 12. It furthers our reckoning and provides us acceptation in the day of death and judgement 2 Pet. 3.11 Rev. 14.13 7. If we would be holy as God is holy we must be holy in all conversation that is we must shew respect to all the commandements of God wee must shew a care of religion as well as vertue of godlinesse as well as honesty of mercy as well as just dealing to enemies as well as friends at home as well as abroad toward inferiors as well as superiors in prosperity as well as adversity in all companies as well as one c. Mark it in the tryall of our selves by this doctrine we may know infallibly whether wee be called or beare the image of God or no for if there be any one sinne that we will not forsake or any one commandment we are not desirous to obey it will prove all is nâ—ught in us Heb. 13.18 8. Lastly we must here further observe that if we would have comfort that we beare the image of Gods holinesse we must be carefull of the manner of our conversation as well as the matter For though these words â— all manner may note the extent unto the matter of all holinesse yet there is no evident reason why a great part of the meaning of the holy Ghost should not be restrained to the manner as the word sounds Now there are divers things in the manner of our conversation to be observed for the resembling of Gods holinesse 1. The first is godly purenesse we must in our conversation shew respect of God and godlinesse and keep our selves from the impurities of the times and watch against sin in all our waies 2 Cor. 1.12 2. The second is simplicity or holy harmlesnesse as it is opposed to fraud and fleshly wisdome and shews it selfe in a plaine and evident desire to doe what God requires though it be never so much scorned in the world 2 Cor. 11.3 1.12 3. The third is precisenesse or circumspection making conscience of lesser sins as well as greater and avoiding the appearances and occasions of evils as well as the evils themselves Eph. 5.15 4. Conversation in heaven which is so to use the world as to let our hearts still run upon God and his Kingdome directing all our actions some way to further that end Phil. 3.20 5. Meeknesse of wisdome which is shewed by lowlinesse and not being wise in our selves but doing good in a continued sense of our own vilenesse and unworthinesse to doe any service to God or man Iam. 3.13 This is called a conversation with feare 1 Pet. 3.2 ver 16. 6. Constancy Phil. 1.27 7. The affections of godlinesse or well-doing or zeale Tit. 2.14 Verse 16. Because it is written be ye holy as I am holy THE first argument no inforce the exhortation ver 13. is taken from the image of God in us and this reason is propounded in the first words of ver 14. and expounded in the two former verses and this and that two waies 1. By a description of the image of God in us ver 14 15.2 By the proofe in this verse In this proofe two things are to be observed 1. Whence the proofe is taken As it is written 2. What is alledged viz. Be ye holy as I am holy The meaning is that we stand bound to shew regard of our conformity to God in holinesse for this was long since required in the written word of God that wee should be holy as God is holy And first then concerning the Scripture from whence the proofes of doctrine are fetched Here I consider 1. Of the use of the Scriptures in generall for proofe of doctrine 2. Of the Scripture of the Old â—estament from whence this proofe is fetched For the first Proofes of doctrine are of three sorts 1. From men as they are men 2. From the senses 3. From God The first is not infallible the second is infallible in some respects the third is infallible simply for ever The testimonies of men work onely opinion as being but Arguments contengent and probable The testimonies of the senses and of God work knowledg or bring arguments necessary Hence it is that the Prophets and Christ and the Apostles in their teaching amongst the people almost never use any testimonies of men in matters of religion and when they doe it is chiefly for confutation of adversaries by their owne writers Now for the senses they are internall or externall Internall and so there is a double testimony 1. from the law of nature 2. from the conscience The externall are seeing hearing tasting c. and the argument from them is from experience The testimony of the senses is inâ—allible in some respects viz. as they are rightly
shall suffer for anothers workes further then he is some way 〈◊〉 of it But how can infants be iudged according to their works We understand not clearly how the proceedings shall be with infants it is evident that corruption of nature can make even infants children of 〈…〉 Psal. 51. and the covenant of God with the faithfull doth 〈◊〉 even their seed also Besides the Spirit of God doth supply externall works by internall sanctification in the elect infants But how shall poore men doe that are not able to doe good works It is an error to think that there are no good works but giving of almes For the obedience to Gods law in any commandement is a good worke works of piety to God are good works and so are the works of a particular calling It is a good worke to provide for a mans family and so to deale iustly with men is a good worke Besides there are many works of mercy which the poorest Christian may doe hee may pray for others or reprove or comfort or instruct c. The Uses may be collected out of the severall Scriptures where this doctrine is taught as 1. In Iob 7.2 We should long for that day seeing it is the day of paying wages 2. Iob 34.11 14 15 19 20 to 25. It should terrifie the mightiest sinners seeing God will not spare but without respect of persons iudge every mans works and if a temporall iudgment so affright all sorts as is reported Ezech. 7.27 how much more should this last iudgement 3. Psal. 62. ult We should daily think of this day of reckoning and not suffer any doubt against it For it will certainly be so 4. Prov. 24.12 Two things are inferred 1. That wee should not faint in the day of adversity 2. That without trifling we should doe good and shew mercy when we have occasion 5. The Prophet Ieremy useth this doctrine as a meanes to stirre up their hearts to a more awefull feare and admiration and adoration of that God whose eyes behold the waies of all men and whose iustice will reward according to their works 6. Our Saviour Christ useth it to excite the care of saving our soules and to work in us a contempt of life and this world and to deny our selves and take up our crosse and follow him Mat. 16.27 7. The Apostle Paul Rom. 2.7 useth this doctrine 1. To fright and terrifie three sorts of men viz. 1. Hypocrites ver 1 2 3. 2. Impenitent hard-hearted sinners ver 4 5. 3. Contentious and froward adversaries of well-doing ver 8. 2. To incourage the godly in all well-doing ver 9 10. 8. In the 2 Cor. 5.10 it serveth to inforce 1. Walking by faith ver 7. 2. Care to be accepted of God ver 9. 3. Desire to be absent from the flesh and present with the Lord ver 8. 4. Diligence in Ministers with all power to perswade with their hearers ver 11. 9. In the Eph. 6.8 9. it is used 1. To comfort servants 2. To warne masters ver 9. So it is also Col. 3.24 26. 10. In Rev. 22.11 12. it is used to upbraid the pertinacie of wicked men in sin and to incourage the godly in all perseverance in well-doing 11. Lastly you see how the Apostle make a use of it viz. that we should passe the time of our sojourning here in feare And thus of the doctrine of the second reason Paâ—e the time of your sojourning here in feare These word containe the inference or use of the former doctrine viz. it should imprint in us such a sense of our mortality as should stir up in us a daily care and feare in the spending of our time we are to live in the world These words aâ—firme fâ—ure things 1. That we are but sojourners 2. That we have but a time to sojourne 3. That this time passeth 4. That therefore we ought to spend the time in feare Sojourners This word may be taken either literally or mystically if it be taken literally it must be referred to the provinciall Jews so it may import two things 1. That Gods children in this life may be so driven from their native abodes that they may be compelled to live in strange places 2. That though the Lord suffer the Jewish Nation to be under a soâ—e dispersion for the time yet the time will come when they shall be gathered home together in great glory though now they are but sojourners But it is rather to be taken mystically and so it is to be referred to all the Elect who in respect of their absence from their heavenly Canaan are but soiourners at best in this world Heb. 11. Psal. 39. There may be some difference put betweene a home-dweller a stranger and a soiourner The dweller is perpetually resident and is at home The stranger staies but for a short time and is from home Now the soiourner differs from them both for he hath some setled abode but it is not at home as the dwellers is nor is it for so short a time as the strangers is Now if in this strict sense we should stand upon the words then in this world dwellers are no men strangers are wicked men and soiourners are godly men But it is evident that this word sojourner is taken promiscuously for any abode that is from home for Luke 24.18 it is taken for a stranger in the strictest sense and Act. 7.19 it is taken for a sojourner in the strictest sense But usually it is a word that notes the condition of the godly absent from their heavenly happinesse and imports an allusion to the childrenof Israel living in Aegypt absent from Canaan and so our Aegypt is the world our Canaan is heaven our soiourning is our entertainment in this world The world is like Aegypt and our entertainment like the children of Israel in Aegypt For 1. Pharaoh the Devill doth with all cruelties oppresse the gâ—dly 2. As Aegypt was full of enchaunters so is the world 3. As Aegypt abounded with superstitions so doth the world with ignâ—rance and all sorts of vaine observations â—ut the similitude will more appeare in the use The consideration of this that the godly are in this world as Israel soiourning in Aegypt may afford both matter of Instruction and matter of Consolation For Instruction it should teach us divers duties 1. Not to seeke unto our selves great things in this world Ier. 46. 2. To study to be quiet and meddle with the world no more then wee must needs 3. To please our selves or rest in no prosperity but to expect alteratiâ—â— never trusting the favour of the Aegyptians the men or this world For thâ—y will change 4. To have recourse to the promises of a better life and live by faith and wait for the time of our changing 5. Live separate from the conversation of worldly men as Israel did in Goshen 6. Endure much with patience and commit all to God Secondly this similitude imports
The fore-ordination of Christ. 2. The time of it before the foundation of the world Who â—â—â—â—ly was fore-ordained This word leads us beyond time into the secret and eternall counsell of God giving us a glimpse of Gods eternall statutes especially concerning the eternall happinesse of the Elect by Christ. All Scripture intreats either of God or his works The works of God are either internall or externall The internall are likewise eternall before time The externall are in time Of God the Scriptures draw us a perfect image as the weaknesse of man can be capable of it Of the works of God externall and in time the Scripture likewise plentifully discourseth as far as is needfull to salvation Of the works of God internall there is also some little glimpse given in Scripture not so much to satisfie the curiosity of mens minds as to ravish the hearts of the godly with incitations that might the better guide them to contentment in their happy estate yet there is but little because men should not be led aside from attending the present meanes of their everlasting happinesse and because as yet the nature of man is not capable of so glorious revelations The works of God before time are either personall or essentiall The personall works are such works ad intra as passe from the three persons in the Trinity one to other incommunicably as the begetting of the Sonne the proceeding of the holy Ghost The essentiall works are such as all the three persons doe joyne in without division and these are those eternall statutes or decrees the making of those unsearchable lawes concerning the disposing of the Kingdome of God in time in the erecting and ordering of the world God as a wise Carpenter before he build resolves upon the plot in his head and as a wise King before he enters into the administration of the Kingdome resolves upon the lawes by which to governe it These statutes have in Scripture foure singular praises 1. They are in respect of us unsearchable far beyond the reach of any mortall braine Rom. 11. 2. They are marvellous glorious for the wonderfull majesty and mercy and justice of them such as to looke in at them but through a chincke as it were ravisheth the Apostle into that exclamation depthsâ— c. Rom. 11. 3. They are unchangeable like the lawes of the Mâ—der and Persians so as they never lose a jot of their force till they come â—or the last pâ—â—iod Rom. 8.30 4. They are eternall as here is said before the foundation of the world so Eph. 1.5 Mat. 25.34 The Lord hath drawne these statutes in foure books each containing a severall draught of them 1. The first is the booke of nature Hee hath iugraven certaine ordinances unchangeable in the creatures by viewing which impressions man might be made without excuse 2. The second is the booke of conscience The Lord in the hearts of the Elect causing an impression of immortall truths wherein he declares his will so far as may concerne the salvation of that particular Elect of God 3. The third is the booke of Scripture in which he hath drawne a most exact draught of his lawes and will for so much as may concerne the salvation of all or any of Gods Elect. 4. Now the fourth and most absolute booke of statutes is that booke of life wherein from all eternity God hath enrowled the nature and ends of all things and there are also many other things besides the salvation of the Elect Psal. 139.16 a speciall part of which is the Lambes booke of life Revel 21.27 Now unto this booke doth this word fore-ordained leade us The word in the Originall is properly fore-seâ—ne Now there are three kinds of fore-sight 1. First that bare knowledge of things and this reacheth to all things that ever shall be 2. Secondly that knowledge of approbation God knowing man above others with his speciall favour this reacheth onely to the Elect. 3. Now there is a third kind of knowledg or fore-knowledg when God is said to know things as a Judge doth in giving sentence Hence Plebiscitum was an ordinâ—â—ce made by the commons and so when the Judge had sentenced a cause he was said to have knowne the cause In this last sense the word is here taken and therefore well rendred fore-ordained to note such a fore-sight as had a determination and statute in it The decrees of God are by some Divines distinguished by the names of Providence and Predestination Providence they would have containe all that order that the Lord tooke from all eternity concerning all things in the world whatsoever so as there is nothing but is lyable to Gods decree Now Predestination comprehends onely those decrees that concerne the reasonable creatures and especially those that concerne the Election of some of them There is a threefold Election or the Elect may be cast into three ranks 1. There is the Election of man unto salvation 2. There is the Election of Angels unto confirmation in their estates 3. There is the Election of Christ unto the Mediatorship and headship over Angels and men Of this hee meanes here and the decree concerning the Election of Christ is the most illustrious of all the rest and concernes the execution of the most glorious worke that ever was to be in the world The summe then is that the Lord in his booke of eternall statutes hath recorded and determined concerning this course of saving man by the mediation of his Sonne Christ is fore-ordained in respect of his office of Mediatorship not simply in respect of his person as God for so hee is not the person predestinated but with the Father and holy Ghost it is he that doth predestinate 〈◊〉 s he was to shew himselfe God made man as Mediator beâ—weene God and man so he was subject to that ordinance Quest. Now what use may be made of this that we here find that God is so carefull to make all sure concerning our redemption in Christ Answ. First it may serve for consolation we need never doubt but God will accomplish all his goodnesse to us in his Sonne seeing hee hath bound himselfe and Christ to it by his everlasting decrees it is an ordinance must never be changed we see God after all this time acknowledgeth it in this texâ— to be belâ—eved to the worlds end Secondly it may serve for instruction 1. Shall we not be ashamed of our negligence that have not with all diligence laboured to make our calling and election sure when wee see God so carefull to make all sure 2. Shall wee not ever willingly be subject to Gods statutes and lawes when we see Christ himselfe subject himselfe to Gods ordinances and that from all eternity 3. Shall we not long for those times when those eternall statutes shall be opeâ—ed and Gods counsels displayed to our infinite joy Thirdly it may informe us concerning Gods wonderfull hatred of sinne in that from eternity he cannot
that is sowed in the field or in the wombe If it be taken in the first sense then the seed is grace the sower is Christ the field is the heart of man or the world the sowing time is the day of redemption and the harvest is the end of the world But I rather take it in the other sense and then the seed is grace the womb is the heart the Father or sower is Christ 1 Cor. 15.43 the instrument of generation is externally the word internally the Spirit of God the birth is the practice and exercise of the gifts of grace the nurse is the minister and the meanes of nursing are preaching and the Sacraments Saving grace is likened to seed in the wombe because first it is formed by an admirable coition of the Word and Spirit in the heart of man causing unspeakable delight in the soule Secondly because the gifts of grace doe thrive and grow up in the godly from small beginnings though at the first but as a graine of mustard seed yet after it is once conceived it will grow marvellously and speedily This doctrine may serve for a threefold use 1. It may comfort and that divers waies 1. Because it imports a marriage of the soule with Christ. It is God that gave the soule in marriage with Christ a great preferment 2. Because thou art cured of barrennes and therefore rejoyce oh thou soule that wast barren Christ hath made thee a mother of many children 3. It may comfort thee against the weaknesse of thy gifts and the grace received though thy faith joy feeling c. be but as a grain of mustard seed yet that God that giveth to every seed his body can make his grace to thrive and prosper in thee 4. From hence a godly man may know that he is truely borne againe for if thou have felt that sweet delight when the Word and Spirit of God did joyne with thy soule this delight is an infallible signe of thy regeneration and that Christ is formed in thee Ob. But the temporary faith feeleth joy Ans. There is great difference betweene the joy of the godly and the joy of the wicked in receiving the word for first in the wicked there is no grace left in the soule after hearing nor new gifts or dispositions the soul is empty and void of seed for all that joy Secondly if there were some seeds of grace yet it abideth not it is like the morning dew there is no true â—onceâ—tion Or thirdly if it did abide for a time yet it increaseth not as the fruit of the wombe doth the godly grow in grace 2. It may serve to teach us 1. highly to prize the graces of the soule they are the divine seed of Christ in us Christ in the same is formed in us The light love desires joyes humility c. in the heart have the true picture of Christ upon them 2. To be carefull to preserve the grace we have received seeing it is the seed of God in us 3. To carry a high opinion of all the godly seeing they are the beloved ones of Jesus Christ. 3. Lastly for great reproofe of the whorish affections of all wicked men that shutting the doores of their hearts against Christ suffer the devill and concupiscence to engender in them and to fill the soule with multitudes of bastardly births of sinne Iam. 1.14 Incorruptâ—ble The grace begotten in the hearts of the godly is incorruptible and so it is in divers respects 1. In respect of the matter of them For this grace consists of innocency and inâ—â—râ—uption so meeknesse is called incorruption 1 Pet. 3.3 2. In respect of the Author of it it proceeds from the incorruptible God 3. In respect of the continuance of it it never dieth 4. In respect of the end it tends to it is that faire fruit that will grow up to eternall life This may serve for consolation and instruction for consolation many wayes 1. This shewes that every godly person is an excellent one they are immortall creatures they have divinâ— sparkles in them How dare wicked men despise them when God hath thus honoured them His God King Crowne Inheritance gifts are all immortall 2. They may conceive comfortable hope that God will bee carefull to preserve and blesse his owne worke Gods blessing shall be upon thy seed and his Spirit will refresh thy buddes For upon all the glory must be a defence 3. It may comfort thee against death when thy corruption hath put on this incorruption of true grace thou being made thereby immortall thou maist triumph over death as 1 Cor. 15.54 Art thou an immortall one take heed of discontentment This was the first sâ—one even the devills sinne This may comfort thee in thy perseverance to the end the seed is immortall and therefore thou shalt never fall away Therefore hath God given thee his Spirit within thee to tend these little graces yea the Angels of God performe their service no doubt to the spirits of the godly That thou canst not fall from grace these Scriptures may establish thee 1 Ioh. 5.9 Mat. 12.20 Esay 65.22 23. Ier. 23.4 1 Cor. 1.8 9. 1 Pet. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.12 Ioh. 13.1 Ier. 32.40 41. Heb. 12.3 7.37 For instruction and so it may teach both godly men and wicked men Godly men should the more enforce their affections to the love of the Lord Iesus Christ in incorruption Eph. 6.24 and be carefull to avoid all the inticements of sinne and Sathan by which their hearts might be corrupted they should walke in the spirit Rom. 8.1 And keepe themselves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit desiring to know no other happinesse then Christ and him crucified And wicked men should take notice of it that corruption cannot inherit incorruption and unlesse they repent of their sinnes and set their hearts upon the word of Christ they can never be made immortall Hitherto of the property of the seed the instruments of the generation of it follow viz. the word of God which is fâ—rther praised 1. For the Author of it 2. For the vigor and effiacie of it it liveth 3. For the continuance of it it liveth for ever By the word of God Before I enter upon the particular observations of it we may observe the effectualnesse of the Apostles speech concerning the word Hee doth not mention it but with a lively praise of it and that hee doth not casually doe but with a great deale of reason For it is exceeding needfull to have the praises of the word often and lively exprest For it may be a means to heale that contempt of the Word that usually raignes in the most Besides the praise of it may lift up our hearts to consider the greatnesse of Gods mercy in bestowing his word upon us The word he gave to Iacob was a greater gift then he bestowed upon all the world besides And the praises of the word doe also raise up in the godly
them they should not be saved without their teachers 2. That not all preaching hath this effect but it must be good preaching or preaching of the gospell or publishing of the glad tidings in and through Jesus Christ the word may signifie to preach happily or to preach well or to preach glad tidings or the gospell It is certaine it is a great happinesse to a people when they get faithfull teachers and it is true that not all preaching but preaching well is that which must make us abide for ever but I take it in the usuall sense It is the preaching of the gospell that is thus glorious in effect For the law is the ministration of death 2 Cor. 3. and this should both teach Ministers to studie to preach the gospell which to do requires exceeding great labour and judgement and besides the people should set their hearts upon the comforts propounded to them in the ministry of the word and open their hearts wide to receive them with all joy and much assurance yea when they feele the sweetnesse of the gospell they should glorifie God and receive their teachers as the Angells of God as the allusion of the word imports 3. That the word must be considered as it is propounded to them to you saith the Apostle and this may be restrained either to the scriptures as they were first preached by the Apostles themselves men inspired of God or in generall it may be extended to the faithfull Ministers that are over the godly in any place It is true that there is great difference betweene the preaching of the Apostles and our preaching and the people are not bound to respect our preaching now as theirs then because the Apostles could not erre and were immediately inspired with the Holy Ghost but yet when that we preach we demonstrate to the consciences of our hearers to be the very word of God and doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles we ought to be received Sure it is that though wee give the scriptures never so faire tâ—â—rmes if we love not the preaching of the word we cannot live for ever and there is a secret deceit in mens hearts they thinke they must honor Gods word but they are not bound to thinke any thing highly of their Ministers preaching especially if they have any quarrell or grudge against their Minister But let all men well consider when the Apostle here saith this is the word which is preached unto you if the word which is preached to you be not regarded you cannot stand in the day of Christ. Againe others thinke if wee had such preaching as was in the daies of Christ and the Apostles or as others have in other places we could then do that is required of us still marke the words it is the word preached to you you must rely upon If therefore the Preacher prove what he saith in the word of God this text will rise up in judgement against thee if thou obey noâ— Or if for want of life and power in application in thy teacher thy soule do not prosper then why livest thou in places where thou canst not stoope â—â— this to say this is the word which is preached to me Why are not men 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—full to provide a place where their soules may live well as where 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ies may live well I meane this of such as live in a free estate 4. Lastly this to you notes that the word is never powerfull but when we â—â—ply it to our selves and receive it as spoken to us in particular in all things 〈…〉 when we can say this word was preached to me then will th◠〈◊〉 worke FINIS A COMMENTARY OR SERMONS VPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF the first Epistle of Saint PETER VVHEREIN METHOD SENSE DOCTRINE AND USE IS WITH great variety of matter profitably handled and sundry heads of Divinity largely discussed BY NICHOLAS BYFIELD late Preacher of God's Word at ISLEVVORTH in MIDDLESEX London Printed for George Latham MDCXXXVI TO THE HONOVRABLE KNIGHT SIR HORATIO VERE Generall of the English Forces in the Low-Countries and to his most worthy Lady the Lady MARY VERE all happinesse that a poore widow may in their behalfe pray for at the Throne of Grace My much honoured Lord and Lady AS that speciall duty which I my selfe owe to you both so that purpose which my dear husband had while he lived of dedicating to you this Commentary of his upon S. Peters Epistle bindeth mee who am left his sole Executrix to see his VVill every way performed to set out this first of his workes published since his death under your Honourable Names It pleased you to take into your Family a childe of his body be further pleased I pray you to take into your Patronage this childe of his soule which as an Orphane yea as a Posthumus in all humility is presented unto you You manifested more then ordinary kindnesse to my husband while he lived wee and ours have oft tasted of the sweetnesse of your bounty so that I should deserve to be accounted most ingratefull if I should burie so many favours in oblivion or neglect to provoke others to love and good workes by proposall of your example Accept I beseech you this poore acknowledgement of thanks which is most due first to that primary Fountain of all goodnesse Almighty God for keeping your Lordship safe in your late imployment in the Palatinate and for freeing your Ladiship from those fears whereunto you could not but be subject by reason of his long absence and for giving you both a mutuall and comfortable fruition one of another And next to your selves for all those kindnesses which while my husband lived you did to him and his and since his death you continue to doe to such as he hath left behinde him Now the good God continue his blessed protection over you both and take all that belong unto you under the wings of his fatherly Providence And so I rest with the renewall of my sute that you would cast your eyes upon this VVork of him who much honoured you in his life time and is after his decease offred to you by Your humble Oratrix ELIZABETH BYFIELD To the Christian Reader MAny and great are the meanes which the Lord hath been pleased since this latter Spring of the Gospell begun above an hundred yeares agoe to afford unto his Church for opening of the mysteries of the Gospell Never since the Apostles times were the Scriptures more truly interpreted more fully expounded more distinctly divided or more powerfully pressed then in our Times The number of those who have taken good pain in this kinde is not small Wee may well put into the Catalogue of them the Author of this Commentary upon the second Chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter Master Nicholas Byfield by name who continued for the space of twenty yeeres to take more then ordinary paines in the work of the Lord. He had a singular gift in diving into the depth
of the former Chapter In these words and those that follow to the thirteenth verse is contained an exhortation to the right use of the meanes by which we might grow up in all holinesse and acceptation with God In the exhortation two things must be distinguished first the substance of the exhortation secondly the conclusion of it The substance is contained from verse the first to the eleventh the conclusion in the eleventh and twelfth verses For the first there are two things in which if we bee rightly ordered it cannot be but we must grow wonderfully in grace and holinesse first The one is the word secondly The other is Christ. To a right order of our selves in respect of the word he exhorts verses 1 2 3. To a right order of our selves in respect of Christ he exhorts ver 4. to 11. The part of the exhortation that concernes the word hath three things First what we must avoid we must lay aside Malice Guile Hypocrasie c. Secondly what we must doe we must desire the word as the childe doth the breast thirdly Why so where divers reasons are imported First we are babes Secondly we are but as new born babes Thirdly the word is sincere milke Fourthly it will make us grow fiftly have we not already tasted of the sweetnesse of it verse the third That part of the exhortation that concernes Christ hath likewise three things in it which I will here but touch First what we must doe ver 4. Secondly how we must doe it ver 5. Thirdly why so viâ— for two reasons First the one taken from the testimony of Scripture which is alleadged ver the sixt and expounded ver 7 8. Secondly the other taken from the consideration of our prerogatives we injoy in Christ which are set downe first positively ver 9. Secondly and comparatively ver 10. And this is the briefeorder of the whole first part of this Chapter The first thing then in the exhortation is about the word and therein the first thing is about the things which must be avoided if we would profit by the word of which in the first verse THere are five things we should lay aside and be sure we be free from when we come into Gods presence to heare his word or to be exercised in it viz. Malice Guile Hypocrisie Envy and Evill speaking Two things distinctly must be considered in verse first the sinnes to be avoided viz. those five before named Secondly the maner of avoiding them imported in the metaphoricall tear me laying aside In generall divers things may be noted First that it is exceeding profitable to gather speciall catalogues of our sinnes which we should avoid to single out such sinnes as we would specially strive against and doe more specially hurt us and hinder good things from us I meane not of all sins so much as of speciall certaine choice evills that yet remaine in greatest force in us We may observe a great wisdome of the holy Ghost in many places of Scripture drawing such catalogues according to the state of the people to whom they are given and so it were of excellent use if we did gather catalogues of the duties which especially concerne us or of the graces we would strive most to excell in to the intent to keep them daily in our mindes and memories striving to force in us the speciall holinesse required in them It were exceeding usefull to observe in severall Scriptures how the holy Ghost singles out choice directions according to the divers states of the people whom they concerne Secondly the Minister ought to informe his flock concerning the particular and speciall faults that hinder the worke of his Ministery where hee lives and accordingly to set himselfe against those sinnes It is not enough to reprove sin but there is a great deale of discretion and judgement to bee expressed in applying himselfe to the diseases of that people Thirdly the Apostle doth not name here all the sinnes that hinder the word but he imports that in the most places these five sinnes here named doe much raigne and usually doe marvellously let the course of the word they are the five most usuall sinnes in the auditories of Christians Fourthly it would be considered how these sinnes doe hinder the word These sinnes doe hinder the word many wayes 1. These sinnes make wicked men many times to set themselves against the word and to strive to suppresse the liberty of the word 2. These sinnes hinder the word in that they hinder many times other men from the love of the word The word is not glorified yea it is evill spoken of and why Doe not many men and women say they like not this going to Sermons c for they see that such persons can live in malice and deceit and envy â—â—e another c. 3. These siâ—â—es hinder the Ministers from discerning the worke of their Ministery in their hearers Paul cannot see or judge that the Corinthians are any more then carnall or at the best but babes in Christ because there was so much envy and strife and division among them 1 Cor. 3. verse 1 2 3. 4. These sinnes cause God many times to take the word from men When the Jews grew so untoward and envious at the Gentiles and to have such ill tongues in their heads toward their Teachers what followes but that the Lord should turne the labor of his servants from them and imploy it among the Gentiles Acts 13. c. 5. These sinnes hinder the word because they hinder the persons in whom they are from a right disposition to or use of the word Any of these sinnes are like poyson lying at the stomach that infects all the food which comes there And therefore for these reasons and many moe which might be alleged we should bring a generall resolution to make conscience of our wayes and to avoide these and all and each of these sinnes The first then of these sins is Malice The originall word is diversly accepted For sometimes it signifies misery or griefe for affliction and so it is used to signifie the evill of the day Mat. 6. ult Sometimes it is rendred naughtinesse or wickednesse in generall and so it importeth vile crimes or notorious offences and so it is taken Iames 1.21 Acts 2.22 In this sense it may be takâ—n here For it is certaine that if men be guilty of wickednesse and come in the love of any sin the word is poysoned in them especially whoredome and wine take away mens hearts from the word Hos. 4. Lastly it is rendred in divers places malice as 1 Cor. 5.8 Col. 3.8 and so it is here Malice then is the first sinne we should be carefull to avoide Malice in short is anger inveterate It is an inward hatred or grudge harboured in the heart against others and it may be knowne by divers signes As 1. When a man beares a constant base estimation of another and inwardly loathes him
sweeten the word to his people as God doth shew his graciousnesse in the word Thirdly that where there is a true taste of the sweetnesse of the word there the soule growes in grace Fourthly it is but a taste of the sweetnesse of God which can bee bad in this life Fiftly many live in the church and yet never taste of the sweetnesse of God and his word Sixtly it is a singular shame for such as have felt the sweetnesse of the word to faile in their desire after it For the first Where the Lord is praised for graciousnesse by the word used in the originall here it is to occasion in us the admiration of the goodnesse of Gods nature For in this one word are many distinct praises imported As First that he is free and doth what he doth freely without respect of merit or desert in men and this is one thing which if we find should much incite us to regard what hee saith or requireth of us By this Argument are men called upon Isaiah 55.1.2 3. Secondly that he is kind to his very enemies For so the word is applied Luke 6.35 and questionlesse it should bee a great thing to perswade with a man when he comes to the word to regard it with much affection if he know that God thereby will doe good to his very enemies and that in that ordinance God is wont to shew the mirror of his mercy in revealing his love and communicating the blessings of his Gospell to such as come into his presence with hatred of their owne waies Thirdly that he is courteous and in a speciall maner kind to and fond over his owne people with incomprehensible indulgence the word is rendred Courteous Eph. 4.32 And all ages must wonder at this kindnesse of God in Jesus Christ Eph. 2.7 And thus hee delivereth his servants from their feares Psal. 34.3 or 4. Fourthly that he is bountifully and liberall and giveth plentifully so the word is used and given to God Rom. 1.5 Fiftly thâ—â— hee is gentle and easie to bee intreated or prevailed withall Hence that his yoke is said to be easie Matth. 11.30 where this word is transtated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hereof 〈◊〉 the word rendred gentlenesse Gal. 5. â—2 and thus he is said to be marvelous kind in hearing praier Psal. 31.21 22. and 34.4 6 â—5 Sixtly that he 〈◊〉 not upon respect of persons and thus he regards the poore Psal. 68.10 and will not disdaine to teach sinners his way Psal. 25.8 Seventhly that he is sweet that is wonderfull comfortable pleasing and filling with delight Eighthly there is one specialty of Gods goodnesse to which this word is applied and that is the accepting of the Gentiles to favour when the Jewes were cut off Rom. 11. Vse The use of this point is various For First It should kindle in us admiration All ages should gaze and wonder at such matchlesse good nature and kindnesse in God Ephes. 2.7 Secondly it should break our hearts with sorrow and repentance for our sinnes to thinke of it that wee offend a God so kind so good so bountifull Rom. 2.4 Hose 3.5 Thirdly it should perswade with men that never felt this to taste and see how good God is Psalme 34. Question What must we doe if we could or might taste of this sweetnesse of Gods nature Answer The Prophet David tels us of two things Psalme 34. First thou must pray unto him and make him thy refuge in all distresse Secondly and thou must put thy trust in him and then certainly thy face shall be lightned and thou shalt not be ashamed and I may adde two things more First Thou must love his Word waiting upon him in his Sanctuary Secondly and yeeld thy selfe over to bee his servant and thou canst not faile to find this goodnesse of the Lord. Fourthly it should inflame affection in the godly they should fall in love with God Oh love the Lord all ye his Saints Psal. 31.19 21 33. VVhat can more draw affection then sweetnesse of nature Fiftly it should perswade all Gods servants to live by faith and not through unbeleefe in the time of affliction or temptation to dishonour God VVhy saist thou thy way is past over of God Or why saist thou the Lord hath forgotten or will not forgive Esay 40.27 49.15 16. Exod. 34.6 7. Sixtly it should kindle in us a vehement desire to imitate so sacred a nature and continually to strive to bee like the patterne in God for curtesie Eph. 4.32 kindnesse 2 Cor. 6.6 and all loving behaviour Colos. 2.12 1 Cor. 13.4 and easie to bee intreated Iam. 3.17 and love to our enemies Luke 6.35 VVe should be followers of God Ephes. 5.1 wee should beare his image especially herein Col. 3.10 Seventhly How should our hearts be satisfied as with Manna when we feele this sweetnesse of God to us in particular either in the word or prayer or in his workes wee should even bee sicke of love our sleepe should bee pleasant to us and our hearts filled with gladnesse VVhat greater felicity can there be then that such a God should love us Psal. 63.6 Ierem 31.26 Caâ—â—ic 2.5 or 6. Eighthly we should be carefull when we have felt this sweetnesse of the Lord to preserve our selves in this communion with God and abide in his goodnesse as the Apostle useth the Phrase Rom. 11.20 Lastly it should much affect with sorrow and shame all impenitent sinners and that in two respects First because they have lost their time and lived without the sense of this sweetnesse in God the Apostle Tit. 3.5 useth this Phrase The bountifulnesse of God appeared The word shined as the Sâ—nâ—e doth in the rising which imports that the world was nothing but darknesse till men found by experience the goodnesse of God Secondly because they have so long offended a nature of such infinite goodnesse this will prove a grievous aggravation of their sinne and misery For such a goodness so provoked will turne into extreme fury Mercy abused will be turned into unspeakable fierceness of indignation as appeares Deut. 29.19,20 and Rom. 2.4 5. The second Doctrine is That God doth gratiously sweeten his Word to his people or God doth shew his graciousness especially in his word Hence it is that Gods servants have acknowledged the word to be sweeter then hony and the hony combe Psal. 19.10 and 119.103 and the holy Ghost compareth it to feasts yea royall feasts Esay 25.6 Prov. 9.4 Luk. 14.17 and the Apostle acknowledgeth a savour of life unto life in the word 2 Cor. 2.14 The consideration whereof should teach us divers duties First to labour to finde the word so unto us to seeke this sweetness in the word and to that end wee must mingle it with faith else there will be no more taste in it then in the white of an egge and besides we must come to it in the tediousness of our owne vileness For we are never fitter to taste of Gods grace
then when we are dejected in the true feeling oâ— our owne unworthiness God will give grace to the humble And further wee must get an appetite or affection to the word For the full stomacke loatheth an hony-combe but to the hungry soule every little thing is sweet Proverbs 27.7 and lastly we must take heed that wee marre not our tastes before we come as they doe that have sweetned their mouthes with wickedness and spoyled their rellish with the pleasures of beloved sinnes Iob 20.12 Such as live in the delight of secret corruptions even thâ—y that account stoln waters sweet may be the guests of Hell but Gods guests they are not onely they that overcome eate of the hidden Manna Rev. 2. Secondly when we have found hony let us eate it Prov. 20.13 That is if the Lord be gracious unto us in his word let us with all care receive it into our hearts and with all affection make use of it Lose not thy precious oportunitie Thirdly it should teach us in all our griefes and bitterness to make our recourse to the word to comfort and sweeten our hearts against our feares and sorrowes For at this feast God wipes away all teares from our eyes Esay 35.6 8. Fourthly the sweetnes of the word when we feele it should satisfie us yea satisfie us abundantly Wee should give so much glory to Gods goodnesse as to make it the abundant satisfaction of our hearts Psal. 36.6 Fiftly Yea further we should labour to shew this sweet savour of the word in our conversations by mercy to the distressed by gracious communication by our contentation and by all well-doing that the perfume of Gods grace in us may allure and affect others that the very places where wee come may savour of our goodnesse even after wee are gone Sixtly we should bee alwaies praising of God for the good things of his Sanctuary acknowledging all to come from his free grace without our deserts Psal. 84.4 entertaining his presence with all possible admiration saying with the Psalmist O Lord how excellent is thy goodnesse Psal. 36.9 Seventhly wee should pray God to continue his goodnesse to them that know him and to vouchsafe us the favour to dwell for ever in his house Psalm 36.11 Eighthly and constantly the experience hereof should set us a longing our soules should long for the courts of Gods house and our hearts cry for the daily bread in Sion and we should constantly walke from strength to strength till we appearâ— before God in Sion Psalm 84 and the rather because besides the sweetnesse there is a plentifull reward in keeping Gods word Psalm 19.20 Secondly from hence we may be informed in two especiall things 1. Concerning the happinesse of the godly in this life notwithstanding all their afflictions and sorrowes Thou seest their distresses but thou seest not their comforts The stranger doth not meddle with their joyes Oh how great is the goodnesse of God in giving his people to drink out of the rivers of the pleasures in his house when he makes their eies to see the light in his light Psal. 36.8 9. Psal. 65.4 2. Concerning the office of Gods Ministers They are the perfumers of the world the Church is the perfuming-pan and preaching is the fire that heats it and the Scriptures are the sweet-waters Or the Church is the mortar preaching the pestle and the promises of God in Christ are the sweet spices which being beaten yeeld a heavenly and supernaturall smell in the soules of the godly hearers 2 Cor. 2.14 15. But then Ministers must take heed they corrupt not Gods VVord and see to it that their preaching be in sincerity and as of God and in the sight of God in Christ and with demonstration of the truth to mens consciences 2 Cor. 2.17 else any Preacher will not serve the turne And in both these respects Ministers have reason to cry out with the Apostle Oh! who is sufficient for these things If every Sermon must leave so sweet a savour behind it in the hearts of the hearers and in the nostrils of God too who can bee without the speciall assistance of God fit for these things Lastly this may serve for singular reproofe and terror to the wicked and that in divers respects First for such as are mockers and call sweet sowre that is speake evill of the good word of God Secondly for the miserable neglect of that they should account the life of their life Alas whither shall we goe or what is this miserable and wretched life if we want the sweet comforts of the word To dwell without the word is to dwell in the parched places of the wildernesse and this Ministery is the more dangerous in such or to such as are daily invited and have all things ready made and yet will not inwardly obey Gods calling nor profit by the meanes but find excuses to shift off the invitation of God How justly may that curse be inflicted upon them these men shall never taste of my supper Luke 14.17 c. 24. Thus much of the second doctrine Doct. 3. The third doctrine out of these words may be this that such as find a true taste of the sweetness of God in his VVord may conceive hopefully that their soules doe and shall prosper and growe There is no doubt to be made of our growth if once we come to feele the sweetnesse of the VVord For the clearer understanding of this doctrine I must answer two questions Quest. First what this true taste is Secondly whether this taste may not be in wicked men Answ. For the first A true taste of the sweetnesse of the VVord and Gods graciousnesse in it may bee knowne both by the cause and by the effects The cause of this taste is faith for by faith onely doth the soule taste Or that thing that raiseth so sweet a rellish in our hearts is a perswasion in particular of the graciousnesse of God to us even of that graciousnes which the VVord doth discover The effects of this taste are three For first it revives the heart and raiseth it from the dead and frames it to bee a new creature working an unsained change in the heart of man from the world and sinne to the care of Gods glory and salvation of their owne soules and thus it is called A savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.15 Secondly it sesleth in the heart an estimation of the VVord and spirituall things and the assurance of Gods favour of all earthly things in the world Phil. 3.9 Psal. 84.10 Thirdly this taste workes a heavenly kind of contentment in the heart so as the godly when they have found this are abundantly satisfied they have enough Psal. 36.10 and 95.4 For the second question concerning wicked men and their rellishing of the sweetnesse of the VVord I say two things First that the most wicked men are without spirituall senses and finde no more taste in God or his VVord than in the VVhite of
an egge they savour not the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 2.13 Of this afterwards But yet it may not be denied but that some wicked men may goe so farre as to taste of the good VVord of God and of the powers of the life to come and of heavenly gifts as the Apostle granteth Heb. 6.5 6. Quest. Now there-hence ariseth a great question what should bee the difference betweene this taste in wicked men and the true taste in godly men Answ. For answer hereunto divers differences may be given First in the things tasted there is a difference For wicked men may have common graces yea and miraculous gifts too by imposition of hands and these are a great taste given them of the glory of Gods Kingdome but they never taste of saving graces or if a taste of saving graces were granted yet they taste as it were of the River running by them but not of the Fountain whereas the godly have the very Spring of grace flowing in them Secondly in the time of tasting This taste in wicked men is but for a season it cannot hold long in them and therefore is their faith and joy said to be temporary whereas godly men may keep their taste to their dying daies not only in the gifts of saving graces but in the very sense of the sweetnesse of Christ and the word too c. Thirdly in the manner of tasting For wicked men may taste of the Gospell and Religion by senses or by a dimme kind of contemplation or by a sudden illumination as by a flash of lightning but they cannot taste with their hearts clearly by Faith Or thus wicked men may in the generall taste that is know and believe that the Mystery of Christ is true but they cannot taste or know this Mystery with particular and sound application as theirs Fourthly in the grounds of this taste or delight For a wicked man perswaded by false reasons setled in the common hope or transported with an high conceit of some temporary and common gifts and graces may be much delighted and joyed in the word and the thought of going to heaven for a time but he never rightly applyed the promises of grace in Christ nor doth he ever possesse so much as one infallible signe of a child of God Fiftly in the effects and consequents of tasting for 1. A wicked man may taste but he never digests an evill conscience casts up the food againe or choakes and poisons it whereas in godly men their taste abides in them and they digest the food they receive The vertue of it continues with them 2. A godly man is transformed and made another man by this taste so is not the wicked man it is not a savour of life to the wicked 3. A true taste in the godly workes as is before noted a high estimation and sound contentment so as the godly place the felicity of their lives in this communion with God and his word But that can never a wicked man doe Sixtly and lastly wicked men may seeme to taste and yet doe not Many men professe Religion and delight in the word and in Religion and so religious duties who yet never did attaine to it but constantly found a wearinesse secret loathing and many times a secret and inward ill savour in the word and in the duties of Religion so as the taste is more in their mouthes when they talke with others then in their hearts when they are afore God It will not be amisse particularly to cleare that place in the Hebrewes in all the three instances of tasting First they are said to taste of heavenly gifts so they doe when they have common graces as sometimes some kindes of faith joy hatred of some sinnes love of Ministers or some godly praises for some ends c. Or when they have miraculous gifts confirmed by imposition of hands or otherwise as they had in the primitive times and these gifts are excellent and heavenly because they are mighty by the Spirit of God and came downe from the Father of spirits but saving graces they cannot have Secondly wicked men may taste of the Spirit and good Word of God by feeling some sudden flashes of joy either out of admiration of the meanes of delivering or froÌ„ some generall conceit of the goodness of Gods praises Iob 23.12 and the happiness of the godly Psal. 119.23 24 50. But they can get no such taste of the word as to desire it as their appointed food constantly Psal. 119.14 72. Or to make it their greatest delight in affliction or to love it above all riches 1 Thes. 1.5 or to receive it with much assurance in the holy Ghost or to redresse their wayes by it Ps. 119. 9 45 59. so as the taste of the word should put out the taste and rellish of sinne For let wicked men be affected as much as they will their taste of sinne will remaine in them I meane the taste of their beloved sinnes nor can he deny himselfe and forsake his credit friends pleasures profits much lesse life it selfe for the Gospels sake Mark 10.29 Thirdly wicked men may taste of the powers of the life to come by joying at the thoughts that they shall goe to heaven and pleasing themselves in the contemplation of it But it is still a false taste for they have no sound evidence for their hope nor doe any marks of a child of God appâ—are in them nor can they alledge one sentence of Scripture rightly understood for the meanes of it The use of all this may be threefold First for Tryall All men should seriously try their estates in respect of this taste by pondering upon what is before written concerning the nature and differences of it Secondly it should worke exceeding thankfulnesse to God if wee have found this sound and secret taste in the Word we should every one and for ever say In the Lord will I praise his Word Psal. 56. Thirdly Here is matter of terror unto wicked men and that first to such of them that never felt any sweetnesse in the Word How should they be amazed to thinke of it that God doth from Sabbath to Sabbath restraine his blessings from them and as contemning them to passe by them and take no inward notice of them 2. But especially here is unspeakable terror to such as have had that taste in the sixt to the Hebrewes if they should ever fall from it as is there mentioned For if this taste goe out of thine heart take heed of the sinne against the holy Ghost For at the losse of taste begins that eternall ruine of these men If thou be not warned in time thou maist come to such a condition as it will be impossible for thee to bee renâ—ed by repentance Heb. 6. 5 6 7. But least this doctrine should be misapplied as it is sometimes by such as are distressed with Melancholy or vehement affliction of Spirit I will a little more
fully cleere the secret of that place about the sin against the holy Ghost and therefore wish that these things be observed First that it doth not follow necessarily that whosoever hath that taste there mentioned shall not be saved for men may have that taste and finding it ineffectuall goe on till they find a true taste That taste is dangerous if men fall away else there may be good use of those tastes For it brings men neare the kingdome of God and makes preparation for true Grace Secondly that the sinne against the holy Ghost cannot be committed but by such as have beene enlightned and have set themselves to attend upon the Word either by solemne profession outwardly before men or by inward attendance upon it Two sorts of men in our times are in danger of this sin that is Hypocriticall professors and those they call the wits of the World who afterwards fell to all Epicurisme Thirdly that the failing away there mentioned is not to bee understood of any particular falling into some one or a few sinnes but of an universall falling away from the care of all godlinesse and into such a condition as to dislike no sinne as it is sinne and to believe from the heart no part of the Gospell nor be afraid to wallow in the sinnes which formerly hee in a sort repented Fourthly there is in them a personall hatred of the Sonne of God they doe with the Iewes as much as in them lieth crucifie him againe loathing him and inwardly swelling or fretting against the doctrine of Christ and striving as farre as they dare in his Ordinances and people to put him to shame by scornings and reproaches or what way else they can Heb. 6.6 and Chap. 10.29 Fiftly they abhorre from their hearts the graces of the Spirit and loath them in the godly despighting the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 so as they persecute to their power the truth being carried with incurable malice against it And thus of the third Doctrine The fourth Doctrine that may be gathered out of these words is that it is but a taste of the sweetnesse of God we can attaine to in this life we cannot reach unto the thousand part of the joyes of Gods presence and favour in this world These are part of his waies but how little a portion is heard of him Iob. 26. ult Eye hath not seene nor Eare heard nor heart of man perceived the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 The comforts we feele in this life may well be likened to the taste both because wee have them but in small quantity and because they are quickly growne out of sense they are but of short continuance There may be three uses made of this point First it may quiet them that complaine out of Scruple of Conscience that their joyes they have be not right because they are so quickly lost whereas they must bee informed that the comforts the best men can get in this World are but a little 〈◊〉 given out of the Rivers of Gods plea 〈◊〉 Secondly it should make us the more out of love with this life and kindle in us the love of the appearing of Jesus Christ. Why desire wee to live so king oâ— Earth where we must drinke downe continually the bitter 〈…〉 and â—oâ—row and can get but now and then the taste of the comforts of a better life Why long we not to enjoy those pleasureâ— for evermore Psal. 17. ult Yea we may know how good it is to be in Heaven by the taste we have sometimes on Earth If it doe us such unspeakable ease and joy to 〈◊〉 of the sâ—eetnesse oâ— God for a little moment Oh how great then is that goodnesse God hath 〈◊〉 up from them that feare him Psal. 31.19 The smalnesse of the quantity and shortnesse of the continuance of our tast of the graciousnesse of God on earth should make us to use the meanes of communion with God with so much the more servency and frequency and humility Doct. 5. A fifth doctrine is that many in the Churches of Christians never so much as tasted of the sweetnesse of Gods grace and word and that may bee a cause why the Apostle speakes with an If as knowing it was a great question whether many of them had had experience of the sweetnesse of the Word Question Now if any aske what should be the cause that many Christians have so little sense of the sweetnesse of the word and Gods graciousnesse and goodnesse in the Word Answer I answer that it is First with many so because they want the ordinances of God in their power and life of them They want powerfull preaching some congregations have no preaching at all and many that have preaching have it not in the life and power The spices of the word are not beaten to the smell as they should be 2 Cor. 2.15 16. Secondly In others because the tast of the pleasures and profits and lusts of the world are in their hearts when they come to the word and so by the cares of life all sense of sweetnesse is beaten out Mat. 13. Luke 14.24 Thirdly It is in the most because they consider not their misery in themselves nor remember their latter end A man never knowes the sweetnesse of Christ crucified till he be pricked in his heart and afflicted for his sinnes and forlorne estate in himselfe by nature and till men know how to number their dayes they will never apply their hearts to wisdome Psal. 90.12 Fourthly some men are infected with superstition and the love of a strange god They prepare a table for the troope and therefore are hungry when Gods servants eat and vexed when they sing for joy of heart They cannot feele the sweetnesse of the Gospell their hearts are so poisoned with secret popery Esay 65.11 13. Fiftly Some men tast not of wisdomes banquet because they leave not the way of the foolish All sense is extinguished by the evill company they keep Prov. 9.6 Sixtly Too many Christians are poisoned with some of the sins mentioned in the first verse of this Chapter and that destroyes both tast and appetite in them Seventhly Some are fearefully delivered to a spirituall slumber the Justice of God scourging their impenitency and disobedience that made no use of his judgements and the remorses they felt before and so are in the case of the Jewes Rom. 11. Eighthly Because God doth for the most part reserve these tastes as the onely portion of his owne people and therefore never wonder though the common multitude attaine not to it Psal. 36.8 9. Lastly the best Christians are often much restrained in their tast of the sweetnesse of Gods favour and presence because they are not carefull enough to attend upon God in his ordinances they doe not seeke God and strive to finde Gods favour and presence in the meanes they heare and pray loosely with too much slacknesse and remisnesse
all these clouds and in the very dunghill of his unbeliefe and sinfulnesse can find out his owne part of faith In plaine tearmes there is no time after conversion but if a Christian were throughly sisted and put to it he would be found resolved in that point to rest upon the covenant of grace for all happinesse by Christ alone I say at all times in that part of him that is regenerate Christ can die in no man and if faith could die then should Christ also die in us seeing he liveth in us by faith A man may be without faith in the judgement of the world in his own judgement but never is without faith in the judgement of God A man may want this or that faith but not faith simply as that faith Luke 18. to rely upon God without failing and to call upon him with continuall perseverance as resolved that God will help us in that particular It is true If the Sonne of man come to search amongst men he shall scarcely finde that faith upon earth but yet a true faith in the generall he will find in the breast of every godly man and woman Peters faith did not faile when he denied his Master For Christ had prayed that his faith should not faile and was heard in that he prayed Shall not be confounded The Prophet Isaiah hath it thus He that beleeveth shall not make haste and it may be understood either as a precept Let him not make haste or as a promise He shall not make haste Men make haste two waies either in their behaviour when they runne headlong upon the duties they are to doe or when through impatience they will not tarry Gods leasure for their helpe and deliverance but fall to use unlawfull means and take that which comes next them without consideration of the lawfulnesse of it Now the beleever must avoid both these and God will in some measure sanctifie and guide the beleever thereunto The Apostle Paul Rom. 9.33 10.11 And the Apostle Peter in this place following the Greeke translation reade it He that beleeveth shall not be ashamed as in the Romans or confounded as here They swarve not from the meaning of the Prophet For by this tearme is avouched That the godly that beleeve shall never have cause to repent themselves or to fly from God to use ill meanes The holy Ghost then in this place is pleased to assure the beleever that he shall not be confounded To be confounded signifies sometimes to be reproached so Psal. 14.6 The wicked are said to confound the counsell of the godly that is they reproached it Sometimes it signifies to be daunted or dismayed Sometimes to be disappointed or broken in their purposes as Esay 19.9 10. Sometimes to be extreamly ashamed and so it is rendred Rom. 10.11 Sometimes to be put to a Non plâ—â— as Acts 9.22 Sometimes to be driven into amazement or wonder Acts 2.6 Sometimes to be brought into such a straite as one hath neither hope nor help 2 Cor. 4.8 9. Lastly it signifieth to perish utterly or to be undone or damned for ever and so confusion shall come to all that hate Sion or serve graven Images It is true that sometimes to be confounded is taken in the good sense and signifies either the affection of wonder as before Acts 2.6 or else a spirituall grace in the heart of a Christian by which his soule mourns and is abashed and ashamed with him And so there may be three reasons or rather causes assigned wherein the godly ought to be confounded As first in repentance for their sins of which these places intreat Ezech. 36.32 Ier. 31.19 Ezech. 16 61. and for this cause rebellious offenders must be noted their company shunned that they may be confounded in themselves for their sins 2 Thes. 3.14 and the Lord complaines that the people were not ashamed for their sins Ier. 6.15 Secondly when God or Religion or the godly are reproached and disgraced thus Psal. 44.15 16. Ier. 51.51 Thirdly the people that professe the truth doe erre through indiscretion or give offence or live in any grievous evill Esay 29.22 23. Ezra 9.6 7. Now because the confusion here mentioned is a misery God will turne away from the beleever therefore I will explaine that point and shew how many wayes God keeps the beleever from being confounded They shall not be confounded This God will make good unto them both in this life and in the day of Judgement In this life they shall not be confounded neither in respect of their outward estate nor in respect of their spirituall estate For their outward estate whether we respect their condition and credit or the meanes of their preservation For their credit God will doe one of these two things For either God will make them exceeding glorious and make them high in praises as Esay 49.2 3. or â—â— the least though they may passe through evill reports yet they shall not be utterly ashamed God will give them good report amongst the godly will greatly esteem them himselfe 2 Cor. 6.8 Heb. 11.2 Faith shall obtaine a good report And for the meanes of their preservation Either first God will save them from the temptations that fell on the world so as in the evill time they shall be provided for and preserved from distresse as Psal. 37.19 or else secondly God will not disappoint their trust but come to their succour and deliver them as Psal. 22.6 and 25.3 and Rom. 5.3 or else thirdly if God doe defer for a time hee will in the meane time refresh their hearts and lighten their faces with the comfort of his favour and presence as Psal. 34.6 Or else fourthly if the Lord let the affliction yet continue he will give theÌ„ strength to beare it and patience and magnaniâ—â—ity so as it shall be no great burthen to them as it is shewed of Christ Esa. 50.6 7. so of Paul Phil. 1.20 2 Tim. 1.12 Or else fiftly though they may be many wayes distressed yet they shall never be forsaken or perplexed so as to have cause to despaire They shall not be destroyed 2 Cor. 4.9 In all these senses they shall not be confounded in respect of their outward estate And for their spirituall estate they shall not be confounded and this may be shewed in divers things First in respect of illumination they shall not abide in darknesse Iohn 12.46 Secondly in respect of justification their sins are not imputed to them and the Lord so surely forgives the beleever that the conscience shal be satisfied with that propitiation is made in the bloud of Christ for it is not ashamed of the former evill waies because it beleeveth that they enjoy Gods pardon as if they had never been Zeph. 3.11 Thirdly in respect of Adoption because by beleeving they are made the sons of God so need not be ashamed at any time of their condition Ioh. 1.12 Fourthly in respect of accesse
Apostle expounds or applies the former testimony of Scripture which he urgeth both for the beleever and against the unbeleâ—ver The beleevers he cals upon to take notice of their felicity assuring them that that Scripture doth avouch that Christ is an incomparable treasure to them Concerning the unbeleevers he speaks terrible things whom he describes both by their sin and by their judgement The sinne is disobedience their judgement is to be considered as it is denounced first against their Leaders whom he cals Builders and then against the whole body of unbeleevers The plague upon the Builders is that the Kingdome of Christ shall be advanced in spight of their hearts they shall perish and be confounded but Christ shall raigne and flourish The plague upon the body of unbeleevers is that Christ shall be to them a stone of stumbling a rock of offence which is amplified by the consideration of the causes partly in themselves which is their stumbling at the Word and disobedience and partly in God who in his justice hath appointed them thereunto Thus of the order of the words Now before I come to the ful opening of each particular in these two verses I may observe divers things from the coherence and generall consideration of all these words First in that the Apostle doth not rest satisfied to alledge the Text but doth withall apply it it shewes the necessity of application We cannot profit by the Word if it be not laid particularly to our hearts as food doth not nourish if it be not eaten nor a medicine cure the disease if it be not taken nor a plaister heale the sore if it be not laid to it nor are our wants supplyed by comming to the market if we do not buy and carry home Which should work in us a sound care of application of the Word we heare or reade and withall it should waken us to a care of observing all the rules that may further us in applying which are these and such like First we must be carefull to understand rightly the Scriptures wee would apply this is the very foundation of all application that is profitable 2 Pet. 3. else we may grow perverse and wrong both the Word and our own selves Ob. But some private man might say This is hard how can we learne to know the cleer meaning of the Scripture and the sense of the Text Sol. For answer hereunto thou must know that there be divers rules that may help thee to understand or at least keep thee from wrong and dangerous mis-application First thou must be wise to sobriety not presume to know above what is meet nor to meddle with such secrets as should lead thee into knowledges that belong not to thy calling or are not evidently revealed in Scripture Secondly thou must have respect unto other Scriptures to take no sense that is contrary to other apparant Scriptures Thirdly thou must haue respect to the Analogie of faith to avoid all senses which oppose any article of faith or thy faith Rom. 12.3 Fourthly thou must avoid all doubtful disputations and unprofitable questions and vain â—anglings that tend not to edification and the salvation of thy soule and account it as a happinesse to be able to keep thy selfe free from intanglements therein And therefore stand at the doore of every opinion and before thou let it in ask this question What shall my soule be advantaged by this opinion at the day of Jesus Christ and if it cannot answer to it directly reject it Psal 119.66 David praies God to teach him good judgement and knowledge Fiftly let the publike Ministery of Gods servants be the ordinary rule of thy interpretation so long as no sense is taught there contrary to the former rules 1 Cor. 14.36 and where thou doubtest thou must seek the law at the Priests mouth and be very fearfull in any thing to be wiser than thy Teacher I meane to nourish private opinions which are not justified by publick doctrine Sixtly pray to God to teach thee and to give thee his Spirit to leade thee into all truth understanding is Gods gift 2 Tim. 2.7 and he will teach thee humbly his way Psal. 25. Thus of the first rule wee must first soundly understand the sense of the Scripture we would apply Secondly thou must bring a mind apt to be taught willing to be formed and to be all that which God would have thee to be thou canst never profit by application without a penitent mind a mind that will part with any sin God shall discover in thee and a mind carefull to observe the conditions required as well as the promise tendred Iames 1.21 This is indeed to glorifie the Word Thirdly it is an excellent help in application to follow the guiding of the holy Ghost in thy heart thou shalt finde in all doctrines a difference Some things read or heard have a speciall taste put upon them by Gods Spirit or a speciall assurance of them wrought at the time of reading or hearing Now thou must be carefull to take to thee these truths which the Spirit of God doth cause to shine before thee Eate that which is good Esay 55.2 Try all things and keep that which is good 1 Thes. 5.20 Fourthly know that serious and secret meditation upon the matter thou hearest is the principall nurse of fruitfull application it is but a flash can be had without an after and deliberate meditation and about meditation remember these rules 1. Let it be secret 2. Hee must let it be full Give not over till thou hast laid the truth up in thy heart take heed of that common deceit Psal. 119.45 of resting in the praise or liking of the doctrine be not a Judge against thine owne soule For if the doctrine be worthy of such praise why darest thou let it slip and run out Let not the devill steal it out of thy heart Mat. 13.20 or the cares of life choke it Luke 11.28 3. Let it be constant Be at the same point still from day to day till it be soundly formed and seated in thy heart How rich might many Christians have been if they had observed this rule Psal. 1.2 Psal. 119.3 5. Esayâ—6 â—6 9 Fiftly be wise for thy self take heed of that error of transposing thy applications say not This is a good point for such and such till thou have tried thine owne heart whether it belong not to thee Psal. 119.59 Pro. 9.7 Sixtly by any means be carefull of the seasons of doctrine be wise to understand the season There be many truths which if thou let passe the opportunity of informing of thy selfe thou maist perhaps never have it so againe and therefore take heed of losing precious things when thou hast the time and meanes to attaine them c. Thus of the first point The second thing is the speciall duty of Ministers to apply the Scriptures to the hearers that belong to their charge we see the Apostles
feare but he that is guilty of many treasons hath great reason to be extreamly confounded in himselfe and this is thy case Secondly thy disobedience is the more grievous because thou hast received abundance of blessings from God who hath by them wooed thee to repentance and this will heap much upon thee Rom. 2.4 Esay 1.3 Thirdly thou must consider all the meanes thou hast had of amendment God hath planted thee in his garden the Church hee hath commanded his vine-dresâ—ers to bestow the paines and apply the meanes of growth to thee If now thou be not fruitfull this will be pleaded against thee which art still a barren figâ—tree Luke 13.6 Fourthly it increaseth thy disobedience that thou hast been guilty of divers hâ—inous and soule evils as if thou have been a drunkard a filthy person a blasphemer of the Name of God a man of blood or the like Fiftly the continuance in sin thou hast long abused the patience of GOD and this heaps coales of further indignation against thee Rom. 2.4 5. and the rather because thy heart hath been to sin for ever for there is in the heart of unregenerate men a desire to sin for ever and it is a griefe to them to think that at any time they should not be able to live in sin still Sixtly thou hast offended against thine own vowes and covenants and the promises thou hast made to God both in baptisme and the communion and in other passages of thy life Seventhly it increaseth thy offence that thou hast dealt wickedly in the land of uprightnesse Esay 26.11 There thou hast offended where thou hast had the example of the godly to shew thee a better course It is ill to sinne any where though in Babel but it is worse to transgresse in Sion or Jerusalem even in the glorious Churches of Jesus Christ. Eighthly thy incorrigiblenesse adds to the heap of sin though the Lord hath afflicted thee yet thou hast not learned obedience by the things thou hast suffered but thou hast made thy heart like an adamant so as thou wouldst not return Ier. 5.2 3. Ninthly it is yet more that thou hast beene so farre from reforming thine own life that thou hast scorned and reproached the good conversation of the godly thou hast spoken evill of the good way of God Thus and many other wayes may the sinner charge his owne heart and thereby prepare himselfe to returne to the Lord while there is yet hope For if thou wouldest returne with all thy heart and take unto thee words and confesse thy sins and pray for forgivenesse and mourne before the Lord and turne away from thy owne wickednesse the Lord would shew mercy and the obedience of Christ would heale thy disobedience and God would love thee freely and the bloud of Christ would cleanse thee from all thy sins Hos. 14. Esay 55.7 1 Ioh. 1.7 and while it is yet to day the Lord sendeth to thee and beseecheth thee to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.19 21. Consider that God hath been with thee all this while having sent many others to hell for their sins and there is hope of forgivenesse the Lord hath received great offenders to mercy as the Israelites that often fel away from him Iudges 10. and Mary Magdalene and Peter and David and the thiefe upon the Crosse Consider that God hath offered thee thy pardon in the Sacrament Feare the Lord therefore and his goodnesse and returne with all thy heart and iniquity shall not be thy ruine Hitherto of their sin their punishment followes and so first upon their rulers and leaders in these words The stone which the Builders refused is become the Head of the corner Which words are taken out of Psal. 118.22 where they are used by the Prophet David and here quoted by the Apostle Peter The words have a double sense for they did concerne both David and Christ. As they concerned David this was the meaning that though the Nobles and Courtiers did despise and reject and oppose David yet sâ—ch was Gods providence that the man whom they rejected God made King of Israel and the chief stay and support of that State Now for this sense of the words divers things may be noted First that God hath raised up great men in the Common-wealth for this end that they might seeke the publique good and imploy their labours for the building up and prosperity of the State Which should both teach great men to think of their duties and the accounts they must make to God aâ— also it should teach the people to pray the more heartily for them and to obey them in all lawfull things Secondly wee may hence gather the imperfection of all humane things For in that earthly Kingdomes need building up still it shews that they attain to no perfection but at the best are still in progresse Thirdly that many times great men wilfully oppose the right and set themselves against the righteous and resist the will of God Which should teach us not to place our confidence in the great men of this world nor to be alwaies led by their example in opinions Fourthly that God will find out the wickednesse of great men and bring them to confusion God accepts not persons hee hateth sin in great men as well as in mean men and will crosse and confound their godlesse ungodly counsels Fiftly that God takes to himselfe the power to dispose of earthly Kingdomes and to give Kings and Rulers at his owne pleasure It was the Lords doing and it was marvellous that David should become the Head of the corner Psal. 118.23 The Lord pleads it as a part of his soveraigtny and prerogative to set up Kings By me Kings raigne Pro. 8. Which should teach Princes and Judges and Nobles to doe homage to God and acknowledge him for their Soveraign therefore serve him with fear Ps. 2. And it should teach the people to give honour and tribute and custome and obedience for conscience sake to their Rulers seeing the power that is is of God Rom. 13. Now as these words were understood in the case of David so was David herein a type of Christ and so the words are to be understood in the case of Christ also as our Saviour himselfe applies them Mat. 21. and as it is evident to be the meaning of the Apostle here And it is the drift of the Apostle to strengthen weak Christians against the scandall that might arise from the opposition of the Kingdome of Christ. For it might trouble amaze them to consider how Christ was opposed by the Scribes Pharises who were the great learned men of the time and such as were eminent in the Church and in the account of the most men were the chief persons that took care for Religion and the state of the Church and did excell all other sorts c. Now that this scandall might be removed he shews in these words First that nothing did therein fall out but what
or in particular it should note the sinnes of the stubborne Jewes who offended in word when they blasphemed Christ and denyed him But I rather take it as here it is translated and so it notes the causes why many men fall into scandall and from thence into despaire viz. because they bring ill hearts to the Word of God they have mindes that are rebellious and will not be subject to the Gospell but intertaine it with diseased and cavilling mindes Those persons are likely not to receive any good by Christ that quarrell at the word of Christ. Now that this may not be mistaken or neglected I will shew first what it is not to stumble at the Word leâ—t some weake ones should be dismayed then secondly how many waies wicked men stumble at the Word For the first To be grieved in heart for the reproofes of the Word is not an offence but a grace so wee are troubled not with dislike of the Word but of our owne sinnes Secondly to inquire of the truth and that which is delivered and to trie the doctrine by turning to the Scriptures as the Bereans did this is not condemned here nor is it a stumbling at the Word to put a difference betweene the teaching of Christ and the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees Secondly but men are said to be offended at the Word when their hearts rise against it or they ensnare themselves through their owne corruption by occasion of the Word To speake distinctly wicked men are offended at the Word with a threefold offence First with the offence of anger when they rage and fret at the Word or the teachers thereof because their sinnes are reproved or their miseries foretold And this offence they shew either when they envie the successe of the Word Acts. 4.2 or raile and revile Gods Saints as Ahab did Michaiah for telling him the truth or when they mocke at the Word as the Pharisees did Luk. 16.14 Secondly with the offence of scandall when they take occasion from the doctrine they heare to fall off from hearing or from the true religion or from the company of the godly Thus they stumbled at those hard sayings of Christ that departed from him for that cause or reason Ioh. 6. Thirdly with the offence diabolicall when men pervert the good word of God to inflame themselves the more greedily to sinne making it a doctrine of liberty or taking occasion to commit sin from the Law that rebukes sinne Uses The use may be first for information and so two wayes For first we may hence see the reason why many hearers profit not by the Word It is not because the Word wants power but because they stumble at it They nourish cavils and objections against it they oppose reason to faith Secondly we may hence take notice of the difference of a regenerate and unregenerate heart To the one the Word is a savour of life to the other it is a deadly savour and full of offence to them And withall this may humble wicked men For this is a sure truth that so long as they are offended at the Word so long they have no part in Christ and withall it may comfort all those that love the Word and receive it with joy constantly For that is a meanes and signe of their interest in Christ. Being disobedient These words containe another cause why Christ was no better rellished by them and why they found such an ill taste in the word of Christ it was the wickednesse that was in them Sinne had marred their tastes Sweete meates have but an ill rellish with those who have corrupt and diseased stomackes and the cause is apparent the ill humors in their stomackes and nothing in the meates they eate But of their disobedience before and therefore this shall suffice in this place And thus of the cause in themselves The cause in God followes Whereunto they were appointed There is much difference of the reading of the originall words in the translations Some read thus They stumble at the Word and beleeve not in him in whom they are placed or set and expound it thus In whom they live move and have their being some read in stead of disobedient They beleeved not but for these words read them as here But then their meaning is that the Jewes beleeved not though they were thereunto appointed that is though they had the promise of salvation and were a people separate thereunto and so it is an aggravation of their unbeliefe This sense and reading is not to be despised But I take it as I find it in the translation and so the sense is That these men whether Jews or Gentiles that are here spoken of were appointed to this misery by the decree of God and so they are words that expresse the substance of this part of Gods decree which Divines call Reprobation And so it is to bee observed from hence That wicked men are appointed from everlasting to the enduring of the miseries which are inflicted upon them in this life or in hell This is a doctrine which is extreamly distasted by flesh and blood and proves many times more offensive to the common people and is alwayes to be reckoned as strong meat and therefore that I may fairely get off this point I offer two things to your considerations First the proofes that plainly avouch so much as is here observed Secondly I will set downe certaine infallible observations which tend to quiet mens minds and perswade them against the seeming difficulty or absurdity of this truth For the first the Apostle Iude saith that the wicked men he treateth of were of old ordained to this condemnation Iude 4. and the Apostle Peter saith that the ungodly were reserved unto the day of judgement to bee punished 2 Pet. 2.9 and vers 12. he saith that they are naturall brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed and it is manifestly implied 1 Thess. 5.8 that God hath ordained wicked men to wrath so Rom. 9.22 For the second though this doctrine seeme wonderfull hard yet to assure us there is no hard dealing at all in God there be many things may confirme us and ease our mindes though for the present we cannot understand how this should be and perhaps are much troubled about this point and therefore seriously consider First for thy selfe that if thou have truly repented and doe beleeve in Jesus Christ and hast in thee the signes of a child of God for thy part thou art free from this danger and out of all question art in safe estate and therefore oughtest not to grieve but rejoyce with singular praise to God Secondly seeing God hath comforted us with many doctrines and trusted us with many cleere points of knowledge can we not be contented that God should speake darkely to us in one point especially when wee are told beforehand that there is an Abyssus a depth yea many depths in this doctrine Shall we bee wayward because
God and mans salvation and so it is an argument taken from the hatâ—â—ulnesse of the flesh and her working in us The lusts and desires of the flesh ought to be hatefull and we should suspect and abstaine from the projects of the flesh if we consider 1 That the flesh savoureth not the things of God Rom. 8. 2 That she opposeth all good wayes partly by objecting against them and partly by making evill present when we should performe them 3 That her wisdome is against God her fairest reasons are pleaded for things that are hatefull to God such also are her excuses and extenuations and promises 4 That if shee be followed she will lead us by degrees into all abominations as whoredomes murders debates heresies c. these are her fruits Gal. 5. 5 She will betray us to Sathan that he may by himselfe set up strong fortifications in our soules and her treason is the more dangerous because shee is a domesticall enemy and by his working in secret our hearts may become a very cage or stie of uncleane spirits 6 She hath already spoiled the Image of God in us and made us looke most deformedly 7 If shee once get power shee is most tyrannicall no respect of credit profit no nor salvation it selfe can stirre shee will be served whatsoever come of it 8 We should abhorre her for the very mischiefe she doth to our posterity we cannot looke upon our children but wee may see what wofull hurt shee hath done by the infection they received in their propagation Uses The use may be First for reproofe of such as lay the blame of their faults upon their evill lucke or evill counsell or the divell whereas they ought to lay the fault upon their oâ—ne flesâ— even their owne ill nature The divell noâ— the world could never hurt us if the flesh did not betray us by defect or consent or evill action Secondly for information We may see what we should mortifie and abstain from Religion doth not binde men to mortifie the substance of the flesh but the lusts of the flesh we are not to destroy any faculty of the soule or in the soule or part of the body but the inordinate appetite and desires of either we are not to abstaine from the necessary meanes of life as house lands diet apparell company c. but the evill concupiscence about these Thirdly for instruction It should teach us therefore to restraine the flesh as much as we can and therefore we shall with the same labour restraine the lusts of the flesh and to this end 1 Wee must with all feare and jealousie watch our owne natures as mistrusting 2 We must silence the flesh and not suffer it to plead for sinne 3 Wee must by a daily course of mortification judge the flesh that so wee may be as it were condemned in the flesh 4 We must keepe from it what may pamper it as idlenesse excesse of diet apparell recreation c. Which warre against the soule These words may bee considered either in their coherence or in themselves in their coherence and so they are the third reason taken from the evill effects of those lusts In themselves there are two things to be opened both what the soule is and what this warre in the soule is The point is cleare that fleshly lusts do much hurt the soules of men and so both the soules of wicked men and of godly men First of wicked men These lusts hurt their soules 1 Because they provoke the wrath of God upon them The Israelites were not estranged from their lusts and therefore the wrath of God came upon them Psal. 78.29 30 31. 2 Because they make us resemble the divell Ioh. 8.44 3 Because they hinder the power of the Word from them they will never come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3.6 4 Because it brings the soule in bondage so as all the conversation of the soule is in a manner about those lusts of the flesh Eph. 2.2 5 Because they make all their prayers abominable Iam. 4. 6 Because sometimes they are scouâ—ged with a reprobate mind being given up to their lusts Rom. 1. 7 Because they may drowne the soule inperdition 1 Tim. 6.9 If godly men entertaine these inward evills in their thoughts and affections many evills will follow 1 They hinder the Word 2 They grieve the good Spirit by which they are sealed to the day of redemption 3 They harden the heart and blind the understanding 4 They hinder good cuties Gal. 5.17 5 They wound the soule 6 They make the mind soule and lothsome they defile 7 They may bring outward judgements upon thee or inward terrours of conscience Use. The use may bee partly to declare the misery of such Christians as are fallen away from the acknowledgement of the truth by intertaining these lothsome lusts of whose fearfull estate at large 2 Pet. 2.18 to the end Partly it should worke in all the godly obedience to the Counsell of the Apostle here in abstaining from these lusts as grievous hurts to the soule or their soules they shouâ—d put on the Lord Jesus in sincerity and never more take care to fulfill these lusts of the flesh Rom. 13.13 Thus of these words in the coherence The sense will be more full if wee consider more at large two things in the words First what the soule is Secondly what this warre in the soule is Two things have made the inquirie about the soule exceeding difficult The first is the nature of the soule For it is a spirituall essence and therefore wonderfullhard to be conceived of There be three things cannot fully be conceived of or defined by man first God secondly an Angel and thirdly the soule of man Now besides this transcendencie as I may call it of the soule the fall of man and custome in sinne and the remainders of corruption in the best have made this doctrine so hard that wicked men scarce discerne that they have a soule and godly men are very ignorant and impotent in conceiving the condition of the soule This word Soule is diversly accepted in Scripture for it signifies sometimes The life of man as Matt. 6.25 Be not carefull for your soules what yee shall eate c. Christ because looke what the soule is to the body that is Christ to the whole man so Psal. 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell that is Christ Act. 2.25 29 c. and 13.35 36. The dead bodies Levit. 19.28 The whole man to Gen. 46.26 by a Synecdoche But here it signifies that part of man which is called his spirit By the soule then we understand that part of man which is invisible and invisibly placed within the body of man Now the things which are fit for us to inquire into and know concerning the nature and excellency of the soule may be comprised briefly in this description of the soule The soule of man is a substance incorporeall invisible
for ever because it is the forme of the body Though God for the time doe by his power and race provide for the soule in glory yet it is not at full happinesse till it bee joyned to the body againe For without the body it hath no use of vegetation or senses but onely of reason But for the Argument of the Apostle it holds good of that part of man which is in question which is the body of man for the bodies of godly men are more miserable than other men kept under and exposed to many restraints and paines either by mortification or persecution which the bodies of wicked men are not exposed unto Ob. 3. It is said of the spirit of Princes that it returneth to his earth and in the day of death his thoughts perish So the soule thinkes of nothing after death till the day of judgement Sol. The place is corruptly alledged two wayes One in the words the other in the sense for the text doth not say That his spirit returneth to his earth but thus His spirit returneth viz. out of his body to God and he not it returneth to the earth viz. in respect of his body for the other these words His thoughts perish must not be understood of his understanding after death but of his projects while he lived For men are exhorted not to trust in Princes for they may die and then all their promises and projects will bee of no use and come to nothing Ob. 4. It is said that the dead cannot praise God Psal. 87. and 113. and 30. Sol. That the soules of the godly in heaven do praise God is manifest Rev. 5.11 13 14. and 19.1 Now the Scriptures cannot be contrary one to another and therefore the places in the Psalmes must not bee taken simply but only in some respect The dead do praise God but not as the living did in their lives their praises cannot provoke other men to beleeve in God or serve him as in this life they might Thus of the immortality of the soule The next thing to be inquired after is about the originall of the soule and about this point in severall ages divers men have breathed divers and strange conceits erring because they knew not or regarded not the Scriptures First some conceived so highly of the soule as to thinke it was no creature but uncreated and eternall without beginning but this must needs be false 1 Because then the soule should bee God and infinite too for God onely is uncreated 2 Because then the soule had understanding and thoughts and willed from eternity whereas till it was in our bodies it did not worke and to imagine it should be as a dead lumpe all that while is monstrously absurd Secondly others have conceived that when men die their soules goe into the bodies of other men that be borne and so our soules heretofore were the soules of some men that be dead This was the opinion of divers of the Philosophers And it is apparent that divers of the Jewes were infected with it for about Christ they said Some that he was Elias some that he was Ieremias and some one of the Prophets and some Iohn Baptist. Now they saw that his body was not theirs and therefore they thought that his soule was the soule of some of them Now this opinion cannot be true 1 Because no Scripture gives any notice of it for in that place the conceit of the Jewes is told with dislike 2 Because the soules that were delivered out of the miseries of this life should be brought from their blessednesse into miserie againe which is most absurd Thirdly others have imagined that the Angels should beget our soules as our parents beget our bodies but this is extreamly absurd 1 Because then our soules should be in the Image of Angels whereas they were made in the Image of God 2 Because this was an heresie long since condemned and with hatred cast out of the Church Fourthly many Divines both of ancient and moderne Writers have declared themselves to be of the mind that the soule comes from the parents by generation per traducem and that the parents doe beget the whole man which consists of soule as well as body Now though it be true that this opinion hath had and still hath great patrons and that it may not be denied but that it is defended with marvellous great appearance of reason and truth yet it is rejected and hath beene by the greater part of sound Divines and by reasons unanswerable for if the soule come from the parents then it must come either from the body of the parents or from their soules Now it is apparent it cannot come from their bodies 1 Because a bodily substance cannot beget a spirituall substance because it cannot derive from it selfe that which it hath not 2 Because the soule must consist of the foure elements of which the body is compounded but it is apparent there are no bodily humours in the soule for it is not hot nor cold nor moist nor drie 3 Because nothing that is mortall can beget a thing that is immortall such as the soule hath been proved to bee Nor can the soule come from the soule of the parents First because if it did either the whole soule was derived of the parents or but a part of it If the whole soule was derived then the parents should die nor can a part of the soule be derived because the soule is indivisible there can be no partition in an essence which is simple and uncompounded Secondly we know that Angels produce not Angels nor can the soules of men produce soules because they are spirits as the Angels are Nor can the soule come from the whole man First because it is evident by experience that after the parents have done the worke of generation the first matter lies divers daies in the wombe in which the parts of the body are secretly formed before it have life or a living and quickning soule which is an evident demonstration that from the parents comes nothing but the bodily substance which is fashioned by degrees to be a meeâ—e Tabernacle for the soule afterwards to be infused into Secondly because if the parents did propagate the soule they must propagate such a soule as at that time they had which cannot be for then godly parents should derive a soule to their children which at the least in part was regenerate But this is evidently against all Scripture all confessing that the child is borne infected with originall sinne Thirdly because it is contrary to the Scriptures which acknowledge that the soule was formed by God himselfe which was true both of our first parent Adam Gen. 2.7 and of the soules of all his posterity which are expresly said to be made by God Esa. 57.16 Lastly it remaines then that the soules come from God Now if the soules come from God then it must needs be as God is the materiall cause or
savours God hath caused to arise from divers of his creatures and to avoid things by savour noysome to the body Fifthly and touching though it be the most stupid sense yet is it of great use for the safety of the body All these senses are as a guard for the body and as Intelligencers for the Soule Thus of the outward senses The soule worketh likewise inward senses upon and by the body and the generall use of these inward senses is to receive and lay up what is brought unto them by the outward senses for the outward senses are like servants that trade abroad and get together the images of divers things which they carry with them home to the inward senses Now there are three inward senses 1 The common Sense 2 The Phantasie 3 The Memory And these are lodged in three severall roomes or little cells in the braine First the common sense lieth in the former part of the head and containes all that store by which all the outward senses are furnished For spirits fetch the vigour of each sense from this the common sense As the lines that goe to the circumference meet all in the Center so doe all the outward senses meet in the common sense And hither likewise are all the formes of things taken by the outward senses brought and distinguished Secondly the phantasie is lodged in the middle part of the braine where as in a shop it takes in the Images of things brought to the common sense and there formes them more exactly and oftentimes makes new after an admirable manner by thinking and then after it hath separated what it likes not it delivers the rest over to the memory which is lodged in the hinder part of the braine which is as it were the treasurie to keepe what the Phantasie as a Judge hath sentenced to her keeping the common sense being but as the doore-keeper unto the Phantasie And these three senses differ in the ability to receive and keepe the impression of the images of things brought to them For the common sense is seated in the more soft part of the braine and so not able to keepe them long as waxe over-soft doth not long keepe the impression of the seale The pantasie is placed in a harder part of the braine and therefore keepes the impression longer But the memory is placed in the hardest part of all and behind in the head further off from the concourse and trouble of the outward senses and by reason of the stifnesse of the braine it keepes the impression longest Now that naturall heat with the animall spirits is like a fire to keepe the braine soft in the degrees thereof that it may receive the impression as hot water the waxe fit to be marked Thus of the senses But before I passe from them it is profitable to note certaine things which befall the senses for the good of the body and soule and that is the binding and loosing of the senses For God hath so tempered the state of the senses in man that they should neither alwaies rest nor alwaies worke Hence from their resting comes sleepe and from their working comes waking or watching We make when the senses are loose sleep when the soule binds them up both are thus wrought when the vegetative power wants helpe for concoction of the meate the naturall heate is sent from the senses to dispatch that worke and then we sleepe and when that is done the heat returnes to the senses and tickles them and so they awake But it is to be observed that though in sleepe the common sense and so the outward senses are all bound yet the phantasie and memory doe not cease but being now freed from the attendance upon the intelligences of them or the outward senses as if they were at more liberty they are exercised more freely and often fall to new forming and compounding of the images brought in before by the common sense and so erect a new frame of things which are vented and expressed by dreaming In which a secret and admirable working of God by the soule may appeare if wee consider the strange things are fashioned in our imagination in our sleepe yea the reasonable soule in sleepe comes into this shop of the phantasie and there doth strange workes which as I said are vented in our dreames in which we finde as effectuall use of reason as we had waking Thus of the soule as it worketh apprehension Now followeth it to consider how the soule workes motion upon the body It is out of all doubt that motion in the body is from the soule For of it selfe it is but a dead lump as it shewes it selfe to be when the soule is gone out of it Now the soule gives unto the body a threefold motion First the vitall motion Secondly the motion of appetite Thirdly the motion from place to place The vitall motion given to the body by the soule is wrought two wayes both by the pulse and by breathing both of absolute necessity to preserve life in the body The motion of pulse is begunne at the heart which is made continually to beat by the soule which beating of the heart begets those sparkles which wee call vitall spirits arising out of the finest of the blood which spirits are carried by the pulse thorow the arteries and they shine in the whole body according as their passages are more or lesse open Breathing is another strange motion of the soule in the body by which both aire is fetcht in continually for the cooling of naturall heat in the heart and other members and the spirits refreshed and also the grosse and more smoakie spirits are exhaled out of the breast Thus of the vitall motion The motion of appetite is a contrary commanding motion in the creature by which hee is inclined to take to him such things from without as hee conceives good and needfull for him and so likewise to avoid things hurtfull and so the soule begets divers appetites and desires as the desire after food which we call hunger and thirst and the desire after procreation and the appetites we call affections or passions so farre forth as they are seated upon the body and exercised by instruments in the body such as in generall breed sorrow or pleasure or passivenesse in us such as are joy griefe anger and the rest c. It were too difficult and too tedious for popular reaching to shew in particular and distinctly how the soule admirably worketh about each of these The motion from place to place is the last and this is a strong worke of the soule driving on the body to the motion of the whole or of some part of the body The body cannot remove it selfe but it is of the soule that it is stirred up and downe for when the soule is gone it can move no longer And in vain were appetites or desires given to the creatures if this motion from place to place were not given because
without it it could never compasse things desired Hitherto of the working of the soule upon the body and those strange things it doth in the body by the faculties of vegetation and sense It is true that those things are done by the soules of brute creatures but as their soules differ exceedingly from the glory and excellency of the soules of men so are the effects upon their bodies but certaine glimpses of those things which are done exactly by the soules of men I meane in respect of the inward senses of phantasie and memory there is in beasts but onely a darke shadow of them in comparison of what is in men But for the third faculty of the soule which is reason therein men excell all creatures in this visible world and it is profitable for us to know what God hath done for us in our soules generally considered above all other creatures And so man excells in respect of his reasonable soule 1 In that he can conceive of things by the light of understanding as well as by sense This light is admirable whether we conceive of it as proceeding from God who shines upon the soule as the Sunne doth upon the body or whether wee beleeve it to be a light conferred upon the understanding by which from within it discernes things 2 In that it can conceive of things that never were in the senses as things absent that never were seene yea things altogether immateriall as Angels and vertues and vices 3 In that it can conceive of the nature of God and discerne God from his workes 4 In that it can conceive of things by a discerning reflexion as it can conceive of it selfe and understand that it doth understand 5 In that it can distinguish betweene good and evill truth and falshood I say of the morall goodnesse of things whereas the phantasie can judge onely of so much of the naturall goodnesse of things as they shew to the outward senses 6 In the largenes of the extent of our understanding For the understanding can in a small moment of time go almost over the whole world and view it all as it were at once whereas the senses are forced in within a narrow compasse 7 In that it can invent things that never were in beeing and thus wee see daily what strange things for number and skill are invented for the use of the life of man by art and skill of mans understanding in every calling of men 8 In that the reasonable soule governes and appoints and crosseth and fetters and alters and rectifies the other faculties of vegetation and sense and in respect thereof can turne and tame and rule and order all sorts of other creatures 9 In that by begetting with strange variety it can make knowne what images are within whether begotten by the senses or by the minde it selfe 10 In that it is the faculty by which onely true blessednesse is apprehended and attained 11 In that mans understanding is made after a sort all things For the understanding becomes the things understood in that it doth conceive a true and evident image of the thing to be understood so that as man is the Image of God so hath hee in him the images of all things printed as it were in his understanding This is a most dreadfull dignity in the soules of men yea herein he resembles God in the creation of the world for mans reasonable soule doth as it were forme worlds of things in it selfe If any object that the sensitive soule hath the images of things in it I answer two things First that the sense can receive only the images of a few things that is onely of such things as have colour found taste smell or touchable qualities but the minde can beget the images of all things Secondly that those images in the senses are dull and darke and confused in comparison of the likenesse of things in the minde 12 In that he hath a will in chosing or refusing things good or evill that cannot bee compelled The liberty of the will is inseparable to it in what it chooseth or refuseth for it implies a contradiction that the will should bee constrained 13 In that it hath in it that divine thing which we call conscience which is given to the soule as a guardian as it were to tend it from God the effects whereof are admirable in us for it testifies to our actions it accuseth or excuseth it comforts when we have well done above all outward comforts and it terrifieth and scourgeth the soule with unexpressible afflictions many times for sinne it is a Judge witnesse and executioner many times in us Now if the soule bee thus admirable in any estate for all these things are true of the reasonable soule even in the estate of corruption then how excellent was the estate of man in respect of his soule before the Fall and how doth it excell in the godly who have their soules enlightned with the light of faith and garnished with saving graces but especially how shall it exceed in glory when it shall be presented before God in the Kingdome of heaven So that as the whole man made in Gods image is as it were the visible God in this great world so the soule is as it were a little god in the lâ—sser world which is the body of man And thus much of the faculties of the soule Now the end of all this followes The Lord made the soule and endowed it with so excellent a being and so admirable faculties that so the Lord might in this visible world have a creature that would know him and serve him rightly The creatures without sense are Gods workmanship but discerne nothing of God or themselves or other things The creatures with sense discerne other things by sense but know nothing of God Now God made man as the abridgement of all he had made and gave him his soule of purpose that hee might discerne God aright and serve and worship and praise him Use 1. The consideration of the excellencie of the soule and of the end why it was created should stirre us up to make conscience of the service and knowledge of God it is as if we had never beene if wee answer not this end Wee should be fired to the observation and praise of God and of his love to man And withall it should make us wonderfull carefull of our soules since wee see they are such excellent creatures Our soule is more worth than all this visible world besides Especially it should fire us to a care of things that concerne the blessed immortality of our soules we should be forced to all possible care of all such things as might be provision for the eternall well-being of our soules And in particular the excellencie of the soule should disswade us from fleshly lusts and all inward impuritie by which the soule is defiled or wounded Hitherto of the description of the soule The warre against the soule is now
this is the divels speciall sinne to bee an accuser of the brethren and from thence hath his name in other languages And wilt thou make a devill of thy selfe or discover such a divellish property in this nature Fourthly if they consider the effect of this sin of reproaching slandering the godly either to the godly or to themselves First to the godly what mischiefe do they Evill words are compared to swords and razors It is a kind of murther it is as hatefull as if they did cut or pierce their bodies and besides to what grievous contempts and indignities many times doest thou bring them by thy lies and slanders Secondly to thy seâ—f consider what thou bringst by speaking evil of the godly 1. Though thou doe it never so secretly behind their backes yet it is over-heard and will come out how wouldest thou be ashamed if hee of whom thou speakest stood behind thee when thou didst slander him O man consider though the godly man never heare thee yet God doth heare it and all thou sayest thou must beare thy shame for it 2. Observe what interpretation God makes of it he cals this sin blasphemy for so the word is in the originall Col. 3.8 to note thereby that hee is vexed at this sinne of vilifying his people as if it were the reproaching of himselfe 3. Consider what a shame it will be to thee when God shall cleare the innocency of his servants how wilt thou be confounded when they are justified 4. Consider what hurt it doth thy self and others it is a great means to set you further off from the Kingdome of God and to harden your hearts against the cares of your owne reformation and salvation Evill words corrupt good manners Thou losest so much even of naturall honesty as thou admittest of evill in thy tongue 5. Consider the punishment from the Lord. This is a sinne that God hath grievously threatned as these places shew Psal. 50.20 and 109.29 Esay 51. 18. Psal. 31.18 Esay 41.11 12.1 Pet. 4.4 5. And as it is evill to speak evill of those that are godly as it appears by these reasons so it is monstrous to be guilty of speaking evill in any of the cases following as 1. To speak evill of the absent that cannot defend themselves 2. To speak evill of such as God hath humbled and afflicted and doe judge themselves for their sinnes 3. To speak evill of such as have been friendly to us and shewed their loving respect of us and done us good 4. To speak evill of our superiours as godly Magistrates good Ministers 5. To speak evill of such as are neerly linked unto us as of our parents and so it is monstrous uncomely when wives speak evill of their husbands and contrariwise 6. To speak evill of any simply for godliness sake 7. To speak evill of others and yet be guilty of the same offences themselves 8. And so it is monstrous when men speak evill of such behinde their backs to whom they speak fair before their faces this hooding of hatred and cursing with lying lips is abominable So then this doctrine against evill-speaking doth in a speciall manner light upon such persons as are guilty of any of those waies of evil-speaking And thus of the uses that concerne wicked men Secondly godly men bee also instructed from hence For since this doctrine tells them that it hath been the lot of godly men in all ages to bee evill spoken of in all places where they live they should thereby bee made carefull to order themselves aright in bearing reproaches in a right manner as resolved to prepare for the triall of this affliction if they be not scourged with it for as the divell when he gave over to tempt Christ is said to cease but for a season so if wicked men hold their tongues we must not think they will be quiet alwaies for till God turn their hearts they are apt to speak evill Now that a godly man may be rightly ordered in respect of reproaches hee must look to three things First he must be sure he be free from this evill himselfe that hee help not the wicked against the righteous and by his owne intemperance raise evill fames by reason of which Religion is evill-spoken of for railing cursing slandering censuring and the like will make the very godly look like wicked ones yea like the divell himselfe Shall it be accounted a Paganish offence and shall a godly Christian bee guilty of it Especially such Christians should be extremely abased for their evill natures that raise evill reports of other Christians in cases where wicked men themselves are silent Secondly that he carry himselfe in a holy manner when he is reproached and so he must remember two things 1. That hee render not reviling for reviling but if he find himselfe stirred with David to go to God and betake himself to praier Psal. 109.4.1 Pet. 3.9 2. That he strive to confute them by reall apologies and so he doth if hee endeavour to put them to silence by his good works and a carefull course of conversation Thirdly because the godliest men may have their passions and may bee stirred up with such indignations as appeares Ier. 8.18 21 he must labour to sense his owne heart with store of arguments that may make him patient comfortable under this crosse and thus it should comfort him to consider 1. That no reproaches can make him vile in God's sight how vile soever he seem to bee unto men yet in God's eyes he is honourable Esay 43.4 2. That thou art but as an evill doer not an evill doer It is not miserable To be as an evill doer but it is miserable To be an evill doer 2. Cor. 6.8 9. 3. This is not to resist unto bloud Heb. 12.3 This is a farre lesse crosse than hath been laid upon many of the best servants of God they have lost their lives in the defence of pure Religion 4. That howsoever it go with thee in this life yet in the Day of Jesus Christ thy innocencie shall bee cleared and thy faith and sincerity shall bee found unto praise and honour and glorie thou shalt have aboundant praise in that Day 1. Pet. 1.7 Thus of the use that concernes either wicked men or godly men There is yet a use that concerns all men and that is To take heed oâ— receiving evill reports against the godly for seeing it is so usuall for ill-minded men to devise and divulge evill reports of them all men should be wary and take heed of receiving the evill speeches that are bruited or spoken of any in the businesse of godlinesse The receiving of false reports is forbidden in Scripture as well as the devising or divulging of them Exod. 23.1 And it is made a signe of a wicked disposition To give heed to false lips and that man is himselfe a lyar that harkneth to a naughty tongue Pro. 17.4 And therefore God will plague in hell
not onely lyars but such as love lies Rev. 22.8 And a good man is said to have this property that he will not receive an ill report against his neighbour Psal. 15. And by receiving evill reports a man becomes accessary to the slander guilty of it for as it is true that the receiver of evil-gotten goods is accessary to the theft so is it in the case of slander somewhat worse for there may be theeves though there be no receivers but there can be no slanderers without some to receive the slander Neither is there any great difference betweene the tale-bearer and the tale-hearer for the tale-bearer hath the divell in his tongue and the tale-hearer hath the divell in his eare Quest. But what should wee doe to avoid tale-bearers or if wee do heare reproaches or slanders of other men Answ. As the North wind drives away the raine so must thy angry countenance do the slaundering tongue thou must not any way shew any liking of his discourse but the contrary yea and further thou must as farre as thou art able make an apologie for the godly man that is evill spoken of And the tongue of a godly wise man should be in this sense healthfull because it should be ready to heale that wound which the tale-bearer hath made in the name of his neighbour Prov. 12.18 and 25.23 Thus of the second reason The third and fourth reasons are contained in these last words viz. That they may by your good workes which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation The reasons are because God may visit them and if he do they will glorifie God upon the remembrance of your good workes But here I purpose to handle the words as they lie in the order of reading them and so I have foure things to consider of First of good workes secondly of the beholding of good workes thirdly of the glorifying of God fourthly of the day of visitation Good workes Divers observations are implied here First that Religion sets men to worke there is labour in godlinesse Hee must worke that will be truly godly or religious God entertaines no servants but he sets them to worke they are called to labour all the daies of their life Wee must worke out our salvation without working wee cannot be saved though our workes be not the cause of salvation This point proves that the Gospel is not a doctrine of liberty religion doth call men to working not to live as they lift but as he lists that died for them and requires their service And secondly this doctrine shewes who is a true Christian. For as the Scripture is wont to describe a profane man by saying that he is a worker of iniquity so doth it avouch that hee is a godly man that worketh truth and righteousnesse Psal. 5. Prov. 14.23 Ioh. 3.21 Psal. 106.2 To be a worker of iniquity imports three things First grosse knowne sin secondly a daily custome in the practice of it and thirdly an estimation of sinne as the means of our happie life The wicked man lives by sin as the labourer doth by his trade So here that man that will labour and that constantly about the workes of a holy life making it his every daies care to do Gods will and accounts it the happinesse of his life to doe good duties that man is a godly man It is not talking of Religion will serve the turne nor the shewes of it but hee must worke and endure the labour of godlinesse Iam. 1.25 Act. 10.36 And further this should teach Christians often to remember their holy calling and examine themselves what workes they have done as such servants as desire to give a good account to their Master and the rather because no servants can have fairer worke it is all good worke and servants were so ingaged to their masters nor did owe more service and because never was there a master that gave better wages than God doth to his servants And therefore let every Christian be daily carefull to looke to his worke that when his Master cometh he may find him so doing Thus of the first point Doct. 2. Secondly that workes do specially commend us to the good opinions of men it is our workes must justifie us before men by good workes wee must winne testimony to our sincere religion from men Faith justifies us before God and proveth us to be true Christians as works do before men prove us to be so And therefore wee should strive by well doing to win as much credit as we can to our Religion among men Iam. 3.13 Doct. 3. Thirdly that the foundest way of confuting our Adversaries is by our workes we must make reall apologies wee must put them to silence by well-doing Now in that he calls the good workes done by them their good workes I might note divers things 1 The necessity of good workes they must have workes of their owne the good workes done by others availe not them nor justifie them 2 The goodnesse of God that vouchsafeth to call those workes their works when yet they were wrought by him as having had their beginning from his grace and Spirit Esa. 26.12 3 It is true that they onely can doe good workes good workes are onely theirs a wicked man cannot do good workes because his person is hatefull to God and his nature altogether impotent and though he may doe some actions which for the matter of them are good yet he pollutes them with his sins of which hee hath not repented and cannot bring them forth compleate for matter manner and end Tit. 1. ult Mat. 6. But it is the goodnes of workes which I specially intend to intreat of in this place Good workes The goodnesse of mens workes may be diversly considered either according to the differences of workes good from such as are not so or according to the formes of good workes or according to the time of doing workes or according to the uses workes are put to For the first Some mens workes are neither good nor seeme to be so as are the apparent sinnes of men Some mens workes seeme good but are not as the almes and prayer and fasting of the Pharisees Some mens workes are good but seeme nâ—t so at least in the eyes of some men and so the religious duties of godly Christians seemed to be vain practices of Sectaries and innovators Act. 28. and so Pauls zeale and knowledge seemed madnesse to Festus Act. 26. Some workes seeme good and are so such are the open good workes of the godly in the judgement of godly men guided by charity For the second If workes be tried by their forme then those workes are good works which are done with correspondencie to the revealed will of God in his Word they must be commended in the Word and done according to the directions of the Word so that all workes done besides or above the Law of God are sinfull and naught and the doing of
in our repentance Luk. 4.44 Act. 6.20 Every tree must not only beare fruit but his own fruit proper to his kind as the proper fruit of rich men is mercy and if they had never so many praises otherwise that they were courteous wise just chaste c. yet if they be not mercifull their workes are not good workes Ninthly his workes must bee full before God It was an objection against the Church of Sardis that her workes were not perfect or full before God therefore she is threatned if she repent not to feele the heavie hand of God Rev. â— 1 2. Noâ— as I conceive a mans workes are not full when he is not carefull of every good worke which he knowes concernes him as for instance if a man pray and yet be not carefull of hearing the Word his prayers are abomination to God because his workes are not full There be some duties which he makes no conscience to obey in though he know they be required hee that turneth away his eares from hearing the Law his prayers are abominable Pro. 28.9 If a man would be never so carefull about Gods service and yet make no conscience of the works of mercy required of him his sacrifice is not accepted Hos. 6.6 7 c. Thus the long prayers of the Pharisees will not be regarded if they devoure widowes houses Mat. 23. and so on the other side if a man were never so mercifull a man if he were not also a religious man in the things of Gods service his workes would not abide triall before God they were not good because they were not full And for this reason the workes of civill honest men are not good such were Pauls workes Phil. 3.6 which hee accounts but drosse and dung in comparison vers 8. of such as these Thus of the rules of good workes the kinds follow The vulgar commonly when they heare of good workes thinke of nothing but almes and hospitality or other courses of shewing mercy Now though it be true that workes of mercy be good workes yet they are but one sort of good workes whereas the Christian is bound to be ready to every good work 1 Tim. 3.17 and therefore it will bee profitable to informe our selves of the many wayes by which we may do good workes for thereby such Christians as are not able to give almes may see a way how to enrich themselves in well-doing other wayes These then are the sorts of good workes First to beleeve is a good work yea it is instead of many good workes yea in some sense it is to us instead of the works of the whole Law as it is a means to lay hold on all the good works that ever Christ Jesus did To put on the â—ord Jesus is a good worke in a high degree and so every act of faith in all the passages of a mans life is a good worke for this is the worke of God to beleeve as our Saviour shewes when hee gives that for answer for such as asked what they must doe to doe the workes of God Ioh. 6.28 Rom. 13.12 13 14. This is clearly acknowledged in these other Scriptures 1 Thes. 1.3 2 Thes 1.11 Secondly all workes of piety are good workes all workes of worship that is such workes by which a man doth service to God are all in the number of good workes and so to pray to fast to heare the Word to receive the Sacraments c. are good workes for godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come and therefore it is profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4.8 And these workes must needs be accounted good workes for they are deare works the blood of Christ was poured out that wee might be cleansed from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 Thirdly all workes of repentance all that a Christian doth about his humiliation or reformation are evangelically good workes as if he confesse his sinnes and do execution upon his sinnes if hee make satisfaction for his trespasses to men if he reforme himselfe or his houshold or his charge these and the like are all good workes 2 Chron. 19.3 Fourthly to suffer for a good cause is reckoned in the number of good workes as to forsake father or mother house or land wife or children liberty or life for Christs sake and the Gospels it is in the number of those good things that shall have a good reward Mat. 19.29 Ier. 31.16 Ruth 2.11 12. Fifthly workes of mens particular callings whether in the Common-wealth or Church or family or any vocation or trade of life so workes of Justice are good workes and to obey Magistrates is called well-doing vers 14. of this chapter so to preach the Gospel is a good worke 1 Tim. â— 1 So in the family for parents to bring up their children well is a good worke 1 Tim. 5.10 yea the labours of servants in the family are such workes as shall have reward of God as well as workes of piety Esa. 6. Col. 3. Sixthly workes of mercy are good workes whether it bee spirituall mercy to instruct admoniâ—h or reprove or comfort Psal. 140. or whether it be outward mercy in giving lending visiting defending the poore or the like All confesse these to be good workes Act. 9.16 But that almes may be a good worke these three rules must be observed First that it be given of goods well gotten else no good workes Secondly that he that gives it have a good eye to distribute where there is need for to keepe a good house and to entertain russians and drunkards and gamesters is not a good work nor hospetality because here is not a good eye Thirdly almes muâ—t be given to a good end not for the praise of men or to merit thereby Mat. 6. Thus of the kinds of good workes The questions follow Quest. 1. How can any workes done by any man in this life be accounted good seeing there is none that liveth and sinneth not yea all our workes even the workes of the most righteous are as a menstruous cloth Esa. 64.6 For ansâ—er hereunto I say It is true that if God looke upon the best workes of the most godly in this life and examine them by the rigour of his covenanâ— which he called His covenant of workes then no flesh living can have comfort of his workes but all will appeare lothsome as a menstruous garâ—ent But the workes of the beleeving Christians are otherwaies to bee considered of for First they are tried by the covenant of grace by the benefit of which covenant he is delivered from the rigorous perfection of the Law his uprightnes is accepted instead of perfection he is now no more under the Law but by Gods grace and acceptation his workes are taken as if they had been perfect Secondly he hath the benefit of Christs intercession who presenteth his workes before God covering the evill of them and tendring them to God who accepts
that Every soule must bee subject and therefore if Church-men have soules they must bee subject to the higher Powers Thirdly because Princes have executed their authority over Câ—urch-men whereof wee have manifest examples in the Word as David appointed the orders and offices of the Levites Salomon put downe Abiathar from the Priest-hood Iosiah burned the very bones of the Priests upon their Altars and also purged the Temple and restored the Passeover Christ himselfe was subject to the authority of Princes hee gave tribute and appeared at their Tribunall Paul was subject and appeared before the Magistrates and used their power when hee appeal'd to Caesar 3. Thes. 2. Fourthly there is manifest reason for it for if Church-men bee citizens or members of the Common-wealth then they must bee subject to the Rulers and Lawes of the Common-wealth Fiftly the doctrine of the purest times since the Apostles is agreeable hereunto for Chrysostome upon the thirteenth to the Romans avouches it that Priests and Monkes yea Apostles Evangelists and Prophets must be subject to secular Powers And Bernard reasons out of that place thâ—s If every soule must bee subject then yours also that are Church-men who hath exâ—epted you from this All If any man goe about to except you hee goes about to deceive you And Pope Gregory acknowledgeth the Emperour Maurice as Lord of him and the Clergy They object that the ecclesiasticall government is greater than the secular jure divino and therefore Church-men ought not to be subject because the Superiour ought not to be subject to the Inferiour Ans. The ecclesiasticall government is superiour to the secular government and it is inferiour to it it is superiour in respect of the rule over themselves in the things of the kingdome of heaven by means appointed of Christ viz. the Word and Sacraments c. but it is inferiour in respect of civill subjection in the obedience or submission that concernes body and goods The Prince must bee subject to the Church in matters of faith and godlinesse and the Church subject to the Prince in matters of this life and civill subjection How farre Princes have power in cases ecclesiasticall will bee shewed afterwards They object that divers Councels doe except the Clergie from the Barre and Tribunall of Princes and divers Popes have discharged the Clergy of such subjection Answ. Councels and Popes cannot decree against the Word of God besides they judge and determine in their own case for what were the Popes or Councels but Clergy-men Moreover the Popes assumed a power to themselves which was never given them for they were so farre off from having power to free their Clergy that they had no power to free themselves 2. Thes. 2.7 They object againe and say that it is absurd the sheep should rule and judge the shepheard Princes are but sheepe and Priests are the shepheards Answ. Magistrates are not sheep in all things but in spirituall things in matters of faith and so Ministers are shepheards to feed their soules but in civill things the Magistrate is the shepheard and the Clergy-men sheepe because citizens or subjects But they say that Clergy-men are freed by priviledge from the Emperors and by the Lawes of the Empire Ans. If that be so then their priviledge is Iure humano not divixo Secondly they plead a false priviledge for in things in question they were never priviledged that is in matter of obedience to the Law or in matter of punishment in things criminall Thirdly if it were so then they are subject to Princes for hee that grants a priviledge is greater than hee to whom it is granted But the last and best answer is that Princes can grant no such priviledge Can a father free his sonne that hee shall not honour him or a husband free his wife that shee shall not bee subject to him No more can a Prince free his subjects from obedience or subjection because the subject is tyed by the Law of nature and by Gods Law which Princes cannot undoe Thus of the third point Fourthly when hee saith Submit your selves he doth not require them to submit those things to the pleasure of the Magistrate which are not theirs Every godly Christian hath some things which are not his owne but Gods and those he must not subject to the will of Princes as his Religion his Faith the Word of God the Sacraments his prayers for those are none of Caesars and therefore must not be given to Caesar. Thus of who or what must be submitted To every ordinance of man There are two senses given of these words some understand them of Magistrates themselves some of the Lawes of Magistrates It is not easie to tell how to restraine the text to either of these for both are true and the former included in the latter and the latter implyed in the former and therefore I purpose to handle the words according to the sense in both respects First then wee must be subject to every ordinance of man that is to all sorts of Magistrates And the Apostle seemeth to expound it when hee saith Whether it bee to the King or to the governours as importing that they were the ordinances he spake of before Now concerning Magistrates as they are here intreated of these things are to be noted First that Magistrates are an ordinance of men and so they are in divers respects because magistracy is a thing proper to men Secondly in respect of the end because it is ordained for the good of men Thirdly because the choise of the kinde of Magistrates hath beene for the most part left unto men for God hath not tyed all nations to a kinde of government but left them for the most part free and therefore some governed by Kings some by Emperors some by Consuls some by Dukes some by Princes or Earles or the like Fourthly because in the New Testament Christ did not at all imploy himselfe in settling any order for the corporall government of his Church in this world it being specially his intent for the raising of his spirituall kingdome and the ordering of the government that concerned the soules of men and their full subjection Onely we must take heed of one sinne here and that is that we conceive not the Magistrates are mans ordinance as if man appointed or ordained or invented them for that is contrary to expresse Scripture that calls all those earthly powers Gods ordinance they are by divine institution Rom. 13.1 2 3. Pro. 8.15 2 Chron. 19.6 Dan. 4.14 22. Ob. Hos. 8.4 it is said They made them a King but not by mee Sol. God disclaimes not the ordinance for hee himselfe had appointed Ieroboam to be King of whom the Prophet speaketh but he disclaimes the manner or the choise of him as it was done by the Prophet which chose him in a mutiny and without respect to Gods will Ob. Nimrod was the first that brought in Magistracy and he is taxed for it in Gen. 10.9 Ans.
brutish then must these persons account themselves to be What heart can stand before the serious thoughts of the damnation of multitudes that now sit with us in the House of God even for this very sin of ignorance Hosh. 4.6 And the more lamentable is it to observe the unspeakable avertnesse that is in man that of all sorts though they be warned yet some will on still and die without wisdome Iob 4.20 and which is yet more in places where men have the meanes plentifully yet what number doth the god of this world keepe in blindnesse so as they live and dye very sots even in those places where they have â—ad line upon line and precept upon precept and yet the people no more instructed than the childe new weaned from the brest Esay 28.9 Yea the more fearefull is the estate of divers that they doe not onely want knowledge but they reject it and blaspheme it as if it were not onely unnecessary but hatefull they love darknesse more than light and therefore their damnation sleepeth not Iob. 3.19 Iob 21.14 But on the other side so many as have their hearts touched from God let them bee warned to avoid ignorance as they would avoid the death of their soules let it be hatefull to them to be babies in understanding 1 Cor. 14.20 Ephes. 5.16 and learne of Solomon above all things to get understanding Prov. 4.7 and to that end to pray with David That God would give him understanding that hee might live Psal. 119.144 And when men have the light they should walke in the light and when God gives the instructions they should take heed that they be not as the horse or mule to learne nothing but what they are forced unto but rather with all diligence and readinesse to wait daily at the gates of wisdome Psal. 32.8 9. But if men be still senselesse and wilfull then I say to them as the Apostle said if the hatefulnesse of their ignorance will not appeare Let him that is ignorant be ignorant still 1 Cor. 14.38 Doct. 4. It may bee likewise noted that in the language of God unregenerate men are fooles or rather mad men men without mindes Rom. 1.3 Tit. 3.3 And that this point may be more cleare I would consider of the signes of a spirituall mad man or foole And that this point also may bee cleaâ—ed you must remember there are two sorts of men are said literally to bee without mindes the one is naturall fooles and their disease is called moria the other is furious mad men and their disease is called mania both suffer alienation of minde they want their mindes or the right use of them and so there are two sorts of men which spiritually want mindes some are resembled by fooles and some by mad men A spirituall foole may be knowne especially by two signes First by his mindlesnesse he hath no thoughts nor words about the kingdome of heaven he is altogether carelesse and senselesse he sits still without any regard of it as some children that are mopish and heed nothing or some that are sicke of a kinde of melancholy that will neither speake nor eat these lose time and will not buy it Ephes. 5.16 Secondly by his sottishnesse this sort differs from the former for these will talke and bee doing and many times very busie but it is without any spirituall sense or discerning their words and works are all idle and sottish and crosse to the word of God and these are discovered by divers signes diversly as First the wisdome of God seemes foolishnesse to them let heavenly things be spoken of with never so great wisdome and power of words yet these sots have one senselesse objection or other in respect of which they reject all they heare and being led by their sensuality or their carnall reason Prov. 23.9.1 Cor. 1. and 2. goe no further but in these cases thinke they are in their owne conceit wiser than any man that can give a better reason and proofe Secondly they discover it by senslesnesse and incorrigiblenesse when they are pursued by the hand of God many times round about Ier. 5.3 4. Though God should seeme to bring all to the first Chaos yet they understand not you cannot heat into their heads the hatred of their sinnes or the cares of a better life Ier. 22.20 21 22. Isai. 42.27 This Apathy is onely in mad men and fooles Prov. 17.10 and 27.22 Thirdly they discover it by their continuall entertainment of the innumerable enormities of their thoughts which arising from their heart in the dark they play withall with as much earnestnesse and attendance as if they were some needfull and profitable things This customary daily entertainment of vaine thoughts is a signe of a spirituall sot Rom. 1.21 Fourthly they discover it by their continuall grasping at shadowes that is their doting upon earthly things with strange cares and paines and jollity without any sound endevour to provide for their soules and eternall salvation Psal. 49.10 Luke 12.16 to 21. Ier. 17.11 Fifthly some of them discover their sottishnesse by following the service of idols which they worship in stead of the living God this is called brutishnesse Deut. 32.6 16 17. Esay 44.19 20. O what a number of these sots are there in the world if the worshippers of idols of Romish and Paganish idols were summed up Sixthly others discover it by making cleane the outside of the cup and platter but never regard the filthinesse of the inside such are they that are only carefull of the shew of their actions before men while their inside is full of ravening and wickednesse These our Saviour cals fooles or sots because hee that made that which is without made that which is within also Luk. 11.39 40. Seventhly some of them discover themselves by suffering themselves to be buâ—â—etted and abused and yet are content to be used so still and such are they that will suffer themselves to be abused by false teachers so they be of their owne humour though they devoure them in their estates and bring them into bondage in their mindes though they take of them and exalt themselves insolently among them 2 Cor. 11.19 20. Eighthly they discover it by building the hopes of the salvation of their soules upon most vaine and insufficient grounds they build on the sands they trust upon an universall mercy of God and the example of the most and upon the bare use of Gods ordinances without any power of faith or practice in their hearts or lives and therefore in time of tribulations their hope is as the giving up of the ghost all is ruined and their soules are desolate Mat. 7.26 They will be at no paines to be assured of their salvation and religion but goe on without any particular regard of their owne way to heaven Prov. 14.8 A spirituall foole then is discovered first by his mindlesnesse secondly by his uncapablenesse and contempt of heavenly doctrine thirdly by his
incorrigiblenesse fourthly by the vanity of his thoughts fifthly by his dotages about earthly things sixthly by his idolatry seventhly by his hypocriticall tricks eighthly by suffering the injuries of false teachers and lastly by the vaine grounds of his hope and faith The spirituall mad man followes to be described and so these sorts of men following are convicted of madnesse in the Scripture First the Atheist He is a man void of reason that denies principles and such an one is he that faith in his heart There is no God as hee that denies the providence of God Psal. 14.1 and 94.8 Secondly the swearer The fooles or mad men blaspheme Gods name Psal. 74 18. Hee were a mad man that would daily raile at the King to his face and such are blasphemers Thirdly the persecuter The Apostle speaking of men that resist the truth as Iannes and Iambres resisted Moses saith that their madnesse shall bee manifested to all men so that he particularly cals tesisting of the truth madnesse 2 Tim. 3.9 Fourthly the idle person Hee is a mad man that will eat his owne flesh but such a one is the slothfull person because hee brings poverty upon himselfe like an armed man or else destroyes the health of his body by his lazinesse or brings misery upon his wife and children or because his soule is eaten up with rust and the canker of his negligence Eccles. 4.5 Fifthly the wilfull offender Hee is a mad man that when hee heares of some imminent danger yet will not avoid it such a one is every grosse offender that hearing of the judgements God will bring upon him for such sinnes or perceiving that the wrath of God is broken out upon others for the like offences yet will madly goe on without feare The prudent man feareth and departeth from evill but he is a foole or mad man that rageth and is confident Prov. 14.16 Ierem. 5.21 22. Sixthly the senslesse praâ—er We discerne him to be a mad man that talking continually faulters in his words and utters sentences that are unperfect without sense or coherence such persons in religion are those prating fooles Salomon speakes of that are full of words and void of sound judgement as the legs of the lame are not equall so is a parable in a fooles mouth As you discerne a lame man by this that his legs are one longer than another so you may discover a spirituall mad man by his discourse about the high points of religion for his words agree not together his sentences are senselesse and unequall A foole hath no delight to get sound understanding in these things and yet is wonderfull forward to utter his minde though hee discover nothing but his ignorance and folly Prov. 18.2 and 26.7 Seventhly the Epicure or voluptuous person He is a mad man that is never merry but when hee hath done some mischiefe and such are all they that make a sport of sinne Prov. 10.23 and 14.9 and 15.22 Eightly the railer He is a mad man that will goe up and down a Towne or a Citie and set fire on the houses of other men as he goes and therefore is the railer called a foole because in his lips there is a burning fire hee devoures the reputation of good men every where where he comes The Apostle Iames cals it The fire of hell Iam. 2. Prov. 16.27 Iude 10. And thus he is a mad man that hateth other men for doing good as the Pharisees did Christ for healing on the Sabbath-day for whâ—ch they were said to bee mad Luke 6.11 Ninthly the Apostate or backslider in Religion Thus the Galatians were bewitched with madnesse that had begun in the Spirit and would end in the flesh that had forsaken the glorious ornaments and priviledges of the Gospel so trust upon beggerly rudiments that forâ—ooke the pretious merits of Christs righteousnesse to trust to the stained clouts of their owne unrighteousnesse Gal. 3.1 3. Tenthly the unthankfull and injurious person Hee is a mad man that will strike his friend that provoketh him not and so are all Nabals their folly is with them that use their friends as Nabal did David 1 Sam. 25.25 Eleventhly the contentious person He is a mad man that layeth snares to catch himselfe and will speake things that force strokes upon himselfe so is every unquiet intemperate busie-body A fooles lips saith Salomon enter into contention and his mouth calleth for strokes A fooles mouth is his destruction his lips are the snare of his soule Pro. 18.6,7 Eccl. 10.12 Pro. 14.3 Twelfthly the implacable person Such men as are so furious there is no appeasing of them but they are like a Beare robbed of her welps Prov. 17.12 They are mad men that will heare no reason A stone is heavie and sand is weightie but a fooles wrath is heavier than them both Prov. 27.3 Thirteenthly all men that abuse their prosperity to the greater liberty of sinne and injury They are mad men that cannot be ruled unlesse they bee kept fasting A man distracted if you let him have his belly filled will trouble the whole house so a wicked man if hee enjoy prosperity and successe will disquiet the whole towne where he lives There are foure things saith Salomon disquiet the earth and one of them is a foole with his belly filled that is a wicked man when he prospers and hath what he will Prov. 30.22 Uses The use of all may be first to shew the misery of all unregenerate men that live in a continuall phrenzie or deâ—ect of all spirituall understanding It is a wofull judgement to have our reason taken from us in naturall things but much more in spirituall for upon this ground it manifestly followes 1. That they lose all the benefit of spirituall instruction all the Ordinances of God during the time of this folly or madnesse are meerely in vaine to them Their phrenzie makes them not onely to want sense but withall to despise all Gods counsels Prov. 1.7 2. That they shame themselves in all their dealings for when a foole walketh by the way he saith to every one that he is a foole Eccles. 10.3 And thus they will undoe themselves soule and body if they hold on A mad man if he governe his estate will soone ruine it Iob 5.3 3. That they live shut up from all the sound comforts of life as fooles and mad men they are shut up in darknesse Eccles. 2.14 God useth them as we use mad men for though he let them goe up and downe the world and so they have a larger roome to walke in than ordinarily our mad men have yet God hath chained them though insensibly the world is but a house of darknesse to their mindes the saving light and all the fruits of it are withheld from them 4. That they are in great danger to dye of their phrenzie and to perish for lack of wisdome Prov. 22.23 Iob 36.12 And therefore in the second place this may serve for instruction unto
many that seeme to be of the better sort is a meere formality as this very signe proves Psal. 86.11 Isaiah 50.10 Thirdly a great ghesse may be had at mens feare of God by their care and conscience they make of their obedience in their particular calling A man may have comfort that his feare of God and profession of Religion is right if he hate idlenesse lying covetousnesse deceit frowardnesse and unjust dealing in his calling For though to deale justly with all men be no infallible signe of the true feare of God yet it is a probable one and where it is not there can be no true feare of God Thus Magistrates must prove that they feare God 2 Chron. 19.27 Exod. 18.21 and thus every man in his place yea if women would have the reputation to be such as feare God they must let their workes praise them If they be idle froward undutifull busie-bodies and carelesse of their domesticall duties what feare of God can be in them Fourthly it will be manifest that our obedience flowes from the true feare of God if we will obey against our profit or ease or credit or our own carnall reasons or affections Hereby the Lord said he knew that Abraham feared him because he spared not his owne sonne Gen. 22.12 And thus of the feare of God The last part of the charge concernes our loyalty to the King Honour the King The Apostlè intends in these words but briefly to urge the practice of their duty urged in the exhortation Ver. 13. fave that the termes have something in them of explication of that doctrine and something for confirmation for we must honour the King 1. In our hearts 2. In our words 3. In our workes First we must honour him in our hearts and shew it two wayes 1. We must not curse the King no not in secret no not in our thoughts we must not entertaine impatient and vile thoughts of the King but from our hearts esteeme him for his greatnesse authority and gifts 2. When the King commands any thing that seemes to others or to us harsh inconvenient or doubtfull we must honour the King by interpreting his Lawes in the best sense If love must not thinke evill but hope all things of all sorts of men then much more of Kings It were greatly to be longed for that this note might enter into the breasts of some men they would then be afraid to charge so much evill of the Kings ordinances not only when they might finde a fairer sense but oftentimes expresly against the intent and meaning of the ordinance Secondly we must honour the King in our words three wayes 1. By reverent speeches to him and of him 2. By a thankfull acknowledgement of the good is in him and we receive by him 3. By praying to God with all manner of prayer for him 1. Tim. 2.1 Thirdly we must honour him in our workes 1. By paying him tributes and customes 2. By submitting and yeelding to his ordinances preferring the obedience thereunto before the censures or contrary opinions of what men soever And this is the maine thing intended verse the 13. of this Chapter And therefore I will omit the larger handling of this point in this place Verse 18. Servants be subject to your Masters with all feare not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward HItherto of the duties of subjects and so of the exhortation as it is politicall and concernes the Commonwealth Now the Apostle proceeds to give directions oeconomicall that concerne the family or houshold government Before I consider of the particular exhortations some thing would bee said in generall concerning a family A family is the society of divers men dwelling together in one house for preservation and happinesse Where three things are to bee explicated First what the persons are that take upon them to constitute this societie Secondly what is the difference between this society and their humane societies Thirdly what is the end of this societie First the persons that constitute a family or families societie are to bee considered either as the family is perfect or unperfect 1. A perfect familie consists of a triple societie first the one betweene man and wife secondly the other between parents and children thirdly and the third between Masters and servants 2. The unperfect is when any of these societies are wanting as when there are not either children or servants or wives or husbands in it The Apostles directions here do forme only an unperfect familie For he gives not directions about parents and children Secondly the difference of this society from others is in those words dwelling together in one house For thereby is imported that this is the first society of all others and the foundation of all the rest For a City comprehends many families a Countrie many Cities a Monarchie many Nations and the World many Monarchies Thirdly the end of a fraternity is preservation and happinesse and so to speake distinctly there are three things requisite to make this society happy and to preserve it so namely first commodity secondly delight and thirdly Religion Unto commoditie is requisite possession of goods and the mutuall lawfull labour of the persons in the family unto delight is requisite quietnesse and love unto Religion is required the constant and right serving of God If commodity be wanting the family cannot bee at all If delight be wanting it cannot be well and if religion be wanting it cannot be for ever Thus of a family in generall and two things may be in generall noted from the Apostles charge about the family First that God himselfe doth binde all sorts of persons as strictly to the good behaviour in their owne houses or towards one another as he doth toward those in his house Secondly that the conscience is bound immediatly from God to nourish all good duties And this is proved by the fift Commandement and Pro. 14.13 with many other places of Scripture There may be divers reasons assigned why God gives Commandement to binde us to domesticall duties First from his owne right For though there be many Administrators as of a Church a Common-wealth a Family c. yet there is but one Lord God is the Head of this society as well as of any other 1. Cor. 12. Secondly because this is the first society God brought into the world and therefore he would have it honoured and carefully preserved to the end of the world The first society in Paradise was this and Religion was professed for many hundred yeers by this society only even till the people came out of Egypt Thirdly because the persons we live withall in the family are the neerest companions of our lives and therefore we should live with all due respect one of another Fourthly because the family is the Seminarie both of Church and Common-wealth Fiftly because the family is the most usuall place for us to practise our Religion in
he sheweth the manner how they must be subject viz. With all feare Servants must subject themselves to their masters in all feare which being put downe indefinitely must be understood both in respect of God and in respect of their Masters Servants must shew their feare of God in their places divers wayes First by avoiding such sinnes as are contrary to the will and commandement of God in their generall life such as are swearing lying slandering hatred of the godly drunkennesse whoredome and the like Psal. 101.3 4 5. Secondly by carefulnesse to doe good service as well as their masters not only by spending the Sabbath in the duties of Religion but in redeeming the time in the week-dayes as may be without hindrance of their worke or offence to their masters to imploy themselves in prayer reading conference c. and the reason is because as servants must doe their masters worke as they are servants so they stand bound in the common obligation to doe Gods service as they are men and no man but is subject to the Law of God who hath given all his commandements to servants as well as to masters Thirdly by doing their masters worke out of conscience respecting the will and commandements of God and therefore serving their masters with all faithfulnesse as if the service were to be done to God himselfe or to Jesus Christ Ephes. 6.5 Col. 3.23 Fourthly by praying for their masters and for the good successe of their labours for their masters commodity thus Abrahams servant is commended for his practice of the feare of God and left for an example to all servants to doe likewise Gen. 24. Fiftly by doing their masters worke without eye-service being as carefull and as diligent when their masters are absent as when they are present as remembring that the Lord sees them though their masters do not Col. 3.22 The feare then towards their masters they may shew divers waies First by avoiding what may displease their masters such as is answering againe Tit. 2.10 contention with their fellowes and all unquietnes Phil. 2.4 fullennesse Prov. 29.19 and all unfaithfulnesse shewed either by puâ—loining in the least things Tit. 2.10 or carelesnesse in disappointing the trust committed to them as also masterfulnesse pride and haughtie behaviour when they will not abide it to be told or directed or doing what they list not what they be appointed Secondly by reverent behaviour to bee shewed by lowlinesse of countenance by giving titles of honour and respect Iohn 13.13 by standing before them when they sit Luk. 17. by avoiding rude behaviour or sawcy familiarity as accounting them in heart worthy of all honour 1 Tim. 6.1 One point of which reverence is that servants should not presume to deliver their opinions easily in their masters presence unlesse it be required or may be gathered by argument from the lesse Iob 32.6 7. Thirdly by their secrecy in all the affaires of their masters especially they should take heed of discovering their masters infirmities to others abroad out of the family Fourthly by avoiding inquisitivenesse to meddle only with their owne businesse the servant knoweth not what his master doth Ioh. 15.15 Fiftly by doing their worke with all faithfulnesse and diligence in absence as well as presence that when the master comes hee may finde them so doing Mat. 24. Thus of the manner of the duty the persons to whom they must thus submit themselves follow and so they must be subject with all fear not only to the good but also to the froward To the good and gentle For the sense we must enquire who are good masters and who gentle Good masters are discerned by divers signes First they seeke not only painefull and skilfull but religious servants Psal. 101.1 6 7. Secondly they not only licence but teach their servants to keepe Gods Sabbaths and to worship him Commandement 4. Gen. 18.19 Thirdly they will not command their servants to doe any thing that is sinfull or to lye as snares or defraud others for their profit Fourthly that receive their servants especially such as are religious as their brethren Fiftly that are overseers as well of the manners of their servants as of their labours being as carefull that their servants be no worse to themselves than to their masters Sixtly that use their servants well not only praising them for well doing but alwaies rewarding their service with liberall wages and when they part from them not suffering them to goe from them empty without portion c. Masters shew their gentlenesse also divers waies as First when they use their authority moderately or are not haughtie or violent towards their servants Secondly when they passe by their infirmities and take not notice of all the ill they say or doe Eccles. 7.22 Thirdly when their servants offend they chide them with good words and not revile them But also to the froward Froward masters are such as are bitter to their servants hard to please that are apt to finde fault that use their servants hardly in words or deeds but chiefly such as are cholerick and passionate and peevish in their carriage towards their servants So that foure Doctrines may be noted from these words and from the coherence Doct. 1. First that God takes notice of the faults of Superiours as well as he requires duties of inferiours he sees frowardnesse in masters as well as disobedience in servants and the reason is both because God is no respecter of persons and also because he gives his law to all men And therefore superiours must make conscience of their duties for though in all things they are not to give accounts to their inferiours yet they must give accounts of all they doe to God Col. 3.24 Doct. 2. That God sees and dislikes such faults as the lawes of man take not notice of If a master should kill his hired servant mens lawes would take hold of him but if he be never so froward with him he may escape mens lawes But though the lawes of men punish not frowardnesse yet God will So we see in the exposition of Christ given unto divers commandements Mat. 5. man failed in killing adultery purity c. not once thinking of anger lust filthy speaking reviling c. yet God forbids even these things also which serves to reprove the folly of such as justifie themselves for very just men because they offend not the lawes of men but never consider that God can finde a world of faults in them that mens lawes cannot because God sees the heart and by his lawes requires obedience of the inward man and condemnes all swerving from the right temper of heart and carriage And therefore we should all looke to our waies to approve our selves not only to men but to God and so to confesse the imperfections of mens lawes as to admire the perfection of Gods Word Doct. 3. That frowardnesse is a vice to be avoided of all sorts of men It is not only uncomely in
due benevolence from their husbands God himselfe hath freed the comming together of man and wife from the aspersion of impurity in that he hath said that marriage is honourable and the bed undefiled And this shewes the wonderfull indulgence of God that for the respect he beares to his owne institution of marriage and for the necessitie of marriage for the propagation of mankind and prevention of fornication is pleased to beare with and cover and not impute the many frailties follies vanities and wickednesses are found betweene man and wife And withall we may hence see reason to condemne their doctrine as a doctrine of Devils that forbid marriage as an impure thing and such as hinders holinesse and the blemish will never bee wiped away from some of the Ancients who to establish their owne Idol of I know not what virginity have written most wickedly and most basely against marriage Quest. But what then doth God allow any kinde of comming together so it be betweene man and wife Ans. No he forbids comming together in the time of the womans separation for her courses Ezech. 18.6 Nor doth he allow of brutish sensuality though it passe betweene man and wife for though God beare with many things yet the chastitie he imposeth doth not only restraine forraine beds but moderateth even the excesses of concupiscence in married persons so as in those things their conversation ought to be a conversation with feare Doct. 3. The practice of the duties of the second Table adorne religion as well as the duties of piety in the first Table Doct. 4. Some observe that a chaste conversation is especially charged upon the woman which must be warily understood for God hates whoredome in men as well as women But yet it is true that some sins as they are abominable in any so they are much more in women as we see in swearing and drunkennesse so it is true of filthinesse in the woman and therefore the whorish woman is called a strange woman in the Proverbs But I thinke it is not safe to restraine the sense of this place or other the like places so but I take the meaning of the Apostle to be so to commend chastitie in the wife as that which is necessary in all both men and women And so I come to consider of Chastity and so would shew first the motives to it secondly the meanes to preserve it and thirdly the way how Chastity may be manifested and made knowne to others For the first many things should perswade with a Christian to preserve chastity and to avoide whoredome and bodily lusts First it is the speciall will of God and a speciall part of their sanctification to avoid fornication 1 Thes. 4.3 Secondly the promises of God all of them should allure men to perfect their holinesse and to avoid all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Thirdly the hatefulnesse of the nature of the sin of fornication and whoredome should deterâ—e Christians from the committing of it This is an hainous crime an iniquity to be punished by the Judges Iob 31.11 These lusts are lusts of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4.3 A sin not so much as to be named amongst Christians Eph. 5.3 A sin that utterly corrupts naturall honesty Pro. 6.27 29. It is a sin not only against the soule but against the body of a man even that body that was bought with the bloud of Jesus Christ and was made for God and is the Temple of the Holy Ghost and is a member of Christs mysticall body 1 Cor. 6.15 to the end Fourthly the consideration of the cause of this sin should abash men it is a worke of the flesh even a fruit of a corrupted and filthy nature Gal. 5.22 Fiftly the effects of whoredome are very fearefull for it is a sin that defiles a man Mat. 15. and it makes a man unfit for the company of any Christian 1 Cor. 5.9 It brings dishonour and a wound can never be blotted out Pro. 6.33 and it causes the fearefull curse of God upon men Heb. 13 4. and that both upon their states and soules in this life By meanes of a whorish woman a man may be brought to a morsell of bread Pro. 6.26 It is a sin will root out all a mans increase Iob 31.11 12. And upon the soule it brings a fearefull senselesnesse and disability to make use of the means of salvation Whoredome and wine take away the heart Hos. 4.11 and God casts them many times into a reprobate sense Rom. 1. so as they are past feeling Eph. 4.18 so as the adulterous person goeth about like a Foole to the stockes or like an Oxe to the slaughter Pro. 7. â—2 In a word the adulterous person destroyeth his owne soule Pro. 6.32 yâ—â— which is worst of all it deprives men of the kingdome of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 and casts both body and soule into the Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Pro. 9. ult Rev. 21.8 22.15 For the second the meanes to preserve chastity in married persons are these First they must labour to excite and nourish matrimoniall love one to another Pâ—â— â— 18.19 Secondly they must doe as Iob did make a covenant with their eyes and not carelesly give liberty to their senses to wander about after vaine objects Iob 31.1 Thirdly they must store their heads and hearts with Gods word especially such words of God as doe give reasons and motives to disswade from this sin Pro. 2.1 3 4 11 12 16 17 Psal. 119.9 Fourthly they must continually meditate of their mortality and that they are but pilgrims and strangers here and must come to judgement 1 Pet. 2.11 Eccles. 11.9 Fiftly they must by confession and godly sorrow and prayer crucifie these first risings of inward lusts and so by repentance for the lust of the heart prevent the filthinesse of the flesh Gal. 5.24 Sixthly they must walke in love that is exercise themselves in a Christian and profitable society with such as feare God Eph. 5.1 3 4. Lastly they must with all care and conscience avoide all the occasions of this sin such as are 1. Idlenesse that sin of Sodome Ezek. 46.49 2. Fulnesse of bread and drunkennesse as is noted in the same place They must beat downe their owne bodies 1 Cor. 9.27 3. The desire to be rich for the love of money breeds noisome lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 4. Ignorance of God and his truth Eph. 4.17 18. 5. Evill company especially the society of such as are filthy 6. Lascivious attire and filthy dressing such as are strange colours and naked breasts this is whoredome betweene the breasts Hos. 2. 7. Lascivious pictures and profane representations of filthy practises such as are exprest by those wicked stage-players against which the very light of nature pleadeth 8. Chambering and wantonnesse and all provocations to lusts Rom. 13.13 For the third point if you aske how those husbands could behold the chaste conversation of the wives I
have his brothers wife nor must the Corinthian that married his fathers wife be suffered to dwell with her 1 Cor. 5. 3. Diviâ—es generally agree that if there be a precontract with another person in verbis de praesenti in the words of the present time made with consent of parents c. then the marriage after with another is a meere nullitie and such dwelling together is whâ—redome Zanchius brings reason for this from the law of God and Nature and civill and common lawes 4. If a marriage be made without the free consent of the parties or in cases where they are not able to give a free conâ—ent as in the marriage with children under age or with mad men or persons that are drunk when they give consent and doe disclaime it when they are sober These are nullities in the common opinion of Divines of all sorts and the reason is because the consent of parties is essentially requisite to such a bond 5. If there be error personae an errour of the person that is if a man mean to contract marriage with one person and another person is given him as when Leah was given in stead of Rachel to Iacob Divines agree that Iacob might have rejected Leah and that his owne consent afterwards did onely bind him to dwell with her But yet errour about the condition or state of the person is no nullitie If a man contract himselfe to a woman he thinkes to be a free woman and she proves a bond woman or he thinkes he marries with a rich woman and she proves a poore woman these errours do not cause a nullitie he must live with her for all this 6. If marriage be contracted with such as are utterly and incurably unapt for marriage this marriage is a nullitie as in the case of Eunuchs some kinds of incurable palsies or the like And about this I finde no difference amongst Divines Zanchius and some other Divines goe further and pronounce nullities in the cases following as If marriage be contracted yea and celebrated without the consent of parents He brings many arguments from the Law befoâ—e Moses and from the Law of Moses from the testimony of the Apostle Paul and from the lawes of Nations and from the Fathers If marriage be contracted or celebrated with such as have any notorious contagious disease which is knowne to be incurable as the Elephantiasis or worse kind of leprosie or the like because this will prove a mischiefe to the party cleere and to his children and to the Common-wealth and God ordained not marriage to be a mischiefe but a help If marriage be celebrated with a woman that is found to be with child by another man Yea he enclines to those that thinke the marriage of a Christian with an Infidell as a Jew Turke or Pagan as being the knowne and professed enemies of Christ is likewise a nullitie Hee gives many probable reasons and quotes divers authors for the opinion But for my part I dare not venture so farre especially to be peremptorie in it much lesse have I attained to the learning of those Divines that thinke Veneficium versus hanc Witchcraft disabling a man towards that woman onely to be a sufficient cause of a nullitie in the marriage Thus of the case of nullities For the case of divorce I thinke that rule of our Saviour binds peremptorily that no man may put away his wife but only in the case of fornication Mat. 19.9 In that case a man making a lawfull divorce is not bound to cohabitation but freed from it and must not dwell with her any more If it be objected that in the case of disertion when an Infidell forsakes a beleever the Apostle faith the beleever is free I answer that this is not a case of divorce The beleever doth not for the businesse of Religion put away the unbeleever yea the Apostle shewes he ought not 1 Cor. 7. onely if the unbeleever will depart let her depart And so by the wilfull departure of the Infidell the Christian is freed from the bond of marriage as Divines conceive which is a kind of nullity but not a divorce But then a great respect must be had to the kind of unbeleever not every wicked man or woman nor everie person that professeth a false religion but such an unbeleever as is a profest enemie to the Name of Christ is the unbeleever the Apostle speakes of Yet one thing more I must adde about the case of disertion when the disertion is for other causes than Religion if it be wilfull or inevitable then the party diserted is freed from this charge of cohabitation freed I say for a time till the diserted returne and if he never returne the party forsaken is for ever free Thus of the proposition of their duties the exposition of it followes According to knowledge By knowledge I take it here meant that Christian knowledge of Religion and the Word of God which godly husbands had attained by the Gospel for in the end of the verse he speakes of husbands as heires of the grace of life And so before I come to shew what speciall things in the manner of cohabitation this knowledge doth charge upon husbands I would consider of some doctrines in generall implyed by the words as Doct. 1. That the knowledge of Gods Word is a gift of God to bee much accounted of and therefore the Apostle here for honour sake to the man mentions this grace rather than any other And that knowledge is a precious thing or a great treasure may appeare divers waies First by the seat and use of knowledge it is a gift that adornes the mind of man making him by his inward understanding to see excellent things It is a great benefite to have senses to discerne things without us but this divine light that God puts into the understanding of man gives to the understanding power to see admirable things especially when it is spirituall light it shews a man the differences betweene good and evill and reveales such glorious things as no senses can reach to Secondly by the author of it God is the father of light and dwelleth in light Iam. 1.17 and it is the speciall glory of Christs divinity to lighten every man that comes into the world Iohn 1. and the holy Ghost claimes a part in this glory to give illumination to the minde 2 Cor. 3. Thirdly by the testimony God gives of the worth of knowledge eâ—pecially when it is spirituall and religious knowledge 〈◊〉 is called riches 1 Cor. 1.5 and preferred before all outward things in the world Ier. 9 2â— and Christ accounts it a great signe of speciall friendship to communicate knowledge to his Disciples Ioh. 15.15 and God gave Iacob a greater portion when hee gave his word to him than hee did give to all the world besides He did not so with other Nations Psal. 1. Fourthly by the accounts Christ gives unto his Father of the discharge of
free women altogether from sin in these frailties because since the fall the naturall defects are tainted and there is in them a speciall kinde of defectivenesse or infirmity which cleaves to their sexe which is not so usually in men or not accompanying the nature of men Quest. What are the things wherein women are more usually fraile or defective or infirme than men 1. In capacity and judgement They are not capable of so large a measure of knowledge as men in equall comparison nor so able to teach the depths and mysteries of knowledge 2. In respect of their insufficiencie for the greatest imploiments of life as that sexe is not ordinarily capable of the great services of God in Church and Common-wealth the workes cannot be done by women 3. They are apter to be seduced than men as the Apostle implies in the case of all women as well as Eve 1 Tim. 2.14 4. In respect of dependancies They cannot make shift for themselves their desire is naturally subject to men in respect of depending upon them for provision and protection Gen. 3. This weaknesse is stamped upon the whole sexe 5. In respect of their aptnesse to feares and amazement and other perturbations more unconstant and not so stable in heart as man 6. In respect of the discovery of their hearts and natures whether in good or evill It is harder to find out throughly the perfect disposition of a woman in good or evill than of men Solomon could find out the temper of one man among a thousand men but not the heart of one woman among so many and that I take to be the true sense of that place Ecolâ—s 7.28 29. compared with ver 25.27 7. In respect of their pronenesse to vanity and pride in apparell which I gather from this that all the expresse directions about apparell that I remember in Scripture are given rather to women than to men especially in the New Testament as 1 Tim. 2.9 1 Pet. 3.3 The Use may be first to give us occasion to magnifie the power and mercy of God His mercy that despiseth not his weake creatures but bestoweth the grace of life upon them His power in that he keeps them in life and preserveth his owne worke of grace unto the possession of eternall life Secondly it should stirre up women so much the more to use all the Ordinances of God and all helps to make themselves strong in the power of the gifts of grace especially they should get a strong faith in God that they may trust in the power of God that giveth strength to the weake Esay 40.29 31. 1 Pet. 3.5 It will be their greater glory if they can overcome their naturall weaknesses especially if they can excell men in the things of the kingdome of God as many times it comes to passe Thirdly all Christians should have those women in great estimation that have overcome their frailties and doe excell in knowledge and piety and mercy and trust in God Fourthly all women should be therefore the more humble and apt to feare and judge themselves and more willing to be taught or admonished and more frequent in prayer to God to help them and keep them and in particular they should be the more willing to be ruled by their husbands as knowing it is a mercy of God considering their weaknesse to give them husbands to support them and provide for them And finally they should be the more faithfull and diligent to doe all the good they can in domesticall affaires seeing by nature they are not fit to manage the greater and more publike services of God The third Doctrine concernes husbands and so they are taught from hence to give the more honour to their wives because of their naturall weaknesse For as it is in the naturall body those members of the body which we think lesse honourable upon them we bestow the more aboundant honour 1 Cor. 12.23 24. so it should be in the Oeconomicall body for the wife is unto the husband bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and this honour he should give her and shew it both by taking the more care to provide for her and by cherishing and encouraging her the more and by hiding and covering her frailties as much as he may and by not exacting more from her than she is able to performe and by helping her all he can by instruction or otherwise Only we must note that he is not bound to honour her the more for sinfull infirmities but for naturall defects How he must carry himselfe towards her in respect of sinfull infirmities or personall faults hath beene shewed before in the maner of his carriage towards her as a man of knowledge And thus of the first reason As being heires together of the grace of life In these words is contained the second reason taken from the generall dignity of Christians which also extends to Christian wives And concerning the dignity of Christians five things may be noted out of these words 1. The title of their dignitie They are heires 2. What they inherit Life 3. What the cause of this dignitie is viz. Grace 4. In what maner they possesse it viz. Together 5. The persons capable of it Woman as well as men From the coherence we may note That if women will have their husbands to honour them they must be religious women and true Christians that have grace as well as worldly portion God requires religion and grace in all wives and the rather should they be carefull to get grace and become truely religious because it was long of their sexe that sin came into the world and as by one womans bearing of a child salvation was brought againe into the world so should they every one in particular strive to recover their honour by expressing the sound power of a religious life in all faith and charitie and holinesse and sobrietie 1 Tim. 2.14 15. And besides what shall it profit wives to get them jointures on earth and husbands to provide for them while they live here if their soules and bodies perish when they die and lose the inheritance in heaven and perish they will if they get not true grace And further if they be gracious women if their husbands be so profane as not to make much of them yet they shall be greatly set by of God as was shewed vers 4. But on the other side if they be ignorant and irreligious women it is just with God to deprive them of the comforts of this life and to let their husbands neglect them or abuse them For though their husbands sin in so doing yet God is just in permitting such a thing for their punishment Secondly another doctrine may be noted from the coherence and that is That inheaven there shall bee no difference betweene husbands and wives but they shall bee all one in Christ alike heires of eternall life Which is to be noted the more to perswade them to submit themselves and
With thee is the fountaine of life adds And in thy light we shall see light Psal. 36.8 And so the promise to the penitent sinner was that his life should see the light Iob 33.28 So Christ saith he that followeth him shall have the light of life Marke it the Light of life Iohn 8.12 So that the life of our minds is knowledge in generall and in particular it is the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Saviour saith expresly Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know God and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ. And the reason why this knowledge doth most inlive and quicken our hearts is because God in Christ is the most glorious subject of contemplation as being that highest good a very Ocean of goodnesse only able to fill and ravish the heart of man and besides because God as our chiefe good can alone make the ravishment of the heart perpetuall and so last for ever which nothing else can doe But because every knowledge of God hath not this effect to breed everlasting life in the heart of a man therefore I will distinctly set downe what kind of knowledge it is that hath this effect and what is required that it may be right 1. It must be such a knowledge as discernes God to be the only true God and this rule excludes the Pagans from eternall life who though by the light of nature they might discerne the invisible things of God by the workes of the creation yet they so shut up those principles of naturall truth in unrighteousnesse that they set up creatures as God and gave the glory of the true God to them Rom. 1. 2. It must be such a knowledge as ascribes unto the Nature of God such an excellencie as can be exprest by no likenesse of any creature in heaven above or earth beneath or the waters under the earth God must not be conceived of by any Images Images in the Church shut out the Papists from eternall life and Images in the heart to conceive of God by exclude the ignorant and carnall Protestants In the right conceiving of Gods nature we must adore him that is like nothing in heaven or earth 3. It must be such a knowledge or vision of God as discernes him to be the chiefe good and only happinesse to be desired and so all those persons that behold any thing in this life to be sought after as the chiefe felicity of their lives are excluded from eternall life And the things so esteemed the Scripture calls their gods so some make their bellies their gods some their riches some honour and the favour of men 4. It must be such a knowledge of God as conceives of him in Jesus Christ that is that sees the way how Gods infinite justice provoked by many sins is pacified by the attonement made by Jesus Christ as the Mediatour betweene God and man Iohn 17.3 else the knowledge of God in respect of the contemplation of Gods justice will be so far from inliving our hearts that it would kill them if they had life And this rule excludes all such from eternall life as live in despaire of Gods mercy as Cain and Iudas These knowledges are such as without which life cannot be had but yet in themselves doe not quicken the soule and inspire it with life 5. It must be such a knowledge as doth not only discerne aright the doctrine of the nature of God and of the person and offices of Christ but doth discerne that God is ours in particular in Jesus Christ and fully reconciled to us and our portion for ever To know God to be our God in Christ is the very life of our soules Now because we discerne this in God two waies viz by the light of â—aith beleeving the promises of the Word though we see him not and by the light of vision when we shall see him in his goodnesse face to face therefore is the former light called the light of faith and belongs to this life and the latter light belongs to another world Hence our justification which is by faith is called the justification of life Rom. 5.18 This is a point which should be of unspeakable comfort to the weake Christians that have attained to this knowledge for certainely this is eternall life in them as true as if they had the glory of heaven already But now that true Christians may be the more infallibly settled in the knowledge of their interest in eternall life as it lieth in the right knowledge of God â—o be ours iâ— Jesus Christ I will add certaine effects of this knowledge which shew not only that it is right but also that it is very eternall or spirituall for if it be a right knowledge 1. It raiseth in the dead heart of man spirituall senses that were never there before it makes the soule of a man able to heare Gods Word that could never doe it before it gives sight in spirituall things and sense and feeling and spirituall tastes of Gods goodnesse and a savouring of spirituall things more than earthly 2 Cor. 2.15 Rom. 8.5 Psal. 36.8 Phil. 1.9 2. It is a knowledge with admiration it sets a mans heart upon a constant wondering at the glory of the things revealed He that hath this knowledge sees in a Mirrour hee sees and wonders Nothing more ravisheth the heart than doth the word when it shewes him the glorie of Gods grace to him 2 Cor. 3.18 Wicked men see but they see not in a Mirrour 3. It is a knowledge that workes transformation it changeth a man into the likenesse of that it sees even from glory to glory by the power of the spirit of Christ. The light comes into wicked men but leaves them the same men it found them for disposition and conversation but this light humbles the heart of a man for his sins and purifieth him from his most secret sins Acts 15.9 and besides prints upon him the image of God and stirs him uâ—to all the motives of life in doing good workes 2 Cor. 3.18 Col. 3.10 1 Iohn 2.3 3.24 4. It is such a light as is indeleble and will abide the triall of manifold afflictions and gives life and joy still to the soule it doth not only comfort in Gods house but will support us when we are gone home under the miseries of this present life 1 Pet. 1.7 The Use should be to teach us all to blesse God for the Gospel that brings life to light and shewes us the love of God to us in Christ and for all the meanes by which the Gospel is preached to us in the life of it Oh how should we be beholding to them that help us to eternall life by leading us unto God this Ocean of goodnesse And withall we should be wonderfully thankfull to God and for ever comforted if we can finde that we have attained to the assurance of Gods love to us in Christ. Though our knowledge here be but small and weake
the reward should pluck up thy heart against all the hardship of godlinesse for 1. God will grant thee pardon of all thy sins Acts 2.39 2. Thou shalt have fellowship with God himselfe and he will shew thee so much when thou seekest to him in his ordinances 1 Iohn 1.7 3. Thou hast most precious promises recorded every where in the sacred volume of Gods booke 2 Pet. 1.4 4. Who would not be stirred up with the contemplation of that glorioâ—s inheritance is reserved for us in heaven that incorruptible crown should make any body willing to abstaine from all things and to run with all violence in the race set before us 1 Pet. 1.3 1 Cor. 9.24 25 26 27. Only let me conclude this point with an earnest exhortation to all Christians that would have comfort of life to apply themselves to get all possible knowledge they can in the Scriptures for that knowledge is a tree of life Pro. 3.18 16.22 and those sacred knowledges they must not let goe but take fast hold on them Pro. 4.13 They must attend incline their eares and not let them depart from betweene their eyes and be sure to keep them in the middest of their hearts Pro. 4.21 20 22. Marke every one of those words to doe it and consider that it is not the having of the Bibles or Sermons or the reading or hearing but the knowledge we get into our hearts nor is it any knowledge but wisdome or the wise knowledge of the Scriptures and our knowledge is then wise when it is an understanding of our owne waies and wee are wise for our selves when we studie profitable things and when we sow those seeds of truth in daily practice and when wee practice with discretion looking to the circumstances of every dutie not to draw upon our selves incumbrances by our owne rashnesse or indiscretion And lastly when with all knowledge we joyne lowlinesse of minde and meeknesse that meeknesse that is called meekenesse of wisdome by Saint Iames. Thus of the meanes to attaine life the signes follow There are divers waies to trie our selves whether eternall life bee begun in us as 1. By the savouring of those things that are immortall Our mortall life relisheth nothing but what is transitory and eternall life finds happinesse in nothing but what is eternall or tends to it Thus a man that is endued with this life esteemes with sense grace above riches spirituall treasures above all earthly In particular the desire after the Word of God is a signe that we are at least new borne babes in Gods kingdome if so be wee desire it with a kind of naturall affection as the child doth the breast and constantly and as the word is sincere and with an unfained desire to grow in grace and goodnesse by the power of the Word Rom. 8.5 1 Pet. 2. Iohn 6.27 2. By our knowledge of God in Christ as hath beene shewed before when it is such a knowledge as workes not onely admiration but also sound transformation of our hearts and lives 3. There is a kind of sorrow that the Apostle faith is to salvation 2. Cor. 10.7 and that is such a sorrow as is voluntary and secret for our sinnes and for all sorts of sinnes Rom. 7. Esa. 6.5 Esa. 1.16 and as they are sinnes and not for other respects and such a sorrow as quieteth the heart and leaveth a vehement desire of reformation and is most stirred by the sense of Gods goodnesse Hos. 3.5 Esa. 1.16 and is found in prosperity as well as adversitie 4. By our love to God for if the light of life be in us and that we are truly acquainted with God as our God in Christ the heart hath seene that that will make it in love with God for ever and shew it by his estimation of Gods loving kindnesse and all the signes of it above all things in life Psal. 63.2 11. and by longing after the comming of Christ 2. Tim. 4.8 and by grieving for Gods absence Cant. 3.1 and by his feare to offend God in any thing Iude 20. and by his willingnesse to suffer any thing for God and the Gospel 1 Thes. 1.2 5. By our love of the brethren The Apostle Iohn with great confidence of words makes this a â—â—gne that we are translated from death to life 1 Ioh. 3.14 and it is infallible if we so love them as we account them the only excellent ones Psal. 16.3 and desire them as the onely companions of our lives and if it be for the grace and goodnesse is in them 1 Ioh. 5.1 2 Ioh. 1.2 and if it be notwithstanding their infirmities or adversities and if we love all the brethren without respect of persons 6. To conclude this point generally If eternall life be begun in us wee are new creatures borne againe the Image of God is restored in us in some degree Ioh. 3.5 Tit. 3.5 Colos. 3.10 and wee are such as are fully resolved to spend our daies in the way of righteousnesse and a holy course of life Prov. 12.28 8. The properties of this life follow and they are five for 1. It is unspeakable eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor can the heart of man conceive what God hath prepared in life for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 2. It is free it is not given by merit but is the free gift of God Rom. 6. ult 3. It is certaine for there is an Act for it in Gods counsell Men be ordained to life and their names written in the booke of life Acts 13.48 Phil. 4.4 and God hath bound himselfe by many promises in his Word to the beleever and besides hath confirmed it with an oath Heb. 6.17 and Christ is gone into heaven to make the place ready for all the heires of life Iohn 14.3 and further we have it already begun even eternall life begun Iohn 17.3 4. It is a life by assimilation that is such a life as is fashioned in likenesse to the life of another even Jesus Christ according to whose Image we are created Col. 3.10 And who shall change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body Phil. 3.21 5. It is eternall a life that will last as long as God liveth it will never have an end Divines expresse the eternity of it in part by this similitude Suppose a little bird came to the Sea once in a thousand yeares and tooke up only one drop of water and so should continue to take every thousand years only one drop what an unspeakable space of time would it be before the Sea would be drunke up and yet eternity is a lasting beyond that unmeasurably Thus of the explication of the Doctrine concerning life The Uses follow and Use 1. First what a strong impression should this doctrine have upon the hearts of all unregenerate men How should life and heaven suffer violence How should this force open their eyes that they might awake from that fearfull lethargie and stand up from
wicked men must be considered more generally or more specially generally all the daies of the wicked are evill both because he is a transgressour every day and because the curse of God is upon him all his daies even then when he lives longest and enjoyes most prosperous times Esay 65.20 Every day the wrath of God hangeth over his head and every day God judgeth him Psal. 7. either in soule or body or name or estate either by with-holding his blessings or by mingling the curse with the good things he enjoyeth Psal. 7â— 33 as the Israelites under censure of death from God More specially the daies of the wicked man are evill either in this life or after this life In this life his daies are evill in two speciall senses either in respect of the shortning of them or in respect of the afflicting of them It is a speciall evill to some wicked men that their daies on earth are shortned Some men live not out halfe their daies and die in the middest of their daies Psal. 55.24 Ier. 17.11 and so it is a curse that his daies are few Psal. 109.8 Eccles. 8.13 Againe the daies of wicked men are said to be evill in respect of some speciall judgements of God to be poured out upon them for their sins These daies are called the daies of Gods wrath and anger and daies of Gods visitation Esay 10.3 the day of vengeance Esay 61.2 which God proclaims against all wicked men and by an excellency The evill day Amos 6.3 And these daies are in speciall called the dayes of wicked men and they are theirs because properly no day is theirs till it be evill Ier. 50.31 After this life comes that most speciall evill day even that day of eternall misery in hell of which Solomon said God made the wicked for the day of evill Pro. 16.4 This doctrine of their evill dayes should much astright wicked men not only with the consideration of what they suffer now but of what they are liable to in the daies to come Little doe they dreame of the misery may befall them such daies may come as will burst their hearts with exquisite griefe their hearts shall not be able to endure Ezek. 22.14 therefore they should take heed of putting far from them the evill day Amos 6.3 and in time repent and reconcile themselves to God in Jesus Christ that they may prevent the evill dayes may yet fall upon them and know that their uncircumcised heart is the cause of all the evill brought or to be brought upon them Ier. 9. ult Thus of evill daies in the life of the wicked The godly mans daies are evill divers waies 1. The daies of spirituall famine are evill daies when a man cannot enjoy the meanes of salvation in the life and power of them In this case David said his teares were his meat day and night Psal. 42.2 2. The daies in which God is displeased with them or hideth himselfe so as he will not heare their prayers or not let them discerne it These are bitter dayes to the godly Psal. 102.2 3. 90.9 3. Daies of temptation in which they are to wrestle with principalities and powers are evill daies Eph 6. 4. All daies of trouble are in some respect evill daies Psal. 49.5 50.14 41.1 2. especially those daies are evill when the Lord turnes wicked men loose upon the godly and leaves them as it were in their hands to be reproached and oppressed all the day especially when himselfe will not appeare to help them Psal. 102.8 10 11. Esay 37.3 and most of all when the just man seemeth to perish in his righteousnesse Eccles. 7.15 But yet here is a great deale of difference between the evill daies of godly men and the evill dayes of wicked men because God sanctifies the evill of his daies to the godly man so as he is blessed when God chasteneth him for he thereby teacheth him his law Psal. 94.12 Heb. 12. Secondly God will deliver him out of evill if he call upon him Psal. 50.15 yea though his troubles seeme desperate Ier. 30.7 Thirdly though God may seeme to delay for a time yet he will make haste to performe his deliverance After two daies he will returne and the third day he will revive them Hos. 6.3 Fourthly God will make them glad according to the daies he hath afflicted them he will make them amends for all their evill daies Psal. 90.15 To conclude this point There be daies that are called evill which are common both to good and bad and such are the daies of old age Eccles. 12.1 when the Sun Moone and Starres are darkned that is all sense of prosperity is removed and the infirmities of old age come thicke one upon another like clouds after raine ver 2. when the armes which are the keepers of the house shake and the thighes and legs which were like strong men now bow and bend under them and their teeth which were the grinders or chewers of their meat now cease working because they are few and the eies which are the windowes of the body grow darke ver 3. when the doores shall be shut in the streets that is when upon the losse of his appetite he shall have no delight in any thing at home nor minde to goe abroad but his owne house shall be his prison and when he shall be so unable to rest in his bed that he shall rise with the first voice of the bird and be waked with the least noise that is and that he hath no delight in musicke of any kind as Barzillai said When they shall be affraid of every straw in their way they shall goe so weakly and their Almond tree shall flourish that is their heads shall be white as the blossomes of the Almond and they shall be so sore that a very Grashopper shall be a burthen to them to touch them shal be grievous and all the things they were wont to love they cannot now find any comfort in and thus they are passing to their long-home which is the grave and they are so neare as if their very mourners were ready in the streets to carry them to their graves yea they will not continue long but the silver cord will bee loosened that is the marrow of their backes be consumed and their golden Ewer which is the braine-pan be broke and so will the Pitcher at the Well that is the veines at the liver and so will the Wheele at the Cisterne be broken that is the head which drawes the powers of life from the heart and the dust returns unto the earth as it was and the spirit to God that gave it Thus of the daies that be evill daies Now it remaines that we enquire which be good daies and so we shall finde that there be daies that be good in the judgement of the inward man and sometimes daies that be good in the judgement of the outward man Only thus much we
by Christ 154 Excellent uses of the manifold descriptions of Christ 248 249 As he is a Lord how he excels other Lords 249 How said to be both a stone and a living stone 249 250. c. Christ is precious many wayes 254 How we may get an esteeme of Christ above all things 281 How we may manifest this esteeme ibid. How Christ is an honour to us 292 Christ many waies refused 298 In what respects Christ bare our sinne 531 Christian. A Christians life is a joyfull life 54 What they must doe to preserve that joy in their hearts 55 How farre he may rejoyce in earthly things 56 Priviledges of weake Christians 229 Encouragement for weak Christians 237 Christians have divers sacrifices 266 Only Christians come of the best generation 317 They are royall many wayes 318 The priesthood of a Christian is a singular priviledge 320 321 It should put us in minde of divers duties 321 Christians are holy many wayes 322 How Christians are said to be all of one Nation 325 Why called a peculiar people 326 327 A sound Christian shewes himselfe so by his conversation 388 For what reasons Christians should be much affected with the consideration of their Calling 689 The necessity of knowing our calling 690 How it may be knowne 691 Divers sorts of Christians ibid. Carnall Christians know not their Calling ibid. c. The reasons of it 692 Good Christians have a blessed estate above all men 693 True Christians inherit nothing but blessing 693. and that many wayes 694 Church Eleven prerogatives of the Christian Church 79 80 The Church like Mount Sion in many respects 276 277 The uses hereof ibid. The excellencie of the word above all other assemblies of the world besides 277 Cleane Cleanenesse Eight things to be done for the getting of a clean heart 175 Come We Come to Christ many mayes 256 Eight wayes to come to Christ 257 Encouragements thereto ibid. c. Compassion It was shewed by Christ five wayes 332 In man how 679 Motives to it ibid. What bowels of Compassion doth import 683 Confound Beleevers shall never be Confounded 284 The diverse acceptation of the word Confound ibid. How Confounded may be taken in a good sense 285 Meanes by which God keepes the Beleever from being confounded ibid. In what he shall not be confounded ibid. How farre he may be confounded 286 Conditions of such as will not be confounded 287 What sorts of men shall suffer shame and Confusion ibid. Conscience It ought to be adorned with nine things 18 Kindes of Conscience 503 Reasons why men ought to be instructed about Conscience 499 What Conscience is ibid. It s proper worke 500 How Conscience is imployed in us ibid. The law by which Consc. judgeth the maner of proceeding in judgment 502 Prerogatives of Conscience ibid. c. Divers kinds of Conscience 503 Differences of evills in mens Consciences 504 Signes of an evill Conscience that is still and stirred 505 Hurts of an ill Conscience with foure effects â—hereof 506 Aggravations of the miserie of an ill Conscience 507 What must be done to make an ill Conscience good 508 Two things for guiding the Conscience 509 Signes of a good Conscience ibid. Benefits of it 510 How farre Conscience may be bound 510 511 Conversation Our conversation said to be vaine in sixe respects 140 The sins which make it so ibid. There is vanitie in the Conversation of the Saints themselves ibid. Five degrees of our redemption from a vaine conversation 141 Seven signes of it ibid. Speciall rules for the right ordering of a holy Conversation 323 Meanes to â—ttainâ— it 324 Differences betweene a holy Conversation and a civill ibid. A sound Christian shewes himselfe so by his Conversation 388 Vide Honest. Sixe things which make an honest Conversation 389 An honest Conversation is the way either to convert or convince the Gentiles 392 By what meanes we may win wicked men in our Conversations 594 595 Reasons why a Christians Conversation should be coupled with feare 598 599 Conversion Nine signes to know whether we be effectually converted 585 Rules for it 586 Courtesie It containeth seven things 685 Creation The wonderfulnesse of our Creation shewed many waies 151 152 The use of it ibid. D DAy Many sorts of Dayes nâ—ted in Scripâ—â—â—â— 416 How the Day and season of grace may be knowne 417 Darknesse The acceptation of the word Darknesse 338 c. Degrees of it 339 Nine aggravations of the Darknesse that is in wicked men 340 The use of it ibid. c. Foure signs of spirituall Darknesse 341 There is some Darknesse even in the children of Light ibid. There are seven differences between the Darknesse of the godly and the darknesse of the ungodly 341 342 Death Vide Die 198 534 Deceit Vide Guile The miserie of Deceitfull persons 206 207 Of Deceitfull Servants 207 The iniquitie of our times herein 208 Signes of a man without Deceit 209 Despaire How many wayes wicked men may Despaire 307 Preservatives from Despaire 308 309 Speciall differences between the Despaire of the godly and wicked 309 310 Desire The necessitie utilitie and nature of this affection of Desire largely handled 221 The true Desire of the word hath foure distinct things in it first Estimation of it secondly Longing for it thirdly Content in it fourthly Constancie in the renewing of it 221 222 How we may discerne our affections to it 222 Signes both externall and internall of our Desire to the word 222 223 c. Impediments 223 Meanes of getting true Desire to the word 225 Rules for preserving these Desires 226 Motives thereto 227 How farre wicked men may desire the word 230 Die Vide Death Men Die many waies 534 The many inconveniences by forgetting to Die 198 How to prove willing to Die ibid. Disobedience How unbeleevers are guilty of Disobedience and their Disobedience aggravated 293 Drunkard Drunkennesse Reasons against it well applied 106 E EArth Earthly In what the vanity of Earthly things appeares 700 No reason to be in love with them ib. c. What daies are Evill in respect of wicked men 703 Wherein godly mens daies are Evill ibid. Great difference of the evill daies of good and evill men ibid. How farre Christians may rejoyce in Earthly things 56 Elect. The Elect have eight priviledges above all men in the world 7 8 Three sorts of Elect 150 Election A fourefold Election 7 How they may be knowne ibid. 315 Good use of the point 8 There are many things in our Election which may ravish us 314 Rules to live so as becommeth the assurance of Election 316 Envie It is a hatefull sin 214 Signes of a man free from Envie 215 Evill-doers Who are pointed out for such 446 Evill-speaking Vide Backe-biting Report the aggravation of it 213 Reasons against it 216 The effects of it foule 217 The use to be made of it with Rules against it 218 What to doe to avoid it 219 In what cases odious 395 Helpes to
divers respects Marks of such as are true members of Sion 1 King 19.1 21 Revel 14.5 Psal. 65.1 Speciall prerogatives of Siâ—n and the true members of it Esay 4.5 Esay 33.20 Vse 8. Esay 49 1â— Note How we may get an esteeme of Christ above all things How we manifest our account of Christ as precious Note Note Psal. â—27 5 Meanes by which God keeps the beleever from being confounded In what things the beleever shall not be confounded Rom 3.25 How far the godly may be confounded Conditions of such as wil not be confounded What sorts of men shall suffer shame and confusion Rules for the applying of the Word 〈◊〉 Rules for meditation What it is to beleeve and in how many things it is seen Marks of a true saving faith Signs of a weak but yet a true faith in weak Christians Vse Vnbeleeveâ—s are guilty of disobedience in divers respects Disobediencâ— aggravated How far wicked men may be called Builders How it comes to passe that many great and learned men oppose the truth of the Gospell By what means an ignorant simple man may stay his heart notwithstanding the oppositions of learned and wise men Mat. 11.15 1 Cor. 1.18 Châ—ist is many waies refused How Church-men viz. builders mâ—y refuse Christ. Note Vses Iudgements inflicted on some particular offenders belong to all for divers reasons Spirituall plagues are worse than temporall crosses for divers reasons Note Scandall defined and distinguished Quest. Answ. Wicked men wâ—re offended as Christ in many things Eâ—a 53.2 Ioh. 18.36 Mat. 9.10 Object Sol. Note Wherein wee are not to regard the offence of wicked men In what things we may be guilty of giving offence to wicked men Rules for the preventing of scandall How many waies wicked men may despaire Rev. 1.7 6 16. Preservatives against despair Speciall differences between the despaire of the godly and the wicked How wherein men take offence at the Word Proofes of reprobation Certaine observations for the quieting of our mindes in the doctrine of reprobation The specialties of Election Signes of Election Mâ—rks of such as truly suffer with Christ. Rules to live so as becomes thâ— assurance of Election Godly Christians come of the bâ—st kinred which â—pâ—eares by many reasons Godly men are Royall many wayes Differences between spirituall and earthly Kings Christians are holy many wayes Speciall rules for the right ordering of us in an holy conversation Meanes for obtaining an holy conversation Differences between the holinesse of conversation in civiâ—l honest men and Gods elect Differences beâ—weene the hypocrite and Gods elect in the holinesse of conversation The sixth prerogative is their number The acceptation of the words Doct. The sense as the word is taken for praises The division The first 〈◊〉 Five things we are not to 〈…〉 Nine vertues in Christ which we must shew forth in our lives 1 Wisedome How we should shew it viz. five wayes What it must not have in it 2 Mâ—eknesse shewed in 〈◊〉 things 3 Humility which is shewed three wâ—ies 4 Contempt of 〈◊〉 world sâ—â—wed in foure things 5 Mâ—rcy shewed 〈◊〉 wayes 6 Patience to be shewed foure wayes Three motives 7 Compassion to enemies 8 Inoffensivenes 9 Love to the godly How many wayes we shew forth the vertues of Christ. Seven wayes wherein wee may offend by outward shews Use. Motives to the shew of vertue Why the vertues in us are called the vertues of Christ. Sorts of callings Seven gifts of God Distinction of calling Foure things in the order of working our calling Eight signes of an effectuall calling Five rules that shew us how to walke worthy of our calling The misery of such as refuse their calling shewed in eight things Of the estate of such as have temporary grace The remembrance of our misery past is profitable in six respects The â—â—ceptations of the word Darknesse Degrees of darknesse Nine aggravations of the darknesse is in wicked men Foure signes of spirituall darknesse Sixe Differences betweene the darknesse iâ— in godly men and that which is in wicked men Acceptations of the word Light In how many respects the light of the godly is marvellous Of the calling of the Gentiles in generall Use. Many sorts of people in Scripture Why wicked men are said not to bee a people Who are not Gods people Men are Gods people three wayes Ier. 31.3 How Gods people excell all other people Rules for Gods people how to carry themselves to God Excuses of wicked men refuted What wicked men in particular are not under mercy Why many obtain not mercy Foure properties of Gods mercy 1 It is tender many wayes 2 It is immense 3 It is free mercy and that divers wâ—ies Gods mercy is eternall Nine effects of Gods mercy Use 1. Use 2. Helpes to obtaine merâ—y How many waies Gods people are the onely beloved ones Use. How Christians may preseâ—ve this love Lusts to beâ— especialy avoided Three differences of lusts in godly men and wicked men Helpes to avoid lusts Use. Lusts are fleshly in divers respect Eight evill properties and effects of the flesh How these lusts hurt the soules of wicked men as also the souls of godly men Soule taken in divers senses A discription of the Soule Seaven things very considerable in mans Soule Psal. 49.18 The Soule is a substance The soule is not a bodily substance The soule is immortal Eus. Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c 26. Aug. tom 6. de haeres c. 8.3 The originall of the soule Anima non est ex traduce God creates the Soule Union of the soule with the body how The faculties of the soule 1 Vegetation 2 Sense 1 Outward 2 Inward senses Of the facultie of reason in the soule wherein it excels The end why the soule was made Foure kinds of warre against the Soule The flesh wars against the soule five waies Why God doth suffer this war How many waies wee get victory over our lusts Signes to know whether we be overcomne of our lusts Six things to be looked to to expresse a faire conversation Use. In what cases it is lawfull to converse with wicked men Causes why godly meâ— are evill spoken of In what cases it is hurtfull to speake evill of godly men Reasons against evill speaking In what cases in particular it is odious to speake evill Helpes against reproaches to â—eare them Wherein workes are good Rules to be observed in doing good workes Kindes of good workes Esa. 16.8 How a godly man may comfort 〈◊〉 in his workes What workes are good for How a man may lose his workes What workes may be shewed What workes ought not to be shewed How God is glorified by himselfe How God is glorified of us in generall How God is glorified of us in particular Motives to the care of glorifying God Helps to glorifie God By what means God may bee brought into our mindes Helps to conceive aright of God How God is to be magnifâ—ed in our hearts and by what means The
or to the poore or to the Church or to the service of my country or to the conversion of soules c. have I ministred the wit or learning or wealth or power the Lord hath given me Contrariwise it cannot but be wofull to some to remember on their death beds that they have spent their meanes and gifts to promote wicked courses and to procure sinne or to maintaine the riotous or gamesters or whores or dogs or any way their own lusts oh what wil they say when they are asked whom have you clothed fed comforted counselled admonished c. But unto us But why are we honoured thus and not the Prophets The Lord sheweth mercy on whom he will shew mercy I meane it for the manner and time and measure and meanes we must not herein dispute with God yet even this tends wonderfully to the praise of Gods constant love to his Church we see he doth not grow weary of his affection he did not spend all his grace and favour upon Kings Patriarchs and Prophets but he is ready to entertaine even the prodigall sonne of the Gentiles with as hearty or rather more hearty entertainment then ever he did the Jewish children that had not departed out of their fathers houshold Secondly this also shews that extraordinary gifts are not the best for us wee want the gifts of prophesie but to have the glorious grace of Christ is better then all for we see the Prophets desired it more and great reason for one may be a Prophet and yet not be saved Math. 7. but so one cannot have the true grace of Christ but they shall be saved hee is in better case that can pray with the Spirit then he that can prophesie For God is rich to all that call upon him and whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.10 Ioel 2. Besides we may note here that God will not be bound to shew his tenderest kindnesse to his best servants no doubt the Prophets were better servants to God then we are yet you see they must not envie it to know that others shall be more made on then they Finally here is implyed that Gods promises and provisions of grace can never be in vaine If it be not for the Prophets yet it must be for us For so in the originall it is as if it were rendered but yet unto us to note that no word of God shall be in vaine Esay 55.11 They did minister This phrase imports divers things 1. Wee are here againe occasioned to think of a strange depth of respect God beares to the meanest of his children none are too good in his account to doe them service the Prophets must not think scorne to minister to them yea so doth God reckon of them that Kings and Queenes must not be too good to nurse them yea we see here the Angels are desirous to know or doe any thing that concerns them yea the holy Ghost will leave heaven to doe them good Oh the bottomlesse depth of Gods love and oh the barrennesse and shallownesse and unthankfulnesse of mans heart that cannot be more inflamed towards God to render love for love yea wee should be afraid ever to challenge God for want of love we should account it a great offence to call his affection in question the Lord takes it wonderfull ill Esay 49.15 16. 40.26 oh that God should love us so beyond all president all desert yea above all we could desire and yet we be still so slow hearted 2. From this phrase we may note that the greatest in the Church ought to account it their honour to doe service to their brethren It it charged upon all without exception to serve one another by love Gal. 5. and Christ saith of the greatest let him be your servant Mat. 20. The Use is for all of us to search our hearts to see whether we can finde such a noisome pride in our selves as that at any time we should think our selves too good to doe Gods work or to doe service to any of Gods people if we doe find it let us purge it out as vile leaven and be humbled for it before God else the Lord may perhaps finde out waies to shame us and scourge us that we dreame not of 3. This word Minister as it is in the originall excellently imports how we should serve one another For it is to serve as the Deacons did 1. out of conscience of a calling and commandement from God 2. with all diligence 3. constantly 4. cheerfully Rom. 12.5 with all humility making our selves equall with them of the lower sort All this the Deacons did 4. This word imports that spirituall things are from God onely in respect of beginning and as the primary cause For the Prophets doe but minister them They have nothing but that they have received for every good and perfect gift commeth downe from God the Father of lights which should teach us in the use of all meanes to direct our hearts to God The things which were reported unto you These words evidently shew First that the primitive Church was first taught by tradition that is by lively voice not by written Scriptures onely so was Adam so were the Patriarks for the first 2000. yeares 1 Thes. 2.15 But might some one say Doth not this wonderfully make for the Papists in their opinion about traditions No whit at all and that this point may be more fully understood I will shew out of Scripture that the word Tradition hath been taken three waies and then declare particularly that this doctrine can make nothing for the Papists 1. Sometimes by traditions are meant the inventions or precepts of men imposed with opinion of holinesse and necessity upon the consciences of men and so it is taken and taxed Mat. 15.2 3 6. Col. 2.8 2. Sometimes by traditions are meant certaine rules prescribed by the Apostles concerning things indifferent and their use Thus the Corinthians are praised because they kept the traditions as the Apostle delivered them unto them 1 Cor. 11.2 3. Sometimes by traditions are meant certaine orders appointed by the Apostles for the prevention of disorder in manners in the Churches of Christians and thus I take it to be understood 2 Thes. 3.6 when condemning such as would not work he saith they walk disorderly and not after the traditions which ye received of us It seemes the Apostle had prescribed some courses for preventing of idlenesse and such inconveniences 4 Sometimes it is taken for the very word of God delivered by lively voice so the word was delivered 2000. years before the law 5. Sometimes it is taken for the word of God as it was first delivered by the Apostles while the Scriptures was yet unfinished whether it were delivered by report or writings and so 2 Thes. 2.15 1 Cor. 11.23 15.3 According to the fourth sense or this last it is taken here Now this can make nothing for
the Papists for 1. This word of God was afterwards written and so written as nothing must be added Rev. 21.18 2. The doctrine here reported was delivered by the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven as the coherence shews Therefore unlesse they can shew the like authority for their traditions they say nothing 3. Their traditions were of the first sort and so condemned in Scriptures Secondly we may note that Christians when their hearts are turned unto God doe see a wonderfull glory in spirituall things They see that which the Prophets desired to see and could not Mat. 13 16,17 2 Cor. 3.16 17 18. which is one difference betweene the knowledge of the godly and the knowledge of the wicked For wicked men have but a dark glimmering knowledge that tends to basenesse and bondage and this should teach us to pray for the spirit of wisdome and revelation to know the riches thaâ— is in Christ Jesus being daily carefull that the god of this world doe not hide the glorious Gospell of Christ from us But have we the will of God onely by report This word report belongs principally to the first times before the Scriptures of the New Testament were written and so the word was sure enough being delivered by Apostolicall men who confirmed it by miracles And if the word doe also belong to our times then Godâ— Ministers are said to report Gods will unto us as Embassadors doe the wills of Princes by the instructions given in their commissions or as Lawyers report the law out of their great Charter or Statute-books or as Physitians report their remedies out of the books of practice and tryed experiments It is true that the doctrine of holy things is like unto a report 1. In respect of wicked men who passe all over as a tale that is told or respect it at best but as a nine dayes wonder 2. In respect of godly men who receive it but by peeces and degrees not as one continued story but as a report 3. In respect of the matter of happinesse it is so removed from our natures and we have so little right unto it that it comes to us as a report not aâ— any thing we knew before or could expect or looke for 4. In respect of the opportunity of it if wee take not hold of it in the very season it will be gone The Lord doth not every day set before us life and death but onely at some times and then how soone is the voice gone if our hearts open not to receive it Thus of the things contained in Gods answer as they are barely propounded Now in the words that follow they are further commended to us First by the efficient causes of them By them which preached the Gospell unto you The Gospell is diversly accepted in Scripture Sometimes it signifies the history of the life and death of Christ so in the title of every Evangelist his booke and so 2 Tim. 2.8 Mat. 26.13 Sometimes it signifies the glorious tidings of Christ come in the flesh and of salvation in him so it was promised by the Prophets Rom. 1.2 Act. 13.32 but most usually it signifies in generall the joyfull newes of happinesse eternall through the favour of God in Christ Jesus notwithstanding our misery in our selves and this was called the promise in the Old Testament and the Gospell in the new The Greek word properly signifieth good newes and in the New Testament the word is used to expresse that most happy newes of God reconciled in Christ and of perfect happinesse in him Now because this newes contains the more excellent part of Gods word therefore I will consider of it more exactly This heavenly newes is the more admirable if we consider 1. What it is that the Gospell doth signifie 2. How we are assured of the newes in the Gospell 3. What are the effects of it 4. What is required in the persons that have any part in this newes Then I would resolve certaine questions and lastly make some use of all For the first the Gospell brings newes unto forlorne men 1. Of peace and reconciliation with God The Gospell of peace 2. Of remission and forgivenesse of our sins Act 10.43 3. Of freedome from death and condemnation 4. Of a divine and most sufficient righteousnesse to be revealed from heaven Rom. 1.16 17. 5. Of eternall life The Gospell of the Kingdome Mat. 9.35 and all for Christ Jesus sake the son of David Rom. 1.23 But how can we be certaine of this newes 1. By the testimony of the Spirit 2. By the vaticinies of the Prophets 3. By the miracles that first confirmed it 4. By the testimony of Christ himselfe that in our nature preached it Mat. 4.13 5. By the word of God or of the Apostles The effects of the Gospell are 1. It brings life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 2. It melts the hearts of Gods elect more then any thing with voluntary griefe for sin it makes men condemne themselves in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.6 3. It revives and refresheth with wonderfull encouragements 1 Pet. 4.6 4. It makes a man sacrifice himselfe to God Rom. 15.16 5. It is the ministery of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. It fenceth the affections against the love care after worldly things Hence we are said to be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace 7. It establisheth hope Col. 1.23 8. It is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Fourthly there are eight things required in every one that would have part in the Gospell 1. Reformation of life 2. Faith and trust in it Mat. 16.15 16. Eph. 1.13 Heb. 4.2 and to this end get evidence and seale to it Eph. 1.13 3. A singular estimation of it so great as 1. Our chiefest praise should be in the Gospell 2. We should be content to suffer any thing for it and not be ashamed of the afflictions or bonds of the Gospell Marke 8.35 10.29 1 Thes. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.8 Philem. 13. 4. Poverty of spirit Esay 61.1 5. A diligent strife and constant endevour to attend upon it wee should presse to it Luke 16.16 6. Professed subjection to it 2 Cor. 9.12 7. We should endevour to live so as might become the Gospell Phil. 1.27 8. We should continue in it and not be moved away from the hope of it Col. 1.23 a vile offence to be turned from it Gal. 1.6 But was the Gospell never preached till now that hee saith it is now reported Distinguish If the Gospell be taken for the newes of Christ come in the flesh then it was not preached till the times of Christ and the Apostles But if it be taken for the promise of grace and pardon in Christ it was given in Paradise to Adam and continued by the Patriarks and Prophets Act. 10. 43. Heb. 13.8 Moses wrote of Christ Ioh. 5.46 Moses wrote of Christ two waies 1. By writing the promise concerning
and preached hee received the Sacrament in a private chamber at night and gave it onely to Clergy-men and used unleavened bread c. Quest. But what rules are then left to ground our practice upon and how far are our consciences bound by examples and so by the example of Christ Answ. Examples and so the example of Christ binde us in the things hee did which were required by the morall Law or the Word of God For an example is but the illustration of a precept it is but like the seale to a blank if there be no precept Secondly in other things which Christ did not required by the Law we are so farre forth tied to follow his practice as hee hath for those specialties given himselfe a precept as here we are bound to suffer from others and for others if need require by the force of Christs example but so as it is specified that his example bindes in this and other things But where the Scripture doth not make use of his example there we are not boâ—nd in things indifferent iâ— their owne nature to follow any example out of necessity Verse 22.23 Who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth Who when he was reviled reviled not againe when be suffered bee threatned not but committed it to him that judgeth righteously HItherto of the end of Christs suffering the manner followes set down both negatively and affirmatively Negatively Hee suffered without sinne in this verse and without reviling in the next verse Affirmatively He committed himselfe and his cause to him that judgeth righteously He did no sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words of this verse doe commend the innocency of this our Saviour which doth much increase the price and value of his sufferings He suffered for the sinnes of others that never committed any sinne himself in thought word or deed and as he was innocent in all the course of his life so did hee beare his sufferings without fault and carried himselfe so as no man could finde any just occasion against him The first thing affirmed of Christ to shew his innocency is that hee did no sinne In the Originall it is expressed by a word of great force which signifies to make or frame or fashion with art or to make sinne and it may be rendâ—ed as I conceive more fitly He 〈◊〉 sinne To make sinne being a phrase somewhat unusuall the sense is to be 〈◊〉 red into Now a man may be said to make sinne many waies First when a man 〈◊〉 and commits a sinne never heard of before Thus Onan made that sin of filthinesse Thus the Sodomites and Gentilish men and women made sinnes of lust Thus drunkards make strange kindes of drinkings Thus the 〈…〉 of our times 〈◊〉 the sinnes of strange apparell And thus the Papists make that horrible sin of murthering of 〈…〉 And thus swearers now make their monstruous oaths Secondly when a man sinnes having not so much as temptation to sinne in himselfe or pronenesse of nature to sinne and so he sinnes that sinnes wilfully and not by infirmitie or weaknesse of nature Thus Adam made the first sinne for he had no corruption of nature to intice him or incline him nor could any temptation from without compell him but he sinned wilfully Thus those men of bloud make sin that kill their brethren in cold bloud And so many whoremongers and drunkards make sinne when they are not inticed but intice themselves and strive by all meanes to fire and force themselves to wickednesse And thus swearers and usurers and such like make sinne Thirdly when a man commits such a sinne as other men condemne by the very light of nature though he doe it by corrupt inclination or though it bee sinne which others commit so to make sinne is to be a malefactor or one that is guilty of any grosse sinne Fourthly when a man studies mischiefe and sinnes not suddenly but imagines and deviseth and forecasts and plots how to compasse his sinne and thus all wicked men make sinne because they sinne not suddenly or by meere frailty but doe study iniquitie every wicked man is a great student Psal. 36.4 Fiftly when a man causeth others to sinne by evill counsell or example or compulsion Thus Tyrants made sinne that forced men to deny the faith and thus they make sinne that make their neighbours drunke and thus Stage-plaiers and Minstrels make sinne that call and provoke others to licentiousnesse and wantonnesse and thus superiours make sinne when by their evill example or negligence in not punishing offences they tempt others to sinne Sixtly when a man makes a trade of sinning and thus men are said in Scripture to bee workers of iniquity which is a Periphrasis of wicked men Now he that is said to make a trade of sinne or to bee a worker of iniquity first is one that makes it his daily custome to follow his sinfull course of life or that followes sinne as the trades-man doth his trade Secondly that cannot live without his sinne that accounts his sinne the life of his life that had as liefe be dead as restrained of his sinne as the trades-man accounts himselfe undone if his trade be destroyed Seventhly when a man calls good evill and evill good when a man makes that to bee a sinne which is no sinne Thus they make sinne that call those things sinne which God by his Law never called sinne and thus men make sinne both out of superstition on the left hand and out of rash zeale on the right hand thus also profane persons make godlinesse and a body conversation to be Schismes and truth to be Heresie thus the Jewes called Pauls religious course Heresie when he by that way which they called Heresie worshipped the God of his fathers and the Professors of Christian Religion they called a Sect Acts. 2â— Isa. 5.20 Thus Lawyers many times make sinnes when they make a good cause bad and a bad cause good Eightly when a man by slander casts foule aspersions upon other men that are innocent speaking evill with any manner of evill report of such as live religiously And this art of making sinne the slanderer learned of the divell that accuser of the brethren Thus many godly persons are many 〈◊〉 by wicked reports made grosse offenders in the common acceptation of the world and in the rumours speed abroad of them in many places Thus they made Christ and the Apostles grievous sinners and a spectacle to men and Angels Ninthly when a man in adversity deviseth 〈…〉 to get out of trouble or deliver himselfe from the crosse is laid upon him And this sense may in some sort be applyed to the case of our Saviour who never used ill meanes to deliver himselfe though he suffered extreme things Lastly in a generall sense every man that is guilty of sinne may be said to make sinne And so it is commonly by way of removall said of Christ that he made no sinne that is