will witnesse for him to his singular joy 2. Cor. 1.12 The daily encouragements of a good conscience are like a continuall feast 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 wee have Gods blessing Now that this point may bee distinctly beaten out wee must understand that true Christians may be said to inherite 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 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 Iesus Christ is blessing or comfortable words God will speake to his people peace Psal. 84.5 and therefore hee gives a charge to his Ministers to speake comfortably to Ierusalem Esay 40.1 2. Secondly that Gods elect never finde 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 speakes good words both for his people behinde their backes and to his people before their faces They inherite Gods good word for them in their absence Thus God speakes excellently in the praise of Iob to the Divell before the Angells Iob 1. 2. and thus hee 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 blessin 1 In temporall things of all sorts hee makes the earth blesse them and the heavens and the waters Gen. 49.25 hee blesseth them in the City 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 storehouses upon all they set their hands to 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 thâ—â—â— blessing where with 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 as a shower of blessing every doctrine being as a blessed drop of instruction or comfort Ezech. 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 yee blessed of my father inherite 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 daies 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 blessing is most an end but verball in words Gods blessing is reall in deeds A father on earth cannot derive blessing to his childe from himselfe but from God whereas Gods blessing is from himselfe Besides if an earthly father would blesse his childe yet hee 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 bee lost as Chams was but Gods blessing cannot be lost hee 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 bee prophane like Esaâ— to contemne Gods blessing but seeke it while it may be had Heb. 12.17 Que. But what should we doe to get Gods blessing Ans. First you must diligently resort to Gods house for there God hath commanded the blessing Psal. 133.3 and bee carefull and attentive hearers of Gods Word for the ground that drinketh in the raine receiveth a blessing from God Heb. 6.7 the raine of instruction must soake into your hearts 2 You must turne you every one from all your transgressions if you will have Gods blessing in his Son Iesus Act. 3.26 without sound repentance Gods blessing will not be had Men must not thinke to get Gods blessing and doe after the things they doe now a daies every one that is right in his owne eyes Deut. 12.7 8. Finally wee must be all such as feare God truly Psal. 115.13 and such as will not lift up their soules to follow vanity but get cleane hands and a pure heart for such onely shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of their salvation Psal. 24.4.5 and to this end we must carefully hearken to Gods voice and observe to doe all that he commandeth us Deut. 15.4.5.6 Lastly Gods owne children that have felt the comfort of Gods blessing must be admonished to carry themselves so as they may grow in the comforts of it more and more
father begate but is the word which God the father uttered and is the word which God uttered to us bodily creatures God though he be a spirit yet doth speak both to spirits and bodies to spirits by a way unknowen to us to bodies he hath spoken many wayes as by signes dreams visions and the like so by printing the sense of his mind in the mindes of creatures that could speake and by them uttered in word or writing what hee would have knowen Thus he spake by the Patriarches Prophets Christ and the Apostles They that deny that God hath any wordes either deny that God is as Psal. 14.1 or else conceive him to bee like stuckes or stones or beasts as Rom. 1.23 or else thinke he can speake but will not because he takes no care of humane things as Iob 22 23. These are Atheists 2 The Scripture is called the Word by an excellency because it is the onely word wee should delight in God since the fall did never speake unto man more exactly than by the Scriptures and we were better heare God talk to vs out of the Scriptures than heare any man on earth yea or Angell in heaven yea it imports that wee should be so devoted to the study of the Scriptures as if we desired to heare no other sound in our eares but that as if all the use of our eares were to heare this Word Let him that hath eares to heare heare 3 This Word of God now in the time of the new Testament belongs to all men in the right application of the true meaning of it Once it was the portion of Iacob and God did not deal so with other Nations to give them his Word but now that the partition wall is broken downe the Gospel is sent to every creature That is here imported in that unbeleeving Husbands are blamed for not obeying the Word which should teach all sorts of men to search these Scriptures and to heare the Word devoutly and withall know that the comforts terrors and precepts contained in it will take hold upon all sorts of men respectively 4 The Word of God ought to rule all sorts of men That is implyed here in that fault is found with these unbeleevers that they obeyed it not It was given of God to that end to instruct reprove and direct men in all their waies 2 Tim. 3.16.17 It is the Canon or rule of menâ— actions Gal. 6.16 It is the light and lanthorne God hath given to men it hath divine authority If we will shew any respect of God we must bee ruled by the Scripture which is his Word 5 Vnregenerate men have no minde to obey the Word and the reason is because they are guided by other rules which are false as their owne reason the customes of the world the suggestions of the devill and the likes and because too the Word is contrary to their carnall desires â—â—nd therefore they yeeld themselves to be guided by such rules as are most pleasing to their corrupt natures and besides too the light of the Word is too glorious for his eyes He cannot see into the mysteries contained in it because they are spiritually to be discerned and the naturall man therefore cannot perceive the things of God 6 It is a dangerous thing not to obey the Word of God they are accounted for lost and forlorne men here that doe not obey the Word Men bee deceived if they think it is a course may be safe for to disobey God's Word for God's Word will take hold of them and destroy them and it will judge them at the last day Zacha. 1.4.5 2. Thes. 1.8 They are but lost men cast-awaies that care not for God's Word 7 Nothing is to be reckoned a sinne which is not disobedience to the Word That which is not contrary to some Scripture is no transgression and therefore men should take heed of burthening themselves with the vaine feare of sinning when they breake no commandement of God but only unwarranted traditions either on the left hand or the right 8 The constant omission of religious duties and good workes proves a man to be a carnall person aswell as the committing of manifest injuries or grosse offences Here the Periphrasis of a carnall person is That he did not doe what the Word required 9 Men that obey not the Word may bee wonne which should be a great comfort to penitent sinners It is true that disobedience clothed with some circumstances or adjuncts is very dangerous as when men have the meanes and love darknesse rather than light Iohn 3.20 and when men are smitten with remorse and have blessing and cursing set before them and see their sinnes and feele the axe of God's Word and yet will on in transgression Deut. 11.28 Mat. 3.10 or when men are called at the third or sixth or ninth howre and will put off and delay upon pretence of repenting at the eleventh howâ—e Mat. 20. or when men are powerfully convinced and will raile and blaspheme and contradict the Word Acts 13.45.46 18. 6. and when God pursues men with his judgements and they refuse to returne Ier. 5.2.3 or lastly when men despight the spirit of God and sinne of malice against the truth Heb. 10.26.27.28.29.30 10 The chiefe doctrine is That sound obedience to the Word of God is the character of a true Christian a mark to distinguish the true Christian from the false and from him that is no Christian at all God makes his count by righteousnesse Rom. 10. To professe the true religion to understand the Word to beleeve it with historicall or temporall faith to talke of the Word to receive Baptisme and the signes of the Covenants or the like makes not an essentiall difference It is obeying the Word proves us to be true Christians Not the hearers but the doers of the Word are acknowledged for just persons Mat. 7.26.27 Iames 1.22.23.24 But that we be not deceived in our obedience wee must know that unto sound obedience divers things are required as 1 That his obedience be from the heart Rom. 6.17 2 That his obedience ariseth from the love of God and the hatred of sinne as it is sinne and not from carnall and corrupt ends Deut. 30.20 Ioshua 22.5 Mat. 4.19 3 That his obedience be in all things with respect to all God's commandements though it be against his profit ease credit or the like Hebr. 11.8 Genes 22.12 Psal. 119.6 Exod. 15.26 4 That he doth righteousnesse at all times that he continue in his obedience and obey at all times that is constantly and not for a fit Psal. 106.2 Hos. 6.5 Gal. 5.7 2. Kings 18.6 Iam. 1.23 5 That he make conscience of obeying the least commandement aswell as the greatest Mat 5. â—9 6 That obeyes the commandements of the Gospel about beleeving in God and Iesus Christ aswell as of the Law that practiseth obedience of faith and lives by faith 2. Thes. 1.8 Rom. 1.5 Mat. 16.16 11 It is
not be satisfied with silver Man walketh in a vaine shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vain Eccles 1.9 5.10 Psal. 39. A shadow is something in apparance but nothing in substance if a man would seeke to claspe it or receive it to himselfe 5 All these things are transitory and uncertaine and mutable which may be considered of three waies First if thou love these things thou art not sure thou canst keepe them they may be lost suddenly and fearefully for either they may wear out of themselves or they may be taken from thee they are liable to vanitie in themselves or to violence from others Matth. 6.19.20 1. Pet. 1.24 Secondly if thou be sure to enjoy them yet they will be suddenly lost to thee because thou canst not make thy heart to take delight in the same things still for not onely the world passeth away but the lusts therof also 1. Iob. 2.15 Eccles. 6.1 7. 9.3 Thirdly if neither of these befall thee yet thou art mortall thou must be taken from them and thy life is short like a dreame and passeth away like the winde and thou art but a stranger and pilgrime here and thou must carry nothing out of the world but in all points as thou camest into the world so must thou goe hence Psal. 90. Iob 7.7 Eccles. 5.13 14 15. All flesh is grasse Esay 40.6 6 That a man may receive much hurt from them they may steale away our hearts from God The amitie of the world is the enmity with God Iam. 4. They are like pitch to defile there is a snare and temptation in all of them they fill mens hearts with foolish noysome lusts and a man may damne his soule for too much loving of them 1. Tim. 6.9 Phi. 3 18. and they may serve to witnesse against a man at the day of judgment Iam. 5.1 Lastly consider that there is no comparison betweene the commodities of this life and the commodities of the life to come There are rivers of pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. ult There are Crownes of honour and glorie such as will neither be held with envie nor lost with infamie there shall men possesse enduring substance Heb. 11. treasures not liable either to vanity or violence Matth. 6.20 an inheritance immortall and undefiled and that withereth not and lieth in heaven 1. Pet. 1.3.4 Thus of the second doctrine A third Doctrine may be gathered out of these words and that is That in some cases there is a permission of the love of life In that he gives rules to such as will love life it imports that God is contented to suffer or tolerate that humour in men Now this toleration may be considered of as it is granted to some men or as it extends in some sort to all sorts of men Some men that are in high place and have publike imployments and are about some speciall service for the glory of God and good of the Church or Common-wealth in these men the desire to live longer in it selfe is not sinfull This was the case of David and Hezekiah Now further unto all sorts of men the Lord doth allow a certaine kinde of liking of life so as they observe such cautions and rules as he appoints as namely that the cares of this life hinder not the preparation for death or the provision for a better life and withall that they limit not God for the time of life but be willing to dye when God calls for their lives Now for a conclusion to this point I would advise those that have such a minde to live here to looke to certaine rules which will prevaile with God to grant them long life if any thing will prevaile as first they must bee exhorted to take heed of overmuch desire of life they must moderate their desires after life If they could once attaine to it to bee content to die when God will it may bee they should finde life prolonged according to that of our Saviour Hee that will lose his life shall finde it Secondly such as have parents in nature or religion must be verie carefull to give them due honour for to such God hath promised long life in the fift Commandement Thirdly godlinesse hath the promises of this present life as well as of the life to come and therefore ever the more godly we are in all manner of conversation the longer wee may be likely to live and contrariwise a prophane man hath no assurance to live out halfe his daies Thus of the first forme of speech The second forme of speech by which the persons hee adviseth are described are such as will see good daies And see good daies Before I come to the observations here is worke of large enquiry and consideration about the sense for these words import That in the life of man there be some good daies and some evill daies Physitians tell us in their profession of some daies in the yeare that bee good daies and some that be evill daies for their directions and superstitious and idle people in the world tell us that there are some good daies to beginne businesses in and some evill It seemes here the Prophet David in Theologicall contemplation findes that in the life of man some daies be good and some bee evill This would be enquired into And that wee may finde out which bee good daies wee must first enquire which be evill daies and that by Scripture account And that wee may distinctly understand this wee must enquire which be evill daies 1 For wicked men 2 For godly men The daies of wicked men must bee considered more generally or more specially generally all the daies of the wicked are evill both because hee is a transgressour every day and because the curse of God is upon him all his daies even then when hee lives longest and enjoyes most prosperous times Esay 65.20 Every day the wrath of God hangeth over his head and every day God judgeth him Psal. 7. either in soule or body or name or estate either by withholding his blessings or by mingling the curse with the good things hee enjoyeth Psal. 78.33 as the Israelites under censure of death from God More specially the daies of the wicked man are evill eiin this life or after this life In this life his daies are evill in two speciall senses either in respect of the shortning of them or in respect of the afflicting of them It is a speciall evill to some wicked men that their daies on earth are shortned Some men live not out halfe their daies and dye in the middest of their daies Psal. 55.24 Ier. 17.11 and so it is a curse that his daies are few Psal. 109.8 Eccles. 8.13 Againe the daies of wicked men are said to bee evill in respect of some speciall judgements of God to bee powred out upon them for their sinnes These daies are called the daies of Gods wrath and anger and daies of Gods visitation Isa. 10.3 the day of
the Church of God in generall to prosper Psal. 128.5 6. when God keeps his Church as his Vineyard and waters it every moment and watcheth it night and day and destroyeth every thing that might annoy it Esay 27.2 3. 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 week when his body enjoyes rest his soule is blessed according to Gods promise with spiritual rest and grace in Iesus Christ. Secondly the dayes in which the soule of a Christian after sinne and the judgment 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 praies unto him especially at the first reconciliation are wonderfull good daies Iob 33.25 26. with the coherence 36.11 Psal. 90.14 Luk. 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 wisedom Salomon speakes of whâ—ch 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 minde 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 abundance of blessings in their families and estates and withall publike honour and respect withall sorts even the great ones of the world as was in the case of Iob which hee describes in the whole 29 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 estate free from all trouble or vexation or contumely at home or abroad being free from Gods aflicting 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 bee 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 wilfully love this life that though they live in much misery are loath to thinke of dying take no course to provide for a better life 2 It is evident from hence that the life of man is but short whether hee 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 expresly 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 Ps. 39.5 to a watch in the night Psal. 90.4 to a sleepe vers 5. to a tale that is told vers 9. Thus the life of man is said to bee short either as he is in Gods sight with whom a thousand years are but as yesterday when it is past Psal. 90 4. or in his owne account if he measure time to come as hee 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 hee live to fourescore it is but labour and sorrow to him Psal. 90. Quest. But what should bee the cause that mens lives are so short Ans. If there were no other cause but the will of him that hath the disposing of the times 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 deserts 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 own il courses or by sinning against their own bodies by lewd courses by eating up their owne hearts with worldly cares and sorrowes or by living in any grosse sinne 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 bee this reason assigned that the Lord makes hast to have the number of his elect fulfilled and therefore he dispatcheth away the generations one after another and so shortneth the daies of man for his elect sake Now for the uses Are our lives so short then it should teach us divers lessons 1 To pray God to make us able to thinke so and so to number our daies that we may not make any reckoning of any long continuance here Psal. 39.3 90.12 2 To make hast and dispatch our repentance and all the businesses that concerne our sound reconciliation and so to walke while wee have the light and to use all good meanes while we enjoy them 3 To redeeme the time and save as much of it as wee can for the uses of a better life Ephs. 5. and to worke the harder to fulfil thy measure and dispatch that taske God hath set thee to doe 4 To lay fast hold upon eternall life 1. Tim. 6. and to make that sure 5 Every day to provide for our departure even all the daies of our appointed time to waite when our changing shall come Iob 14.14 FINIS An Alphabeticall Index of the most Principall things handled throughout the whole Booke A ADoption the glory of it 133 How it is attained 136 Markes thereof 136 Amazement in wives 109 Causes thereof 109 Antiquity when ill pleaded 91 Apparell See Attire Attire reasons against the vanity
Pet. 2.6 5 If thou have a spirit without guile Psal. 32 2. and that will appeare 1 By thy desire to be godly and religious more than to seem so Rom. 2.26 2 By thy desire to be ridde of all sinne and to be turned from all thy transgressions Ezech. 18.30 setting thy selfe against thine owne iniquity 2. Sam. 22.24 If thou feele a combat within thee the spirit striving against the flesh aswell about inward sinnes as outward against the very evill that cleaves to thy best workes and against those sinnes that thou hast most loved or have been most gainefull or pleasing to thee Gal. 5.17 3 This will be clearer if thou desire to forsake thy sins in thy youth or prosperity while thou couldest yet securely commit them 4 If thou keepe thy goodnesse in all companies aswell when thou art absent farre as when thou art present with such as are religious Phil. 2.12 doing righteousnesse at all times Psal. 106.2 6 If thou love the house of God above all the places in the world and that thy thirst after the meanes continue and last and bee renewed after the foode of thy soule as thy stomacke is after thy bodily foode Psal. 26.8 84. Iob 23.12 Psal. 119.20 7 If thou honour them that feare the Lord and are religious above all the people in the world discerning betweene the righteous and the wicked contemning vile persons and joyning thy selfe to the godly as the people thou wilt live and dye with and as the best companions of thy life Psal. 15. Mal. 3.17 Psal. 16.3 1. Iohn 3.14 8 If the vaile be taken off thy heart so as thou canst heare as the learned and understand spirituall doctrine that before was harsh and foolishnesse to thee 1. Cor. 2.14 2. Cor. 3.15.16.18 Esa. 51.6 9 If thou finde that thou canst not sinne Marke it the Apostle Iohn saith he that is borne of God cannot sinne hee meanes he cannot sinne as he was wont to doe for either God crosseth him still and hinders him or hee findes that hee cannot affect his sinne so heartily or commit it with his full consent or with his whole heart as hee was wont to doe 1. Iohn 3.9 the power of sinning is marred and dissolved in him Now that this worke may prosper if you find your selves any way effectually wonne be advised then to look to these rules following 1 Take heede of smothering of doubts aske the way to Heaven and seeke resolution in things of so high importance as your Vocation Iustification Sanctification and Salvation are Ier. 50.4 2 Looke to it what teachers and what doctrine you heare choose that foode for your soules that is most wholesome be not carryed away with the inticing words of mans wisedome 3 Be carefull to humble your soules in secret judging your selves for your sins before the Lord. Be not sleighthie in this great worke though you have repented yet repent still till your hearts be fully setled and the power of your corruptions broken rest not upon common hopes or probabilities or the good opinion others have of you but lay a sure foundation for your owne faith and hope Ier. 31.20 4 Come constantly to the light that it may be manifest that your workes are wrought in God and let the Word of God be the light to your feete and lanthorne to your pathes Iohn 21.22 Psal. 50. Gal. 6.16 What remaines uow but that I should beseech you to turne unto God withall your hearts Give your selves to God he will keep that which you commit to him till the day of Christ. Let not our words be as water spilt upon the ground Oh that the Lord would bow the Heavens and come downe amongst you and take possession for himselfe and perfect the worke he hath begunne in some of your hearts Remember the covenant you have made with God in the Sacrament made it I say over the dead body of your Saviour Now is the axe laid to the roote of the tree now or never bear fruite This is the day of salvation say you This is the day the Lord hath made for our conversion God is gracious if you turne to him with all your hearts and just if you prove false in his covenant Though grace in you be but as the smoaking flaxe yet it shall not be quenched the Lord establish his worke If you hold out to the end you shall be saved That they which obey not the Word The persons that may be wonne are described by these wordes as a Periphrasis of carnall persons men that are not in Christ and so may note either such husbands as were Gentiles or such husbands as were carnall Christians If by those Husbands be meant unbeleeving Gentiles a question may be asked viz. how the Gentiles are said to disobey the Word of Cod seeing it was never given unto them For answer we must understand that at this time the Word was brought among the Gentiles by the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospel and therefore now they are bound to obey it aswell as any others and this was the condemnation of a world of them that light was come amongst them and they loved darknesse rather than light Otherwise considering the Gentiles without the Law brought to them they shal be judged not by the Law written which they had not but by the Law of nature which they had in their hearts Rom. 2.15.16 Now if by these wordes bee meant carnall Christians that had turned from Gentilisme and received the profession of Christian religion but yet followed their carnall courses wee may then note That the bare change from a false religion to the profession of the true is not sufficient to salvation A man that hath professed a false religion had neede of two conversions the one is from his false religion to the true and the other from profanenesse to sincerity in that religion The corne must bee fetched from the field into the barne but that is not inough for so is the chaffe but it must then be taken from the barne into the garner To leave Popery and turne Protestant is not in it selfe sufficient unlesse a man turne from the profanenesse that is in the multitude in true Churches to embrace the sincere profession of the Gospel And there is reason for it for in changing from a false religion to a true a man doth but change his profession or his minde at best but hee that will bee changed effectually must change his heart and whole conversation and become a new creature So that then these words describe a carnall man viz. that he is such a one as doth not obey the Word of God By the word hee meanes here the doctrine published by the Prophets and Apostles and now contained in the Scriptures Many doctrines may be hence observed 1 The Scripture is God's Word because God thereby doth expresse the sense of his minde as men doe by their wordes The Scripture is not the word which God the
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 prye 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 conversations 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 waies of the godly sometimes out of the naughtinesse of their hearts supposing godly men to be like unto themselves and therefore hope to finde out wickednesse in their practise sometimes out of malice lying in waite to finde 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 finde not in themselves or other carnall men And therefore the use should bee 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 wee may gather also That a Christian must looke to his justification before men aswell as to his justification before God for as God beholds his waies so doe men and he is bound to seek his justification from men aswell 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 justmen 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 reproches 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 chast conversation The word here translated Chast. 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 chast 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 aswell as men That purity is required is manifest by divers Scriptures yea to bee examples in purity 1. Tim. 4.2 It is the chiefe fruit of the wisedome is from above Iames 3.17 A pure heart 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 Ye 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 Iames 3.2 Who can say I have made my heart cleane and am pure from my sinne Pro. 20.9 And if anie man say hee hath no sinne hee is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1. Iohn 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 sinnes 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 hee 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 sinne 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 they desire to be as pure as he would have them to be 3 Sound mortification and judging of our selves for what impurity we finde cleave to our workes 't is Christian perfection to judge our selves for our imperfections 1. Iohn 3.3 4 Freedome from the grosse impurities and vices and vanities of the time God accounts us pure when our spot is not as the spots of the wicked and when wee are not infected with the corruptions which are usually in the world 1. Tim. 5.22 2. Pet. 1.4 5 Freedome from the raigne of hypocrisie in the heart and from hypocriticall courses in the life Thus Saint Iames accounts the heart to bee pure when men are not double minded Iames 4.8 And in conversation hee is a pure man that is like Iacob a plaine man without fraud trickes or dissimulation 6 Precisenesse circumspection or exactnesse of conversation when a man sheweth respect to all Gods commandements and makes conscience to avoide lesser sins aswell as greater Eph 5.15 Mat. 5.19 7 Devoutnesse and zeale in matters of religion and Gods worship and glory and so a pure conversation is a religious conversation that expresseth zeale and conscience in the things of Gods service in a speciall manner seeking Gods kingdome first and above all other things 2. Tim. 2.22 Tit. 2.14 8 Chastity in keeping the heart and life cleane from the impurities condemned in the seventh commandement is one great part of Christian purity But before I come to entreat of chastity in particular I would apply this doctrine of purity in generall first to the Text and then to the times As for the Text a pure conversation is here considered onely
hates whoâ—edome in men aswell as women But yet it is true that some sinnes as they are abominable in any so they are much more in women as wee 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 chastity 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 knowen 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 avoide fornication 1. Thes 4.3 Secondly the promises of God all of them should allure men to perfect their holinesse and to avoide all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit 2. Cor. 7.1 Thirdly the hatefulnesse of the nature of the sinne of fornication and whoredome should deterre Christians from the committing of it This is an hainous crime an iniquity to bee punished by the Iudges Iob 31.11 These lusts are lusts of the Gentiles 1. Pet. 4.3 A sinne not so much as to be named amongst Christians Eph. 5.3 A sinne that utterly corrupts naturall honesty Pro. 6.27.29 It is a sinne not only against the soule but against the bodie of a man even that body that was bought with the blood of Iesus Christ and was made for God and is the Temple of the holy Ghost and is a member of Christ's mysticall body 1. Cor. 6.15 to the end Fourthly the consideration of the cause of this sin should abash men it is a work 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 sinne 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 bee blotted out Prro 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 bee 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 senselessenesse and disability to make use of the meanes of salvation Whoredome and wine take away the heart Hosea 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 â—o â—he slocks or like an Oxe to the slaughter Pro. 7.22 In a word the adulterous person destroieth his owne soule Pro. 6.32 yea 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. 2â— 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 Pro. 5.18.19 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 words especially such words of God as doe give reasons and motives to disswade from this sinne 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 strangers and pilgrims 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 sinne such as are 1 Idlenesse that sinne of Sodome Exech 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 between the breasts Hos. 2. 7 Lascivious pictures and prophane representations of filthie practises such as are exprest by those wicked Stage-Plaiers 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 huâ—bands could behold the chast conversation of the wives I answer they might know that they were chast boâ—h by their modesty in secret in the use of the marriage bed by their strict care to behave themselves modestly soberly abroad in the family or in other places by their great conscience to avoide all occasions of evill when they discerned that they did abhorre the society presence of light vain persons detested all the provocations to lust of what kind soever The next verse shewes one way how they may know they were chast even by their care to avoide pride and vanity in attire Such men as have wives that are proud and follow the fashion of the world in attire or delight in vaine company and haunt stage-plaies are fooles if they bee over-confident of their wives chastity unlesse it be in case of necessity where they want either beauty or temptation or opportunity And it is a probable argument of a chast minde in the wife when she keepes house and is diligent and carefull and painefull in the businesse of the family and desires to please her husband in all things and willing to be subject to his will Thus of a chast conversation A conversation with feare followes Some refer this fear to the carnall husbands make the sense thus While they with feare behold your chast conversation It is true that wicked men feele a great deale of feare many times in themselves when they look upon the godly and get the feare as the fruit of their watching and prying and observing That wicked men are smitten many times with feare many Scriptures shew as Deut. 28.10 1. Sam. 18.15 Psal. 102.15 The reasons why they are afraid are divers 1 Naturall conscience doth homage to the image of God stamped upon
this I finde no difference amongst Divines Zanchius and some other Divines go further pronounce Nullities in the cases following as If marriage be contracted yea and celebrated without the consent of parents Hee brings many arguments from the Law before Moses and from the Law of Moses from the Testimony of the Apostle Paul and from the lawes of Nations and from the Fathers If marriage be contracted or celebrated with such as have any notorious contagious disease which is knowne to be incurable as the Eliphantiasis or worse kind of leprosie or the like because this will prove a mischiefe to the party cleere and to his children and to the Common-wealth and God ordained not marriage to be a mischiefe but a helpe If marriage be celebrated with a woman that is found to be with childe by another man Yea hee enclines to those that thinke the marriage of a Christian with an Infidell as a Iew Turke or Pagan as being the knowne and professed enemies of Christ is likewise a Nullitie He gives many probable reasons and quotes divers authors for the opinion But for my part I dare not venture so farre especially to be peremptorie in it much lesse have I attained to the learning of those Divines that thinke Veneficium versus hanc Witchcraft disabling a man towards that woman onely to be a sufficient cause of a Nullitie in the marriage Thus of the case of Nullities For the case of Divorce I thinke that rule of our Saviour bindes peremptorily that no man may put away his wife but only in the case of fornication Matth. 19.9 In that case a man making a lawfull divorce is not bound to cohabitation but freed from it and must not dwell with her any more If it be objected that in the case of disertion when an Infidell forsakes a Beleever the Apostle saith the Beleever is free I answer that this is not a case of Divorce The Beleever doth not for the businesse of religion put away the Vnbeleever yea the Apostle shewes he ought not 1. Cor. 7. only if the unbeleever will depart let her depart And so by the wilfull departure of the Infidell the Christian is freed from the bond of marriage as Divines conceive which is a kinde of Nullity but not a Divorce But then a great respect must be had to the kinde of Vnbeleever not every wicked man or woman nor every person that professeth a false religion but such an Vnbeleever as is a profest enemy to the Name of Christ is the Vnbeleever the Apostle speaks of Yet one thing more I must adde about the case of Disertion When the Disertion is for other causes than religion if it bee wilfull or inevitable then the party diserted is freed from this charge of cohabitation freed I say for a time till the diserted returne and if he never returne the party forsaken is for ever free Thus of the Proposition of their dueties the Exposition of it followes According to knowledge By knowledge I take it here meant that Christian knowledge of Religion and the Word of God which godly husbands had attained by the Gospel for in the end of the verse he speakes of husbands as heires of the grace of life And so before I come to shew what speciall things in the manner of cohabitation this knowledge doth charge upon husbands I would consider of some doctrines in generall implyed by the words as Doct. 1. That the knowledge of Gods Word is a gift of God to be much accounted of and therefore the Apostle here for honour-sake to the man mentions this grace rather than any other And that knowledge is a precious thing or a great treasure may appeare divers waies First by the seate and use of knowledge it is a gift that adornes the mind of man making him by his inward vnderstanding to see excellent things It is a great benefite to have senses to discerne things without vs but this divine light that God puts into the understanding of man gives to the understanding power to see admirable things Especially when it is spirituall light it shewes a man the differences betweene good and evill and reveales such glorious things as no senses can reach to Secondly by the author of it God is the father of light and dwelleth in light Iam. 1.17 and it is the speciall glory of Christs divinity to lighten every man that comes into the world Iohn 1. and the â—oly Ghost claimes a part in this glory to give illumination to the minde 2. Cor. 3. Thirdly by the testimony God gives of the worth of knowledge especially when it is spirituall and religious knowledge It is called riches 1. Cor. 1.5 and preferred before all outward things in the world Ier. 9.23 and Christ accounts it a great signe of speciall friendship to communicate knowledge to his Disciples Iob. 15.15 and God gave Iacob a greater portion when he gave his word to him than he did give to all the world besides He did not so with other Nations Psal. 1. Fourthly by the accounts Christ gives unto his Father of the discharge of his office He is carefull to prove that he hath given knowledge to the men God gave him to prepare them for eternall life Iohn 17.6 7 8 26. Fifthly by the relation it hath to God himselfe It is a part of the image of God in the new man Col. 3.10 Sixthly by the contrary It is accounted a great sinne and a curse to want knowledge Hosea 4.11 and other gifts or services are reiected as vaine if this grace bee not had as Zeale Rom. 10.2 Sacrifice Hosea 6.6 and therefore such as want knowledge should shake off prophane sluggishnesse and vaine objections and seeke to bee rich in knowledge as the men in the world do to abound in wealth Prov. 4.7 2.4 And such as have knowledge should strive to increase in it and be thankfull to God for his great mercy in giving them knowledge and the meanes of it Doct. 2. Knowledge is required of all sorts of men Not of Ministers only but of private men of all husbands yea and of all men before they be husbands because so soone as they have wives they are charged to shew their knowledge Iohn 1.9.1 Cor. 8.1.1 Tim. 2.4 This condemnes the Sacrilegious humour of those persons that are like the wicked Lawyers our Saviour speakes of Luke 11.52 which take away the key of knowledge from private men either by their opinions hindering others from seeking knowledge with their errors mudding the cleer fountaine of Gods Word or by their power restraining the meanes of knowledge from the people and withall this should stirre up all sorts of men to seek knowledge and use all meanes to attaine it as they will give their account unto God of the use of their their time at the last day Doct. 3. Knowledge is given us for use and practice not for idle speculation It is given as other gifts of the Spirit to profit
her praises upon all fit occasions both to her selfe and others Prover 31.28 29. 8 By covering her infirmities passing by meere frailties and not speaking to her to provoke her when she is way ward or else giving soft answeres and forbearing as much as may be to speake to her disgrace before others 9 When he gives her leave to dispose of some things at her pleasure not exacting account of her allowing her as a reward of her care or diligence some such overplus as his estate will beare that she may be free to give for pious or charitable uses what may be for her credit or encouragement Object But my wife was of meane birth condition or portion when I married Sol. So and much worse was the Church before Christ married her and yet Christ loves the Church Object But since marriage shee is idle and froward and wastefull c. Sol. If she be so thou hast cause to pray for and admonish her but for all that thou must love her and yeeld her due honour The Church sinneth after calling and yet Christ honours the Church both by praying for her in Heaven and by labouring to cleanse her by his Spirit and Word in Earth Ephes. 5. Object But she is prophane and carnall a wicked woman a scorner of religion or perhaps of a contrary religion Sol. Thou must love and honour her not because shee deserves it but because God requires it Thus of the Exposition The reasons follow and the first is Because they are the weaker vessell As the weaker vessell The word translated Vessell is diversly accepted in Scripture sometimes properly sometime Metaphorically As it is taken properly it is somtime taken for goods or any houshold-stuffe Mat. 12.29 Luk. 17.31 Sometimes again it signifies any instrument used in the house or without the house so the instruments used in the Temple about any part of Gods service were called Vessels of the Ministery Heb. 9.21 So a Bushell is called a Vessell Luke 8.16 So that which held the foure-footed beasts and foules c. in the vision Acts 10.11 16. is called a Vessell yet like a sheet so is a saile of a ship called by this terme Acts 27.17 Now in a Metaphoricall sense this terme signifies either the parts or members of the body of man or woman that serve for generation 1. Thes. 4.4 or else it signifies any person that God hath set apart for some speciall service or ministration Thus Paul was a Vessell of election or a chosen Vessell to beare Gods Name among the Gentiles and Kings and the people of Israel Acts 9.15 Or else such persons upon whom God will declare either his mercy or Iustice. Thus Vessels of honour and mercy and Vessels of dishonour Rom. 9.21 23. and in generall any man or woman that God appoints to doe any worke or his instruments either publickly or privately Thus all men in respect of the worke God requires of them are Vessels 2. Tim. 2.20 21. and so women are Vessels here because they are instruments God makes use of for the helpe of man Now for the word Weaker It signifies the frailties and defects in the Sexe of women in respect of which they are inferiour to men not so much their sinnefull defects as their naturall defects defects of negation rather than defects of privation So then the sense is That in asmuch as women whom God hath given vnto man instruments of his blessing and their helpe are by nature fraile and have many weaknesses and defects men should be the more tender and carefull in their carriage towards them and so here are three points of doctrine may be observed Doct. 1. In that men and women are called Vessels in respect of the service God doth cause them to performe we may learne That in workes of grace or matters of holinesse we are rather Patients than Agents Not but that by Gods assistance men and women doe worke that which is good but because therby God would have vs to ascribe all to his grace And therefor hee compares vs not to active instruments as tooles are in the hands of the workman but to passive instruments such as Dishes are that beare and carry Treasure or meate or such like Hence it is the Apostles call themselves earthen Vessels 2. Cor. 4.7 and Paul in converting the Gentiles did but beare Gods Name Acts 9.21 And therefore we should all acknowledge our insufficiency and flye to the bloud of Iesus Christ to sanctifie vs for all the Vessels of the Ministery in the Temple were sprinckled with bloud Heb. 9.21 And further such as are unprofitable should repent and amend for they are but as the vessell in the hands of the Potter and God will breake them in peeces with his rod of iron Rev. 2.27 Doct. 2. Women are weake and fraile called here the weaker vessell and I take it this weaknesse is attributed to them not in respect of sinne so much as in naturall defects so as he meanes not personall faults but such weaknesses as are found in all women or the most But yet I would not bee understood to free women altogether from sinne 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 reach the depths and mysteries of knowledge 2 In respect of their insufficiency 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 works cannot be done by women 3 They are apter to be seduced than men as the Apostle implies in the case of all women aswell 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 natures whether in good or evill It is harder to finde out throughly the perfect disposition of a woman in good or evill than of men Salomon could finde out the temper of one man among a thousand men but not the heart of one woman among so many and that I take it to bee the true sense of that place Eccles. 7.28 29. compared with verse 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
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 excludes 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 onely 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 Iesus Christ that is that sees the way how Gods infinite justice provoked by many sinnes is pacified by the attonement made by Iesus Christ as the Mediatour betweene God and man Ioh. 17.3 else the knowledge of God in respect of the contemplation of his 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 mercie as Cain and Iudas These knowledges are such as without which life cannot bee had but yet in themselves doe not quicken the Soule and inspire it with life 5 It must be such a knowledge as doth nor 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 Iesus 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 faith 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 later 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 bee of unspeakable comfort to the weake Christians that have attained to this knowledge for certainly this is eternall life in them as true as if they had thâ— glory of heaven already But now that true Christians may be the more infallibly setled in the knowledge of their interest in eternall life as it lyeth in the right knowledge of God to be ours in Iesus Christ I will adde certaine effects of this knowledge which shew not onely that it is right but also that it is very eternall or spirituall life 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 tasts of Gods goodnesse and a favouring 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 he sees and wonders Nothing more ravisheth the heart than doth the word when it shewâ— him the glory 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 works transformation it changeth a man into the likenesse of that it sees even from glâ—ry to glory by the power of the spirit of Christ. The light comes into wicked men but leaues them the same men it found them for disposition and conversation but this light humbles the heart of a man for his sinnes and purifieth him from his most secret sinnes Act. 15.9 and besides prints upon him the Image of God and stirres him up to all the motives of life in doing good workes 2. Cor. 3.18 Col. 3.10 1. Ioh. 2 3. 3.24 4 It is such a light as is indelible and will abide the triall of manifold afflictions and gives life and joy still to the soule It doth not onely 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 Gospell that brings life to light and shewes us the love of God to us in Christ and for all the meanes by which the Gospell is preached to us in the life of it Oh how should wee bee beholding to them that helpe us to eternall life by leading us unto God this Ocean of goodnesse And withall wee should be wonderfully thankefull to God and for ever comforted if we can finde that wee have attained to the assurance of Gods love to us in Christ. Though our knowledge here bee but small and weake yet it is so rich as the tongue of man cannot utter if it be in any measure true and sincere Besides how should this fire our desires after wisdome and spirituall understanding in the word of Christ seeing it is our life and in the same degree wee encrease in eternall life that we encrease in acquaintance with God in Christ and therefore aboue all gettings we should be getting understanding And finally it shews the woful estate of ignorant persons that are careless of the study of the word of God and of hearing of the Gospel preached This is their death wil be their eternal death if they prevent it not by repentance and sound redeeming of the time for the service of the soule about this sacred knowledge 4 Now for the fourth point the things that nourish life are greatly to be heeded both to shew us what we should apply our selves to and with what thankefulnesse to receive the meanes of our good herein 1 Wee must know that the principall cause of the nourishment and encrease of spirituall life is the influence of vertue from Christ our mysticall head by the secret and unutterable working of the spirit of Christ which is therefore called the Spirit of life because it both frees us by degrees from the feares of death and from the power and blots of sinne Rom. 8.2 and withall it quickens and encreaseth life in us for the better exercise of righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 2 The contemplation of Gods favour and presence doth wonderfully extend and inflame life in us To marke God any where or by any experience to finde effectually his loue and to taste of the sweetnesse of his goodnesse this is life from the dead better than all things in naturall life It doth a godly mans heart more good than all things in the world can doe as
our selves incombrances by our owne rashnesse or indiscretion And lastly when with all knowledge we joyne lowlinesse of mind and meekenesse that meekenesse that is called meekenesse of wisdome by Saint Iames. Thus of the meanes to attaine life The signes follow There are divers waies to try our selves whether eternall life be begunne 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 findes 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 kingdom if so be wee desire it with a kind of naturall affection as the childe 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 kinde of sorrow that the Apostle saith 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 bee in vs and that wee are truely 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 Gospell 1. Thes. 1.2 5 By our love of the brethren The Alpostle Iohn with great confidence of words makes this a signe that wee 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 bee 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 wee love all the brethren without respect of persons 6 To conclude this point generally If eternall life bee begun in us wee are new creatures borne againe the Image of God is restored in us in some degree Ioh. 3.5 Tit. 3.7 5. Colos. 3.10 and we 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 certain for there is an Act for it in Gods councell Men be ordained to life and their names written in the booke of life Act. 13.48 Phil. 4.4 and God hath bound himselfe by many promises in his Word to the believer 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 Ioh. 14.3 and further wee have it already begun even eternall life begun Ioh. 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 Iesus Christ according to whose Image wee 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 etâ—rnitie of it in part by this similitude Suppose a little Bird came to the Sea once in a thousand yeares and tooke up onely one drop of water and so should continue to take every thousand yeares onely 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 Vse 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 eies that they might awake from that fearefull lethargie and stand up from the dead that Christ might give them this light of life How should they unchangeably resolve to seeke Gods kingdome first above all things and above all gettings strive to get understanding What shall it profit them to winne the whole world and lose their owne soules But especially the doctrine of life should melt the hearts of all the godly and imprint upon them the care of many dueties as 1 They have cause to wonder at the exceeding riches of Gods kindnesse to them in Iesus Christ in providing such an inheritance for them Eph. 2.7 2 They should pray earnestly to God to open their eyes more and more to see the glory of this life and effectually to take notice of the high dignity of their calling and riches of their inheritance in life Eph. 1.19 3 This should marvellously weane their hearts from the cares of this present life and from the love of earthly things seeing their inheritance lyeth in spirituall and eternall life 1. Cor. 7.31 Heb. 13.4 5. 11.13 Col. 3.1 2. Phil. 3.20 4 Since they have found this precious life by the Gospell they should therefore take heed they be not carried about with divers and strange doctrine nor trouble themselves with doubtfull disputations or unprofitable questions They have found the words of eternall life and whither else will they goe Tit. 3.7 9. Heb. 13.9 5 This should make them love one another as such as shall bee companions in life for ever Yea they should receive one another as Christ received them to glory Ioh. 13.34 Eph. 4.2 5.1 Rom. 15.7 And in particular husbands should make much of their wives and masters of such servants as are heires with them of the grace of life as this Text shewes and Col. 3.24 6 They should strive to shew the
vengeance Esay 61.2 which God proclaimes against all wicked men and by an excellency The evill day Amos 6.3 And these daies are in speciall called the daies of wicked men and they are theirs because properly no day is theirs till it bee evill Ier. 50.31 After this life comes that most speciall evill daies even that day of eternall misery in hell of which Salomon said God made the wicked for the day of evill Prov. 16.4 This doctrine of their evill daies should much affright wicked men not onely 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 bee able to endure Ezech. 22.14 and therefore they should take heed of putting farre from them the evill day Amos 6.3 and in time repent and reconcile themselves to God in Iesus Christ that they may prevent the evill daies may yet fall upon them and know that their uncircumcised heart is the cause of all the evill brought or to bee 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 praiers or not let them discerne it These are bitter daies 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 bee reproached and oppressed all the day especially when himselfe will not appeare to helpe 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 betweene the evill daies of godly men and the evill daies 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 hee 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 seem to delay for a time yet he wil make hast to performe his deliverance After two daies hee will returne and the third day he will revive them Hos. 6.3 Fourthly God will make them glad according to the daies hee hath afflicted them hee 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 Sunne 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 cloudes after raine Vers. 2. when the armes which are the keepers of the house shake and the thighs 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 Vers. 3. when the doores shall be shut in the streets that is when upon the losse of his appetite hee shall have no delight in any thing at home nor minde to goe abroad but his owne house shall be his prison and when hee shall bee 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 have no delight in musicke of any kinde as Barzillai said 2. Sam. 19.36 when they shall be affraid of every straw in their way they shall goe so weakely and their Almond tree shall flourish that is their heads shall bee white as the blossomes of the Almond they shall be so fore that a very Grashopper shall be a burthen to them to touch them shall be grievous and all the things they were wont to love they cannot now finde 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 Vers. 4 5. yea they will not continue long but the silver cord will be loosened that is the marrow of their backs be consumed and their golden Ewer which is the brain-pan be broake and so will the pitcher at the Well that is the veines at the liver and so will the wheel at the Cisterne be broken that is the head which drawes the powers of life from the heart Ver. 6. and the dust returns unto the earth as it was and the spirit to God that gave it Vers. 7. Thus of the daies that be evill daies Now it remaines that wee enquire which be good daies and so wee shall finde that there bedaies that bee good in the judgment of the inward man and sometimes daies that be good in the judgment of the outward man onely thus much wee must know that in the first sense none enjoy good daies but good men Now good daies in the sense of the Scripture must bee considered either in generall or in particular In generall and so first all the daies of Christ after hee 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 appears thus Saint Paul saith that Christ is our Passeover amd 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 Passover were good daies in a special 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 Gospell 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 where else Psal. 84.10 The righteous flourish when Christ comes downe upon their soules as rain upon the mowen grasse Psal. 72.6 7. Thirdly those be good daies in which wee see