is truly cured of sinne can easily beare the a 〈◊〉 of it as it is past A man that hath beene wounded in his arme will endure you to gripe him when he is well healed a signe he is not well healed when he cannot be touched so is it with sinners Thus in generall The first thing then to bee considered of is the misery of men by nature expressed in the word darknesse Darâ—â—esse The darknesse that is in the world is not all of a sort For there is first darknesse upon the earth which is nothing but the absence of the light of the Sunne Secondly there is darknesse upon the outward estates of men in the world and that is the darknesse of affliction Now afflictions are called darknesse in divers respects As first in respect of the cause when they fall upon men by the anger of God The want of the light of Gods countenance is miserable darknesse the absence of the Sunne cannot make a worse darknesse Secondly in respect of the effects because afflictions darken the outward glory of mans estate and withall breed sorrow and anguish and the clouds and stormes of discomfort and griefe and for the time deprive the heart of lightsomnesse and joy Of both these respects may the words of the Prophet Esay bee understood Esa. 5.30 and 8.22 And so God creates darknesse as a punishment upon all occasions for sinne Esay 45.7 Afflictions may be compared to darknesse in respect of another effect and that is the amazement bred in the heart by which the afflicted is unable to see a way out of distresse and unresolved either how to take it or what meanes to use for deliverance Thus it is a curse upon wicked men that their wayes are made darke Psal. 35.6 Thirdly afflictions are called darknesse when they are secret and hidden and fall upon men at unawares when they are not dreamed of Iob 20.26 And thus of darknesse upon mens estates Thirdly there is a darkness falls upon their bodies and so it is either blindnes wanting the light of the Sunne or else it is death and the grave Death and the grave is called darknes Iob 17.13 and 10.21 22. Psal. 88.13 Fourthly there is a darkness upon the soules of men and that is spirituall blindness when the soule lives without the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ especially As it respecteth the will of God in generall it is the darkness of ignorance and errour and as it respecteth the promise of grace in Jesus Christ it is the darkness of unbeliefe Eph. 4. Lastly there is a darkness shall light upon both soules and bodies of wicked men in hell and that is called utter darkness Mat. 8.12 and 22.15 So that darkness as it comprehends in it the misery of wicked men is either temporall darkness upon the estates or bodies of men or spirituall darkness upon the soules of men or else eternall darkness in hell This darkness also may be considered in the degrees of it For besides the ordinary darkness there is first obfcure darkness called also the power of darkness and such was the darkness of Gentilisme and such is that darkness threatned to such as curse father and mother Prov. 21.20 so was the darkness Ier. 2.1 2. and that our Saviour Christ speaketh of Luk. 22.53 Such also was that night brought upon the Diviners Mic. 3.6 7. Secondly there is utter darkness or eternall darkness in hell which is the highest degree of the miserie of wicked men I take it it is especially the darkness of ignorance is here meant though the other cannot be excluded That which is evident to be observed from hence is That all men that are not effectually called live in darkness and walke on in darkness Eph. 4.17 1 Ioh. 2.9 Psal. 82.5 It is a continuall night with them they are like the Egyptians that could have no Sunne to light them but were covered with palpable darkness Neither are they helped that they enjoy the light of the Sunne for of all darknesses that which comes from the absence of the Sunne is the least or hath least distresse in it If a man lived where he should never see day or were borne blind yet his distresse were nothing in comparison of the darknes especially spirituall that lieth upon the poore soule of an unregenerate man which lyeth shut up in miserable darkness which these men may feele in themselves by their living without God in the world and by the absence of the joyes of God and by their singular uncapablenesse in the things of the Kingdome of God and by their strange and absurd errors in conceiving of matters of Religion and by their monstrous thoughts and objections they feele at some times and disability to conceive of the worth of eternall things though the least of them be better than the whole world and lastly by their want of discovering what to doe almost in all the occasions of life Use. The use may bee for singular terrour to wicked men if they had hearts to consider of it to know that they live in such a condition as no prisoner can suffer in the worst dungeon of the world and the rather if they consider the aggravation of their distresse in respect of the darknesse they live in or are likely to live in as First that they have the Divels as the Rulers of the darknesse they live in who like cruell Jaylers will see to it that they be kept still in their dungeon with all increase of heavinesse and misery Eph. 6.12 Secondly that their darknesse is also the shadow of death a most deadly poysonfull darknesse that daily increaseth in the infection and annoyance of it Esa. 9.2 Thirdly that they suffer so many kindes of darknesse in the vexations and discomforts of each of them Fourthly that it is such grosse darknesse so thicke and palpable without any mixture of true light or comfort if they had but star-light or moon-light it were some ease Fifthly that they are neither safe walking nor lying still If they walke they goe in singular danger for they know not whither they goe 1 Ioh. 2.11 Iob 18.5 6 7. If they lie still and sleepe it out they are in danger to be swallowed up eternally Sixthly that this darknesse will not hide from God All they doe is manifest before him Esa. 29.15 Seventhly that it is a continuall darknesse it will never be day with them so long as they live in that estate without repentance Iob 15.30 All his daies he eates in darknesse Eccles. 5.17 Eightly that they are in danger every houre to be cast into utter darknesse where will be no ease nor end He knoweth not that the day of this darknesse is ready at hand into which if he fall he shall never depart out Ninthly that this is the case of every unregenerate man the whole world of them lieth in darknesse and not one escapeth it their whole earth is without forme and void and their heavens have
with what kinde of reviling he was 〈◊〉 and that was with most hatefull 〈◊〉 as deceiving working by the Divell blasphemy sedition treason c. The Use followes Use. Was Christ reviled Then it is most manifest that the world hates goodnesse incurably if that just One cannot scape reproach and slanders then may not any godly persons promise to themselves peace that wayes Therefore carnall friends of such as suffer reproach for Religion many times say It must needs be they are faulty some way or at least are not discreet whereas this instance of our Saviour shewes that wordly-minded men will reproach such as are godly though they were never so discreet or innocent Besides this should teach us patience under such indignities and wrongs Christ was reviled and shall we be so troubled and disquieted Christ did not revile againe And the reason was partly because reviling is a sin and partly because he suffered as our surety though he had deserved no such shame and we had and therefore holds his peace not onely from reviling but many times from just apologie confessing our guiltinesse by his silence The practice of our Saviour is here reported for our learning that all Christians might hence be warned not to render reviling for reviling 1 Pet. 3.9 There are many reasons to perswade us to patience and not to render reviling for reviling First the reproaches of unreasonable men cannot take away thy innocency Secondly better men than we have beene as vilely abused Thirdly as David said God may blesse thee for their cursing and honour thee for their disgracing of thee Fourthly because we are heires of blessing and therefore such foule language as cursing and reviling should not be found in our mouthes Fiftly though thou deserve not those reproaches from men yet thou art not innocent before God Sixtly herein thou shalt be conformed to the Patterne and Image of the Lord Jesus Christ not onely in suffering wrongfully but in forbearing reviling for Conscience sake He threatned not To threaten those that wrong us is usually a blemish and a fault First because usually it ariseth of passion and desire of revenge Secondly because oftentimes it is joyned with lying when such things are threatned as for matter or degree cannot be done or are not intended to be done Thirdly because by threatning so passionately we doe injury to God to whom vengeance belongs This condemnes the usuall practice of all sorts of men that sin fearfully in the customary practice of thwarting upon all occasions of discontent and displeasure Who is he that suffers now and in his heart or words threatens not Especially how exceeding common is this sin in the most families where parents and masters can hardly tell how to speake of the faults of servants and children but it is with foolish and passionate threatning contrary to the expresse prohibition Eph. 6.9 Masters use not threatnings But all such as would have the comfort of a sound conversation and desire to carry themselves as Christ hath left us a patterne must strive to breake off this wretched habit of threatning and if they be oppressed by Superiours or wronged by the incurable faults of Inferiours they must learne of Christ to commit all to him that judgeth righteously which is the affirmative part of the manner of Christs suffering But committed himselfe to him that judgeth righteously From these words divers things may be observed Doct. 1. First that in case of wrongs from other men it is not alwaies needfull or convenient to complaine to the Magistrate for redresse Christ here commits his cause to God but complaineth not nay though he were wronged almost continually and with grievous wrongs yet we read not that ever he complained against them that did him wrong Here two things are to be enquired after First in what cases it is not fit to complaine to men Secondly in what cases it may be lawfull and fit In these cases following it is not fit to complaine to the Magistrate First where redresse of the wrongs may be had by private and peacefull courses 1 Cor. 6. Secondly where the lawes of men doe not provide punishment some wrongs are offences and yet not punishable by mens lawes Thirdly where the offence is commited of meere frailty or ignorance Fourthly where the offence is grounded upon meere surmises which in the judgement of charity ought not to be conceived 1 Cor. 13. Fiftly where the injury is lesse and the party trespassing doth acknowledge the wrong in this case the rule of Christ holds If thy brother say It repenteth me thou must forgive him Luke 17.4 Sixtly where by the suit religion will receive greater dammage by the scandall than the party suffers by the wrong as in the case of the Corinthians where a brother went to law with a brother before Judges that were Infidels Seventhly where the Magistrates have declared themselves to be enemies to justice and just men as here in the case of Christ it was boot lesse to complaine because all the Rulers were his professed enemies Contrariwise in these and such like cases following men may lawfully seek justice from men in authority First where the offence is grievous and against the lawes of God and men Secondly where the offender persists in evill-doing without repentance Thirdly where the offence is against God and Religion as well as against the party wronged Fourthly where such wrongs are usually punishable Fiftly where the party complaining is bound to complaine by his office either by charge or oath provided that the party complaining first love his enemies and secondly prosecute with continuall respect to Gods glory and thirdly use the benefit of the Law with charity and mercy without cruelty or extremity Thus of the first Doctrine Doct. 2. The malice of wicked men against the godly is so great that when they begin to oppose them though it be but in their name they will never cease opposition if they have power till they have their lives too Thus I gather from hence that our Saviour being reviled doth not only commit his cause to God but commits himselfe to God as expecting the increase of their oppositions till they have put him to death This is the reason why God indites every man that hates his brother of murther 1 Iohn 3.15 And David so often complaines of his enemies that slandred him that they also sought his life yea his soule as if they were desirous not only to kill his body but damne his soule also Doct. 3. We may here also note that God is to be conceived of according to the occasion seeing we cannot comprehend God wholly as he is we ought to raise up such conceptions in our hearts of the glory of God as may with honour answer the occasion that presently concerns us as here in the case of wrongs God is conceived as a righteous Judge in the case of death he is called the God of the spirits of all flesh in
3.9 Phil. 2.2 3. 5. Men miserably neglect thankfulnesse to God for the good they receive daily from his mercies Col. 3.17 6. Many faile publikely and shamefully in want of care to come time enough to Gods service Zech. 8.21 Esay 60.8 In these things Christians should be admonished to mind their wayes and their workes and to strive to walke as becommeth the Gospel and the death of Christ that they may hold fast the light of the truth and shew out better the glory of a Christian life And thus of living to righteousnesse Now followes the third forme of speech By whose stripes we are healed The healing of our sicknesses is reckoned as another fruit of the Passion of Christ or else it is the same with the former exprest in other words These words then are borrowed from the Prophet Esay ch 53.5 who doth chiefely understand the spirituall healing of our soules of our sins as the coherence shewes in the Prophet but yet the Evangelist saith Mat. 8.17 and understands of the healing of our bodies also And therefore I consider of the death of Christ both in respect of soule and body And first as this healing is referred to the soule divers Doctrines may be observed Doct. 1. The soules of all men are diseased by nature even the very soules of the Elect are so till they be healed by Christ. The soule is diseased divers wayes especially by sorrowes and sins it is the disease by sin is here meant Quest. It would be inquired how the soule comes to be sick of these diseases and why sin is called sicknesse in the soule Ans. This spirituall sicknesse comes into the soule by propagation Adam hath infected all his posterity and every man hath increased the diseases of his nature by his owne wilfull transgressions Now sin is called sicknesse because it doth worke that upon the soule which sicknesse doth upon the body for sin hath weakned the strength of the soule in all the faculties of it which all men may discerne and observe in themselves by nature Besides it causeth spottednesse and deformity in the soule as sicknesse doth in the body and therefore sin was likened to the leprosie in the Law Further it often causeth pain and torment in the soule as wounds and diseases do in the body for there is no peace to the wicked especially when God fighteth against them with his terrours Besides it will cause the death of the soule as sicknesse will of the body if it be not helped and so men are said to be dead in sins Use. The Use may be to shew the fearfull negligence of worlds of people that are exceeding carefull to help their bodies to health but never think of the poore soule that lieth lamentably full of diseases And withall it shewes that all wicked men are men of ill natures because their dispositions are all diseased though there be degrees of ill nature or of this evill in men natures as there is difference of sicknesses in mens bodies And godly men should be compassionate when they see the grievous diseases in the natures and lives of other men remembering that they also were by nature subject to the same diseases as well as they Doct. 2. The diseases in the soules of men by nature are very grievous which is here also implied in that God was faine to send his owne Son to help and heale us Now that the diseases of mens soules are so grievous may appeare many wayes First because such a multitude of men are infected not some one person in the whole world in the body of mankind not on some part but from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot all full of sores and diseases There is no man that sinneth not and so no man that is not sick and that is the reason why men feare the pestilence because it makes so many sicke Secondly because the soule of man by nature is sicke of a multitude of diseases at once for even sin is a sicknesse and so our sicknesses are innumerable because our sins are so And hence it is that in Scripture so many metaphors are used to expresse the sicknesse of the soule as leprosie wounds plagues poyson gall c. Thirdly because the disease lieth in the soule it selfe Of diseases those are most mortall that get into the spirits and doe most enfeeble man how much more when it is in the soule Fourthly because in respect of our selves our sins or our diseases are incurable we can give our selves no remedy that can help us Ier. 30. Fiftly because in the Colledge of spirituall Physicians there is scarce one of a thousand that can help the poore soule out of these diseases Iob 33. Sixtly because there be but certaine seasons onely in which men can be healed as it was with the lame man at the poole of Bethesda and if men misse these seasons they are in danger to dye of these sicknesses There be seasons of grace and dayes of salvation and men must not harden their hearts while it is called To day Use. The Use should be to awaken wicked men to a serious consideration of their danger and at length to thinke of helpe for their soules being thus diseased as they would doe for their bodies if they were desperately sicke Ob. We feele no such diseases in our soules Sol. First wicked men have a kinde of spirituall lethargie upon them and so are in grievous danger but by reason of their spirituall sleepinesse they feele it not Secondly though they feele not their diseases now they shall doe hereafter and then thinke what a paine it will be unto them when God awakens them whether they will or no. It may be it will be in this life as it was with Cain and Iudas and then a wounded spirit will ake so who can beare it Thirdly the matter is not altogether so easie with wicked men as they pretend fâ—r they doe feele so much as may shew they are very sicke Sometimes they feele their consciences galling and paining them at the very heart for the time and what are the passions and perturbations of their soules but as so many fits ofâ—a Feaver And that they are grievously sicke may appeare by the want of their spirituall senses they can hardly see or heare any thing Besides they may know they are sicke by the potions of afflictions which God gives them who doth nothing in vaine Doct. 3. That in Christ the diseases of our soules may be healed Esay 53.5 Mal. 4.2 Luke 4.18 He is a sure Physician for our soules God hath undertaken it that he will cure and heale us he challengeth it as a glory to himselfe which he executes by Christ Iob 5.17 18. Deut. 32.39 Now in as much as our diseases may be healed by Christ and that he is our Physician appointed by God we may gather many arguments of great comfort even from hence that he is the Physician First because
or in us There shall be no war no unquietnesse no violence no fraud no sicknesse paine weaknesse old age no terrors no sorow 3. Because this happinesse shall never expire it is immortall there is no death there hence the word is rendred by some immortall 4. Because it is an estate of all perfection and blessednesse and so some thinke it is the genus to the two other words The second thing affirmed of this inheritance i◠〈◊〉 â—â—defiled and so it may be said to be in five respects 1. Because there we shall live separate from all polluted things such as are the devill the grave hell and wicked men all things that might offend shall then be removed from us no temptations no tares shall be there left 2. Because there we shall bejoyned to God that most undefiled essence the fountaine of all holinesse whence will flow two admirable felicities First the continuall Vision of God in respect of which we shall behold him immediately we shall converse with him no more by scriptures creatures signes or other meanes but by an admirable way not now revealed unto us There shall the pure in heart he perfectly blessed when they shall see God face to face as he is in his glory Secondly the participation of the divine nature not by a powring out of the divine essence but by the communication of divine qualities such as are immortality wisdome glory justice vertue c. Thirdly because we shall there enjoy the fellowship with unspotted Angells and blessed soules and that after an undefiled maner with all purity concord and quietnesse 4. Because we our selves shall be cloathed with perfection of nature being made like unto Christ-man and that both in soule and body In soule Gods image in undefiled graces being perfected without mixture either of defects or corruptions yea our very bodies shall be made like the Christâ— For they shall be without death shame weaknesse or trouble some drowsinesse or unweildinesse For so the Apostle to the Corinthians excellently sheweth by opening foure dissimilitudes betweene the sowing and the raising of the body It was sowen 1. in corruption 2. in dishonor 3. in weaknesse 4. a naturall body but it is raised 1. in incorruption so as it cannot putrifie or die any more 2. in glory so as it shall never be shamed or dishonoured either through deformity or reproch they shall â— shine as the sun in the firmament 3. in power being delivered from all weaknesse or infirmities 4. a spirituall body because in divers respects they shall be as the spirits or angells as 1. in continuing without meat or mariage 2. in swiftnesse or agility able with unconceivable nimblenesse to passe through the ayre or heaven 5. Because as our natures so our service shall be perfect we shall serve and worship and praise God day and night without either weaknesse or wearinesse The third thing affirmed of this inheritance is that it withereth or fadeth not and well is this happinesse praised for this For how should it wither 1. if we respect the presence of God and the Lambe who will be all in all Can the Sun in nature refresh the creatures and shall not the brightnesse of Gods presence doe it much more Was it such a priviledge to eate at Davids table or to sit downe in the kingdome with Abraham Isaac and Iacob what then shall it be to be refreshed with the fulnesse of the sweete presence of God 2. If we respect the fulnesse of all joyes and contentment which shall for ever support the hearts of the Elect their joyes shall never be dryed up nor grow into loathing as all earthly joyes doe 3. If we respect the perfection of all things round about them they shall inherit all things and those made new also The use is first for information For here is implyed the wretchednesse of our earthly condition there is nothing here in this world but it will corrupt and is defiled and will lose his glosse and beauty An estate that is incorruptible undefiled and that withers not wee shall never have till wee come to heaven Secondly for reproofe Oh doe not men now know what a kinde of place heaven is why then doe they turne the glory of such an incorruptible estate into the similitude of corruptible things while they prefer the thingâ— of this world before the glory of that which is to come and why do◠〈…〉 they not that the un 〈◊〉 shall not enter into heaven and this corruption shall not inherit incorruption Oh why doth silly man suffer himselfe so to be bewitched as with incurable doting to pursue these withering earthly things and neglect those immarcessâ—ole felicities in heaven Thirdly for instruction and so the thought hereof should espâ—â—ially affect us with a desire to seeke this immortall and undefiled happinesse and to this end we should first begin our separation here from the wicked â— 2. we should subject our selves to the incorrupt ordinances of Jesus Christ if we would have God to be a father of immortality we must acknowledge him first the king of all ages and let him make us and frame us by his ordinances 3. we must mortifie our corrupt natures and refraine from all things that may any way corrupt us 4. we must put on Christ for he onely hath immortality 5. and lastly we must continue in well-doing as the Apostle shewes Rom. 2.7 we must begin our incorruption hereby sincerity of life for so this word is â—endred Ephes. 6.24 Lastly it may serve for singular comfort to a Christian in all distresses but to thinke what a wonderfull glorious estate is provided for him yea even the more he hath experience of the vanity and wretchednesse of this world the more he should admire the happinesse he lookes for yea it may be one reason that the Lord will have his servants throughly tryed with the miseries of this life that so they might know the worth of that rest and glory they looke for in the life to come Oh what reason have men to desire to dye and to hast to the comming of Iesus Christ to long for it to pray for it to be even impatient in the fervent expectation of it to sigh after it But before I passe from this point one thing may in generall be noted that is that all these properties doe equally belong to all the Elect the whole inheritance and every part of it hath these praises which hinders not but there may be a proper reward unto every man but it is sure that the worâ—t lot in this inheritance shall have the fulnesse of the perfection of these praises Which is reserved c. We have the right and title in this world but the inheritance it selfe is in the fathers keeping and possessed as yet by some of our elder brethren wee are in our minority in this world if
of man is as the flower of grasse and so the proposition shewes that he is mortall The repetition shewes how he is so His body withereth as grasse and his glory falleth away as the flower From the coherence with the former verse I might note two things 1. That man is a creature both mortall and immortall mortall as he is borne of his Parents immortall as he is borne of God mortall in respect of his naturall life and immortall in respect of his spirituall life mortall in repect of his flesh and spirituall in respect of his soule 2. That the consideration of the mortality of our bodies will quicken man unto a care of the immortality of his soule But I passe from these All flesh is grasse The words of the proposition are all plaine taken in their proper signification save that by flesh is ment the nature of man in respect especially of his body but for the doctrine of these words three things would be weighed 1. The affirmation concerning the body of man that it is like grasse 2. The extent of the affirmation when he saith all flesh is grasse 3. The consideration of the time when he saith in the present time It is grasse not it shall be For the first the word rendred grasse is translated sometimes the blade of wheate as Mat. 13.26 sometimes hey as 1 Cor. 3.12 but most usually grasse and so the sense gives it here Now for the phrase of speech It is true that sometimes it is spoken in the praise of Gods Elect that they are like grasse viz. for their growing and flourishing in grace and happinesse as Esay 44 4. Psal. 72.16 Rev. 9.4 but usually in scripture it is taken to signifie the misery of all men by nature And so it notes especially the fraile condition of man in this life he is like grasse because as the grasse is to day and to morrow is cast into the oven so is man to day and to morrow is cast into the grave he is suddenly gone and in short time spoiled of all his earthly glory The world of men might be resembled to a field of grasse in many respects but this is that the Holy Ghost cheefely aimes at So then the first doctrine is that a man by nature is like grasse for the brevity of his life and the suddennesse many times of his death The Uses are divers First for reproofe of three sorts of men 1. Of all those that minde onely the things of the flesh why do men so studie for the provision of the flesh can men remember that their flesh is as grasse and yet seeke great things for this life onely let all men know that they that sow to the flesh shall certainly of the flesh reape corruption 2. Of such as place their trust and hopes in man for this reason he is cursed that maketh flesh his arme seeing all flesh is grasse 3. It reprooves divers of Gods children too for their too much feare of the rage of wicked men The Apostle when he said we wrastle not with flesh and blood meant to shew that we should not be so much distressed for that kinde of combat as teaching that it were better to wrastle with ten adversaries than with one temptation but most plainely Esay 51.12 Secondly there is matter of consolation too and that divers waies For first though our flesh be as grasse yet that hinders not Gods love to us for he clâ—theth the very grasse of the field and shall he not provide for us also Secondly the Lord is pleased to use the consideration of this doctrine as an argument to move him to pitty us he knowes our frailty and therefore will not deale rigorously with us as these places shew Ps. 103.13 90.6 78.39 Esay 40. c. Thirdly the mortality of the flesh should occasion us to rejoyceâ— in the immortality of our spirit and to bee glad at heart that we are borne againe not of the bloods of mortall men but by the will and word of the immortall God that so we may be comforted against the sense of the decaies of our bodies by remembring that we have a building made of God without hands e ternall in the heavens though the earthly house of our Tabernacle be dissolved Lastly it may comfort us if we consider that the Lord hath beene pleased to resolve with himselfe to take the care of us and our posterity after us because he knowes we cannot continue alwaies with our children for so the Prophet David assures the godly that though their flesh be but as the grasse yet God will establish his mercy to them that are left behinde them the Lord will deale righteously with their childrens children Ps. 10â— 15 18. Thirdly wee should all therefore learne to crucifie the bootlesse lusts of the flesh and to compell our selves so to thinke of saving our spirits in the day of Christ as to forbeare to entangle our selves with the cares of life seeing it is all in vaine we must dye and goe hence and that suddenly and shortly â—especially we should provide that Christ may live in us by faith that so we may be provided to continue when our flesh will faile us yea thirdly seeing in this world it will never be better with our bodies therefore wee should reach our flesh that great lesson of resting in hope even wee should learne to waâ—â— for the resurrection when even our flesh shall be made spirituall and this corruption shall put on incorruption Thus of the affirmation it selfe Now the extent of iâ— is in the second place to be considered viz. that all flesh is grasse All flesh Not onely the flesh of beasts of the field and sowles of the ayre but even the flesh of man is grasse and amongst men there is no difference The flesh of Princes is as mortall as well as the flesh of peasants the most mighty helpers must stoope to the power of death There is a great deale of difference in grasse a thousand formes in one medow or pasture yet all alike in this that they must wither The outward difference of mens places in the world makes no difference in death The rich and the poore both meet together in the grave as dies the begger so dies the King Riches will not ransome from death no price can be a redemption from the grave Healthfull bodies are as grasse as well as sickly bodies such as abound in the helps of physick must dye as well as they that are destitute of all meanes to preserve life The strongest must stoope to death as well as the weakest the longest livers must dye at last as well as the creature but of a dayes continuance If men then should live 900. yeeres and more yet at length it must be said of them they died yea godly men must die as well as wicked Psal. 102.12 The people are but grasse Esay 40.7 yea the flesh of the
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
by the bodily eyes The fourth thing to be proved is that the soule is immortall it cannot die when it is once kindled it will never goe out or be extinct as the Sadducees wickedly imagined and some Athiefts still thinke the contrary This is a point necessary to be knowne as for the truth it selfe so for the use of it in our lives For to doubt of immortality makes us miserable and to beleeve the soules are mortall makes men Epicures Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die But to be fully assured of an estate after life makes a man carefull so avoid sinne lest his soule live for ever miserably and to serve God that hee may live for ever happily Now things may be said to be immorrall two waies either absolutely and in their owne nature and so God onely is immortall or else they are so by the will and pleasure of God and not by their owne nature and so the soules of men and so the Angels are immortall There have beene two sorts of men that have denyed the immortality of the soule the one were the Sadducees among the Jews who held that in death the soule of man is utterly extinct as the soule of a beast the other were certaine Arabians of whom Eusebius and Saint Augustine make mention who said that the soule died with the body and so remained dead till the day of Judgement and then they revived with the resurrection of the body Now against the first sort may be produced many reasons as also evident Scriptures The reasons are such as these 1 The providence and justice of God proveth the immortality of the soule For here in this life good men have not all their happinesse and evill men live in prosperity so there must be another life where justice must be done 2 Religion confirmes this for to what end were religion and serving of God if the soule died like the soule of a beast seeing in this life the most godly are outwardly in great misery many times For if S. Paul say If the dead rise not then of all men are we most miserable it will hold much more strange if the soule live not at all after death 3 The wisedome of God proves it for else man were not in better case than the beast yea in some cases worse For man from his infancie to his death is liable to many diseases subject to cares and griefes which the beast is free from yea this addes to mans misery that he knowes he must die which the beast doth not Now shall man that was counted like God be thought to have no better end than the beast that did exalt himselfe so much in the glory of his beginning 4 The conscience of malefactors proves this who feare a judgement after this life and an estate of misery 5 The nature of the soule proves it for it is simple and void of all contrariety and accidents and causes of corruption or putrefaction and is besides the Image of God Now no mortall thing can be the image of that which is immortall These reasons make it exceeding probable But I am of their mindes that thinke it may be beleeved by faith but not be proved by reason The Scripture therefore onely makes this point cleere such as these First our Saviour proves it out of the Word of God saying I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob c. Secondly it is most plaine Mat. 10.28 Thirdly eternall life is every where promised to them that beleeve Fourthly such places as treat of the Resurrection last Judgement and the Glory of heaven prove it Now for the other sort that confesse the life of the soule after the last Judgement but deny that the soule lives after death till then there are divers Scriptures against their opinion As First the former Scriptures The soule cannot be killed at all Matth. 10. And God was presently the God of Abraham as then living and for eternall life it is not said He shall have but He hath eternall life that beleeveth Secondly Christ said to the theese This day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise not at the last day Thirdly Ro. 8.38 Death cannot separate us from God in Christ as it would if the soule were dead or a-sleepe and did not enjoy God Fourthly the dead that die in the Lord are forthwith blessed Rev. 14.14 Fifthly the soules of Abraham and Lazarus were in joy and alive after death so was the soule of Dives in hell Sixthly Iohn saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the testimony of Jesus and they cryed with a lowd voice O Lord how long c. Revel 6. Seventhly the soules of the wicked die not but are kept in prison and are now in prison too 1 Pet. 3.19 Before I leave this point of the immortality of the soule it is profitable briefly to answer certaine objections which may be brought out of some words in the Scriptures as Ob. 1. The soule that sinneth shall die Ezek. 18. Therefore it seemes the soule is mortall or at lest for sinne it must die and the rather because it was threatned in Paradise That day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Sol. The Scriptures evidently shew that since the fall and sinne yet the soule doth not die as the places before alledged prove But the answer is That this death threatned or inflicted is not the destruction of the beeing of the soule but the depriving of it of the grace and savour and presence of God Ob. 2. Eccles. 3. It is said that there is one end of the man and of the beast As dieth the one so dieth the other Sol. These are not the words of Salomon but of the Epicure who is here as in other places of that booke brought in declaring his mind of things For Salomon himselfe concludeth evidently that the soule returneth unto God that gave it as in the last Chapter The other objections are the objections of the dreamers that is of such as imagine that the soule lieth a-sleepe till the day of Judgement and perceives nothing and is without operation which is to say it is dead seeing life is nothing else but the continuall motion and action of the soule Object 1. It is said that man when hee dies sleepeth as Christ said of Lazarus He sleepeth Ioh. 11. and Stephen slept in the Lord Act. 17. Sol. Other Scriptures adde another word viz. in the grave or in the dust Iob 7.21 and Psal. 78. sleeping in their graves but it is evident that the soule cannot sleepe in the grave but the body only And Stephen delivered his Spirit to Christ. Object 2. Paul saith that if the body rise not we are of all men most miserable That it seemes cannot be true if the soule enjoy blessednesse without the body Sol. The immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the body are conjoyned For the Soule without the body can bee
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
he is not more unperfect in generation than any other creature for First the Virgin Mary did beare Christ-man in her wombe and Christ-man is said to be of the seed of the Virgin and yet his soule was created of God as hath beene shewed before Secondly though there bee some dissimilitude in the generation of man and of a beast yet it doth not follow that man is more unperfect As for instance The beaâ—t begets his young and brings him forth strong covered with a hide able to feed himselfe presently full of leaping and other actions But man brings forth an Infant weake crying naked unable to feed it selfe What is man therefore more unperfect No for the perfection of generation doth not consist of these things or in these things For here man excels all other living creatures in the world in generation because he is Gods instrument for the begetting of a body fit to be united to such a soule God also doth hereby commend the generation of man and dignifie it that he is pleased so to worke in mans generation as he doth not in any other creature vouchsafing to give unto mans generation such an admirable soule to his body For therefore was the creation of the first man more excellent than the creation of other creatures because God having framed his body of the dust of the earth did infuse such a soule into him Object 3. It is a peevish objection that some make thus If God create the soule in all men then when any is borne of Adulterie God should cooperate with the adulterer and so be either the author or the approver of sinne that will give the soule to such a wicked generation Sol. Some answer thus That God is not the author or approver because out of evill he onely workes good for his owne glory Others answer That God onely cooperates with the action not with the sinne of the action or the evill of the action or the evill which is in the will of the agents But the best answer is theirs that answer by a similitude thus The earth hath received her nature and vigour from God to nourish and bring forth the seede that is cast into it without difference whether the seed be lawfully taken out of the barne or stolne by fraud The stolne graine doth not cease to grow in the earth nor is it to be expected that nature should cast out such seed and yet the earth doth not justifie the action of him that stole the graine so is it with God that workes according to the grounds of nature and his owne decree and providence Hee is not to bee blamed for the evill of the action when hee workes according to the rules of nature and will glorifie himselfe by raising a frame of good out of that which by men was ill done Object 4. Wee see that children resemble the vertues or vices of their parents and therefore as from the bodies of their parents they receive a likenesse to them in body so is it that from their soules they receive this similitude of their vertues or vices Solut. Experience shewes that this is not alwaies true For many children have no resemblance in them of their parents qualities Secondly where this is true it is not because their soules are derived from the soules of their parents but they have it from the bodies of their parents For the soule after suffers from the sympathie with the bodie as by reason of certaine humours in the bodies of parents that incite wrath or griefe or lust or the like may come infection to the child but not from their soules Thirdly rather the argument may be retorted upon them that in asmuch as the soules of all children are not like in qualities to the soules of their parents that therefore they receive not their soules from their parents Ob. 5. Gen. 9. Lev. 17. The soule is said to bee in the blood Now it is evident that the blood is from the parents Solut. The soule is in the blood but how By the effect of it which is life otherwise the soule is neither devoured in the blood nor depends upon it in it selfe Ob. 6. It is said Gen. 2. That God rested from all his workes Now if hee did daily create new soules then he rested not from all his workes but continues creation still Solut. The meaning of Moses cannot be that God rested simply from all creation For then it must needs follow too that the soule of Christ was not created but propagated which cannot be true But his meaning is that hee rested from creation of things in specie hee made no more new sorts of things That hinders not creation in individuo which is a worke of God preserving those sorts he had made at the first by creating successively a new supply as in this case of the soules of men That God did not rest absolutely is plaine by the words of our Saviour Christ My Father worketh hitherto and I worke Ioh. 5. Hitherto of the originall of the soule The union of the soule with the body followes which is a consideration of no lesse difficulty than the former no lesse needfull to be knowne no lesse certaine That it is united to the body so as to make it one man is apparent by the words of God in the creation Hee breathed into him the breath of lives and so Adam became a living soule Hee became then a man or a living creature distinct from other creatures upon his conjunction of the soule with the body And by this union with the body doth the spirit of man differ from the Angels who are spirits separate and such as exist without relation to a body whereas the soule of man in the creation of it and the disposition of it also tends unto this conjunction with the body and doth not fully exercise it selfe living without the body and that is the reason why man is not absolutely perfect after death in his soule till the day of judgement For though the soule doe enjoy an estate free from sinne or paine or misery yet two of the faculties of the soule are without exercise till it be united againe to the body viz. the faculties of vegetation and sense which cannot be exercised but in the body The manner how the soule is united to the body is full of difficulty to expresse The question is whether the soule worke upon the body from without and so is by that meanes joyned to it or whether it be placed in the body and worke there and from thence This latter is the truth for the soule doth not worke from without which I shew by a comparison The light and the eye are joyned together in seeing But how The light from without extends it selfe to the eye and so is joyned to it so is not the soule joyned to the body but is seated within the body which appeares so partly by experience for we may all perceive that our thoughts
reason will affections c. do discover themselves within us and it is manifest that God infused the soule not upon the body but into the body seating it within us The soule then is within the body and so joyned to it But how Divines have sought out divers similitudes to expresse their mindes And first to shew how it is not joyned First not as water and the vessell that holds it are joyned by contact or touching one another for the soule is not a bodily substance and therefore cannot be joyned by touching nor doe the water and vessell make one thing as the soule and body do one man nor do they worke together as the soule and body do for the water doth all the worke thereof in watering or clensing without the vessell Secondly not by mixture as water and wine are mingled together For things mingled ceaâ—e to be what they were for there is no longer water nor wine now they are mingled nor is the soule materiall to suffer such a mingling Thirdly not as the heat of the fire is united to the water when the water is heated for though the heat be joyned to the water as the former yet it is but an accidentall forme and they are one by accident not per se. Thirdly not as the voyce is in the aire for though the voice be dispersed abroad the aire and doth likewise carry something to the understanding besides the sound yet doth not this reach to expresse the union of the soule with the body For the voice is not the forme of the aire nor is it conceived in the aire without the breaking of the aire and besides it presently vanisheth whereas the soule is a substance and doth not easily depart out of the body Fifthly nor as the Mariner is in the shippe with the Governer for the dispatch of his journey for though the body bee as a tabernacle wherein the soule dwells yet that similitude doth not expresse this union because the soule and body make one thing whereas the ship and the Mariner do not make one thing but are two distinct sorts of things yea the soule and body are soone that by sympathie what one suffers the other feeles whereas the wounding of the Mariner is not the tearing of the ship or contrariwise There are two similitudes that doe more neerly reach this secret The first is of Christ. For as God and man make one Christ so the soule and body make one man But I will not meddle with the breaking open of that dreadfull mysterie The other is of the light of the Sun in the aire for there are many things in this comparison doe fitly resemble this divine light which is our soules as they are joyned to our bodies 1 This light doth fitly resemble the soule because it is a thing that cannot be corrupted or divided 2 This light doth so pierce into and penetrate the aire that they are both made one and are not separated so doth the soule the body 3 The light and the aire though joyned together are not confounded or mingled together for the light remaineth light and the aire the aire so is it in this union betweene the soule and the body 4 The light is so in the aire that the aire being smitten yet the light is not touched nor divided nor carried about as the are is so doth the soule remaine unpierced though the body bee wounded and fall yea and die too 5 As the light is onely from the Sunne so is the soule onely from God 6 As the aire without the light is as it were dead because it is darke and cold and will putrefie so is the body without the soule 7 As no man can shew by what bands the light is fastned to the aire so is it extreamly difficult to shew how the soule is fastened to the body This similitude we see doth in many things fit this case but yet not fully For the light is not the essentiall forme of the aire onely this comparison doth in many things satiâ—fie the question in that it shewes that the soule is in the body by penetration or immeation as they call it it pierceth thorow the whole body Onely we must take heed of two things First that wee imagine not the soule to be in the body as in a place or as contained of it For the soule cannot bee circumscribed by the measure of a place wee may not imagine that the soule is just as bigge as the body and no bigger For though it bee true that the soule is in the body and the whole soule too yet it is not contained there as bodies be contained in their places for rather the soule sustaineth the body Secondly God is said to be in us and so is the soule but not alike For God is in us by his vertue and grace and operation but not as our former whereas the soule is the forme of the body and both make one man Quest. But some one will say Can it not be shewed by what band the soule is tied to the body Answ. Some Divines and Philosophers undertake to determine that and say that God hath created in the body of a man a certaine humour which is fitted for this union and so they say the soule is united to the body by the vitall spirits which are of nature mixt partly corporeall and partly spirituall For as those vitall spirits doe consist for the matter of them of the radicall heat and moisture in man so they are corporeall and as they have an unexpressable nimblenesse in working or sparkling in the body so they draw neere to the nature of the soule and by these vitall spirits thus enlived are the soule and body joyned together Quest. There yet remaineth another question and that is Where the soule resides in the body in what place is it centred Answ. The most say that the whole soule is in the whole body and the whole soule in every part of the body Others say it is a vaine question seeing the soule is not in the body as in a place For it cannot be measured by length breadth or depth but it is in the body as the essentiall forme is in the matter which cannot be locally Others say that the soule is seated in one principall place of the body as the chiefe palace and seat of residence and is in all other parts by diffusion of vertues through the instruments thereunto fitted and placed of purpose by God in the framing of the body and thus the soule reasons in the head wills and affects in the heart sees in the eyes c. The chiefest mansion of the soule seemes to be in the heart because it is the last that dies in us Hitherto of the union of the soule with the body The faculties of the soule follow There are three faculties or powers of the soule by which it workes or there are three things which the soule effects viz. 1 Vegetation 2 Sense 3 Reason
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
evill of godly men as a dog or an oxe is when he is muzzled Doct. 9. That the good life of godly men may silence wicked men and yet not make them leave their wickednesse He doth not say that by well-doing they may win ignorant and foolish men It is true that sometimes a good conversation may win them as 1 Pet. 3.1 2. and before verse â—2 yet ordinarily they will doe wickedly even in the land of uprightnesse Esay 26.10 Verse 16. As free and not using your liberty for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God IN the two former verses hee confirmes the exhortation by reasons in this he answers an objection The objection seemes to bee that Christians are made free by Christ and therefore are not to bee tied with the bonds of humane ordinances or subjection to men The Apostle answereth that it is true that Christians are made free-men but so as they must not use their freedome as a cloake of maliciousnesse and the liberty of sinning either against God or men for they are still Gods servants and bound to doe what hee would have them to doe and so consequently to obey Magistrates since God requires them so to doe So that in this verse he intreats of Christian liberty And so first he grants the use of it or the right of it in these words As free Secondly â—ee removes the abuse of it in these words Not using your liberty as a cloake of maliciousnesse And thirdly he gives a reason of his removall Because they are the servants of God still In the first part you must consider what hee granteth viz. that they are free Secondly how far he grants it viz. that they are as free Free Freedome is either civill or spirituall Civill freedome is when a servant is manumitted or made free that was an apprentice or bond-slave before so when a stranger is admitted to the right of a City or a Common-wealth or the like The spirituall freedome is that estate which Christians doe enjoy by Gods favour in Christ after their calling It is a spirituall manumission or freedome that is here meant and this is called Christian liberty partly because it is a freedome that wee have onely by Christ and partly because it is a freedome now onely enjoyed by Christians and no other men in the world Christian liberty is one of the great gifts or endowments bestowed upon the Church by Christ. It is not amisse to reckon up all the gifts in order that the relation which this gift hath to the rest may appeare The gifts then that Christ hath bestowed upon Christians are these First their ransome paid unto God for their redemption Secondly their vocation by the Gospell calling them out of the world into the Church Thirdly the holy Ghost which he sends into their hearts Fourthly their justification imputing his owne righteousnesse and procuring forgivenesse of all their sins Fifthly their sanctification by which he gives them new natures Sixthly their adoption by which they are made the sons of God Seventhly their Christian liberty by which they are freed from all former bondage and enjoy great priviledges this is a fruit of their adoption Eighthly consolation refreshing their hearts in all estates especially by the comforts of his Word Ninthly the gift of perseverance by which they are kept from falling away Lastly an immortall and undefiled inheritance in heaven after they are dead Christian liberty is either the liberty of grace in this life or the liberty of glory after this life The liberty of glory concernes either the soule or the body The glory or liberty of the soule is the freeing of it from all sinne and misery and the setting of it in the possession of that blessed immortality in heaven The liberty of the body is the freeing of it from the bonds of death and bowels of the earth by enduing it with a glorious resurrection part of which freedome they enjoy even in the grave For though they bee buried yet they are not damned to hell there but rest in hope of their finall deliverance and with this liberty of glory both soule and body are made heires of heaven Rom. 8.21 It is the liberty of grace is here meant And that this part of the Christian happinesse may the better appeare I will consider first what he is freed from and secondly what he is freed to For the first there are divers things he is freed from as First from the rigour of the morall Law hee is delivered from the most rigid and severe execution of absolute and perfect obedience so as being now under grace he is not bound to fulfill the Law perfectly but may be accepted of God if he obey it in the uprightnesse and sincerity of his heart though he have many frailties and infirmities God hath now tempered that rigour of exaction which he justly stood upon in his first agreement with man in Paradise and did with terrour againe proclaime in giving his Law in Sinai so as now in Christ our yoke is easie and our burden light Matth. 11.29 Rom. 6.14 Christ our surety hath fulfilled that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or exact righteousnesse of the Law for us Rom. 8.3 Gal. 4.24 26. Heb. 12.18 Rom. 7.6 c. Secondly for the execution and condemnation into which the Law for our sinnes hath cast us our expiation being made in the bloud of Christ who was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a curse for us that wee might be justified from these things from which by the Law of Moses wee could never bee absolved Rom. 8.1 Gal. 3.13 Thirdly from the tyranny and damnation of sin that dwels in us the force of it being mortified by the spirit of Christ and so weakened that though it may rebell yet it cannot rage and rule as it did before Rom. 6.14 Ioh. 8.34 2 Cor. 3.17 Rom. 6.6 18. Fourthly from bondage under divels those spirituall wickednesses that had their strong holds in the hearts of every man by nature and ruled effectually in all the children of disobedience who had possession in our hearts and kept us in their power as most cruell Jaylers Ephes. 2.2 4. by Christ they are throwne out of possession they may tempt still but the gates of hell shall never prevaile againe over the godly Col. 2.15 Fifthly from the Lawes of Moses The ceremoniall and judiciall Lawes which Lawes were a yoke that neither the Jewes nor their fathers were ever able to beare Acts 15.10 The ceremoniall Lawes were a very seale of our condemnation a hand-writing against us wherein men many wayes acknowledge their guiltinesse besides they were extremely burthensome in respect of the rules of them and the strict observation required from them Our deliverance from these lawes these places prove Acts 15.1 Cor. 9.1 19. 2 Cor. 3.17 Heb. 9.10 Col. 2.17 There were foure respects which the ceremoniall Law had or foure uses First these ceremonies as I said
before did signifie our sin-guiltinesse and were as an obligation and hand-writing against us Col. 2.14 Secondly they were a badge to distinguish the Jewes from all other nations Gen. 17.13 14. Thirdly they were shadowes and typicall adumbrations of Christ and his benefits Heb. 9.9 10. and 10.1 4. Fourthly they were as a Tutor or Schoole-master to instruct and keepe them under in the minority of the Church Gal. 4.1 2. Now all these uses are abolished by Christ For our condemnation is taken away by Christ and so the hand-writing is cancelled Col. 2.14 and the Gentiles and Jewes are made all one people Ephes. 2.14 15. and Christ the substance and body is come and therefore the shadowes must vanish Col. 2.17 and the heire is as it were now at age and therefore needs not Tutors and Governors Gal. 4.1 2 3. As for the freedome of Christians from the Judiciall Lawes that must bee understood with a distinction for so many of the Judiciall Lawes as did agree with the common politicall law of Nature are in force only so much of the Judiciall Law as did onely concerne the singular and particular policy of the Jewes is abolished Where the reason of the Law is universall the Law bindes all where the respect and reason of the Law is fitted onely to the condition of that people there the Law isâ—abolished Sixthly from servile feare unto which we are and were in bondage by Nature and so we are freed from the servile feares of the grave of men of death there was a spirit of bondage in us by nature wee durst not come into Gods presence and legall terrours did lye at the doore of our hearts to drive us to despaire of mercy or acceptation But when Faith came then the spirit of bondage went away and the hearts of Christians are emboldened with spirituall liberty and firme confidence taking delight in the Law of God in the inner man Rom. 8.15 Luke 1.74 And there was likewise in us by Nature a feare of the reproach and rage of men and the oppositions and scornes of the world from which Gods children are so delivered that many times they have contemned the uttermost fury of Tyrants as Daniel and his companions and the Martyrs and the Patriarchs and Moses c. and from the feare of death We were all in bondage to it all our life but now Christ hath delivered us by destroying him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 15. This of the first point what we are forced from Now for the second what we are free to and therein are divers comfortable considerations First we are free to the favour and fellowship of God the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost 1 Ioh. 1.3 7. 1 Cor. 1.9 Ioh. 17 21. 2 Pet. 1.4 1 Ioh. 5.24 Secondly we are free to the Communion of Saints wee are fellow Citizens with the Saints we are written in the writing of the house of Israel and acknowledged as members of the Congregation of the first-borne This is an Article of our Faith Ephes. 2.20 and 3.6 and 4.4 5. Heb. 12.18 c. Thirdly we are free to all the promises of Grace those rich and precious promises we may safely imply they are ours 2 Pet. 1.4 Ephes. 3.6 Fourthly we are free of Gods chamber of Presence we may goe in when we will and aske what we will and it shall be done unto us wee are free to put up as many petitions and suits as we will wee are free to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 Ephes. â— 12 and so in generall wee are free in the whole House of God even to the use of all his ordinances Ioh. 6.36 Fiftly we are free in respect of things indifferent and all things are indifferent that are neither commanded nor forbidden in the Word of God all the restraints that in the time of the old Testament lay upon any creature are now taken off so as all the creatures of God are good and lawfull All things are pure to the pure Titus 1.15 1. Tim. 4.4 Rom. 14. so are dayes meats garments c. So as now Christians may use them or omit them freely Note what I say use as well as omit For some are so singular or simple as to thinke Christian liberty doth only make reference to omit but not to use meats garments dayes or indifferent ceremonies whereas they restraine Christian liberty that forbid the use of those indifferent things as well as they that dislike the omitting only in using men must take heed as hath been shewed before of the opinion of merit worship or necessity to holinesse or salvation which is that which is condemned by the Apostles Uses The Use may be first for humiliation to wicked men for hereby is implyed that they are in great bondage and not free for howsoever it is true that every wicked man in Christian Churches is freed from that yoke of Moses lawes yet in all the rest they are in danger still and bondage They stand bound by the covenant of works to the absolute keeping of the Law because none have the benefit of the new covenant till they be in the same and so all their saylings of the perfect fulfilling of the Law are imputed to them and they are under the execration and all the curses of the Law They are iâ— bondage to the tyrannie of their owne sinnes and have the divell intrenched in strong holdes in their soules They would bee troubled to know that the divell did possesse their bodies and yet doe not consider that the divell doth certainely possesse their soules every wicked man is possessed Besides they are in bondage by these servile feares they dare not set their hearts in Gods sight It is a death to them nor dare they for Religions sake displease men and the feare of death is like a continuall death to them and for all this they are never helped till their hearts be turned to God Secondly we may hence gather the difference between the liberty of the New Testament and that in the Old In the old Testament godly men were free from the rigour and curse of the Law and from the dominion of sinne and power of the divels and from servile fearest onely in the new Testament there are these three things added 1. That the doctrine of liberty in the former things is more cleere and more generally revealed 2. That we are freed from the Mosaicall Lawes 3. That we have liberty in things indifferent A third Use may bee for instruction to teach men to trie their interest to this freedome For such men onely are made free that beleeve in Christ Ioh. 1.12 and resolve to continue in the Word Ioh. 8.31 and are weary and heavie loaden Mat. 11.29 and are throughly turned to God 2. Cor. 3.16 17. Lastly our Christian liberty may be a great comfort to our hearts if wee consider seriously the great miseries we are freed from and the great priviledges we are
of his that we might admire it and adore it and embrace it and in the meane time love and delight in the Lords Supper that exhibiteth the body of Christ spiritually unto us rejoycing in such meetings above the joy of all carnall people before any other things Fiftly we should therefore take heed of sinning against our bodies bâ—â— make conscience to serve God both in body and Spirit and say with David and Christ Lord a body thou hast given me for I come to doe thy will Sixtly what cursed monsters are swearers that reare the body of our Lord with their cursed oathes and rake their nailes in his wounds with their blasphemies On the tree The originall word signifies sometimes a staffe Mat. 26.47 sometimes a paire of stockes Acts 16.24 sometimes a tree growing Rev. 2.11 usually wood â— Cor. 3.12 here a Gallowes made of wood Christ bare our sins on the tree because he did in a speciall manner suffer bitter extremities on the tree which he suffered as our Suretie and for our sins for First to die on a tree was by a speciall Law of God made a curse and so is every one that hangs on a tree Gal. 3.13 Secondly he was debarred of the benefit of ordinary naturall comforts for he lived in paine three houres in the dâ—rke and had not the light of the Sunne Thirdly in that darknesse he was put to the most fearfull conflict with the Divels which at that time did with their utmost fury assault him and sight against him Col. 3.25 Fourthly he endured most grievous paines and torments of body and the effusion of his most precious bloud Fiftly he was reckoned amongst the wicked in his death and therefore hanged betweene two malefactors Esay 53.9 Sixtly he was reviled by the base multitude and mocked and derided by the chiefe Priests and Scribes Mat. 27.39 to 45. Seventhly God his Father poured out upon him the fearfull vials of his wrath in with-drawing for a time the sense of his favour Mat. 27.46 Eighthly his whole body was offered up on the tree as a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the world and the substance of all the Sacrifices in the Law Uses We have therefore cause to rejoyce in the crosse of Christ above all things for on the tree he freed us from the curses of the Law and purchased for us the blessings promised to Abraham as the father of the faithfull Gal. 3.13 14. and besides by suffering so shamefull a death he hath sanctified all sorts of wayes of inflicting death upon the godly so as now they may with comfort in a good cause or after repentance for their faults even suffer that death on a tree with joy And we should the more praise God for his favour if he suffer any of us to die of any other more easie or more honourable death And then we may againe see the hatefulnesse of sin in that God punishing our sins in the person of his owne Sonne doth not omit the very circumstances of abasement his justice exacting not onely death but that painfull and ignominious death on the tree Lastly hence we may see how little cause there is for Christians to plead merit if they think how fearfully sinne hath angred God and withall how senselesse the best of us are when wee heare reade or thinke of these sufferings of Christ they may rather see cause for ever to abhorre the doctrine of merit seeing hereby we proclaime our selves to be worthy of the very merits of Christ that can be so little affected with the thought of his sufferings Thus of the matter of Christs sufferings The effects follow and the effects in respect of us are named to be three first the death of sin secondly the life of grace thirdly the healing of our natures That we being dead to sin Men may be said to die divers wayes First in respect of nature when the Frame of nature is dissolved by the pâ—â—ting of the soule from the body Secondly in respect of God when God is departed from men with his grace and righteousnesse and favour thus wicked men are spiritually dead Eph. 2.1 and 4.17 1 Tim. 5.6 〈◊〉 in respect of the world when a man is overwhelmed with crosses 〈…〉 as are 〈◊〉 wit◠〈◊〉 in his reputation he is said to be dead and his life to be hid under 〈…〉 being despised and 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 mâ—n oâ—t of â—inde Col. â— 3 Esay 26.19 Fourthly in respect of sinne and so men either are dead for sin as malefactors or dead in sinne as all wicked men or dead to sinne as the godly here To take the soule from the body is the death of all men To take God from the soule is the death of all wicked men To take sinne from the soule is the death of all godly men To be dead to sinne then is to be mortified in respect of sin Sin is said to be dead either in appearance or in deed In appearance only it is dead in such as have their sins only restrained for a time eâ—â—her by Gods owne strong hand or else by themselves kept downe for certaine hypocriticall ends or else for want of occasion or temptation to stir the sinne thus sinne was dead in Paul when he was unregenerate and revived when the Law came Rom. 7.9 Sin is dead indeed in godly men but with a difference for though in this life they be wholly rid of many sins yet some corruptions are not wholly removed yet are they dead to them in the inchoation of it their sins lie a dying but in the life to come they shall be wholly and fully delivered from all sin Thus of the sense There be many Doctrines may be hence observed as Doct. 1. First it is evidently here implied that all men by nature and out of Christ are alive to sin or live to sin and in sinning they may be said to live or be alive or live to it in divers respects 1. Because all the parts of their life are full of sin sin infecteth their persons and their workes 2. Because they are in bondage to sin so as all their life they are at the command of sin they are servants of sin Rom. 6. 3. Because they account sin to be the life of their lives they could not esteeme life but for the hope of liberty and power of sinning It were a death to them to live restrained of sin as appeares when either by punishment or for other ends they are found to cease sinning 4. Because they doe not destroy sin in letting it live they are guilty of the life of sin in them because they will not use the means to subdue and mortifie sin that dwels in them but let it alone unresisted 5. Because they have most life or are most lively when they have most liberty to sin 6. Because they continue in sinne they spend not an houre but it is in sinne yea they so sinne now that they desire to spend everlasting
he can heale all diseases and hath done it and therefore it is here set downe indefinitely to import that by his stripes we may be healed of any sicknesse no sin but Christ can cure us of it Psal. 103.3 Mat. 4. 23. Psal 30.33 Secondly because hee doth it freely hee takes nothing for his cure Hos. 14.4 Thirdly because he hath offered and doth dayly offer to cure us Ier. 3.22 Fourthly because he doth all his cures with wonderfull compassion and love as is noted in the Gospell when he healed their sicke bodies much more hath he compassion of a sicke soule Fiftly because he is alwayes about his Patients The Lord is neere to them that are afflicted in spirit Psal. 34. Sixtly because he heales all that aske him to cure them Psal. 30.2 But then withall we must observe such rules as are appointed us in Scripture for if we would have God by Christ to heale us First we must pray for our healing He will be sought unto for this We must be importunate like the woman of Canaan Secondly we must feele our sicknesse and acknowledge with sorrow of heart that we are very sick and need his help for the whole need not the Physician but they that are sicke Mat. 9.13 and he heales none but such as are broken in heart Thirdly we must bring faith to be healed This was required in such as Christ healed in their bodies and therefore much more in those that would be healed in their soules If we trust in the Lord we shall be healed as some reade it Pro. 28.25 There is no sin but by prayer and faith in Christ may be subdued Ier. 17.14 Fourthly we must take heed that we neglect not the time of healing there is a time to heale Eccles. 3.3 We must into the water as soone as the Angell comes downe to trouble it as the lame men did at the poole of Bethesda we must be very carefull to make use of the opportunities of Gods grace when he calls us to repentance and offers mercy and affords helpe and meanes Fiftly we must turne to God with all our hearts without dissembling desiring in all things to please God though we have still many infirmities yet our hearts must be converted to God that he may heale us If we become not new creatures the mending of particular faults is to little purpose Esay 6.10 as we see in Herod Sixtly we must make conscience of it to receive the medicines of the Word of God for now we are healed by meanes not by miracle Peace and healing are the fruit of his lips Esay 57.18 19. We must obey them that have the oversight of it and suffer their words of exhortation patienâ—ly Prov. 12.18 He sent his Word and healed them Psal. 107.20 There is no disease in the soule but remedies may be found in the Word Gods words are life to those that finde them and health to all their flesh that is good for all diseases Prov. 4.22 And to this end we must take heed of tampering with our owne medicines or contesting with our Physicians we must not be wise in our owne eyes no man is Physician good enough to heale himselfe Pro. 3.7 8. And we must take heed of superstitious medicines In vaine shall the daughter of Egypt use many medicines for she shall not be cured Ier. 46.11 Indulgences pilgrimages penances wâ—ipping of the body or the like are vaine medicines and being not appointed by Christ they wil never profit to heale the soule of sin And further such as would be soundly healed must take heed of secret flattering teachers that do all their cures with preaching mercy and cry Peace Peace and never teach men sound courses to be rid of their sins those are they that heale the hurt of the daughter of Gods people sleightly Ier. 8.11 Seventhly looke to the beginning of sin when we first feele lamenesse in the wayes of righteousnesse we must speedily seeke help lest we be turned cleane out of the way Sins of infirmitie nourished or neglected may prove grievous diseases at length Heb. 12.13 Eighthly men that have some good evidence that they are healed by Christ that their comfort may be established they shall doe to shew themselves to the Priest that he may trie and testifie that they are whole from their leprosie Levit. 14. Ninthly if Christ heale us we must be sure to remember to make him our praise we must acknowledge his great mercy in healing our natures Ier. 17. 14. He stands upon the credit of the cure Christians faile exceedingly that they are not more thankfull for deliverance from faults and temptations they doe lesse for the cure of their soules than they doe for the cure of their bodies we must blesse the Lord and call upon our soules to doe it as David did Psal. 103.1 3. and 14.13 and the rather should we with all thankfulnesse praise God for such cures First because no outward medicines can doe any good God cures onely by his Word Secondly because God only can cure us Ier. 33.6 Deut. 32.39 Thirdly because God accounts it the greatest honour we can doe him to offer him praise Psal. 50.14 Fourthly because God never doth those cures upon the soule of a man but he loves him wonderfully ever after and forgives him all his sins Hos. 14. Psal. 103.2 3 4. Ier. 33.68 Tenthly we must be patient and indure the medicines whether they be hard sayings or afflictions David prayes to God to wash him and to purge him with hysope and not spare Psal. 51. Eleventhly it is a great help to get our soules healed to shew mercy to the bodies of other men God will not heale our soules if we oppresse other mens bodies as we see in the case of oppressors in our times Esay 58.6 7 8. Thirdly since in Christ men may be healed it gives us occasion to bewaile the fearefull carelesnesse of the most men that will not seeke cure yea in places where the meanes is offered to cure them All sorts of people are like Babylon for this confusion she would not be cured Ier. 51. Men refuse cure and all comfort and advice yea when they are warned of their diseases they breake out into more wilfulnesse and offending as God said of Ephraim When I would have healed Ephraim then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered Hos. 7.1 Doct. 4. The fourth Doctrine is that we are cured by Christs stripes His sufferings heale our sorrowes His wounds make us whole His sickenesse offers us health and his stripes heale us partly by satisfying for our sins and so removing the cause of our diseases both spirituall and corporall and partly by an unspeakeable vertue of his Passion which being applied to our soules makes our sins dye And this point may serve for Use many wayes Uses First for information and so it may shew us the wonder of Gods working that can doe great things by meanes in respect of us altogether unlikely We hold
it a thing almost beyond beliefe that the applying of medicines to the sword that wounded a man shall make the wounds heale in a man But this here is a mystery that onely the Christian Religion can tell of of which there never was president in nature that the wounding of one man should heale another or that the stripes of the Captaine should cure all his diseased souldiers and yet thus it is even thus is the Lord pleased to glorifie the power of his working Secondly we may hence be informed of the precious use of every part of Christs sufferings not his dying only doth us good but every thing he did endure His stripes cure our wounds his shame wrought our honour his temptations drave the Divels from us not any thing was done to him by his adversaries but God made it worke for our good Shall we then dare to take offence at the crosse of Christ Have we not reason to glory in it above all things Thirdly doe we not here see how hatefull sin is in Gods sight and how foule our diseases are when nothing can cure us but Christs blood and that must be fetched out of him with the best stripes which the hands of the wicked inflicted upon him Oh the hardnesse of our hearts that can see Christ thus used for our sins and yet are not perswaded that sin is hatefull to God! Oh how should we be sorry for our Saviour and mourne to thinke of it as we would for our only sons Would it not grieve us at the heart if we should see the young Prince the Kings son basely whipped by our adversaries onely for our affaires Oh what hearts have we that as bad as they are would be melted to see this done to a Kings son and yet are not troubled to know it was done to Gods son Fourthly we may see what wicked malice will doe if it be not restrained to disgrace our Saviour to get a sentence against him to bind him hand and foot yea to kill him will not serve their turnes unlesse they may most basely scourge him before he dies That malicious men now doe not alwayes so is not because their malice doth nor tend to it but because either God or man restraines them It is a most divellish humour and therefore to be avoyded and detested of all those that love the Lord Jesus Use 2. Secondly how many wayes should this instruct us what care the Lord Jesus requires of us what should not this make us willing to doe Oh how should we love him with all our hearts above all the world that could endure to be thus abased even unto stripes for our sakes when he could have prevented it if he had pleased what a shame shouâ—d it â—e to us to be impatient or to thinke much of our crosses who though we had suffered many things yet not so grievous as those things befell our Saviour Yea further it should encourage us to â—uffer any thing for Christ and the rather because we have not resisted to stripes or bloud nor cannot now suffer the thousandth part for him of that he hath suffered for us Thus of the healing of our souâ—es These words also may be expounded of the healing of our bodies as we shewed before and so the like doctrines may be observed as Doct. 1. That the bodies of all men by nature need healing For sin hath brought upon man the sentence of deformâ—â—â—â— and infirmities and diseases and we see God doth inflict diseases upon many and that of divers sorts and many men that for the present â—râ— free from the paines of diseases yet have their enemies in their bodies in divers parts of them laid as it were in garison which may and will breake out upon them at a time they know not or if they were not there the Lord from without can send diseases upon them The world is every where full of occasions of sicknesse or if there were not outward meanes to worke them yet God can strike men from heaven Use. The Use should be to warne such as are in health to walke humbly For they know not how soone sicknesse may seaze upon them Secondly such as have their friends taken away by sicknesse or are yet afflicted should submit to Gods will for this is the case of all men even the greatest yea and Gods elect are liable to such a condition by nature Doct. 2. The diseases of the body are grievous and therefore Christ takes notice of that kind of distresse to provide for the healing of our bodies We see by experience that of many sorts of crosses it is most grievous to be are the paines that arise from the wounds or sicknes of the body and it is the more grievous partly because no men are priviledged from diseases but either have them or are in danger of them as was said before and partly because God hath armed such a multitude of sorts of diseases to which the body of man is liable Use. Therefore the use should bee to take warning from these paines of the body to prevent eternall paines in hell by reconciling our selves to that God that can so fearefully afflict both bodie and soule and as wee feele the outward man to decay the more to labour for the health of the inward man especially by those harbingers of death to provide for the time when our change shall come Doct. 3. Christ is a Physician for the bodie of man as well as for the soule in Christ our bodies may bee healed Christ provided healing for mans bodie as well as for his soule and mens bodies he heales either in this life or in the generall resurrection First in this life some he hath healed by miracle as he did multitudes in the daies of his flesh while hee was here in this world which he did in execution of his office as having charge of mens bodies and some he healed by meanes giving his blessing unto the medicines provided in nature and applied by the skilfull to the diseased yea he undertakes the healing of all Gods Elect in their bodies as this place imports which hee doth promise and will performe if it bee good for them Many times to heale the bodie would hurt the soule or keepe the Leaper from heaven and then Christ will not heale them else he undertakes and is bound to heale the bodie as well as the soule But the especiall healing is at the resurrection when all the bodies of the Saints shall be healed perfectly of all diseases and freed from the very disposition yea the very possibility to have any diseases Use 1. The use should be for great comfort to the godly when they are distressed they may and ought to looke up to Christ and say If it be good for me my Saviour will heale me and the rather because Christ is such a compassionate Physician and hath had the feeling of our infirmities and paines that way and besides he is such a Physician
heed that wee provoke not God by carelesnesse and boldnesse in favouring any corruption Deut. 32.18 19. Thirdly our adoption should be a singular consolation to us against all the miseries of this life It matters not though our life be hid and though it doe not appeare to the world what we are and though we have many crosses and losses and persecutions yet the thought of our inheritance with God should swallow up all Whatsoever we are now yet when Christ appeares we shall appeare in glory and there can be no comparison betweene the suffering of this life and the glory to be revealed upon us Rom. 8.17 Mat. 19.29 Col. 3.2 4. 1 Iohn 3.2 And that we may be the more comforted we should often pray to God to shew us by degrees and to make us know the riches of our inheritance both in what we possesse in this world and what we looke for in heaven And thus of the title of our dignities We are heires Of life Now follows to consider what we inherit and that is life wee are heires of life It is somewhat a strange speech but yet if we consider of it life is a most sweet thing there can be no happinesse without it A living Dog is better than a dead Lyon But as life is to be taken here it is a treasure above all treasures in the world But the enquirie into it is very difficult it is wonderfull hard to find out what life is especially to describe or define the life here mentioned as the glory of Gods adopted ones Life in Scripture is either naturall or spirituall as for naturall life especially since the fall that is so poore a thing as to be an heire to it is no great preferment By naturall life I meane that life that men live while they are unregenerate I say that life is a very poore thing which will appeare if we consider the qualitie of it or the meanes of preserving it or the short continuance of it or the subject of it or the things with which it is opprest or the whole nature of it 1. For the qualitie of it what is life It is but a winde or breath God breathed into man the breath of life as if his life were but his breath Gen. 2.7 and so it is said Every thing that had the breath of life Gen. 6.17 7. 15.22 My life is a wind saith Iob chap. 7.7 What is your life saith S. Iames it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away Jam. 4.14 2. If we consider the short continuance of it It will vanish away of it selfe after a while as we see in that place It is compared to a Weavers Shuttle or at the best every houre of our life or every action addes secretly a threed till the web be woven and then we are cut off So Hezekiah compares himselfe to a Weaver in that respect Esay 38.12 Our life is scarce a span long for to live is but to die to begin to live is to begin to die for death takes away time past and every moment we yeeld something to death 3. If wee consider the poore meanes of preserving life It is such a weake thing that if wee doe not daily give it food it will faile us and if it be not kept with rayment it will be extinguished And for the meanes we use how silly are they Our life is called the life of our hands Esay 57.10 because it will not last unlesse wee make hard shift with our hands to preserve it 4. If wee consider the subject of it it is but our bodies for our soules in our naturall condition according to the sense of Scripture are dead in trespasses and sinnes They have as it were a being but not a life Our soules in respect of the substance of them are excellent things because invisible and spirituall existences but yet are destitute of that life is proper to them They are things indeed will last long but are void of that life which is spirituall 5. If we consider the miseries with which this life is infested both by sin and the punishments of it As for sinne it is leprous from the womb and charged with Adams fault and erres so often as cannot be numbred the faults of it are more than the haires of our heads As for punishment how hath God avenged himselfe upon thy wretched life to thrust thee out of Paradise and would not let thee enjoy life in any place that was not accursed The Divels also compasse about thy life to destroy it 2 Cor. 10.5 What deformities and infirmities are found in all the Vessels of life even in all the parts of thy bodie in which it dwells And without thee in the objects of life how is it frighted with cares plagues or vexed with particular crosses How doth God passe by thee in many blessings he gives before thy face to others and will not to thee And what thou hast to comfort thy life is it not cursed to thee so as thou feelest vanity and vexation in the use of it But above all how is thy life frighted with the danger of eternall death 6. Lastly if we consider the whole nature of life The Apostle here thinkes it is not worth the naming by the name of life when he saith only of the godly that they are heires of life as if there were no living men but they and as if they had beene dead all the time they were till they were adopted But it is not naturall life is here meant but spirituall life called in Scripture new life and the life of God and eternall life The words of the Apostle Paul Tit. 3.7 when he saith We are heires according to the hope of eternall life serve to expound these words of the Apostle Peter Now concerning this life it is above the reach of all mortall creatures to describe it as it is especially in the perfection of it in heaven for Saint Paul saith of what he saw in heaven that he saw things that could not be uttered 2 Cor. 12. and Saint Iohn saith it doth not appeare what we shall be â— Ioh. 3. 2. And in 1 Cor. 2.9 it is said that eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him Yea Christ himselfe doth seeme to grant that as man he did not fully see the glory of this eternall life in his mortall condition where speaking of his estate after death he said Thou wilt shew me the paths of life Acts 2. And for so much as is revealed concerning this spirituall and eternall life two things must be remembred the one That the doctrine of this life lieth hid from ages and generations in extreme darknesse and when the Gospel treats of it it brings it as it were out of a darke dungeon into the light 2 Tim. 1.10 the other is That when it is
brought to light none can reach to it but such as God endues with speciall wisedome for Solomon long since had observed that life is above to the wise only Pro. 15.24 The things I would consider of about this life are these 1. The degrees of it 2. The originall of it 3. A ghesse at the nature of it 4. The things that nourish it 5. The differences betweene this life on earth and as it is in heaven 6. The meanes to attaine it or what we must doe if wee would enter into life 7. The signes to know whether it be in us 8. The properties of it 9. Lastly the Uses of it 1. For first we must understand that this life hath three degrees into which we enter in at three gates as it were The first degree of eternall life begins at the first spirituall acquaintance with God in this life when his favour is made knowne to us in Jesus Christ by the Gospel so as we are truely justified and sanctified being reconciled unto God having all our sins forgiven us and our natures made new and into this degree we enter by the gate of regeneration Thus our Saviour saith This is eternall life to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ Iohn 17.3 Thus he that heareth Christs words and beleeveth is passed from death to life Iohn 5.24 The second degree begins at our death and continueth the life that the soule separated from the body enjoyes till the resurrection at the last day And concerning the estate of the soule in this degree of life we have no absolute revelation but yet are taught in Scripture that it returnes to God that gave it to the body at first Eccles. 12.7 and that it is with Christ Phil. 1.23 that it is in the hands of God and in Paradise Luke 23.43 and lives in unspeakable joy Luke 16.25 and is freed from all miseries of this life and enjoyes the honour of all good workes Rev. 14.13 the bodie resting in the grave from all paine and labour as in a bed of rest till the resurrection Esay 57.2 And into this degree of life eternall we enter in by the gate of death The third degree of life eternall begins at the resurrection of our bodies at the last day and is enjoyed by body and soule for ever comprehending all possible consummation of felicity and glory in the heavens And into this we enter by the gate of resurrection which is a kind of new begetting of us and therefore is called the resurrection of life Iohn 11.25 and so the blessed in heaven are called the children of the resurrection and by that way the children of God Luke 20.36 In the first degree life is imperfect in the second it is perfect in the third it is consummate And the Use of this first point should be to warne men to looke to it that they enter into the first degree of eternall life while they are in this world or else they shall never get to heaven when they die and therefore should strive for saving knowledge and to become new creatures or else it is in vain to hope for heaven 2. For the second which is the originall of life it is greatly for the praise of it that it flowes from that life which is in God himselfe which is an unspeakable glory to the creatures that enjoy it With thee is the fountaine of life saith David Psal. 36.9 So he calls him the God of his life Psal. 42.8 Naturall life is but a sparkle that flowes from the life of our Parents but spirituall and eternall life is kindled from that infinite light and life of God but yet not as Christ received we this life for he had it by naturall generation we have it by a way unspeakable from God but yet by Jesus Christ. In him was life as the life was the light of men Iohn 14. He that hath the Son hath life Iohn 5.12 and he it is that is eternall life viz. to us ver 20. As there is no light in the visible world but from the Sun in the firmament so there is no life in the spirituall world but from God in heaven which hath caused it to shine in our hearts by the Son of righteousnesse Christ Jesus Thus our life is called the life of God Ephes. 4.18 and Christ is said to live in us Gal. 2.20 Which should teach us greatly to admire and adore the excellency of Gods goodnesse and make us to rest our selves for ever under the shadow of his wings Psal. 36.7 8 9. But that this point may be more cleerely understood we must consider of the originall of this life from God three waies First in respect of ordination and so it flowes from Gods decree he hath ordained us unto life Acts 13.48 and our names are written in the booke of life Phil. 4.3 Secondly in respect of merit it was bought of God by the death of the flesh of Christ. I give my flesh for the life of the world Iohn 6.51 This life will not be had without his death that we might live in eternall life he must die a temporall death And shall not this greatly inflame our hearts to love the Lord Jesus that gave himselfe for us that we should not perish but have everlasting life Thirdly in respect of operation or inchoation and so the fountaine of life is either without us or within us without us is the Word of Christ that is the immortall seed by which we are begotten unto life 1 Pet. 1.24 and so is called the Word of life Phil. 2.15 And the Word is so as it is the Word of Christ that is Gospel My words saith he are spirit and life Iohn 6.63 And that Word considered as it is preached to the dead soules of men the dead shall heare the voice of Christ and live Shall heare it note that Iohn 5.25 which should make us greatly to esteeme the preaching of the Gospel Within us the fountaine of life is the Spirit of Christ which is called the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 Now the Spirit of Christ that we may live doth two things viz. it quickens the seed of the Word and unites us unto Christ as members of the mysticall body and then looke how the soule of man doth give life to every member of the body so doth the Spirit of Christ to every soule as a severall member of the mysticall body 3. For the third Wee shall not exactly know what the nature of eternall life is still it be perfected in us or consummate yet by divers words God hath let fal in Scripture we may ghesse at the nature of this life and in generall I thinke it is a kind of celestiall light falling into the soule that doth to it that which naturall life doth to the body This Saint Iohn shewing how Christ was the life of men saith he was the light of men Iohn 1.4 And David having said
in his own heart even then when God threatneth him Deut. 29.19 Secondly when a man blesseth wicked men and praiseth them notwithstanding their vile courses Psal. 10.3 Thirdly when a man useth blessing with his mouth and yet curseth inwardly Psal. 62.4 Fourthly when a man blesseth his friend by way of flattery Pro. 27.14 Fiftly when a man blesseth Idols by worshipping them and by setting his affections upon them Esay 66.3 Thus of blessing as it is a vice As blessing is a vertue it is performed divers waies as first from Superiours to their Inferiours so parents blesse their children Gen. 27. Ministers blesse the people Num. 6.23 1 Cor. 14.16 Secondly Inferiours blesse their Superiours as the Subject the King 2 Sam. 14.22 the Child his Parents Pro. 30.11 the People their Teachers Mat. 23.39 In this place I take it blessing is considered of as it is required of all sorts of men towards all sorts of men and in particular towards their enemies or such as wrong them or revile them and so a true Christian should blesse both in deeds and words He blesseth in deeds when either he is a meanes to keepe others from evill 1 Sam. 25.33 or by doing good or shewing mercy to others and so a man blesseth his enemy when he relieveth him in his misery and overcommeth his evill with goodnesse Rom. 12.20 21. Yea a man may be said to blesse when he causeth others to blesse either God or himselfe for his well-doing Thus Iob blessed when hee caused the poore to blesse him Iob 31.20 It is required also that we blesse one another in words and in particular it is required that we blesse them that curse us Mat. 5.44 Rom. 12.14.1 Cor 4. 12. And this we doe 1. By gracious communication in generall when we use such words as may not onely expresse to the life the power and truth of the gifts of grace in us but also may minister grace to the hearers if it be not their owne fault 2. By acknowledging the just praises of others 3. By praying for them Mat. 5.44 Psal. 109.4 4. By giving soft answers Pro. 15.23 and entreating them to avoid strife Gen. 13.8 9. 5. By a discreeâ— reproofe of their sin for as he that slattereth curseth so â—e that wisely reproveth blesseth Pro. 27.14 Psal. 141.5 The Use should be to stirre up all true Christians to practise true vertue of blessing and to carry themselves so as all their words and actions may be blessed and a blessing to them that converse with them and may appeare to be so even to their enemies It is a hard lesson but yet if we seeke constantly to God for this helpe it may be attained in some acceptable manner Knowing that yee are thereunto called Many things may be here observed Doct. 1 That a Christian should be vehemently affected with the consideration of his calling and that for divers reasons 1. Because of the cause of it which was Gods purpose election and free grace in Jesus Christ. Wee were sinners and we were not called for any workes of ours Rom. 8.28 9.11 2 Tim. 1.9 The winde bloweth where it listeth wee are taken and others refused And this is the more to be thought on because this grace was given us in Jesus Christ before the world began 2 Tim. 1.9 It could not be had but by a mediator and it was granted from all eternitie 2. If we consider from what we were called from grosse darknesse 2 Pet. 1.9 from this present evill world Gal. â— from the lump of forlorne mankinde from innumerable sins and curses from the danger of eternall damnation of body and soule for ever 3. If we consider the wonder of the meanes of our calling which is by the Gospel which is the voice of Christ raising us out of the graves of sin even that voice that shall make mens dead bodies arise at the last day doth now raise the dead â—oules of men in this world One resurrection in this life another at the day of judgement Eph. 2.1.2 Thes. 2.14 4. If we consider to what we are called viz. to be partners and companions with Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.7 and to great and precious promises Acts 2.39 and to obtaine the glory of the Lord Jesus and a kingdome with him for ever Phil. 3.14 1 Tim. 1.6 The called are vessels of Gods mercie and upon them he will make knowne the riches of his glory Rom. 9.24 6 Because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 This a linke in that chaine can never be broken this takes hold before the world of election and after the world of glorification Rom. 8.30 7. Because the great wise noble and mighty men of the world are not called and God hath looked upon such poore and weake creatures 1 Cor. 1.26 The Use should be to teach us with all possible affections to magnifie Gods grace in our calling and to strive to walke worthy of our calling Eph. 4.1 and to pray hard unto God to fulfill the worke of his grace in our calling that we may live to his glory and abound in all faith and well-doing 2 Thess. 1.11 12. The second Use may be for great reproofe of mens wickednesse in neglecting the voice of Christ in the Gospel and in entertaining so many excuses and delaies hardning themselves in their evill waies and suffering the Divell to keep them without this high preferment Mat. 22. Doct. 2 From the coherence it is plaine That all Gods servants are called to holinesse of life as well as to happinesse Their calling is a holy calling and they are called to be Saints Rom. 1.7 so also 2 Thes. 2.13 14. 1 Pet. 1.15 1 Thes. 4.7 The Use is to discover false Christians from true by their fruits you shall know them Such as make not conscience of their waies to serve God all the dayes of their lives in holinesse and feare are not right Christians And therefore as men desire to have comfort in their calling they must take heed that they abuse not their liberty to licentiousnesse Gal. 5. â—3 Doct. 3. The calling of a Christian is a hard calling to flesh and bloud he is called to hard work As in the coherence here to be so humble and unmoveable and holily disposed as when he is grossely abused and wronged in words deeds yet not only to be patient but to blesâ—e so it is in other parts of their worke as when a man must deny himselfe and take up his crosse daily and follow Christ. For a man to forsake every thing his heart naturally desireth and to be daily crossed is a hard taske The Use should be to raise up the hearts of Christians to a care to live above the course of this world and to presse forward towards the marke not caring for the difficultie of the race but looking to the price of his calling Phil. 3.14 Doct. 4. A true Christian may know his calling know it I
two should suffer with him per compassionem mentis and by the scarlet should be meant the theefe that suffered with him per compassionem carnis Some thinke that the Cedar-wood is hope that dwels on high and will not be putrified Hysop is faith a low growing herb that fastens her roote upon the rocke scarlet is charity Others understand by the Cedar contemplation by the hysop humility and by scarlet twise dyed charity which is twise dyed viz. on the one side with the love of God on the other with the love of our neighbour All these must burne in the Lords passion but I thinke that hereby may be noted that three things arise out of the passion of Christ 1. th◠〈◊〉 of immortality 2. the hysop of mortification For so the word purge applyed to hyssop Psal. 51. doth import 3. the scarlet is the blood of Christ which is twise dyed in that it is twise applyed once for expiation 600. yeares agoe and then againe for justification of every particular beleever 17. The impurity of the Priests mentioned verses 7 8. might prefigure the impurity of the Jewish Priests till they were washed by conversion from their sinne in killing Christ of whose conversion is mentioned Act. 6. But rather hereby may be gathered as the Apostle doth gather it the great excellency of Christs Priesthood above all those legall Priests For they in their solemnest sacrifices were impure themselves and needed cleansing but Christ was not so Heb. 10. Quest. How could the Priests be made uncleane by that which did purifie the people Answ. Uncleanenesse was two wayes contracted 1. First by the foulenesse of the things touched and so he that touched a dead corps was uncleane 2. Secondly by the unworthinesse of the man touching and so it was here He must professe himselfe unworthy to touch so sacred an expiation we had need to take time even till the evening to humble our soules and bewaile our unworthinesse of the blood of Christ. 18. Now after the death of the Heifer it is said Verse 9. that a man that is cleane must gather up the ashes of the Heifer and lay them up without the Campe in a cleane place This man that is cleane is the Gentile purified by faith For this is after the death of Christ The gathering of the ashes is the applying of the merits of Christ and laying hold of the mysteries of his kingdome The laying up of the ashes imports the Christians accounts of Christs merits as his chiefe treasure The cleane place is the cleane heart for the merits of Christ belong not to all Gentiles but to such as have a clean heart and will keepe the mystery of faith in a pure conscience Without the Campe notes the native condition of the Gentiles who were without the law strangers from the common-wealth of Israel and from the covenant of promise without sacrifices and out of the Synagogue of the Jewes 19. These ashes are kept for the congregation to note that there shall never be want of merit to any Christian to any member of the congregation of Christ when he saith it is to make a water of separation it notes what our sins bring upon us by nature we are separate and cast out of Gods sight and need the blood of Christ to recover us from our separation This water was made of the ashes of the Heifer and running water to note that after separation to cleanse us again we must be sprinkled with a water made of the ashes of Christs merits and the water of the grace of the holy Spirit of God This is the perpetuall way of purification for sin and in that it must be sprinkled upon us with Hyssop it notes that we can have no comfort either of the merits of Christ or the grace of the Spirit without the hyssop of true mortification 20. He that gathereth the ashes must wash his clothes and be uncleane till the Even to note that even the neerer a Christian comes to the merits of Christ the more he is affected with the sense of his owne uncleanenesse he that hath the strongest faith doth most wash his clothes yea he retaines the sense of his uncleanenesse till Even that is till death as some interpret it Thus much of the sprinkling of the blood of the Heifer In the sprinkling that was used about the passeover there are not many things which need expounding The Lambe for the Passeover is Christ the lambe of God the blood is the blood of Christ. The sprinkling of the blood is the application of the blood of Christ. The sprinkler is the Minister The hyssop wherewith it is sprinkled is the word of mortification The people are the faithfull The house is the soule of man The doores of the house are the eares eyes and mouth of man The benefit is deliverance and protection from the destroying Angell In the narration of the sprinkling of blood used at the ratification of the covenant The sense of the most things may be briefly touched The altar under the hill is Jesus Christ ready to succour and sanctifie those that are afflicted in spirit with terrors of conscience in the sense of the law given on the hill Sina The pillars are the faithfull that stand before and beare witnesse to the comforts expected or felt for the sacrifice of Christ and they are 12. to note out the 12. Tribes and in them all the faithfull The young men and the first borne of the children of Israel were types of the Elect in visible Churches borne againe to God his first fruites of the multitude a people consecrated to God as his onely portion These offer to God two kindes of sacrifice the one was the Holocaust or the whole burnt offering even the dedication of themselves wholly even of their lives unto the death for the service of God and the practise of godlinesse The other was the peaâ—e offerings which were sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving The blood was the blood of Christ. The basons that received the blood are the word and sacraments The Altar sprinkled with blood is Christ truly suffering and truly retaining in himselfe all sufficiency of merits The other part of the blood sprinkled on the people notes the application of the merits of Christ to the faithfull and of his graces without diminishing from the fountains of excellency of merit and grace in himselfe The meanes by which it is sprinkled is to be supplyed out of the Heb. 9.19 viz. the hyssop of mortification and the scarlet of charity and the Christian love 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 against sin and â—ervent desire of piety The benefit is the reconciling of the people to God and the establishing of the covenant In the aspersion of blood mentioned Levit. 16. I note onely foure things 1. The benefits that come by it which are first entrance within the vaile even the right to the kingdome of heaven 2. The assured procurement and continued establishment
And as he is the God of Christ so he is the Father of Christ his God in respect of his humane nature and his father in respect of his divine nature such an high Priest it became us to have as was after the order of Melchisedech without father or mother For so waâ— Christ without father as man without mother as God now in that he is here said to have a father it is to be understood of his divine nature in respect of which by an eternall generation the person of the Son was begotten of the Father dreadfull is this mystery and most difficult to be understood or conceived and the rather because nothing câ—rnall or earthly is here to be imagined For the Son was not begotten as sons amongst men are but after a more admirable and more excelling maner neither know I how to expresse a way of conceiving of this generation better then by way of negation denying unto it whatsoever hath imperfection There is a threefold generation The first is corporeall called iâ— Schooles Logicall and predicamentall and this iâ— of bodily things which by themselves and out of themselves and without themselves doe beget The second is transcendent and metaphysicall and this is of spirits and is menâ—â—ll For here the minde as an uncompâ—unded subject doth not oâ—â— of it selfe but by it selfe and in it selfe beget and thus it begets contemplation or reason thoughts or affections The third is supreâ—â—â— and singular or 〈◊〉 and that is that generation by which the Father in himselfe and by himselfe by nature and not by faculty or power begets the Son and this is thâ—t which in this place is to bee conceived of so that we must asâ—eâ—d higheâ— then the geniâ—uâ—â— of bodies or soules and when we are come to the Ocean that is beyond and highes then either of those we must rest and wonder especially taking heed to our thoughts aâ— in other things so that in three things we imagine no likenesse betweene the Father begetting the Son in the Trinity and earthly fathers begetting their sonnes in the world First here is no priority in time betweene the father and thâ— sonne as in some sense there is in corporeall generations For Christ is of the Father but not after the father Secondly there is no inequality the son is not lesser then the father For Christ is coequall as well as coeternall Thirdly here is no division the son is not divided from the father For Christ is not only like the father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of the same substance with the father he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The consideration of this doctrine that Christ is Gods son may serve for divers uses For as it may confirme us in the detestation of the blasphemous wickednesse of the Jewes that would never receive the doctrine that Christ was the son of God so it may diversly both instruct and comfort It may instruct us three wayes For first here we may see that it is a matter of necessity to be beleeved and accordingly we should labour to informe our selves aright in this doctrine as being a point should bee illustrious in the Churches of the Christians and the rather because of that promise that whosoever shall confesse that Iesus is the son of God God dwelleth in him and hee in God Secondly we may hence gather our owne dignity For if this bee an honour unto Christ to have God to be his father then what reason have poore Christians to rejoyce considering that whatsoever they are in this world yet they have no worse then the true God the great Iâ—â—ovah to be their father also Thirdly from hence by inference we may learn our duty to God For by this doctrine we heare that God is the father of Christ now by other Scriptures we may observe how Christ â—â—ryed himselfe toward his father and from him we may learne how to order our behaviour also Three things are memorable in Christ. 1. Hi◠〈◊〉 2. His patience and humility 3. And his willingnesse to die all inferred upon this consideration that God was his father For first If the father worke the sonne workâ—th also yea whatsoever the Father did the Son did also Yea Christ did not desire to be beleeved when he said he was Gods son further then he proved it by doing the workes of his father And for his patience and humility it was admirable This son of God had not whereon to lay his head hee endured the impious contradictions of vile sinners hee would not tempt God by presumptuous trusting upon extraordinary support when ordinary meanes was offered he was to be coâ—secrated through afflictions and to learne obedience by what he suffred and when he had suits to God his father he doth in all humility pray and importunâ— yea hâ—â— used strong cryes in the dayes of his â—â—esh and left his father to expound the meaning of his prayer also by the good pleasure of his own will â—ven to honor him as he thought best for him And for his willingnesse to die in the â—3 of Iohn hee useth that as a reason why he could gladly goe out of the world because it was nothing elâ—e but to goe to his father In all these we that are yonger brothers should learne how to order our selves aright toward God If we call God father we should do the works of our father and never desire to be longer reputed the children of God then by our workes we could shew our generation to be of God by resembling his holinesse And for patience and humility we are specially charged with it by Christ even to learne of him to be lowly and meeke and it is a great shame for us to make so much adoe about our crosses when we consider the patience of Christ or to thinke it much if we bee not heard in our prayers at the first or as we would have it in the letter of our desires when we observe the cariage herein of God towards Christ the son of his love And as this doctrine doth instruct so it doth comfort and that especially three wayes 1. For first it may comfort us against all the difficulties of sanctification and against all the power of Satan For as this doctrine tells us that Christ is the son of God so other Scripture doth assure us that he will mightily prove himselfe to be the son of God by the spirit of sanctification shewing his power in throwing downe and dissolving the workes of the Devill 2. Secondly it may comfort us in all our suits to God For as by other Scriptures we know that Christ is our advocate and hath taken upon him to present our prayers to God so by this doctrine we may gather the successe We are sure to speed well when we have the Kings son to put up our petitions and the rather because Christ doth desire to shew his
sleep in the strength of that it hath sucked and further if it be a true desire it is after the word as it is milke and sincere it affecteth plainenesse and acknowledgeth no wisdome like Gods nor effectualnesse of speech more powerfull then the words of sacred scripture and lastly it is such a desire as intends growth in knowledge wisdome utterance prayer grace and holy duties Thus much of the signes The consideration of the glory and necessity of the worke of our new birth may exceedingly reprove the wretched and wilfull neglect of it in thousands of people especially of such as be continuall hearers and cannot be ignorant of the doctrine of it how many are the souls that like the blackamoores will not be made white the spots of whose sinnes are like the spots of the Leopard which will not be gotten out These have had promises to allure them and precepts to divert them and threatnings to humble them and yet are never a whit the better woe unto them they have not sought their peace in the day of peace yea are there not many who heare their own lets opened and yet goe away unreformed Oh the depth of the deceitfulnesse and wickednesse of mans heart Vnto a lively hope c. Foure things may be here noted three of them I will but touch First that there is hope unto the righteous He can be in no such estate or distresse but there is hope the poorest Christian hath his hope and if hee were inclosed with crosses yet he is a prisoner of hope and therefore wee should pray God to shew us the hope of our calling and should the more willingly suffer afflictions rejoycing in hope Secondly none have hope but converted Christians For all carnall men are without hope in the world I meane without true hope For the hope that wicked men have though they leane upon it is but as the house of a spider and therefore woe unto them for their hope when they shall most need it will be as the giving up of the ghost Thirdly there is one hope unto all Gods children they hope for the same glory as they have the same faith and therefore we should live and love so together as they that hope to raigne together in heaven But the fourth thing is the chiefe and that is that there is a lively hope and a dead hope For the one is expressed and the other is manifestly implied There is in godly men a lively hope there is in wicked men but a dâ—ll and a dead hope Now if any aske what difference there is between a lively hope and a dead hope or between the true hope and the false I answer that they differ in six things First in the use of the meanes for a lively hope will use all the meanes that are appointed of God and not that only but it seeketh and expresseth the affections requisite to the right use of the meanes and it will be painefull and patient Now the common hope of carnall men betrayes it selfe in this that they thinke to gâ—e to heaven though they never use the 〈◊〉 or 〈…〉 nor with any paines or patience Secondly in adversity a lively hope plainely shewes it selfe For it will make a man to runne to God and powre out his heart before him resting satisfied if it can get comfort and a promise from God whereas the dead hope is of no use when miseries and adversity comes It delights not in prayer and will not brooke to come in Gods sight it runs to carnall and devillish helps and if it faile in them it excites impatient murmuring or despaire Thirdly a lively hope is attended with lively joyes when God workes the hope of heaven he workes also at some time or other more or lesse the joyes of heaven which hee utterly denies to wicked men Fourthly mans hopes may be tryed by â—he object Aâ—ke a wicked man what is the thing he would have in heaven and he must answer it is the joyes and happinesse of heaven But aske a godly man what he would have in heaven and he soon answers it is the holinesse of heaven hee would be there because he would sin no more but the wicked would be there because they would suffer no more it is righteousnesse that hope waiteth for Fifthly the true hope will acknowledge the truth which is according to godlinesse but the false hope thinkes it enough to know it it will not adventure it selfe to be so forward as to professe it Lastly whosoever hath the true hope purgeth himselfe that he may be pure as Christ is pure but the dead hope cannot abide much mortification The use of all this may be to instruct both carnall men and godly men Carnall men should take notice of this difference that so they might addresse themselves to seeke this true and lively hope which that they may obtaine or attaine they must shun hypocrisie and deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and labour for true grace for the hypocrites hope shall perish and we can never attaine unto the blessed hope unlesse we resolve to live soberly and righteously and religiously in this present world and this everlasting consolation and good hope is had onely by grace and the godly should here learne to hold fast their lively hope as one of the excellentest fruits of their regeneration and their daily refuge should be to nourish and strengthen themselves in it and to that end acquaint themselves constantly with the comforts of the scripture which were penned especially to that end that they might have hope And thus much of the third thing By the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Concerning the resurrection of Christ as it may here be considered of â— propound foure things 1. In what sense it is here to be understood 2. How his resurrection hath relation to us in that our new birth is here haâ—â—ed upon it 3. I answer a question or two which here may be moved and then I make use of all For the first Some have understood by the resurrection of Christ here synecdochically the whole worke of redemption Some understand the words of his spirituall resurrection in our hearts by faith through the operation of the spirit of grace for as he dyeth in us by infidelity so he riseth in us by faith But I â—ake it here as it is commonly taken even for the resurrection of his own person even for that work by which he did shake off the power of death and quicken his dead body restoring the soule to it and receiving to himselfe in his humane nature a blessed celestiall and glorious life In the beleefe of this we differ from Pagans They can beleeve that he dyed but we must beleeve that he rose againe This was solemnly foretold by David and foreshewed by Ioâ—ah manifested by an Angell recorded by the
Evangelists published by the Apostles and demonstrated by six severall apparitions Now for the second The resurrection of Christ iâ—â— fountaine of singular benefits unto us For from thence flowes 1. our glorification for hee went away to provide a place for us even to prepare those heavenly mansions for us 2. The resurrection of our bodies for the spirit that raised Christ from the dead hath thereby given us assurance that he will raise our mortall bodies also 3. The confirmation of our faith and that in divers things For his resurrection assures us that he is the promised Messias and sonne of God and that our debt is payed and that hee hath discharged the uttermost farthing for else he had not beene let out of prison and that he hath vanquished all our spirituall enemies and utterly foiled and disarmed them in that they could not keepe him downe when they had him in the grave but he hath triumphed over them 4. Our justification and regeneration for so the Apostle shewes in the 4. to the Romans that he rose againe for our justification and here it is expresly said that we are begotten againe through the resurrection of Iesus Christ. Quest. But may some one say If this be true that we are begotten again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ then it seemes men were not bâ—gotten againe in the old Testament or else not by the resurrection of Christ For he was not then risen Answ. For answer hereunto wee must consider in the resurrection of Christ two things 1. The act of his resurrection and 2. the vertue of it we are not regenerate by the act of his resurrection and for the vertue of it Faith could receive it aswell as the act was to come as now in us it doth the act being past Christ was risen in the old Testament three wayes 1. In the counsell of God 2. In the word of prophesie 3. In the efficacie of it Quest. But how doth it follow that we are regenerate because Christ is risen Answ. I answer Christ must be considered two wayes first naturally as man secondly mystically as head If Christ be considered barely as a man it doth not follow but if he bee considered in the mysticall union with his members as he sustaineth their person and was surety for them it will follow he rose againe to this end that he might receive power to raise our soules by the first resurrection and our bodies at the last day Or more plainely thus Our regeneration depends upon the resurrection of Christ three wayes 1. As his resurrection was a pledge and assurance that he would raise us he shewed his power that he could doe it he laid downe his body before our eyes and quickned it againe before our faces and gave us that signe to assure us of what he could doe foâ—us 2. As by his resurrection he merited ours 3. The spirit of Christ applies the vertue of Christs resurrection for the quickening of us and the accomplishment of our whole vivification and new obedience The uses of Christs resurrection are both for consolation and instruction It may comfort us against all the accusations or temptations of Satan or the censures of the world who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen who shall condemne them Is not Christ dead or rather risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh request for us hath hee not paid our debt hath he not fully triumphed over death sinne and hell Againe would we have a signe that in Christ all the promises of God shall be yea and Amen we need no other signe then this that as Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the belly of the whale so the sonne of man was three dayes in the heart of the earth and the third day rose againe Finally why should we now be afraid of death or any other spirituall or terrible enemy why should those last things dismay us hath not Christ had a most glorious 〈…〉 them in a most â—eâ—rible mâ—nomachy when they did the worst they could and therefore we may solace our selves in the conquest and say insultingly O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Is not death swallowed up into victory thankes be to God which hath given us victory also through Iesus Christ our Lord. But if we would have benefit of Christs resurrection we must then seek the vertue of it to our selves as the Apostle shewes in his owne practise Phil. 3.9 Quest. But how may we extract vertue out of Christs resurrection Answ. We may get out the vertue of his resurrection by meditation seriously thinking of it and of the end of it by found contemplation pondering of it and by prayer begging the working of the spirit therein but especially laying hold upon it by faith and glorifying God by beleeving that it shall be according to Gods promise effectuall unto us And we must also attend to the motions of the spirit yeelding our selves over to bee framed by them and we must not thinke much to suffer the labours of Gods messengers to worke upon our stony hearts as the Angells of God rowling away the stone that lyeth sealed upon our hearts by nature And thus much of the resurrection of Christ and of the first argument of our consolation Now the second followes in the fourth verse Verse 4. To an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us or for you THis argument is taken from our glorification which is here generally described to be the inheritance of the Saints which is amplified foure wayes First by the properties of it and they are three For it is 1. incorruptible 2. undefiled and 3 immarcessible or that withereth not Secondly by their present interest in it it is not now possessed it is held only in title being laid up for them Thirdly by the persons that shall inherite and they are you that is you that are begotten againe Fourthly by the place and that is heaven the best place For it much commends an inheritance if it lye in convenient and commodious places Incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not c. Three things are here said in the praise of this inheritance which I purpose in the doctrine of them to handle together The first thing affirmed of this inheritance is that it is incorruptible and so it is in foure respects 1. because there we shall need none of those meanes of preservation which of necessity are requisite in this corruptible world neither for the body nor soule For our bodies wee shall need no aire food sleep heat or cold apparell or the light of the Sunne or Moone or mariage or physicke And for our soules wee shall need no sabbaths sacraments temple 2. Because our happinesse shall not bee annoyed with any thing that might corrupt it either without us or upon us
after an estimation of this salvation for certainly it must needs be excellent that is so long in preparing But thirdly and principally we should learne to prepare for it For if God prepare it for us wee should much more prepare our selves for it yea it may be that God writes this for our instruction we heare what God doth that we might learn what to doe our selves Now if any should aske what we must doe in preparing for salvation I answer we must prepare five waies 1. By repentance for our sinnes 2. By procuring the assurance of it in the signes seales and pledges of it 3. By the labour of love endevouring with speed to dispatch Gods work even the taske that God hath set us to 4. By laying up treasures in heaven both by sending our prayers thither before and by conversing in heaven by meditation and desires 5. Lastly by speciall preparation for death waiting till the time of our changing doâ— come Thus of preparation The revelation followes To be revealed Two thingâ— are here implied and one expressed The things implyed are first that the salvation of the soule is a hid mysterie It is not yet revealed and so it is first in the doctrine of it to Pagans secondly in the assurance of it to wicked men in the Church they sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death sometimes for want of meanes but alwaies for want of faith to beleeve it in their owne case nay they see not clearly the happinesse of the elect in general for the glory of their salvation is darkned by their afflictions and disgraces in the world thirdly it is in some respects hid and not yet revealed to the faithfull For first many of the children of God want the knowledge of it which they might have through neglect either of the means of assurance or the order of life For God doth in the brightnesse of it shew his salvation to them that dispose their waies aright Secondly none of the children of God know it as it shall be and that if we respect either the instant of time when God will accomplish it or the full perfection of the glory of it 2. That it shall never be fully revealed till the last time But is it not at all revealed in this life I answer it is But then consider to whom and how and in what things It is revealed to the godly in a more particular manner for the wicked have but a generall glimpse of it It is revealed by the word which teacheth it by the spirit which sealeth it and causeth us by the word to understand our right in it and by the graces of Christ which as signs prove iâ— And for the last it is revealed three waies 1. by way of negation for in this life wee see by the word what shall not be in heaven as not sinne sorrow sicknesse death c. 2. In respect of the assurance of faith and hâ—pâ— 3. In â—â—spâ—â—t of the fâ—â—st fruits and pledges and beginnings of salvation in saving graces The doctrine expressed is that salvation shall be revealed at the last day and that three waies fiâ—st by the voice of Christ who in the last sentence shall set out the glory of Gods mercy before men and Angels describing the worth of the Kingdome of God which he hath prepared for the elect 2. God will then inlarge and perfect the understandings of the faithfull in full conceiving of the worth of eternall things 3. It shall be revealed in that it shall be enjoyed The revelation of it shall be the possession of it and this is principally meant here The Uses of this doctrine concerning the revelation of salvation are divers First it is exceeding comfortable unto Gods children and thiâ— comfort may be concluded out of this doctrine three waies First from the generall they may hence be greatly heartned that those great things which are promised shall one day be revealed They are now the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what they shall be their miseries are revealed now but their salvation is but prepared to be revealed Secondly here is comfort in particular against slanders and reproaches and the evill censures and surmises of men and wretched imputations Their innocencie shall one day be revealed and the sinnes and secret plots of adversaries shall one day be discovered There is nothing covered that shall not then be revealed that day shall try mens works And also against all sorts of erosses might this doctrine comfort us For if we did thinke of the things that are not seene as yet they would make us hold all our afflictions light and momentary in comparison of what we expect And thirdly from the lesse to the greater they may hence deduce singular comfort For if now at some times when it is but in preparation to be revealed Gods people doe find so much comfort what shall that superabundant happinesse be when that Abyssus shall be broken up and the mines of treasure shall be discovered and possessed Here is also implyed by the contrary wonderfull terror to the wicked men they little know what shall befall them the Lord now treasures up much for them and a day will come when it shall be revealed If that anger that God in this world doth reveale from heaven by his threatnings or by his judgements be so terrible oh what shall it be in the last day they shall call for the mountains to cover them when the Lambe shall sit upon his throne to open the mysterie of their iniquity and Gods anger and it is a misery added to their misery that they cannot discerne it but for the most part die without knowledge and sinke into perdition before they be aware But especially woe shall then be to the hypocrite for his maske shall then be pulled off Thirdly this doctrine may serve for instruction and that two waies First we should be thankfull if God have in any measure revealed unto us his love and this mysterie of our salvation For there are many wise men and great men to whom in the secrets of his judgement that knowledge is denied Secondly we should with earnest expectation waiâ— for the revelation of the sons of God seeing that that is the time of glorious and unexpressible liberty And thus of the revelation of salvation In the last time These words are diversly accepted in Scripture Sometimes they note in definitely any time that is far off sometimes they note the whole space of time from Christs first comming to the second sometimes they note the later age of the world neerer the second comming of Christ sometimes it notes the time after the resurrection till the end of the judgement and so it is here Before I come to the particular consideration of these words there are divers things may be noted in
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
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
God and yet in Princes courts 1. Not entertained â— ut many times repulsed 2. Not knowne many times of any body 3. Not dwell there 4. Not favoured of the King or his sonne 5. The Lords will not attend us to carry us to the King or shew us all c. 6. Soone are we cloyed with the glory of it if we had all we would 7. In the Kings court we see the glory of others not â—ur owne But contrary to all these it is in heaven as it shall be with the righteous Which things the Angels desire to looke into In these words the grace brought unto us in the Gospell is commended by the adjunct desire the Angels have to looke into it if such glorious creatures see such worth in these things then they are certainly to be highly accounted of and rejoyced in but the Angels doe so as saith the holy Ghost who is acquainted with the desires of Angels as wel as with the thoughts of men Therefore c. Before I enter upon the particular consideration of these words I must in generall observe one doctrine from the coherence viz. that as any are more holy and happy so they doe more admire the grace brought unto us in the Gospell it is much that the Prophets give such testimony so is it that the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospell spake such glorious things of it but if that may not confirme us the holy Spirit of God and the Angels of God shal be brought in to deliver not their opinions onely but their desires also Which may serve 1. For singular reproofe of the madnesse of our natures that cannot be won to know or regard wherein the chiefe good lies but are so infinitely distracted with endlesse hunting after the riches or pleasures of life Oh how are our hearts sunke deepe in rebellion when neither the verity of these things nor our owne mortality nor such abundant testimonies from heaven can move us But woe unto us for two reasons from hence First wee shall be made inexcusable since God hath warned and instructed us with such undeniable testimonies Secondly here we see the cause why wee seek not after the grace of Christ in the Gospell it is because we are alienated both from holâ—nesse and happinesse For if we had experience in either we would judge as â—he Angels of heaven doe 2. For singular strengthning and incouragement to every one that hath true grace let him rejoyce in his portion the Gospell is the best riches it were â—ot bâ—ught deare if a man sold all he had to purchase it we should rather take the judgement and opinion of one Angell then of a thousand worldly persons 〈◊〉 is no matter what they say they know not their felicity flesh and bloud hath had no revelation in these things it is the Spirit of God onely thaâ— can shew us the things given us of God it is the scope of this place to confirme the consolations ver 3 4 5. Thus in generall now in particular there are foure things to be considered of 1. What these Angels are 2. What account God makes of them 3. What affection they beare to men in that they are said to desire c. 4. What their knowledge is in that they are said to looke into c. 1. Now for the first you must understand that all creatures are of one of tâ—eâ—e three sorts 1. Invisible 2. Visible 3. Both visible and invisible Man is both visible in respect of his body and invisible in respect of his soule The heaven and earth and seas and beasts and foules c. are visible the invisible creatures are these Angels The estate of this invisible world of glorious creatures is in the greatest part 〈◊〉 unrevealed to us yet some things the Scriptures for our good hath let fall and theâ—efore to this question I answer two waies 1. By considering what they are in name 2. What they be in nature 1. The names given them are of three sorts 1. Some expresse their nature and so they are spirits 2. Some expresse their excellency and dignity and so they are called principalities and powers c. 3. Some expresse their office and employment and so they are called Angels in this place which signifies Messengers because they are sent to minister to them which are heires of salvation Heb. 1.14 2. Now for their natures Angels are spirituall substances invisible and immortall subsisting of themselves indued with singular understanding and freedome of will created of God for his glory in his service in the world especially in the Church But why are they called by the name of office more usually then by the names that expresse their natures It is because God delights in them for their seâ—vice and they themselves are more glad of well-doing then of their happinesse in nature from whence we may learn that it is not enough to get singular gifts and excellent estates unlesse we be industrious in the use of them our glory lieth not in excellent parts but in the fruitfull use of them We should learn then of Gods Angels to obey as they obey that Gods will may be done on earth as it is in heaven that is 1 willingly 2 speedily 3 constantly For so the Angels obey else we may be as the Angels of God for gifts and yâ—t goe to hell But are all these incorporeall spirits here meant No for some of them fell away and stood not in the truth it is onely the good Angels called the elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 are here meant but it is worth the noting what sinne hath brought upon the Devils they have not onely lost their nature in respect of purity but their names to so as usually when the Scripture calleth Angels it meaneth it of good Angels they have lost the dignity of their very title this is the fruit of pride or envy or disobedience or whatsoever else was their sin Some say it was pride in affecting divinity some say it was envy stirred by the decree of exalting of mans nature above Angels in and by Christ some say a transgression of some commandements in particular not exprest as Adams was Thus of their names and natures 2. Now for the singular account God makes of them it may appeare divers waies 1. By the excellent titles given them aâ— are stars of the morning sons of God principalitieâ— and powers c. 2. By the place he sets them in hee placeth them next his owne person in the chamber of his owne presence to be alwaies about him even in heaven the fairest roome in the whole building of the world 3. By the trust he hath put in them hee hath committed the charge of his Elect unto their protection and care Psal. 34. 91 Heb. 1. 14 4. By the singular grace of confirmation that now in Christ they 〈◊〉 of all the creatures should never have experience in their own nature of any evill
and by professing to know a greater comelinesse even the decking of the hid man of the heart and the ornament of good works For the cleare understanding of this doctrine concerning apparell 4. rules are to be observed 1. That whereas the Word of God doth not precisely tell what apparell we should weare the judgment and example of the wisest and godliest men in the country where we live is to be followed 2. That the sinne reacheth as well to men as to women For whereas the Scripture for the most part reproveth or directeth women for their apparell it was because men in those times did lesse exceed but now that men are growne so effeminate the censure lights upon them as well as women 3. That sinne may be committed in the fashion or putting on as well as in the matter or cost 1 Pet. 3.3 Rom. 12.2 4. That the vanity of often changing into fashions is to be condemned also There are divers reasons why wee should make conscience even of our apparell 1. Here it is a part of our sobriety 2. Nothing is required of us more then what is required of all that feare God and is observed by many that might stand upon it as well as we 3. Wee are forbidden to fashion our selves according to this world Rom. 12.2 4. Vanity here is an occasion of contempt it doth not make us the better thought on but the worse how shall I beleeve that he hath not vanity in his heart that is clothed with it on his back 5. God will scourge us even for our clothes Zeph. 1. Esay 3. 6. Our apparell is the fruit of our sinne and shall the theefe be proud of his halter 7. Vaine apparell begets in us pride vaine thoughts lust and many inconveniences especially if we persist in it against our conscience 8. Sobriety in apparell is a singular praise an alluring vertue The sixt thing is sobriety in meats and drinks and so restraineth both gluttony and drunkennesse but especially the later Luke 21.24 Rom. 13.13 There are many reasons against drunkennesse 1. From the nature of it It is a paganish sin a lust of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4.3 yea it is a brutish sin it transformes a man into a beast a work of the flesh yea one of the worst and therefore set in the last place Gal. 5.21 a work of darknesse yea it is dishonesty Rom. 13.13 2. FroÌ„ the time 1. Of committing it they were wont to be drunk in the night 1 Thes. 5.7 as they commit whoredome so were they ashamed of it 2. Of forsaking it the night is past the day is at hand Rom. 13.11 12. 3. From the effects of it 1. Internall 1. It takes away the heart of a man first from himselfe it swallowes him up Esay 28.7.2 from Gods service Hos. 4.11 3. from the consideration of Gods judgements 1. present Esay 5.11 56.12 2. the last judgement and his owne end Luke 21.34 4. from the care of his owne happinesse Amos 5.6.1.4 2. It breeds rage Prov. 20.1 3. It breeds lust and filthy destres Prov. 23.29 4. It wonderfully besots a man Prov. 20.1 23. ult 2. Externall 1. It drawes a man out of the way of salvation Esay 28.7 2. It breeds vomiting and vile uncleannesse of that kind Esay 28.8 3. It breeds mocking and contempt Prov. 20.1 Psal. 69.13 4. It breeds a casting out from the society of the godly 1 Cor. 5.11 5. It breeds poverty and famine Prov. 21.17 Ioel 1.5 6. It breeds abundance of sorrow Prov. 23.29 7. It breeds contention Prov. 23.29 8. It breeds unutterable danger Prov. 25.32 34. 9. It breeds the wrath and curse of God in generall Esay 5.11 10. It breeds damnation both of body and soule 1 Cor. 6.10 Ob. But I am not drunk I can carry it and goe away Sol. Woe to them that are strong to drink wine c. Esay 5.22 Ob. But I doe not drink so excessively I onely sit in the alehouse and now and then drink but a little Sol. Drinkings is one of the lusts of the Gentiles as well as drunkennesse and to sit at it is accursed Esay 5.11 Ob. But I never drink my selfe but give my friends the drink Sol. Woe to him that gives his neighbour drink Hab. 2.15 Ob. But I never made any man drunk nor doe I drink much Sol. He is accursed that eateth and drinketh with the drunken that companieth with them Mat. 24.49 Vse 1. For drunkards to beware and take heed and if it be possible to get out of the snare of the devill especially let those monsters be warned 1. that are usually drunke 2. that take a pride in drinking Esay 28.1 Secondly for masters of families to restraine these abuses and to this end 1. to restrain the liberties of their buttery and cellers 2. to restrain their vâ—ry going to drinking houses or else to cast them out of their houses Psal. 101. Thirdly for Church-wardens and Justices of Peace to see the reformation of this to search and inquire from day to day and especially to looke to the houses that entertaine such else they are guilty of all the drunkennesse and filthinesse is committed without punishment Lastly if the Lord have kept any of us from this vice be thankfull and shew our subjection also in the former rules Trust perfectly on the grace which is to be brought unto you in the revelation of Iesus Christ. The third thing he exhorts unto is hope and trust in God which is amplified by the manner and measure trust perfectly and secondly by the object viz. the grace which is to be brought at the revelation of Christ which is forgivenesse of all sinnes and eternall salvation of our soules which is called the hope of eternallâ—life Tit. 1.2 Hope it selfe is one of the three principall graces Faith Hope and Charity comprehends the substance of all holinesse but of hope in it selfe I have considered of it in the notes upon the third verse it is the manner and the object is here to be considered But first I note briefly some things from the coherence in that he first requireth girding up of the mind and sobriety of life and then addes the perfection of our hope in God for salvation wee may observe First that a sober and temperate life is not enough to salvation one may be free from drunkennesse and excesse in gaming and voluptuousnesse and yet be in a miserable case wee must get faith and hope also as hee said of peace Heb. 12.14 so may I say of sobriety Secondly that unlesse we order our minds and moderate our lives wee cannot ever attaine to establishment of our hope of a better life Thirdly yea he teacheth us herein not to rest in the present gaine of godlinesse as to looke upon the present grace but still to hasten to the grace that is yet to be revealed True grace should not so satisfie us as to make us neglect the expectation and desire of heaven
Psal. 31.22 Secondly this should teach us to looke to our faith and to provide for the daily use of it to live by it that if it might be we might be so ready and prepared that Christ when hee came at any time might find us so doing Now that we might attaine unto this daily use of our faith divers rules must be observed 1. We must be more afraid of doubts and cavils against our faith making conscience of unbeliefe to avoid it as a grievous sinne and to see manifest reason from the Word before we doubt 2. We must more study the promises of God and shake off the slaggishnesse of our natures especially wee should be more carefull to attend upon the carefull application of them 3. We should speedily run to Christ when we find any disease or neglect in our faith whose glory it is to be the finisher of our faith 4. We should often think of those that have been examples of much faith that have been full of faith Heb. 11. 12.1 5. We should watch against all things that might slacken our love to the meanes For it is certaine the love of the means is strong like death 6. If we find we have offended God let us not goe long without humiliation but quickly run and confesse our sins and not be quiet till we be reconciled It is dangerous to defer our repentance and neglect our communion with God long 7. Especially we should study for businesse to be imployed in well-doing in our generall or particular calling 1 Cor. 15.18 Hitherto of the sixt point Who raised him from the dead and gave him glory These words containe the seventh motive in the doctrine of redemption namely the ratification of it God himselfe was pleased after an admirable manner to ratifie the work of our redemption and therefore it should much work upon us for holinesse of life Now God ratified it two waies First by raising Christ from the dead Secondly by giving him glory in heaven 1. Of the resurrection of Christ from the dead divers things may be here noted 1. That Christ was amongst the dead this may shew the hatefulnesse of sin when Christ became a surety for it it divided his soule from his body and chased him downe among the dead Hath Christ been among the dead then let us beleeve him in all the comforts he hath taught us against death For he speaks by experience we may trust what he saies for he hath been there himselfe 2. Therefore dead men have a being it were good for us so to live as we may have comfort in our being after death For Christ found a world of dead men with whom he was after his death 3. How worthy is Christ to be loved that thus adventured himselfe for us how is it meet he should reap of the travailes of his soule 2. That Christ was raised from the dead Therefore it is not impossible for dead men to rise we see the proofe of it in Christ Secondly we should never be out of hope in the desperatest afflictions if we were brought as low as ever Christ was 3. God raised Christ from the dead Therefore it is wonderfull evident that our debt is paid in that the creditor came himselfe and set open the prison doore and released our surety especially in the time of distresse wee should know that God doth not require our debts at our hands For he hath hereby acknowledged ful payment by our Saviour and we did owe nothing but unto God Secondly this imports that the righteous God may sometime forsake us for a time and leave us to our thinking in unmedicinable distresses so as we should cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and yet hee will returne speedily to our succour and put to the proofe of his greatest power rather then abandon those whom he loves 4. That the resurrection of Christ is a great wonder therefore it is here mentioned as a marvellous course that God held in the ratification of our redemption The Use is Therefore cursed be those mockers that scoffe at the resurrection of the dead and let us glory in the faith knowing the victory of our Messias as also that the time will come that God will glorifie us also before men and Angels by mising our bodies also from the grave Rom. 8.11 1 Thes. 4.14 5. God lookes we should be specially affected with his glory in this great work of raising Christ from the dead The Use is Therefore let us be humbled before the Lord for the deadnesse of our spirits and slownesse of our hearts and beg of him pardon and the renting of the cursed vaile of ignorance that lets us from beholding the great glory of God herein 6. Lastly we see that the exaltation of Christ stands of two parts viz. Resurrection and Glorification and that all works of humiliation ended with his comming out of the sepulchre And thus of his resurrection And gave him glory This is the second part of the ratification The glory God gave unto Christ shewes that he is fully pleased with him and that Christ hath perfectly paid our ransome Quest. What glory did God give unto Christ upon his death for us Answ. Great and greatly to be praised and admired For 1. He assigned him all the honour of a triumph is his ascension when â—ee led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Eph. 4.7 Col. 2.15 2. He removed from him all infirmities both of body and mind 3. He gave him all power in heaven and earth even preeminence in all things Mat. 28. Col. 1.18 For he made him 1. Prince of Angels Col. 2.10 2. Head of the Church Col. 1.18 3. Heire of all things Heb. 1.3 4. Iugde of the world Act. 17.30 4. He assigned him his owne best house to dwell in and that with equall honour with himselfe at his right hand in heaven 5. He bestowed all the Elect upon him Ioh. 17. 6. He commanded all creatures to worship him This was the grace of adoration Phil. 2.10 7. He gave him promise to grant whatsoever he asked Psal. 2.8 9. 8. He proscribed all his enemies and undertooke to make them his footstoole Psal. 110.1 The Use may be first for consolation All these honours done to Christ may assure us of our reconciliation with God and that our redemption is accomplished and it may encourage us to goe unto God trusting in his mediation for God can deny him nothing yea his glory is our glory The crowne is set upon our head when Christ is exalted and therefore being his members we should rejoyce as if it had beene done to us and the rather when he appeares we shall appeare with him in glory Col. 3.4 Secondly in all affliction it should teach us to live by faith and with patience to run the race that is set before us thinking upon the end of our faith the salvation of our soules which
into the actions of three severall daies 1. Some things were to be done the first day verse 4. to 9. 2. Some things the 7. day ver 9. 3. Some things on the 8. day ver 10. to 32. These severall daies noted the different degrees in the sanctification of the sinner In the first dayes worke we may consider 1. what the Priest doth ver 8. 2. what the Leper to be clensed was to doe ver 8. In the first consider the things prepared ver 4. and the application of them or use of them ver 5 6 7. LEVITICUS 14. VERSE 4. The things prepared were two live cleane birds cedar wood byssop and scarlet 1. The two live birds did signifie the twofold estate of Christ his suffering estate and his triumphing estate as will appeare more plainlie after 2. And Christ is shadowed out in the likenesse of birds first then of lambs after and then of a bullocke at last to note the degrees of the revelation of Christ in the heart of a sinner at the first though he have true grace yet he seeth Christ but in a little forme as it were afterward God revealeth his Son in him more and more manifestly 3. The cedar wood hyssop and scarlet might signifie the graces of Christ with which he was to enrich and sanctifie the sinner viz. Faith Hope and Love Faith signified by the high growing cedar which though it have a root in earth yet it aspires towards heaven above all other trees Hope was signified by the Hyssop which though it grow low and secret as it were in the heart yet it is alwayes greene according to the severall seasons of Gods providence and Love was signified by the scarlet the double dye whereof might note our double love to God and men all sanctified and inflamed in the bloud shedding of Jesus Christ. 4. The summe of all then in the signification of the things prepared is that wee need two things for our clensing viz. Christ and the graces of Christ Faith Love and Hope 5. Now it is to be observed that these are to be taken not for the whole congregation of Christ or Israel at once but for him that is to be clensed alone to signifie that there must be a particular application of Christ and sanctification with the graces of Christ in every beleever or else it will not serve the turne that there is a Saviour provided for the Church in generall which is further shadowed out in the particular taking of the birds for this use and gathering of the cedar wood and hysop and providing of scarlet 6. It is further to be noted that the Priest is said to command the taking of these things not to prescribe them only which might shew Gods willingnesse to bestow Christ and his graces he doth not only offer him but commands us also to take him by faith he is ready to give and reproacheth no man yea this command might enforce some care and terror into the penitent sinner not to dare to neglect the time in this great businesse of purifying the soule and it might also incourage the fearefull for God is not only contented that they rest upon Christ but shewes himselfe to be discontented if they doe not seeke unto Christ when they finde need of him Thus of the things to be prepared the application or use of them followes in the three next verses VERSE 5. The application concerns either the dying bird or the living bird The dying bird in this verse the living bird in the two next 1. The one of the birds must be killed to note that without the death of Christ there can be no purging for sinne and that in the conversion of a sinner the onely thing the soule of man lookes upon is Christ slaine for sinne 2. This bird is to be killed by commandement to note that Christ was by speciall appointment from the Father set apart unto death 3. This bird was to be killed over running water This running water was a signe either of the Gospell or of the grace of sanctification The bloud falling into the water either did signifie that the Gospell of Christ crucified should be preached all over the world or else it noted that the bloud of Christ should then onely be effectuall to the sinner when the fountaine of grace was opened and both bloud and water met together that is the merit of Christ and the Spirit of Christ There ran out of the side of Christ both water and blood which it seemes was to signifie the same mystery 1 Iohn 5. 4. It is the more comfortable also that by the running water is signified the continuall flowing of the fountaine of grace dyed in the blood and merits of Christ in the heart of a sinner 5. This water was to be in an earthen vessell to note 1. That God did measure unto every Christian according to his proportion Rom. 12.6 2. That the Ministers of the Gospell should have the power of dividing this treasure unto men and that God would glorifie himselfe by the service of men otherwise contemptible in the world 2 Cor. 4.6 VERSE 6. 1. The living bird signifieth Christ alive from the dead and who cannot die but ever liveth at the right hand of God 2. The Cedar wood hyssop and scarlet signified the graces of Christ Faith Hope and Love 3. The joyning of both these together shewes that we cannot bee saved by Christ without the grace of Christ. It is to no purpose to thinke of Christ without care to receive his graces also 4. All these must be dipped in the blood of the bird that was slaine over running water to teach us three things 1. That it is the merit of the death of Christ that makes the presence of Christ in heaven acceptable for us 2. That all the graces we are to receive from Christ must be dipped in his blood also for by his blood it is that we have accesse unto grace or acceptation for any grace in us though received from him 3. That by the Gospell and the Spirit of Christ all this good is conferred unto us from Christ out of heaven VERSE 7. 1. The sprinkling upon him that is to be cleansed notes 1. Application There must bee a particular application of Christ to the beleever 2. Imputation For this sprinkling is the worke of God imputing Christ and his passion and holinesse to the beleever 3. Valuation of the worth of the least drop of Christs blood His blood though but sprinkled justifies a sinner 4. Lesser manifestation For sprinkling imports not so much a restraint in God as a defect in us that doe not so fully discerne our interest in Christ. 5. Strong consolation For if we can by faith lay hold but upon a drop of Christs blood it sufficeth if we discerne but sprinkling though we are farre from powring out it is sufficient 2. When he adds from his leprosie it is to assure us this comfort that in the justification
perswaded of their owne conversion 2. That our every daies corruptions even after first repentance doe make us uncleane of our selves and therefore by renuing our repentance we must be made clean again There are some seeds or roots of leprosie yet behind in us though we be clensed truely yet we are not clensed fully VERSE 10. Hitherto of the works of the first and seventh day The works of the 8. day concerne either all ordinary persons to be clensed or else a proviso for such as are poore The ordinary course is set down from ver 10. to 21. For the poore ver 21. to 32. In the first consider 1. The things to be provided by the person to be clensed ver 10. 2. The imployment of them by the Priest ver 11. to 21. The things to be provided for are either sacrifices or oyle The sacrifices are either for sin offerings or meat offerings The things provided for the sin offerings were two 1. The lambe without blemish 2. And one ewe lambe of the first yeere without blemish The meat offering was three tenth deales of fine flower mingled with oyle 1. These things were types of Christ both as our sacrifice and as our nourishment for both we receive and should looke for in Christ. 2. The coherence imports that we must first be setled in our sanctification before we can be comforted in our justification and that no penitent sinner can be deprived of the sacrifice of Christ and that we must seeke to be assured of our justification as well as to be reformed in our sanctification 3. The lambes without blemish did shadow out the innocency of Christ 1 Pet. 1.19 and so shews here the spots of our leprosie are taken away even by the unspotted sacrifice of Christ. 4. The lambes were three because of the three sorts of sacrifice mentioned afterwards viz. The trespasse offering the sin offering the burnt offering which three sorts of sacrifices signified a threefold applicatioÌ„ of Christ viz. for trespassâ—s against men for sins against God in particular and for all sins in generall knowne and unknowne noted in the burnt offerings 5. In that he and not the Priest must provide these sacrifices it shews that every sinner must be saved by his own faith It will not help him that he is in favour with the Priest c. He must provide his lambes c. himselfe 6. In the meat offering consider both the matter and the mixture The matter was fine flower which was a type of Christ and him crucified both as hee was grownd for us betweene the upper and the nether milstone of Gods wrath and as hee was boulted out for us in the Gospell all which shewes 1. That Christ was sowed and grew up out of the same earth with us 2. That his sufferings differ from all the sufferings of the Martyrs For he was not onely cut downe and threshed out of the eare and huske as they were in the death of their bodies but he was grownd in the â—ill of Godâ— wrath in his souls 3. That Gods best provision is for his owne people hee seedeth them with the finest flower and will provide that Christ shall give as much nourishment to their soules as the finest flower can to the body 7. Oyle signifies gladnesse Psal. 45.5 the mingling of the sacrifice with oyle noted the comfort Christians received that lay hold upon Christ for nourishment 8. The cogge of oyle that stood by promised that God had provided abundance of joyes for his people above all that yet they have felt in the beginnings of their faith and that every convert should seek abundance of joy and contentment in the application of Christ. VERSE 11. The things provided for the clensing are mentioned in the former verse The use or imployment of them by the Priest followes in this verse and the rest to ver â—â— and this use had two things 1. Their presentation to God in the generall 2. Their immolation and application in particular In the Presentation consider 1. Who presents them viz. the Priest that makes them cleane 2. What he presents viz. the man and those things 3. To whom viz. before the Lord. 4. Where viz. at the doore of the Tabernacle 1. The Priest presenting of the man to God may note the presentation of the penitent sinner to God either 1. By Christ in his intercession 2. By the ministery of the Gospell Rom. 15. 3. By himselfe as hee hath the spirit of intercession and doth commend himselfe by prayers unto God Ministers present us to God as they carry us to God either 1. In their prayers 2. In their preachings 3. In their accounts at the day of judgement 2 Cor. 11.2 Quest. But how is the Priest said to make him cleane Answ. The Priest was a type either 1. Of Christ justifying the sinner and sanctifying him 1 Cor. 13. 2. Of the Ministers of Christ who as instruments doe sacrifice and save their hearers 1 Tim. 4. ult 2. The things presented are the man that is to be made cleane and the things provided for clensing which signified 1. That Christ and his Word doe present none to God but such as wil be sanctified and healed of their leprosie 2. Not our persons onely but all the meanes of our holinesse must be presented to God They need the intercession of Christ and our owne prayers c. 3. Those things were to be presented to the Lord to signifie 1. That we did acknowledge him as the fountaine of all holinesse and happinesse 2. That we did henceforth resigne our selves unto the Lord as a living sacrifice Rom. 12.1 4. In that all this must be done at the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation it did teach them 1. That the place most infallibly to finde God in was the assembly of his people in the sanctuary Lev. 16.11 2. That in the practice of publiâ—e duties we are most effectually joyned to God and find most help from Christ and his presence that we are indeed that we are at the doore of the Tabernacle 3. That we seek such acceptation with God as we would desire to hold in communion of Saints VERSE 12. The particular use of them followes and so it concernes either 1. The trespasse offering to ver 19. 2. The sinne offering ver 19. 3. The burnt offering ver 20. The trespasse offering must be considered 1. In the waving of it before the Lord ver 12. 2. In the killing of it in the holy place ver 13. 3. In the sprinkling of it ver 14. to 19. In generall we may note that there needs an offering for trespasses even for those casuall wrongs we doe either against God or man that we need the sacrifice of Christ for them we need to goe to God to forgive us our trespasses through Christ. 2. The waving of them before the Lord might signifie 1. The extreame usage of Christ in suffering for our sins 2. The waving of Christ in the
be their eternall food in heaven The meat offering must be upon the Altar to signifie that we can have no hope of nourishment but from the merit and vertue of the sacrifice of Christ as all meanes are sanctified by it VERSE 21. to 32. Hitherto of the sacrifice for the richer sort Now followes the course to be taken for the poorer sort which in effect is the same with the former save that he must take Turtles or Pigeons instead of two of the Lambs The things here to be noted are 1. That in the application of Christ God puts no difference the poorer sort if they be penitent may be justified as well as the richer 2. That without Christs sacrifice no man can be justified be hee of what condition he will 3. That in the receiving of Christ all are not alike qualified for the measure of grace and discerning and faith 4. That the endevour is accepted for the deed for the poore is excused if he provide a sacrifice according to his labour of his hand 5. That if wee through carelesnesse neglect the meanes of further grace that is a just exception therefore it is urged three times If he cannot get so much ver 21 31 32. Hitherto of the digression into the explication of the doctrine of clensing the Leper And thus of the nature of this work of sanctification The subject followes Your soules Your soules It is true that by the soule synecdochically hee meaneth the whole man for he that is truely sanctified is sanctified in soule in body and spirit 1 Thes. 5.23 The medicine is applyed and goeth as far as the disease and Christ dâ—ed as well for the body as the soule and both must be purged before we can enter into the Kingdome of heaven and therefore wee are charged to abstaine from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 9.1 and our bodies must be offered up as a sacrifice to God Rom. 12.1 yet notwithstanding the soule is named as that which God chiefly stands upon though he require and worketh both for the holinesse of the heart is that he calls for to have given him Ier. 4.18 and we do perform the most immediate worship by our spirits Ioh. 4.24 and the sanctity of the heart is the fountaine of all the outward holinesse as the impurity of the heart is the cause of the outward impurities of life Besides the soule is the seat of all holy graces that are saving graces they dwell there though their imployment must sometimes be without and further the sanctification of the soule is characteristicall for that is the holinesse that distinguisheth betweene the godly and the wicked This then is the observation that the chief seat of true grace and holinesse is in the soule of man The Use is divers 1. For Information From hence it is manifest 1. That they are grossely deceived that think inward inordination of thoughts and affections are no great faults whereas the infection of the soule is most dangerous because it is the fountaine of all the rest and is more usually committed and more hardly cured Psal. 78.8 â— 66.18 95. c. 2. That God lookes not at the outward appearance of men hee askes not what houses clothes fare friends c. they have but what grace they have in their hearts yea it is certainâ— that outward reformation will not here serve the turne Hypocrites that make so much adoe about washing the out-side are deceived in their reckoning God will not be deluded with painted sepulchres hee knows what is within and the civill honest man is in the same case 3. That true grace may be where there is not an outward shew of it the truest sanctification is in the heart yet this gives no liberty to wicked men For it is not true that a wicked life may be found where there is grace in the heart therefore call thou not that uncleane which God hath purified 1 Cor. 4.5 4. That it is a grievous sinne to infect the soules of men by example counsell provocation corrupt opinions c. They that would poison the bodies of men were worthy punishments in all mens judgements how much more they that wilfully poyson many soules 5. There is no need of any purgation after this life for God takes an order to purifie the soules of his people even in this world Secondly for Instruction 1. Therefore this should strongly perswade with us to seek inward holinesse If there be so much adoe in the world to get cleane and cleare faces what should our care be to have cleane soules seeing God looks at that Psal. 7.9 God searcheth the heart and reines The chiefest thing wee can get for our soules is the purifying of them Ierem. 44.14 what profiteth it to winne the whole world if thou lose thy soule for the foulenesse of it and it is certaine no beauty of the face can allure a man so much as the cleannesse of the heart doth allure Christ. But this inward holinesse chiefly consists 1. In casting out the vices of the soule evill thoughts ignorance pride inordinate affections stubbornnesse of will and humour with whatsoever drosse hypocrisie security malice c. 1 Pet. 2.12 circumcise therefore thy heart Col. 2.11 2. In attaining new gifts of the spirit of grace such as are illumination discerning faith zeale love of God softnesse of heart affections of worship c. Heb. 13.9 2 Cor. 4.6 Rom. 5.5 3. In the exercise of these in the daily coâ—rse of our lives looke to thy heart when thou dost any work to God â— In the reformation of the heart wee must looke to it that we be sanctified throughout it is not enough there be some gifts in some of these faculties but there must be grace in all and so of the sinnes of the soule to be mortified 3. This doctrine may be a great comfort to the godly that have set their hearts to serve God in their spirits and labour for the true grace of Christ in their soules though they abound with infirmities and the world speak evill of them it should comfort us against the many aspersions of men Psal. 17. 4. c. though it be true as Prov. 20.9 yet God accepts of the desire c. Rom. 8.27 Quest. But how know I whether I have the true grace of Christ in my soule Answ. By this text thou maist know it by three things 1. If thou seeke inward purity as well as outward 2. If thou find an alteration in every faculty of thy soule 3. If thou be like unto God that hast most care of what shall become of thy soule and art most carefull of meanes for thy soule Quest. But what shall one doe to get a cleane heart Answ. 1. Examine your hearts as Psal. 4.4 for the heart is deceitfull Ier. 17.9 c. 2. Pray to God to create a new heart in thee 3. Attend upon the meanes that are powerfull to clense the heart our
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
things that they have not their owne bodies in estimation nor allow themselves the fit use of the things they possesse Eccl. 6.2 2. That the bodies of men doe not utterly perish as doth the glory of men For the flower falleth off whereas the grasse onely withereth the roote is alive within the earth when a man dieth he shall never see his riches or pleasures of this life any more but yet his body hath a roote and when the spring of the last resurrection comes it will revive againe which should in force upon us a more through contempt of all these earthly things and the rather if we consider further what may be added concerning the glory of men For besides that once it must faile and that speedily First it is all stained and durtied already with mans sins and also the Lord usually sets himselfe so to staine the pride of all glory that it is scorned and despised even in the prime of it but especially when it begins a little to decay Besides who knowes how sudenly all may be gone the glory of many men we see is but as the hasty fruit before summer which while he that looketh upon it seeth it whilst it is yet in his hand he eateth it up Esay 28.4 Further we may observe the manner how the Lord doth bring downe the glorious beauty of many great men as it were with a tempâ—â—â— of â—aile their afflictions comming in as thick as haile and a destroying â—â—orms as a flood of mighty unresistable waters overflowing so doth the Lord cast them downe to the earth and tread their glory in the dust yea and many times turne their great glory into surpassing shame Esay 28.2 Ps. 7.5 Hos. 4.7 Verse 25. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which is preached among you HItherto of the vanity of man in his flesh and outward condition The eternity of the word followeth in this verse The hearts of all men naturally tend to the admiration and care for the body onely and the things thereof yea in the Church of God the faith of Christians is wonderfully deformed and disgraced by such cares while men professe they beleeve in Christ for a better condition their practise continually proclaimes the flesh still for the idoll of their hearts therefore it is needfull that this wretched pertinacy should be disgraced by a discovery of their vanity therein which is done in the former verse Now if men be put out of their way in the projects of the flesh it is expedient they should bee informed what better things to settle their hearts upon else it will never perswade with them to leave the love of the flesh and this present life if no better happinesse bee set before them This therefore is intended in this verse briefely to tell men upon what they might spend their time better than in the cares of the flesh The question then is since nothing in mans flesh or outward estate is worth the care and labour of attendance what then is the chiefe thing in this life to be sought after If we marke the direct Antithesis to the former verse it should have beene thus Mans flesh is grasse c. but mans spirit endureth for ever and so the soule of man should have bin the maine thing his heart should have beene set upon But thus there had beene great danger of mistaking still for God would have the body saved as well as the soule and the holinesse of the body as well as the soule thought of and besides the soule naturally is as corrupt as the flesh and it is no more safe to follow the lusts of the soule then the appetites of the body For the spirit of man is as much polluted as the flesh and the body is but the instrument of the soule therefore the scripture leadeth man cleane out of himselfe considered as he is in his present state of nature that he may be fully humbled for his misery Quest. If yet any say what then is the maine object of our cares and service in this life Ans. I answer that it is diversly resolved in divers scriptures In Ps. 102. 11 12. it is thus Man fadeth and withereth like grasse but the Lord endureth for ever and so that place shewes us it is God we should know admire love care for provide for and set our hearts upon In the 103. Ps v. 15.17 it is thus The dayes of man are as grasse and as the flower of the field flourisheth but the love and kindnesse of the Lord endureth for ever to them that feare him where we are guided to know in particular what in God wee should most seeke and that is the assurance of Gods mercy which will stand us in stead for eternity Here it is the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this comprehendeth all the former It is the word of the Lord that revealeth God and directeth our hearts to the love of God and the assurance of his mercy It is the word of God that clenseth and sanctifieth the soules of men So that then the chiefe doctrine of this verse is that in this life we should especially set our hearts upon the word of God that should be our maine care It is the word we should be most busied about and our hearts should specially be set upon we should meditate in it day and night Ps. 1.2 It should be our portion and heritage It is that we should provide for whatsoever we want Ps. 119. For the word of God perfects our natures and sanctifies us Ioh. 17. By the word wee have communion and fellowship with God and Christ on earth Ioh. 14.21 Rev. 3.10 It is the word that comforts us in all tribulation Ps. 119. It is the word that directs us in all our waies It is the light to our feete and laâ—thorne to our paths Ps. 119. yea it is the word that maintaines our lives for man liveth not by bread but by the word and prayer It is the word that fits us for immortality and brings salvation to us and in the meane while nourisheth us up to eternity 1 Pet. 1.23 2.2 Act. 26.18 4.16 This may serve First for information concerning the estate of two sorts of men 1. Of such as want the word or the love of it what shall it profit them to winne all the glory of the world for the flesh when for want of the word their spirits and flesh must perish for ever 2. Of such as follow the word and search the scriptures and have nothing more in request this justifies them they have chosen the better part with Mary and it shall never be taken from them Secondly for instruction we should all learne to glorifie the word Act. 13. 48. to receive it with all meekenesse Iam. 1.21 to hunger and thirst after it as our appointed foode to embrace it presse to it and never be ashamed of it Ps.
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
Church is thankfull for it to God Revel 2.6 and 5.10 And the rather should we rejoyce in it because God hath promised to take us to himselfe as his portion and peculiar treasure Exod. 19. 6. And it is his promise also to satiate the soules of his Priests with fatnesse Ierem. 31.14 And what a priviledge is it to have accesse unto the Lord and to stand before God daily which the Priests not onely might but were tyed to it by their office But then for conclusion of this point let us all be sure we have our part in the first resurrection Revel 20.6 and be carefull to be like the Priests for obedience and sanctity Exod. 19.5.6 and to get knowledge plentifully into our hearts Col. 3.16 and in the cause of God to blowe the trumpets of zeale and resolution carrying our selves with all humility and readinesse to doe good and so becomming instruments of blessing to the people And which I had almost forgotten we must remember to be like the Priests for teaching and confuting and reproving and informing our Familiars and friends as we have fitnesse and occasion Thus of the Priest-hood of Christians in generall In particular hence is further to be considered first their worke secondly their honour Their work is To offer up spirituall sacrifices their honour is Acceptation and high account with God through Iesus Christ. First then of the work of Christian Priests which is To offer secondly what they must offer viz. sacrifices thirdly the difference of those sacrifices from those in the Law of Moses they are spirituall which word notes both the substance of Christian sacrifices viz. that they are such sacrifices as were not according to the letter but according to the mysticall significations of the sacrifices of Moses Law and withall the manner how they must be offered up viz. spiritually or after a spirituall manner The maine thing here intended then is To avouch that Christians have their sacrifices which they must offer and that in a spirituall manner Now for the clearer opening of this doctrine two things must be distinctly considered of First what sacrifices can remaine to Christians since the Law of Moses is abrogated and secondly what things are requisite to the offering up of these sacrifices For the first There are divers sorts of sacrifices among Christians Some are proper to some Christians onely some are generall to all The sacrifices that are proper to some Christians are such as three sorts of men must offer First Ministers secondly Martyrs thirdly rich men First Ministers have their sacrifices which they must with all care offer to God and their sacrifice is the soules of the hearers Thus Paul was to offer up the Gentiles to God Rom. 15.16 And thus it was prophecied that in the time of the Christian Church the Elect should be brought in as an offering to God out of all Nations Esay 66.20 Ministers sacrifice their people either in this life or at the day of â—udgement In this life in generall when they perswade them to their attendance upon the House of God and breed in them a care to come before the Lord in â—erusalem Esay 66.20 In particular when they work repentance and true conversion in their hearts and when they make them goe home and mortifie their sinnes and tender their vowed service to God And thus two things are implyed for our information The one concernes Ministers the other concernes the hearers First Ministers may hence take notice of it that there can never be hope they should perswade with all their hearers for sacrifices were here and there once taken out of the whole Herd And besides the hearers may hence see that they are never so effectually wrought upon till they can give themselves over to their Teachers and to God to obey in all things though they perswade them to leave the world and binde them to the cords of restraint in many liberties they tooke to themselves before yea though they let their hearts blood by piercing their soules with sorrow for their sinnes even to the death of their sinnes 2 Cor. 8.5 and 7.15 Secondly At the day of â—udgement also Ministers shall offer up their hearers to God so many of them as are found chaste virgins unto Christ to whom they had espoused them before in this life 2 Cor. 11.3 And thus Ministers before they dye must make ready their accounts for the soules of their people Heb. 13.7 And thus of the sacrifices of Ministers Ministers have another sacrifice too viz. the particular texts or portions of Scripture which they chuse out and divide to the people as consecrated for their use For divers think that that phrase of cutting the Word of God aright is borrowed from the Priests manner of dividing the sacrifices and especially from the Priests manner of cutting the little birds The little birds is his text chosen out of the rest and separated for a sacrifice which he must so divide as that the wings be not cut asunder from the body that is he must so divide his text that no part be separate from a meet respect of the whole Leviâ— 1.17 and 5.8 2 Tim. 1.15 Secondly The Martyrs likewise have their sacrifices and that is a drink-offering to the Lord even their owne bloud this part is ready to be powred out as a drink-offering to the Lord for the Church Phil. 2.17 2 Tim. 4.6 and though wee cannot be all Martyrs yet wee should all denie our owne lives in the vowes of our hearts to performe our covenant with God if ever we be called to die for Christs sake and the Gospel Thirdly The sacrifice of rich men is almes and well-doing and those sacrifices they are bound unto to offer them continually Heb. 13.16 Phil. 4.18 Pro. 3.9 Almes is as it were the first fruits of all our encrease But then we must remember that our almes be of goods well gotten For else God hates robbery for burnt offering Isaiah 61.8 And in giving wee must denie our selves and not seeke our owne praises or plenary merit in it for it is a sacrifice cleane given â—way from us and consecrated onely to God and the use of his spirituall house the Church And thus of the sacrifice proper to some Christians There are other sacrifices in the Gospel now that are common to all Christians And these are divers For first Christ is to be offered up daily to God as the propitiation for our sinnes God hath set him forth of purpose in the Gospel that so many as beleeve may daily runne unto him and in their prayers offer him up to God as the reconciliation for all their sinnes and this is the continuall sacrifice of all Christians Without this there is the abomination of desolation in the temple of our hearts This is the end of all the ceremonious sacrifices the substance of those shadowes Those sacrifices served but as rudiments to instruct men how to lay hold upon
scandall and then secondly to despaire Before I open the words particularly divers things may bee noted in generall First that the punishments that light upon particular wicked men are to be accounted the punishments of the whole body of unbeleevers as here despaire and taking offence at Christ it may light upon some particular offenders onely yet they are punishments belonging to all First because there is no judgement but all wicked men have deserved it Secondly because when God plagues some hee meanes all he threatens all Thirdly because no wicked man can be sure for the time to come that he shall not fall into them Fourthly because the afflictions of this life are typicall to wicked men as despaire is a typicall hell and so all other judgements are but little hells And this doctrine should much amaze impenitent sinners if they consider that any fearefull judgment they see fall upon others may fall upon them and that God is as well displeased with their sinnes as with the sins of those he so plagued as Christ shewes Luk. 13.1 to 6. Secondly that from one and the same cause may arise divers and contrary effects as Christ that is a stone of foundation to the beleever is a stone of stumbling to the unbeleever Thus in Luke 2. hee was appointed for the rising and falling of many in Israel Thus the Gospell of peace is to wicked men a fire a sword a fanne It is a savour of life to the godly and a savour of death to the wicked 2 Cor. 2. as the Sunne melteth the wax and hardneth the clay This comes to passe by accident and by the corruption that is in the hearts of wicked men and by the fearefull judgements of God Use. The use should be to teach us therefore not to rest in the having of the meanes of salvation as the preaching of the Word c. for through thy corruption it may be a meanes of greater damnation Thirdly that of all judgements in this life spirituall judgements are the worst which appeares from hence in this that when the Lord would declare his speciall displeasure upon wicked men hee threatens these in this place as the most fearfull Now for explication of this point All judgements in this life are either spirituall or temporall By temporall judgements I meane such as have their proper effects on the outward man such as are poverty disgrace sicknesse imprisonment losses in mens estates and the like By spirituall judgements I meane such as have their proper effects upon the soule as for example Hardnesse of heart the spirit of slumber desertion or the absence of God the taking away of the gifts of the minde the with-holding of the Gospel the delivering of men up to the power of Satan or to the love of lies terrours of despaire or taking of offence of which latter in this place Now these spirituall judgements are much worse than any of the former temporall crosses first because these judgements light vpon the best part of man which is the soule and by how much the soule is better than the body by so much it is worse to be distressed in soule than in body Secondly because they with-hold from us the best good which is God or Christ now that which straightens us in the best things must needs be the worst kinde of restraint Thirdly because these crosses are more hardly cured it is much easier to heale a sicknesse in the body than a disease in the soule Fourthly because these judgements for the most part are inflicted upon the worst offenders I say for the most part for sometimes the godly themselves may bee scourged for a time and for just reasons with some kindes of spirituall judgements Use The use may bee first for reproofe of the madnesse of multitudes of people in the world that can bee extreamly vexed and grieved for worldly crosses yet have no sense or care of spirituall judgements they howâ—e upon their beds if God take from them corne or wine or the fruits of the field but never grieve if God take the Gospel from them they are much troubled if they lose the favour of their greatest friends but never mourne because God hath forsaken them they are very impatient if their bodies be sicke and yet very quiet if their soules be sicke they would thinke themselves undone if they were carried to prison who yet are not much moved at it that God should deliver them up to Satan And yet I would not be mistaken I do not meane to say that wicked men should not mourne for wordly or outward crosses It is true godly men should not or not with great sorrowes but for wicked men they ought to be extremely grieved for every outward affliction because it comes in wrath from God and is but the beginning of evils But then two things must be noted first that their sorrow should be godly viz. for their sins that brought those judgments not for the crosse it selfe secondly that they ought to be more troubled for spirituall judgements than for temporall Secondly this should much comfort godly men and women in all their afflictions and it should make them patient because though God afflicts them in their bodies or estates yet he spareth their soules and doth not execute those outward crosses but with much compassion Thirdly it should teach us how to pray in the case of afflictions if they be spirituall judgements we may pray directly for the removeall of them but for temporall judgements we must pray with condition And thus of the generall oâ—servations Before I enter upon the particular breaking open of the doctrine of this verse it will not be amisse â—o shew that this and such doctrine as this is not unprofitable Quest. For some one might say To what end serves this doctrine of Gods dealing with unbeleevers Answ. I answer it is profitable both for godly men and wicked men For wicked men may hence heare and feare and doe no more wickedly seeing hence they may discerne what they may come to if they prevent it not by repentance And for godly men they may hence be the more inflamed with the admiration of Gods goodnesse when they shall heare of their owne priviledges by 〈◊〉 Such Scriptures as this containe the arraignment and triall of the ungodly Now it is very profitable for us to stand by and heare the triall Wee know multitudes of innocent men flocke to the Assises to heare the arraignment of malefactors which breeds in them first contentment in the observation of the solemnity and manner of administration of justice secondly a feare to offend the terrour of their sentence frights the heart for many dayes after thirdly a love of innocency it makes men love innocency much the better for a long while after fourthly compassion to malefactors it softens the heart and makes men fit to shew mercy to these poore condemned men The like to all this is bred by the consideration of such
whom God will shew mercy not for what cause Secondly when he saith he will shew mercy it evidently excludes merit For it is mercy that God will bestow such great things upon men for their workes for there is no proportion betweene our workes and the goodnesse we receive from God When we have done all we should account our selves unprofitable servants Ob. But it seemes Gods mercy is caused by merit for God shewes us mercy for the merits of Christ If Christ deserve it then it seemes it is not free Sol. First mercy excludes merit in us though not in Christ. Secondly it was mercy that God gave us Christ to merit for us And thus of the third property of Gods mercy Fourthly Gods mercy is the more admirable yet in that it is eternall God will not change his Word Hee keepeth his covenant and mercy with his servants 1 King 8.23 Gods mercies have beene from all eternity Psal. 25.6 and he will not take away his mercy from his servants Psalm 89.34 but his mercy and loving kindnesse shall follow them all the dayes of their life Psal. 23. ult His mercies are new every morning hee hath never done shewing of mercy Lament 3.23 Isaiah 33.3 He is still building up his mercies and will never leave till he have finished them in an everlasting frame of unspeakable glory Psalm 89.2 His mercy is everlasting and endureth for ever Psalm 103.3 and 136. from everlasting to everlasting Psalm 103.17 God may forsake his people for a moment to their thinking in a little wrath he may hide his face but with everlasting mercies he will receive them As he hath sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more cover the earth so hath hee sworne hee will no more be wrath with his people The hills may be removed and the mountaines may depart but Gods covenant of peace shall not bee removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Isaiah 54.7 to 11. If Gods covenant be not with day and night and if he have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth then may he cast away his servants and their â—eed Ierem. 33.25 26. But we see the course of nature is firme and therefore ought to be more assured of the firmenesse of the covenant of Gods mercy to his people The effects of mercy follow To obtaine mercy is to obtaine those benefits which God hath promised to his people as the fruits of his mercy Where God shewes mercy First he will heare their prayers graciously this is promised Esa. 30.18 19. and pleaded by David Psal. 4.1 Secondly he sanctifies all afflictions so as whatsoever befalls the godly proceeds from mercy and not justice in God and shall worke for the best Rom. 8.28 It is Gods love that maketh him correct Heb. 12.6 7. Thirdly he heales their natures from the diseases of their mindes for to shew mercy is likewise to cure us and sanctifie us and God promiseth it Hos. 14.3 Fourthly he multiplies pardon Isa. 55.7 It is not grievous to forgive sâ—n daily when they seeke to him for forgivenesse Fifthly he delivers the soule absolutely from the pit they are free from condemnation Iob 33.27 Psal. 86.13 c. Sixthly in all dangers and weaknesses his mercy holds them up even when the godly say their foot slippeth Psal. 94.18 Seventhly he guides them in all their waies He that hath mercy on them saith the Prophet shall leade them even by the springs of water shall hee guide them Esa. 49.10 The World is like a wildernesse the wicked are like wild beasts in a desart Gods children are so provided for that God preserves them yea and himselfe findes them out meanes of singular refreshing all their dayes Eighthly he crownes them with blessings Psal. 103.4 Ninthly he gives them assurance of an immortall inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. The consideration of this marvellous mercy which the godly have obtained may teach us divers things First with all thankfulnesse to acknowledge the mercy of God we should alwayes mention the loving kindnesse of God in all the experiences we have of the truth of his mercies toward us Esa. 63.7 Wee should frame our selves to an easie discourse of the glory of Gods Kingdome and talke of his power Psal. 145.8 9 10. We should bee so perswaded of this truth as freely to say that we know that the Lord is gracious and very mercifull Psal. 116.5 It is a great sinne not to remember the multitudes of Gods mercies Psal. 106.7 Oh that men would therefore indeed praise the Lord for his goodnesse c. Psal. 107. foure times repeated in that Psalme Christians should glory in it not in their riches strength wisdome c. but in this that they know God that exerciseth mercy Ier. 9.24 Secondly in all our wayes heartily to disclaime merits of workes or opinion of our worthinesse or deserts say still with the Prophet in the Psalme Not unto us not unto us Lord but to thy Name give the glory for thy mercy and truths sake Psal. 115.1 The whole frame of our salvation depends upon Gods grace not on workes Eph. 2. Tit. 3.5 Thirdly let us with David resolve to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever since our happinesse lieth in mercy and since we have the tidings of mercy in Gods house there the fountaine of this grace is daily opened unto us and we may draw water still with joy out of this Well of salvation in the Gospel Psal. â— 7 and 23. ult Fourthly wee should learne of God to be mercifull let us strive to comfort others with shewing them mercy as wee have received merâ—y from the Lord. Oh let us be mercifull as our heavenly Father is mercifull Luk. 6. Fifthly we should hence bee incouraged and resolved since we know our priviledges to goe boldly unto the throne of Grace upon all occasions to seeke mercy to helpe in the time of need We have obtained mercy of the Lord and therefore may and ought to make use of our priviledge Heb. 4.16 Secondly this doctrine of Gods mercy may serve for singular comfort to the godly and that both in the case of sinne and in the case of afflictions 1 Against the disquietnesse of the heart for sinne it should much refresh them to remember that they have obtained mercy yea though innumerable evils have compassed them about Psal. 40.11 12. and though our offences are exceeding grievous Psal. 51.1 Exod. 34.6 7. 2 Secondly in the case of afflictions many things should hence comfort us 1 That howsoever it goe with our bodies yet God hath mercy on our soules 2 That it is mercy that our afflictions are not worse that wee are not consumed Lam. 7.22 3 That in the worst afflictions God doth many waies shew mercy his mercies are new every morning Lam. 3.23 4 That though God cause griefe yet hee will have compassion to regard us according to our strength he will deale with us in measure Lament 3.32 Isaiah 27.7
but with great difference for 1 The godly man may be intangled with evill desires but the wicked man is more For he burnes in lust yeelds himselfe over to his hearts lusts Hee is given up to his lusts he takes care for the lusts of the flesh to fulfill them He serves his lusts c. Rom. 13.13 and 1.24 Tit. 3.3 Ephes. 2.3 2 The godly man if he be overcome of his lusts for a time yet he humbleth himselfe and judgeth himselfe for them and grieves for them whereas the wicked boasteth himselfe of his hearts lusts and placeth his contentment in them Psal. 10.3 3 The godly man if he be yet overcome he will breake off his iniquity by repentance whereas the wicked in his lusts is like the divell Hee is incorrigible no ill successe or judgement or reproofe can breake off his desire of transgression yea his lusts are called The lusts of his father the divell Ioh. 8.44 Thirdly all godly Christians should learne from hence to be seriously bent to preserve themselves in the purity of Christian Religion and to keepe their hearts from these soule annoiances Quest. But what should we do to be preserved from lusts Answ. First thou must avoid the occasions of lusts such as are 1 Evill company and therein evill example and evill counsell Psal. 1.1 2 Idlenesse and solitarinesse 3 Excessive desire after and delight in riches 1 Tim. 6.9 4 Ignorance 1 Pet. 1.14 5 Intemperance drunkennesse and fulnesse of bread and deliciousnesse of fare and apparell 6 Hardnesse of heart Eph. 4.17 18. Secondly we must walke in the Spirit cherishing all good motions and pure imaginations yeelding our hearts over to the government of Gods Spirit doing all duties with the powers of our soule Gal. 1.16 Thirdly wee must crucifie them if they arise among our selves with the same mind was in Christ and resolve to suffer in the flesh by the sound practise of mortification Fourthly we must strive after contentation 1 Tim. 6. Fifthly we must get knowledge for as ignorance brings them in so knowledge fils the heart and dares them out Thus of the manner of avoiding them The motives follow and the first of them is Yee are strangers and pilgrims A stranger is hee that lives in a place that is not his owne Country or Kingdome or Nation whither by right he belongs so Abraham was a stranger Gen. 21.23 and the Israelites in Egypt Exod. 2.12 Now a pilgrim is he that resteth not in a place but travelleth onward from place to place Godly men are said to be strangers and not strangers in divers respects It is said they are not strangers in respect of freedome to the City of God and the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes. 2.29 They are strangers in respect of their absence from the heavenly Canaan which is their owne home to which they were borne by regeneration In this world then all the godly are but strangers and pilgrims which may serve First for reproofe even of divers godly men and that in divers respects 1 For their too much minding of earthly things Why do our hearts carry us away after the world considering it is but an Inne to be in for a little time 2 For their meddling with other folkes businesse A stranger onely thinkes of his owne affaires and doth not interpose himselfe in the affaires of others so should we study to be quiet and meddle with our owne businesses 3 For discouragement of heart under the sense of our owne weaknesses and wearinesse in spirituall things we must expect in such travell much weaknesse and wearinesse 4 For impatience either under the crosses of life cast on us by God whereas strangers arme themselves to beare all weathers or under the scornes and contempt of the world whereas we should looke for it that the world should gaze at us and deride us as usually men doe at strangers Nor should Christians be at leasure to stay their journey by seeking revenge for their wrongs or be troubled if they cannot get preferment in the world Secondly for instruction It should wholly impose upon us the care of carrying our selves like strangers and pilgrims 1 By having our conversation without covetousnesse 2 By our language speaking alwayes as may become the people of God and heires of heaven that the men of this world may perceive by our speech that we are not of this world 3 By our circumspection and desire to live without offence as a stranger is very heedfull of his wayes in all places where he comes 4 By our daily enquiring after the particular way to heaven 5 By our thankfulnesse for the favours we finde while we are in the world seeing it is a place we are not to looke for much in 6 By our apparell If â—â—rangers be knowne by their garments then is it a great fault for Christians to be found in the fashions of this world 7 By our delight in good company we should be glad of any that would goe with us to heaven 8 By our affection homeward our mindes should still be in heaven Nor should godly men be overmuch troubled that they are strangers here in this world and pilgrims in the condition of travellers for First they are not strangers in the Common-wealth of Israel and in the Kingdome of Christ though at the same time they are strangers in respect of their condition in this world Secondly they are well provided for at their Innes God provides their resting places and no good thing will hee with-hold from them That God which commands men to regard strangers and shew them mercy will himselfe much more be carefull for his strangers Thirdly their pilgrimage will not be long Fourthly they have good company all the godly travell their way Fifthly God hath appointed them guides yea Christ himselfe will bee their way Sixthly by prayers they may send home continually Seventhly it should much comfort them to thinke what a glorious condition they shall be in when they come home in the new Jerusalem Thus of the first reason Secondly the lusts must be avoided because they are fleshly Fleshly These lusts are fleshly in divers respects First because they please after the flesh which is the corrupt nature of man they hold no delight or shew of profit but to the flesh they are exceeding noisome and grievous and foolish to the Spirit Secondly because they raigne onely in fleshly persons they be the lusts of Gentiles and such as are strangers from the life of God Godly men complaine of them as an extreame misery Rom. 7.1 Pet. 4.3 Thirdly because they arise most from the body which is but a servant to the soule and it is an extreame unmanlinesse for the soule to be at the command of her servant the body which concludes against the lusts of uncleannesse riotousnesse drunkennesse vanity of apparell c. Fourthly because they proceed from the old man or corruption of nature or the flesh considered as the enemy to
and immortall created of God and united to the body and indued with the admirable faculties of vegetation sense and reason to this end principally that God might be of man truly acknowledged and duly worshipped Every branch of this description containes an excellent commendation of the soule and should much affect us with admiration of Gods workmanship and his love to us in making us such excellent creatures and withall it should breed in us the care which the Apostle here cals for of avoiding all things that might defile our precious soules The soule is the abridgement of the invisible world as the body is the abridgement of the visible world man is rightly said to be a little world God made man last and in man made an Epitome of all the former workes For all things meet in man who consists of a substance partly corporeall and partly spirituall For all things which God created besides man are either such creatures as are discerned by sense being bodily or such creatures as are removed from sense being spirituall as the Angels Now I say man may resemble both sorts of creatures the visible in his body and the invisible in his soule Now the former description of the soule of man doth commend the soule for seven things First that it is a substance Secondly that it is incorporeall Thirdly that it is immortall and cannot die Fourthly that it is created of God immediately Fifthly that it is joyned to the body after a wonderfull manner Sixthly that it hath these excellent faculties Seventhly that hereby man hath honour to know God and his workes which all other creatures in this visible world want The first thing then to be enquired after is what the soule is in respect of the being of it And this I must answer first by removing from the consideration of it what it is not First the soule is not the harmony or right temper of the harmonies of the body as Galen that great Physician is said to affirme which appeares evidently by these reasons 1 That then every body in which the harmonies or foure elements are tempered should have a soule in it and so stones should have soules yea such as man hath indued with reason c. And therefore simply the soule cannot be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or temperature of the elements or humors 2 It is apparent that the soule governes the excesses which arise from the humours of the body as a man that by temper is apt to be angry or heated yet hath something within him which bridles this anger notwithstanding the heat of his body 3 If the soule were nothing else but the temperament of the humors then it were but a meere accident in that it can bee present or absent as the corruption of the body but wee see that cannot bee For remove the soule from the body and it ceaseth to be a living body 4 By Scripture it is evident that when the body was formed the soule as a thing distinct from it was infused into it by God himselfe Gen. 2.7 Secondly the soule is not a power force or facultie infused into the body by which it is able to live or move or worke For then removing the body from it it cannot subsist whereas wee shall prove afterwards that the soule will subsist without the body and therefore cannot be an accident in the body or a power onely of the body Besides the soule is the subject of vertues and vices of sciences and arts Now no accident can be so Thirdly the soule is not the life of man that is apparent in Scripture when a difference is put betweene the soule and life as what soule shall be blessed in life So 2 Sam. 11.11 By thy life and the life of thy soule The soule then is a substance of it selfe put within us by God distinct from the body this may be evidently proved First God after he had made the body is said to breath into it the breath of life to note that his soule was a substance distinct of it selfe Secondly because it can subsist without the body as is apparent in the soule of Abraham Lazarus and Dives Luk. 16. And of the soule of the theefe on the crosse it is said This day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise Thirdly God is said to have formed the Spirit in the midst of man so it is a substance of it selfe Note he saith in him not of him Fourthly those words of David and Christ prove it Into thy hands I commit my spirit the body being committed to the earth there remained a substance delivered to God Fifthly that place of Ecclesiast Chap. 12. is most plaine The body returnes to dust and the Spirit to God that gave it therefore there is in man a Spirit which returnes to God Sixtly Paul desires to be desolved and to bee with Christ so there was a substance which should enjoy the presence of Christ Phil. 1.23 The second thing to be proved is that the soule is incorporeall It is joyned to the body but it is no body it informeth the matter of man which is his body but it is without matter it selfe it is immateriall it is wholly a spirituall substance It is not a bodily substance no not a most subtile or pure body but altogether incorporeall This is a high doctrine and shewes the soule to be an admirable kind of sustance Now that the soule is void of matter and is no bodily substance may be plainly proved though not easily explicated First it is expresly said to be a Spirit now spirits are not flesh and bones or any like bodily substance Psal. 31.6 Eccles. 12.7 and Zach. 12.1 It is reckoned one of the wonders of Gods creation that he made in man a spirit Secondly the soule is after the Image of God and hath imprinted upon it the similitude of the goodnesse wisdome and holinesse of God Now it were not like God if it were a body nor were it capeable of such habits which can be stamped upon meere naturall or bodily things Thirdly the soule performeth those actions which depend not upon the body and are done without bodily instruments for it understandeth and willeth Fourthly if the soule were a body then it must be corpus animatum or inanimatum but to say it is without life is sense-lesse because it enlives and animates the body and to say it is animatum enlived it selfe it must then be so by some other body All which the same questions might be asked and so run into an infinite The third thing is that the soule is invisible This shewes the transcendencie of the nature of it and experience in all men proves this for who ever saw a soule Obj. The soule of Dives in hell saw the soule of Abraham and Lazarus and Iohn saw the soules of those that suffered for the testimony of Jesus Revel 20.4 Sol. These soules were seene by the eyes of understanding not
as he is the efficient cause It is true that some have imagined that the soule of man was made of the substance of God because it is said God breathed into man the breath of life Gen. 2.7 as if he infused into him somewhat from himselfe as a part of his divine substance And the Apostle Paul saith Act. 17.18 We are the Progeny of God and Saint Peter saith We partake of the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Now this opinion cannot be true and was worthily condemned by the Fathers as hereticall for Then man should be God For whatsoever God begets from himselfe is God and therefore we say Christ is God Then some part of Gods nature should be infected with sin and ignorance and be damned in hell too which is wonderfull blasphemous to beleeve Now for the places alledged That in Gen. 2. must be understood figuratively for God hath not properly breath but he meaneth that God after a wonderfull manner did infuse the soule into the body And for the place in the Acts we are said to be the progenie of Godâ— not in regard of substance but in respect of resemblance in gifts with which mans nature is adorned And for the place in Peter we are said to partake of the divine nature in the same sense namely as we are qualified with gifts as wisdome goodnesse holinesse in some kinde of likenesse of God It remaines then that we are of God effectually because God hath created our soules and formed them in us This then is the truth that God doth create the particular soule of every man and inhere it to the body when it is formed and distinguished in the parts thereof This may be proved diversly First it is cleare it was so done with the soule of Adam for his body was already framed and then his soule breathed into him Now if the soule of Eve and of all others had another manner of beginning than the creation of God it would have beene mentioned in the Scriptures but that is no where mentioned Secondly Moses calls God the God of the spirits of all flesh Num. 16.22 and 27 16. Thirdly David saith the Lord fashioneth the hearts of all men alike Psal. 33.15 It is Gods worke then to create the heart Fourthly Solomon saith Eccles. 12.7 The body returnes to the dust and the soule to God that gave it in the dissolution of all things they returne to the first causes and matter As the body may be proved originally to be of the earth because it returnes to dust so must the soule be of God because it returnes to God which is said to have given it Fifthly the Prophet Esay useth this phrase concerning God and in his name The soules which I have made Esa. 57.16 Do you aske how the soule comes into the body The Lord answers I made it Sixthly the Prophet Ezekiel shewing how man becomes a living creature speakes thus Thus saith the Lord to these bones I will cause a spirit to enter into them and they shall live Ezek. 37.5 Seventhly the words of the Prophet Zecharie are yet more cleere Thus saith the Lord the Lord which spreads out the heavens and foundeth the earth and formeth the spirit of man in him Out of these words it may be proved that God created the soule of every man and that it is his onely worke For first he saith expresly God formed the spirit in man Secondly this worke of God is compared to two other workes viz. the spreading out of the heaven and the laying of the foundation of the earth Now it is evident that those two things he did of himselfe of nothing without any meanes Lastly that place in Heb. 12.9 is most cleere The words are these Wee have had the fathers of our flesh which chastised us and we reverenced them how much more should we bee subject to the Father of our spirits and live Where is a manifest antithesis betweene the flesh and the spirit and the fathers of our flesh and God the Father of our spirit we had our flesh from our parents and our spirit from God I might adde the reason taken from the manner of giving of the soule of Christ for he was made in all things like to us sinne onely excepted Now it is evident that Christs soule was not begot by carnall propagation and therefore it was created of God Ob. 1. Now against this is strongly objected that if the soule be created immediately of God then it is created either pure or sinfull if pure then how is it that the soule is guilty of originall sinne if impure then how can it be avoided but that God must be the author of sinne Answ. This reason drave divers of the Fathers in the time of Hieromâ—â— especially the Westerne Fathers to beleeve that the soule was propagated from the Parents and Saint Augustine is doubtfull which opinion to take to the inconveniences of each opinion seemed so great But other Divines answer this objection in this manner First that the soule is created of God pure but joyned to a body conceived in sinne which is no injustice in God because he delivers the soule but into such an estate as man had cast himselfe into by his owne wilfull sinne bringing this corruption not onely upon himselfe but upon all his posterity who fell in him Hee by agreement with God being as the common sort of mankind was with him to stand or fall in that generall respect Nor may it be doubted but that the body may worke upon the soule as we see by experience when the body is full of cholericke humours it inclines the soule to anger and so when the body is burdened with melancholy humours it evidently makes sadnesse even in the very minde c. Another answer may be this God creates the soule pure but yet that soule is guilty of owing though not of doing debendi though not agendâ— it is charged with the debt of Adam as children may be charged with their fathers debts Now this is one part of originall sinne As for the other of corrupt inclination it is to answer modestly if we say we understand not being assured of two things the one that God is the Father of spirits and the other that all men are infected with sinne from the wombe Both are to be beleeved though in this life we cannot explicate it And what hurt is it if wee be ignorant how sinne entred into our natures seeing it concernes us to know it is there and to learne how to get our natures recovered Ob. 2. Other living creatures beget the like to themselves both in body and in soule too and therefore by this doctrine men should be more unable and unperfect than any living creature For if he do beget but onely the body he doth not beget one in specie like to himselfe Answ. Though God create the soule yet it followes not but that it may be truly laid that man begets a man and that
And thus the soule may be considered either as it workes upon or by the body onely or as it workes in and by it selfe chiefly Upon the body and by certaine instruments in the body it workes vegetation and sense and by it selfe without the necessity of using the body it workes reason The first power then is vegetation by which the soule workes foure things distinctly upon the body 1 Life 2 Nourishment 3 Growth 4 Procreation The first thing then by the vegetative power of the soule wrought upon the body is life which is in respect of the body nothing else but the kindling the radicall and vitall heat in the body through the conjunction of the soule with the body and the continuation of that heaâ— untill the time appointed of God for the dissolution of it So that life is two waies to bee considered first either in the breeding of it secondly or in the continuance of it The breeding of it is in the very first moment of the union of the forme with the matter and by that instrument of the vitall or radicall heat The continuance of it is nothing else but the preservation of the motion and duration of the working of these vitall spirits The second thing wrought upon the body by the vegetative power of the soule is nourishment and this power of nourishing is a faculty by which food taken into the body by the force of naturall heat is turned into the substance of the body for the repairing of that which is consumed in the body And this is a worke to bee admired For the soule by the use of naturall heat is faine to subdue the nature of the food received and having melted it as it were in a furnace it casts out what is contrary to the body and extracts for the use of the body so much as is now made like unto it The third thing which the soule workes upon the body by the vegetative power is growth And this it doth by imploying that part of the food which is now made like to the body unto the extension of the body unto the dimensions thereof even to the increase of bignesse and force which increase for the convenient actions of the body and this worke is done upon the body but unto a certaine time of mans age or till about thirty yeares and then because nature tends not into infinitenesse she gives over this worke Lastly procreation is the fourth worke of the vegetative faculty of the soule by which it raiseth up seed in the body and formeth in it a meere substance like unto the body from whence it comes unto the perpetuall preservation of the sort of the creature And this is an admirable power For hereby living creatures do approach unto eternity and are made as it were immortall For though the body die yet by procreation it is as it were kept alive and so the kind of creature is perpetuated for the other two workes of nourishment and growth onely serve for that body in individuo but this power of procreating reserves the sort or species from ceasing to be Thus of Vegetation Sense followes The second thing the Soule workes either upon or by the body is Sense and by this faculty a man in his body is enabled to discerne things without himselfe and accordingly to desire and move to them which the former faculties did not reach unto Now as the soule workes sense upon or by the body it must be considered two wayes First as it workes either apprehension secondly or motion The apprehendnig senses wrought upon the body by the Soule are of two sorts first either outward secondly or inward Outwardly the soule workes upon the body five senses or five wayes of apprehending things by sense The body of a man is enabled by the soule to discerne of things without it selfe by outward helpes five wayes viz. By 1 Seeing viz. By 2 Hearing viz. By 3 Smelling viz. By 4 Tasting viz. By 5 Feeling And these waies of discerning are not to be contemned For admirably ought it to bee conceived of Gods wisedome in and towards man even in these For first by the sight through the benefit of light which God hath caused to shine upon his whole creation man may see what God hath wrought whereas else if the light be taken out of the aire or sight from man the workes of God are buried as it were in the darke yea the body of a man is as it were but a dungeon without sight and what the Sunne and Moone are in heaven that are the eyes in man shining in his head as these Starres in the firmament The fight is a chiefe helpe for all the great imployments of life in all callings The eyes are as watchmen set on high in their watch-Tower to discover the comming of enemies The eyes are also as the true windowes of the soule by which the Species or formes of things are taken into the soule For God hath caused all substance in the World to cast out beames as it were which have the pictures of the things themselves carried about and these comming to the sight are by it above all other senses taken in and delivered to the Soules within the eyes being a looking glasse that resemble the things seene And this noble sense may put us in minde of Gods knowledge if wee marke the degrees of seeing The eye of man discernes at once a great share or quantity of things together The minde of man will take-in a farre greater quantity and number and yet is finite for it cannot reach to all things that God hath made at once Now Gods understanding is infinite and beholds all at once For the second the sense of hearing is worthy to be thought on if wee consider either the benefits come by it or the manner how it is performed for by hearing is let into the soule and body not onely sounds of delight or wonder but also sounds of necessity both for naturall life by letting in speech and discourse and for eternall life by letting in the Word of God First the manner of hearing is admirable Sound is the breaking of the aire stirred up by the dashing or collision of sollid bodies and is spread in the aire as a stone cast into the water makes and drawes from it circles Thus the sound being brought to the eare the hollow turnings in the eare gather and hold the sounds as it were canes The sound at length rusheth upon a little bone or gristle like a hammer which moved smites upon another bone like an Anvill by which stroake the spirits in the hearing move and are stirred up and so they take in the sound and carry it to the braine the feat of inward senses These two are the most noble outward senses yet there is great use of the other three Thirdly for by tasting we discerne of meates profitable or hurtfull for the body Fourthly by smelling we receive in those delightfull
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
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
love to be his servants Isai 56.7 and in matters of his worship or the meanes thereof the zeale of his House should eat us up 3. Wisely and discreetly Kings get the wisest men they can light upon to serve before them and therefore the King of all kings will not bee served with fooles Since we serve God we should be circumspect and bee sure we understand what the will of God is Ephes. 5.15 16. And therefore wee have need to pray with David that God would give us true understanding hearts to search his Law Psal. 119.124 4. Sincerely Iosh. 24.14 And this sincerity in Gods work we should shew five wayes First in seeking none but him Deut. 6.13 We must not be the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 to satisfie mens humours or stand upon their liking or disliking Wee may not serve Mammon in our owne lusts No man can serve two masters God refuseth us for his servants if wee serve riches Luke 16.13 Secondly we should shew our sincerity in obeying him in all things there is no work he requires that we should think our selves too good to do it we must not dare to neglect any thing he requires They are none of Gods servants that will do only what they list in Religion Thirdly we should shew it in doing all things that may be best for his advantage seeking his glory in all things 1 Cor. 10.31 Wee must not seeke our owne praise or profit but his whom wee serve Fourthly by doing his will indeed without dissimulation 1 Chron. 28.9 Fifthly in newnesse of Spirit bringing new hearts to his worke not trusting the old man to doe any worke for God Rom. 7.6 5. Wee must doe his worke constantly A servant is not he that doth a dayes worke and so is gone but he that works all the yeere nor hath God any servants that he hires not by life He hath none from yeere to yeere Psal. 119.17 Wee must finish his worke and never give over till wee fulfill the taske appointed us Luke 1.74 Rev. 7.17 6. We must serve him with our spirits God is a Spirit and will bee served in spirit and truth If he may not have the service of our hearts he rejects the service of our bodies we must serve him with all our hearts and all our soules Deut. 10.12 Phil. 3.3 7. Confidently Servants to ill or poore masters are faine to trust them for diet and wages how much more should wee relye upon God and commit our selves wholly to him taking no care but onely to doe his worke leaving all the rest to him Esay 43.11 8. With one shoulder or with one consent they must agree one with another Zeph. 3.9 9. With all modesty Acts 20.19 without pride or selfe-conceit or conceitednesse acknowledging that when wee have done all wee are unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 and with sorrow for our failings Acts 20. Luke 15.29 and the rather because God can finde faults in his best servants Iob 4.18 Use 3. Thirdly since Gods people are Gods servants they should learne in all places to stand for the honour and glory of their Master and not suffer God to be dishonoured by the servants of a strange god Lastly since all Gods people are his servants and doe his worke it serves for the discovery of the miserable condition of multitudes in the visible Church who are hereby proved not to be Gods people because they are not Gods servants And so these sorts of men following are rejected as none of Gods people because they are none of his servants First all profane persons that aske what profit it is to serve God Iob 21. 15. Malac. 3.15 and serve their owne lusts Matth. 24 49. Secondly all worldlings that worke about nothing more than the things of this life Luke 16.13 Thirdly all unprofitable Christians that live and doe no good will doe no worke but spend their dayes in spirituall idlenesse and unfruitfulnesse making no conscience of the meanes or opportunities of well-doing Matt. 25.26 28. Fourthly all backward and dull Christians to whom it seemes evill to serve the Lord that account all religious duties to bee tedious and irksome and never from their hearts consent to obey but doe what they doe upon compulsion from the lawes of men or feare of shame c. They are Gods servants no otherwise than the divell is For the devill is forced to doe God some worke sometimes but it is alwayes against his will that God hath any glory by it Fifthly all ignorant Christians that are so farre from doing good workes that they understand not Gods will nor are carefull to redeeme the time that they might get knowledge Sixthly all hypocrites that have the forme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof promise to doe much worke but doe it not These especially so many of them as know their Masters will and doe it not shall one day feele the weight of Gods hand Seventhly all quarrelsome and contentious Christians that make division and cause offences contrary to the doctrine of Gods word These the Apostle saith serve not the Lord Jesus but their owne belly and by smooth pretences deceive the simple Rom. 16.18 Use. 4. Lastly since Gods people are Gods servants they are to bee much reproved that take liberty to judge and censure other men for infirmities or things doubtfull or indifferent for what have they to doe to judge anothers servant They are Gods servants and must make their reckoning to him and therefore stand or fall to their owne Master Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly we may hence learne that it is an excellent freedome to be Gods servant They are all freemen that serve God as the coherence shewes No freemen can enjoy better priviledges than Gods servants doe and never were there any servants that enjoyed such prerogatives as Gods servants doe And this may appeare many wayes for First all sorts of men are Gods servants All his subjects are his servants Psal. 135.14 yea all his sonnes are servants yea Christ himselfe Esay 42. all his elect are servants yea his friends are his servants so Abraham that had the honour to be the friend of God accounted it no disparagement to be Gods servant the Kings of the earth accounted it to be the best part of their title to be Gods servants Psal. 36.1 All which proves that it is a most free and honourable estate to be servant unto God else those eminent persons would never have sought them out such a service And this is the more evident because God accepteth not of persons but the poorest Christian may be as well entertained of God as any of those States Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 Secondly Gods service may become any freeman in the world if we consider what kinde of entertainment God gives his servants For First all his worke is faire worke It is no disgrace for any man to doe it and he requires no more of the meanest servant hee hath than hee
unity Psal. 133.1 2. It should teach us mercy and that both spirituall and corporall as was in part shewed before they are brethren and therefore if thou bee converted strengthen them Luke 22.32 If they trespasse against thee and confesse it forgive them Mat. 18. If they fall by temptation into any sinne of infirmity hate them not but reprove them plainly Lev. 19.17 If they offend more freely separate from them but yet hope the best as of a brother reject them not as enemies 2 Thess. 3.15 And if they be in any outward adversity remember that a brother was borne for the day of adversity Prov. 17.17 And therefore if thy brother be impoverished let him be releeved to the uttermost of thy power Lev. 25.35 3. All just and faithfull dealing should we shew one towards another because wee are brethren yea none of us should allow himselfe liberty so much as to imagine evill against his brother Zach. 7.9 10. Thirdly Superiours also should learne here not to be tyrannicall or hard-hearted or proud or arrogant in their carriage towards their inferiours for they rule their brethren not their slaves Deut. 17.19 Phil. 10. Nor yet should inferiours for this reason grow carelesse or disobedient for the Apostle shewes that that were an abuse of this doctrine 1 Tim. 6.1 2. Use. 4. Fourthly all poore Christians that are true Christians have much cause to rejoyce Iam. 1.9 for they have a great kinred All the Godly are their brethren yea the Apostles Acts 15.23 yea the godly Kings Psal. 122.8 yea the Angels Rev. 19.10 yea Christ himselfe is not ashamed to call them brethren Rom. 8.29 Heb. 2.10 Mat. 12.49 I might adde that wicked men should take heed how they oppose godly men there are a great kinred of them and they never prospered that wronged them yea some great Ones have bin fain to humble themselves to lick the very dust of their feet sometimes that they might be reconciled to them Esay 60.14 Mat. 7.17 And thus of the second part of the Apostles Charge The third part forms the Christian in respect of pietie to God Feare God Piety to God consists either in knowing him or in worshipping of him and the right knowledge of God is conceived in the godly not for contemplations sake oâ—ly but for practice 1. Ioh. 2.3 4. And all the use of our knowledge in respect of practice toward God is comprehended in his worship This worship is a religious honour we giue to God I say religious honour to distinguish it from that civill honour which in generall we give to all men or inspeciall to some men either for their graces as to the godly or for their authority as to Kings and Superiours This worship of God is either internall or externall The internall is the worship of the heart the externall is the worship of the body The internall is the very life and soule of the externall without which the externall is but a dead and contemptible carcase The fear of God here commanded belongs to the inward worship and so it is to be noted that the Apostle when he would charge Christians about piety and devotion to God doth not enjoyne them to come to Church to hear the Word receive the Sacraments or pray though these be else-where required but especially requires that they looke to the heart within that the true feare of God be preserved in them and that especially for two causes First because men may doe that which belongs externally to the outward worship and yet be still but hypocrites and wicked men as is manifest in the case of the Jews Esay 1. and of the Pharisees Mat. 23. Secondly because if they be rightly formed in the inward devotion of the heart that will constraine them to the care of the outward worship he would have them then to be sure of the fear of God in their hearts The fear of God is sometimes taken generally for the whole worship of God sometimes more especially for one part of the inward worship of God and so I thinke it is to be taken here The feare of God is either filial or servile the one is found only in the godly the other in the wicked A servile fear is the terrour which wicked men conceive concerning God only as a Judge whereby they only fear God in respect of his power and will to punish for sinne and it is therefore servile because it is in them without any love to God or trust in God and would not be at all if his punishments be removed It is the filiall feare is here meant this feare of God is here peremptorily required of Christians as it is in other Scriptures Psal. 2.11 and 38.8 Prov. 3.7 Esay 8.13 â—his filiall fear to God is an affection which Gods children bear to God whereby they reverence his glorious nature and presence and withall carefully honour him in his Word and Workes being affraid of nothing more than that they should despise him that hath been so wonderfull good unto them That this definition of the true and filiall fear of God may be rightly understood and formed in us we must knoâ— that there are six distinct things we should feare and stand in awe of in God First his Majestie and glorious Nature We cannot rightly thinke of the transcendent excellency of Gods Nature and supreme Majestie as King of all kings but it will make us abase our selves as dust and ashes in his sight Gen. 18. If we feare Kings for their Majestie how should we tremble before the King of kings If the glory of Angels have have so amazed the best men how should we be amazed at the glory of God! Secondly his justice and singular care to punish sinne should make the hearts of men affraid and wo to men if they fear not for according to their fear is his anger Psal. 90. Thirdly his goodnesse is to be dreaded of all that love God and this is the proper fear of Gods Elect. To fear God for his justice may be after a sort in wicked men but to fear God for his goodnesse is only found in true Converts Hos. 3.5 Fourthly his Word is to be feared because it is so holy and pure and perfect and mighty in operation this trembling at Gods Word God doth not onely require but accept very graciously Esay 66.3 And so godly men do tremble as much at Gods Word as at his blowes Fiftly his mighty works and marvellous acts are to bee exceedingly reverenced of what kinde soever Revel 15.3 4. Lastly if God would never punish sinne nor chide men for it by his Word yet the very offence of God ought to be feared and is in some measure by all godly Christians Uses The Use may be divers First we should be hence incited to seeke the true feare of God and to labour to fashion our hearts to it it being a speciall part of the Apostles charge wee should specially respect it And
and so from the advantages or disadvantages of particular mens estates did arâ—se the freer or harder condition of some men Besides this sin had so confounded the very dispositions of men that through the inequality of naturall temper or care of education some men are made more fit to governe and others to be governed Secondly as a monument of Gods Justice it is observed that some whole nations of men have been in their very naturall inclination onely disposed to bondage being destitute of all gifts to rule or governe as it is noted by the Muâ—covites and some other nations who for the most part at this day are servants yea slaves by nature Thirdly in other nations many men become servants not by nature but by necessity as being taken in mercy and thus among the Latines came up the name of servants being servi because they were servati preserved from slaughter in war and mancipia because they were manu capta things takâ—â— by force of armes Fourthly the horrible sinnes sometimes of the Ancestors brings beggery and so servitude upon their posterity as the sinne of Cam made Canaan a servant of servants Gen. 9.25 So doth treason whoredome riotousnesse and prodigalitie of many parents undoe their whole posteritie and leave them in a necessity of serving Fiftly wicked children for their disobedience to their parents are many times brought not only to be servants but as was noted before of Cam to be servants of servants Prov. 17.2 Sixtly many men are brought to a morsell of bread by their owne disorder and wickednesse of life sometimes open sins sometimes secret sins bringing this curse of God upon them For men became servants only to gaine by their service the knowledge or state of some science art or trade as many apprentices doe Seventhly sometimes God by his hand doth abase some men onely as a triall if they fall into poverty and so to the necessity of working for others by no sinfull courses of their owne but by the inevitable hand of God as by pyracie shipwrack fire theeves or the like and these are so humbled either to warne others and shew the power of God or to bring them to repentance or else for triall of Gods grace in them Eighthly some men are brought to this misery by the cruelty and unjust dealing of other men and so that power the Masters tooke over their bondmen to dispose of their very lives was not of God or Nature but meerely an oppression For why should they have power to take away life that could not give it And so many a man is brought to poverty and servitude by oppression and cruell Landlords or by the fraudulent dealings of other men that falsifie their trust or coozen them in bargaining Now the servants brought to this condition by any of these meanes must be subject to their Masters and this is of divine institution For God himself hath bound them to it by the first commandement and so the subjection of servants is a morall and perpetuall ordinance Uses The Use of all this may be divers For First it should teach all sorts of men the more to hate and flee from sinne which hath brought these miseries upon such multitudes of men Secondly it should teach Masters to use their servants respectively For though they be servants yet they are men made after the Image of God and they are the best part of their possession For other things they possesse are without life and servants are the living instruments of their commodities Thâ—s wise and godly meâ— in Scripture were wont to account it the best part of their possessions that they had men servants or maid servants Thirdly it should teach servants especially two things the one is humility they should runne a race fitted to their condition they should conquer pride and aspiring remembring that God hath abased them The other is they should keep themselves in their places and callings and not shake off the yâ—oke by running away c. seeing God hath taken them bound to serve But the former is most proper to this place Seeing they are but servants they should be content with such diet apparell labour and usage as is convenient to their condition Fourthly it may serve for great humiliation to such servants as are wicked men These are of three sorts some of them were brought to this condition by their owne wickednesse of life some of them are wicked servants too as well as wicked men some are tolerable and sometimes profitable servants though evill men all are in ill case For this is but the beginning of evill to them if they repent not For if they live in their sinnes as they serve men now they shall serve divels hereafter and so their bondage shall be invested upon them without end Quest. But seeing many godly men and women may be servants how may a godly Christian comfort himself in this estate of abasement Ans. Though it be an outward misery to be a servant yet there are many consolations to sweeten the bitternesse of this abasement First because extremities of bondage are removed from servants with us for the most part so as their service is but for a time and voluntarie too to hire themselves to whom they will and Masters have not power of their lives Secondly because their calling is acknowledged for a lawfull calling by God Thirdly because God hath bound Masters by his Word to use them well and the lawes of Princes provide punishments for unreasonable Masters Fourthly because Christ hath redeemed them from the spirituall bondage of serving the Law and the divell and Gods Justice so as he is Christs freeman Fiftly because though his body be subject yet his soule is free and not subject to any mortall creature Sixtly because their Masters are their brethren in Religion Seventhly because God hath provided by his unchangeable Law that one day in seven they shall rest from their labour Eighthly before God there is neither bond nor free but all are one in Christ Gal. 3.28 Col. 31.11 Ninthly because all the benefits of Religion whether inward or outward belong to servants as well as to Masters 1. Cor. 12.13 Tenthly because the very work that servants doe in their particular calling is accepted of God as obedience to him as well as the performing of the duties of Religion God accepts their daily labour as well as he doth praying hearing the Word receiving the Sacraments reading the Scriptures fasting or the like Eph. 6.6 Eleventhly because they are freed in that condition from many cares seeing they have now nothing to do in effect but to obey in what is appointed 〈◊〉 which is a great ease to a minde that desires to see what he hath to doe to please God seeing now only one thing is necessary which is to obey in what he is commanded and directed Twelfthly because he shall not only have wages from men but from God also Eâ—hes 6.8 Lastly becâ—â—â—e there shall be no
refuse certaine meates and dayes the Conscience erred in judging those meates and dayes to bee unlawfull to be observed and used and yet hee calls them that were so led by an erring Conscience hee calls them I say brethren But when we speake of an evill Conscience we meane Conscience unregenerate As a man may have sinne in him and yet be a good man so may Conscience have blindnesse in it and yet bee a good Conscience The signes of an unregenerate Conscience may be gathered from the differences of evill Consciences The signes then of an unregenerate still Conscience are these First when it is quiet in the committing and after the committing of knowne sinne whether open or secret For open sins as for drunkennesse swearing lying profanation of the Sabbath and the like the Conscience cannot be good when these or the like open wickednesses are committed and so when it is quiet notwithstanding secret whoredome or filthinesse of any kinde or continuall wickednesse in the thoughts or desires that Conscience that can abide a soule heart is a wicked Conscience Secondly when it excuseth for doing notorious evils and so they have evill Consciences that could trouble and persecute even to the death godly men and yet thinke they did God good service Iohn 16.2 The signes of an unregenerate stirring Conscience are these First when the Conscience serves onely to tell ill newes when it serves to tell a man onely of his losse by Adam or the Law but never comforteth him by bringingâ—in any evidence of Gods favour in Christ. That Conscience that terrifies without Christ that is without mixing any of the comforts of the Gospell in Christ is an evill Conscience the speciall property of a good Conscience is to excuse and comfort and therefore that Conscience that doth onely accuse is an evill Conscience Secondly when the Conscience flees from the presence of God as did Adams Conscience after the Fall and this the Conscience discovers when it dares not stand before the discovery of the Law of God not dares abide a powerfull Minister that speakes to the Conscience of the hearers and ransacks them Thirdly when the Conscience languisheth about questions that tend not to edification and raiseth the strength of zeale and all the power of it about things that are lesse necessary either unto faith or practice And this was the case of the Pharisees Conscience that spent all their zeale about lesse matters and neglected the waightier things of the Law And this is the case of all such Christians that are zealous with a fiery zeale about circumstances or the estates and businesses of others and neglect the maine things of substance that concerne their owne sanctification assurance or salvation Fourthly when the Conscience is for men and not for God when the motive that raiseth and incourageth it is the praise of men and not the praise of God This also was the case of the Consciences of the Pharisees for the Conscience in them was busie and did require good duties but the respect was still the praise of men whereas a good Conscience is for God above all Fiftly when it will accuse onely for grosse evils and those knowne to others and not for lesse and secret sins to be repented of Sixtly when it will accuse onely in the time of adversity as in the case of Iosephs brethren Thus of the signes of an evill Conscience The misery that the men have that have an evill Conscience followes and they are miserable whether they have a waking or a sleeping Conscience The misery that comes from a waking Conscience is evill and may be two wayes discerned first by the tearmes by which it is called and resembled in Scripture secondly by the effects which it worketh really upon a man For the first An evill Conscience that is awake is in Scripture compared to a sting or pricke wounding the heart of a man It is likened also to a dog or a bloud-hound that lieth at the doore and having fresh sent howleth and barketh after the malefactor Gen. 4. It is likened as some thinke by David Psal. 51.4 to an evill contentious wife that is ever before a man chiding and brauling and as a moth secretly eats the garment so doth an evill Conscience eat up the heart of a man when others little see it Prov 25. It is like a dart strangely shot into a mans body Psalme 38. and it is compared to the boyling of the tumultuous sea Esay 57. and it is called a worme that dieth not but lieth gnawing and eating upon the heart of a man Esay 66. Marke 9. So that a man that hath an evill Conscience is like a man that is stung by a serpent or followed by a bloud-hound or vexed by a continuall-contrarious wife or that is hourely shot through with darts or that hath a living worme ever gnawing at his heart But that this may be more distinctly understood wee must take notice of foure effects of an evill Conscience usually The first is shame He that hath an evill Conscience is betrayed by his own blushing many times when his offence is secret yea a man feeles an inward shame in his owne heart disgracing and abusing him though he make no outward shew of it For though sometimes an innocent person upon the fulnesse of an aspersion may conceive shame as David did Psal. 44.15 yet it is usually the effect of an ill Conscience The second is paine and anguish of heart arising from the gnawing and stings of Conscience mentioned before which so continually burdens the heart that it takes away all contentment in any thing and keepes the heart in an habituall disconsolation and though the disease of melancholy may breed a sadnesse like unto it yet is there manifest difference betwixt this affliction of spirit and melancholy for the melancholick person usually can assigne no certaine reason of that sadnesse whereas Conscience when it stings a â—â—gnes the cause of it to be such and such things which bring noâ— only the shame of men but the wrath of God Besides melancholick sadnesse may be eased by physicke but this sorrow is not cured by any meanes but such as are spirituall The third is a strange kind of feare breaking the heart of a man and so subduing his courage that he is not able to sustaine himselfe against the impressions of vaine causes of feare A trembling heart is the effect of an ill conscience Deut. 28.65 Thus wicked men are said in Scripture to feare when no man pursueth them Pro. 28.1 and to be so faint-hearted as the sound of a shaken leafe shall make them fly as it were from a sword Levit. 26.36 and as it is in Iob The sound of feare is alwayes in his eares yea the terrours of conscience sometime so enrage upon the offender that no torments are like unto their terrours which sometimes are so great that they are hardly able to sustaine themselves but discover their horrible
visible mortall and immortall passible and impassible passible on earth and impassible in heaven But we have learned from the Prophets and Apostles to beleeve three Persons and so to acknowledge that the second Person suffered onely and that in his humane nature Secondly we may hence learne that Christ was subject to the Law after a peculiar manner so as no other man was subject for he did not onely fulfill the Law by a most perfect obedience but he suffered the malediction and curse of the Law also Some men are subject to the malediction of the Law onely and so are all the wicked reprobates that obey it not Some men are subject to the Commandements of the Law and not to the malediction and so our first parents were while they continued in their innocency because God did not require them to suffer so long as they obeyed the Law and so all godly men in Christ are under the Law in respect of obedience but not in respect of malediction only Christ is subject to the malediction and obedience of the Law as our surety Thirdly hence we learne a plain demonstration of the truth of the humane nature of Christ He had not a fantasticall body but a true body because he did verily suffer in the flesh as followes afterwards Fourthly hence we may be informed of the excessively vile disposition of the world in that it is so set on wickednesse that the very Saviour of the world if he come into the world shall suffer from the world Fiftly we may hence learne that Christ suffered willingly and of his own accord For in that he that is God suffered it shewes he had power to preserve himselfe so as all the world could not have forced him to suffer and therefore we have cause so much the more to admire his love to us that suffered for our sakes as the next point will shew Sixtly we may hence learne to know how abominable sinne is that makes the Son of God suffer miserable things if he become a surety for sinne Seventhly we may hence learne to know the inevitable destruction and fearfull perdition of impenitent sinners For if God spared not his owne Sonne that was but a suretie for sinne and did none himselfe will hee ever spare them that are principals and monstrous offenders Eightly did even Christ suffer then we should evermore arme our selves with the same mind and provide to suffer in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.1 It is a shame for us to expect or desire a life of ease and prosperity seeing the Prince of our salvation was consecrated through afflictions Heb. 2.10 and 12.3 And the more should we be confirmed to suffer in willingnesse in this life because God hath predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Sonne in sufferings Rom. 8.29 Lastly in that it was Christ that suffered we may hence gather comfort to our selves in his passion all the dayes of our life because his sufferings must needs be of infinite merit being the sufferings of him that is God as well as man Thus of the Person suffering The persons for whom he suffered follow For us The sufferings of Christ were not casuall such as befell him for no use nor were they deserved by himselfe For he never offended God nor did hee seeke his own peculiar good in them but he suffered all he did for our sakes Isa. 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him and verse 8. Hee was plagued for the transgression of Gods people and as the Apostle saith he was delivered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification Rom. 4.25 Hee was sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 He gave himselfe for us Ephes. 5.2 Now he suffered for us in divers respects as First to make satisfaction unto the justice of God for our sinnes and to appease the wrath of God toward us as the former places shew His sufferings were a sacrifice for sinne He bare the curses of the Law which were due to us Gal. 3.10 And thus he paid our ransome and pacified God especially in his death and buriall He nayled the hand-writing that was against us to his crosse Col. 2.15 And as Ionas was cast into the bowels of the sea to still the raging of it so was Christ cast into the bowels of the earth to make the seas of Gods wrath quiet for us Secondly he suffered as to make satisfaction for our sinnes so together with that satisfaction to remove from us the many miseries might have falne upon us for our sinnes Thus he was judged and condemned at the barre of Pilate that we might be acquirted at the barre of God He endured all sorts of paines and torments in soule and body that wee might be delivered from eternall torments in hell He died that hee might deliver us from death and the feare of it and from him which had the power of death which is the divell Heb. 2.13 He was crucified that he might abolish the power of sinne in us Rom. 6.10 Thirdly he suffered for us that so by his sufferings he might merit the supply of our wants and the possession of happinesse Hee suffered to make us blessed Thus he died to ratifie the eternall counsell Heb. 9.15.16.17 He was poore to make us rich 2 Cor. 8.9 He was bound to make us free Hee was unclothed to cover our nakednesse He was forsaken of God for a time that we might be received to everlasting mercy Hee was crowned with a crowne of thornes that he might merit for us a crowne of glory Hee found no mercy from the Priests and Jewes that we might finde sure mercy with God He was cast out of the earthly Jerusalem and suffered without the gates that he might provide a place for us in the heavenly Jerusalem Fourthly he suffered for us in this that he suffered that so he might have a sympathy of our sufferings and have a feeiing of our miseries He suffered being tempted that he might be able to secure us being tempted Heb. 2.17 18. and 4.15 The consideration hereof may serve for divers uses Uses First it should breed in us an admiration of the love of Christ to us that could ever be willing to become surety for us and suffer for us especially considering what we were viz. unjust men 1 Pet. 3.18 wicked men Rom. 5.6 enemies to him Rom. 5.8 10. That one should die for a good or righteous man or for one that is a common good for or to other men is very rare But it might be Ionathan might die for David or a subject be willing to die for a good Prince about no man would die for his enemies as Christ died for us Secondly it should worke in us sorrow and hearty griefe for our sins wee should now mourne as heartily for piercing Christ by our sinnes as if we had lost an only childe c. We complaine of the Jewes and Iudas and Pilate for
sinnes in two respects chiefely First because he did undergoe the imputation of all our sinnes our faults were charged upon him as our surety He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 He stood before Gods justice in our roome Secondly because hee suffered the malediction due to our sinnes by the Law Hee bare our sinnes in being made a sacrifice for sinne He became indebted unto the justice of God as our surety to beare the curses of the Law which our sinnes deserved Esay 53.5 8. Gaâ— 3.10 And as this is true in generall of all the wrath of God and the fearfull things due to our sinnes so if we marke the story of Christs sufferings wee may observe how the sinnes of our first parents and our owne light heavily upon his backe God suffering our sinnes to be charged upon him in a speciall fitnesse of the judgement to our sinnes and that wee may note both in the circumstances of our sinning and in the sorts of sinnes For the circumstances The first Adam sinnes in a garden the second Adam suffers fearfully for sinne in a garden The second Adam suffers on a tree and so beares the sinne of the first Adam eating the forbidden fruit of a tree For the sorts of sinne Why was Christ betrayed by Iudas denyed by Peter forsaken by all his Disciples refused by the Priests and people but because wee had betrayed denied forsaken and refused God in Paradise And many of us are now guilty of the same or the like sinnes in the course of our lives He was charged to bee a seducer to satisfie for our being seduced for our evill words and sinfull excuses he was silent because wee and our first Parents have preferred the Divell before God therefore was a malefactor preferred before him Why was he mocked buffered and spit upon but to beare the shame was due unto us for our filthinesse and vile conversation Why drank he gall but to pay for our sinfull pleasures Why suffered he reviling and scoffing but to satisfie for our sinfull words Many other things might be observed The consideration whereof should serve for many Uses and so it should teach us divers duties as Uses First since he hath borne our sinnes in the imputation of them and the malediction due unto them wee should bee most ready and willing to beare his crosse as accounting it a great shame to bee unwilling to suffer a little and for a little while for his sake that hath borne such strange things for us we should be content to forsake all for his sake Secondly it should grieve us at the heart for our sinnes considering the fearfull imputation of our faults charged upon him and the bitter things hee suffered to make amends to Gods justice for our wickednesse Zach. 12.10 Thirdly hath Christ borne our sinnes and can wee finde in our hearts to sinne any more shall he againe be charged with our faults shall we againe crucifie him Rom. 6.6 Heb. 10.24 c. and as followeth in the next words of this Text. Fourthly Oh how should we love the Lord Jesus that holy One that bare the imputation of such base crimes and endured such grievous things for us before wee ever knew him or cared for him even for us that were enemies to him Deserve they not to bee accursed that love not the Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 1.9 â— Cor. 16.22 Fiftly we should therefore eat the Passeover with sowre hearbs we should remember his grievous sufferings with hearty affection and melting of soule before the Lord when we come before him to celebrate the memory of his Passion in the Sacrament Sixtly we should no more stagger or waver in faith but with all peace and joy in beleeving rest upon the propiriation made by Christ for our sins wee should therefore confidently beleeve the pardon of all our sinnes because he hath borne ouâ— iniquities If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Seventhly we should never more bee afraid of death and hell for our debt being paied by the surety the hand-writing that was against us is now cancelled Col. 2.15 and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Heb. 2.14 Eighthly we should not be so much troubled to be unjustly traduced seeing Christ beyond all example suffered most unspeakable ignominie bearing the iâ—putation of the sinnes of all the Elect. Ninthly seeing he hath beene made in the similitude of sinfull flesh and suffered for sinne in the flesh wee should strive to bee made the righteousnesse of God in him and as he hath borne our sins so should we strive to beare his vertues Who his owne selfe It is emphaticall that the Apostle saith He bare our sinnes his owne selfe for there be two things which are here imported First that he had no partners there were none with him He bare all himselfe Esay 59.16 He trod the wine-presse alone Esay 63.3 5. And therefore it is a vile dishonour to Christ to ascribe any part of satisfaction to our selves or to any Saint or Angel Secondly it imports that therefore his suffering is of infinite value in that he bare all his owne selfe in person who was God and man Then it will follow that he hath made a sufficient propitiation for all the world 2 Iohn 2.1 2. In his body Quest. Why did he not suffer in his soule Answ. Yes for so saith the Scripture He made his soule a sacrifice for sin Esay 53.10 and the Son of man came to give his soule a ransome for many Mat. 20.28 Markâ— 10.45 This was shadowed out by the Holocaust or whole burnt-offering for it noted that the whole man should suffer So in the Sacrament the breaking of the bread is not referred so properly to his body for there was not a bone broken of him saith the holy text but fitly to his soule which was broken with sorrowes and heavinesse for our sakes So that by the body he meanes synechdochically whole Christ but yet the body is named because that was the outward sacrifice that was offered for our sins on the tree Christ then bare our sinnes in his body What may wee learne from thence First we see a manifest difference betwixt Christs Priesthood and theirs in the Law For they offered the bodies of beasts or fowles but Christ offered his owne body Secondly we may take comfort in the assurance that he is the Saviour of our bodies as well as our soules Thirdly seeing such grievous things befell the body of Christ why seeke we so much ease for our bodies why pamper we our flesh so and why are we so impatient in the paines of our bodies and remember not what Christ suffered in his body Fourthly we should therefore esteeme his body to be a precious body above all bodies seeing it was laid downe as a price for our sinnes yea we should long to see that glorious body
as can do two things that never Physician could doe For first he can take away the first cames of diseases which is sinne which no physick can doe Mat. 9. Secondly he can cure our bodies when they are starke dead which never any Physician could doe they may helpe some living bodies but they could never helpe one dead body Yea such as finde not cure for the paines of the bodie should be of good comfort because they should have had cure of it if it had beene good for them and they must consider it is the Lord that doth it Psal. 39. and that all shall worke together for the best Rom. 8. and that nothing can separate them from the love of Christ and that they are delivered from eternall paine and that Gods deare children have suffered as great torments or weaknesses Use 2. Secondly all men should be taught to seeke to Christ for cure since it is his office to heale and so this end men are bound to looke to divers rules if they would have Christ to heale them First they must seeke to him for cure they must pray him to heale them we doe not read that ever Christ healed any sicke person unlesse he were brought to him or he intreated to heale him wee must pray for our bodies as well as our soules thus did David Psal. 6. and 31. and Hezekiah c. Secondly wee must use the lawfull meanes wee can get for our healing Our Saviour shews that when he said the whole needed not the Physician but the sicke the sicke then doe need and must with conscience and care use all lawfull and outward helps that they can attaine to that are fit for them Mat. 9. Thirdly they must take heed of trusting upon the Physician or physick given them that was Asa his great sinne For if we bee cured it is not physick but Christ that healeth us Fourthly we must bring faith to bee healed for our bodies also this our Saviour often asketh after when he is about to cure mens bodies as the Evangelists shew Fiftly wee must bee carefull to seeke the removing of the cause of our diseases which is sinne especially if wee finde that God hath a quarrell with us for any speciall fault we are falne into thus David got the punishment of his sinne remitted by judging himselfe for his sinne Psal. 32.4.5 Sixtly we must submit our selves to Gods will and in the case of our bodies must refigne our selves into his hands to let him doe with us what it shall please him since hee knowes what is best for us and if Christ will not heale us now yet to comfort our selves as Iob did in the hope of that time when our Redeemer will be seene of us in the body when it shall be utterly and for ever freed from all paines and infirmities whatsoever Iob 19. Doct. 4. It is further to be noted that we are not only healed by Christ but it is by his stripes The wounds made in his bodie doe heale our bodies Which should make us so much the more to love the Lord Jesus and the more patiently to beare it if we be not presently healed became hee did beare more grievous paines even in the bodie and because if it were good for us he would heaie us in that he paied so deare for our healing Verse 25. For you were as sheepe going astray but are now returned unto the Shepheard and Bishop of your soules HItherto of the effects of Christs sufferings in respect of us in respect of himselfe the effect was his exaltation to become the Shepheard and Bishop of our soules even the soules of all the Elect which is so implied in the words of this verse as withall in a passage is expressed both our misery without Christ and our happinesse under his government The words of this verse in themselves containe three things First our misery by nature in our selves wee are as sheep deceived or going astray Secondly the meanes of our recovery ouâ— of that estate and that is the causing of us to returne Thirdly our happinesse under the government of Jesus Christ to whose charge we are committed when we returne The first words expressing our misery are words borrowed out of the Prophet Esay chapter 53.6 7. and in the words unregenerate men even Gods Elect among them are likened to sheep A sheep is a certaine image to resemble a man by And so we finde in Scripture that a sheep is the image or resemblance first of Christ-man He is likened to a sheep dumb before his shearer for his silence and patience at his arraignment Esay 53.7 Secondly of men that are â—rue beleevers for the harmlesnesse tractablenesse and profitablenesse Mat. 25.33 Thirdly of men that erre and wander out of the way of godlinesse And so wicked men before their calling are likened to wandring sheep yea godly men after their calling in respect of their fals or failings are likened to sheep going astray as David saith of himselfe Psal. 19. ult But here it is understood of the Elect of God before their calling The word here rendred Going astray properly signifies deceived and is so used in divers places of the new Testament but the metaphor to the which it is joyned requires it should bee expressed Going astray or wandring or erring but so as it doth import two things First the evill condition of the unregenerate they are like wandring sheepe Secondly the curâ—e of it and that is they are deceived they are as sheep deceived Now that this point may be distinctly understood I propound five things to bee considered of First what faults in men are meant by the tearme of going astray Secondly what the misery of their condition is that doe goe astray Thirdly what the cause is of their going astray Fourthly by what signes a lost sheepe may be knowne especially such as are within the Church which seemes to be the Fold And lastly the doctrines that may be briefly noted out of all the words of that part of the verse For the first Under the tearme of erring or going astay are construed in Scripture errors in opinion Iames 1.16 Mat. 22.29 called erring from the faith 1 Tim. 6.10 whoredome Numb 5.12 idolatry Deut. 13.5 drunkennesse Esay 28.1 7. bribery and all wayes of unrighteousnesse 2 Pet. 2.15 all devising of evill Pro. 14.12 yea the Propheâ— Esay expounds it of every turning after our owne wayes for which we have no warrant in the Word of God and in which men persist without repentance Esay 53.6 It is implied Psal. 119.110 For the second The misery of men living in their sinnes without repentance is very great I am tied to the consideration of it only so far forth as the simihâ— e of a sheep going astray will import Every wicked man then is like a lost sheep and that in divers respects 1. Because hee is not within the compasse of Gods speciall providence God doth not tend him nor locke
to him he is no part of his flocke he is without God in the World and without Christ as the lost sheepe is without the protection and keeping of the shepheard Wicked men have no keeper they are left to the way of their own hearts which is a fearefull curse Esay 53.6 The wicked shall be as a sheep that no man takes up Esay 13.14 2. Because hee hath no certaine pasture The provision for his life for soule and body is altogether uncertaine Hee is like Cain a vagabond upon the earth Hee is here to day he knowes nor where he shall be tomorrow God hath not given him any assurance of the keeping or getting of any thing he hath or desires Hee is like the stray sheep that hath all the world before him but knowes not where to settle Mat. 9.26 3. Because in the midst of all the best possessions of this life they have no peace Esay 57. ult The sound of feare is alwaies in their eares If a stray sheep get into a good pasture yet he is still in feare apt to be frighted with every sound ready to runne away upon every occasion so is it with them that are rich in the world and not riâ—h with God 1 Tim. 6.10 4. Because he is shut out from all comfortable society with the godly he enjoyes not the sound fruit of communion with Saints The stray sheep may sort with hogges or wilde beasts but from the sheep it is gone away Evill company is a miserable plague of a mans life to sort with such all a mans daâ—es from whom he may have a world of vanity and filthinesse but not any thing scarce worthy of the nature of men in an age Every wicked man is an alien a stranger and forainer from the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes. 2.12 5. A sheepe going astray is easily taken by a strange Lord it is driven any whither by anybody it is so silly And such is the fearefull estate of a man living in sinne strange Lords may easily surprize him false teachers may easily seduce him evill company may carry him to any wickednesse a Prince may turne him to any religion a very Atheist or Divell incarnate may easily lead him captive 6. A Sheep is apt to be worried with Dogs or devoured with Wolves or wilde Beasts when there is no Shepheard to tend him So it is with wicked men their soules their bodies their estates are all in danger to bee seized upon by Divels by unjust and unreasonable men especially as any of them are more simple so they are more liable to become a prey to the mighty ones of the earth 7. Men that wander out of the way of understanding shall remaine in the congregation of the dead Ps. 49.15 Pro. 21.16 And therefore he that converts a man from the erâ—our of his way is said to save a soule from death Iam. 5 ult And this going astray of unregenerate men is the more grievous because they are liable to many aggravations for First they goe astray from the womb they were never yet in the right way Psalm 58.3 Secondly because they wander in every worke they do as was said of Egypt Esay 19.14 All their works are abominable Psal. 14. All things are impure Thirdly because this is the curse of all unregenerate men we are turned every one to his owne way Esay 53.6 Fourthly because they delight to wander place their felicity in their sins and will not be reclaimed or advised Fiftly because they may provoke God so long that he may sweare they shall never enter into his rest Psal. 95.10,11 The third point is the cause of their going astray and that is noted in the originall word They were deceived Now then it is to bee considered distinctly who are the great deceivers of the world that cause millions of â—oules to goe astray First the Divell is the Arch-deceiver he hath beene a lier and a murtherer from the beginning he deceived our first Parents and made them and all their posterity goe astray Iohn 8.44 1 Tim. 2.14 And by him are all wicked men drawne out of the way and led captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 Secondly Antichrist is the next great deceiver who by his sorceries made all Nations in the time of the Gospell goe astray Eccles. 18.23 with his divellish doctrine and by wicked sorceries he deceived the Christian world Thirdly a â—â—arme of wicked ministers have deceived whole Townes and Countries and made the sheep goe astray even their whole flocks in many places some of them because they take the fleece and never feed the flock Ezech. â—4 2 c. Iohn 10.12 some of them by preaching lies and flattering the people with devices of men and say Peace when there is no peace Ierem. 23.17 19 20 32. Fourthly the world is a mischievous deceiver and it deceiveth by evill example and evill company and evill report raised against the godly and the good way and the inticements of profits and pleasures and vanities of all sorts and honours and the like Fiftly mans owne heart deceiveth him yea the heart of man is deceitfull above all things Ier. 17.19 It will use such carnall reasons pretend such vaine excuses entertaine such deceivable hopes and joyne it selfe to such swarmes of temptations and lusts as it cannot avoid wandring if there were no other deceivers to go withall the way of our own harts is alwaies to go out of the way Sixtly ignorance of the Scripture is a chiefe cause of erring and going astray both in opinion and life Mat. 22.29 Seventhly the love of some particular sin doth utterly undoe many a man that will not be warned of the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3.12 Thus covetousnesse made many a man to erre from the faith 1 Tim. 6.20 Eighthly God himselfe in a fearefull kinde of justice many times not only consents but permits a very spirit of perverinesse and errour to seize upon some men that refused to be guided or kept by God so as they are given over to eternall perdition and destruction by reason of it Fourthly the signes of a lost sheepe follow and they are First he that refuseth reproofe is out of the way Men that cannot abide to be told of their faults are not healed Pro. 10.17 as he is in the way of life that keepeth instruction Secondly he that liveth in any knowne sinne without repentance is a lost sheepe Thirdly he that fouleth with his feet that which the good sheepe should eate or drinke and he that thrusts with the side and pusheth the diseased with his hornes is no good sheepe Ezek. 34.17 19 21. They are so farre from feeding upon the good Word and Ordinances of God that by wicked reproaches they soule it as much as they can and they that if they find a poore Christian that is diseased with some infirmities will push at him to dishearten him utterly from a religious course these are wicked beasts they are no good
here rendred a Bishop was a tearme given to watch-men and spies and over-seers of works and sometimes to any sort of Rulers In the Apostles time it seemes the tearme was impropriated and given onely to Ministers that had charge of soules For the Apostles appointing certaine men to looke to the bodies of Christians which they tearmed Deacons they appointed other eminent men to looke to the soules of Christians whom they termed Bishops as appeares Phil. 1.1 Acts 20.28 In the time of the Apostles the terme suffered yet a more strict impropriation and was given to some especiall Ministers that had charge not onely of the people but also of the Clergy and in time in some Churches unto these choice men of the Ministery were added the titles of Barons jurisdiction and power of censures sole power of ordination and the like In this place the Apostle gives the terme of Bishop to Christ as the first and principall Overseer of our soules to whom the charge of their originall doth belong Secondly we must note that Christ is not said to be a Bishop of our soules but the Bishop of our soules which imports that he is such a Bishop as there is no other like unto him That charge that Christ hath of our soules he hath it alone There is no Bishop like to Christ our Bishop for 1. There is no good Bishop but he for he died for the soules he hath charge of and so doe not other Bishops And whereas other Bishops may bee unrebukeable in respect of men sometimes he is unrebukeable in respect of God and men too never any Bishop lived so well or did so much good or loved good men and promoted Gods cause so much as hee 2. No other Bishop can instruct the flocke as he doth For hee can make his people profit because he teacheth inwardly whereas they can teach onely outwardly and hee instructs all his flocke and makes them all to know God from the greatest to the lowest of them which no other Bishop can doe 3. He is the onely Bishop because all other Bishops mâ— give accounts to him 1. Pet. 5.3 4. Hee is the universall Bishop of all soules other Bishops â—â—ve their particular charges or Churches but he hath the charge of all the flockes under heaven all Parishes are within his charge 5. All other Bishops have their ordination from him they have no authority but what they receive from him Acts 20.28 6. Because no other Bishop can take the absolute charge of our soules they are not able to keepe us our soules have many diseases which they cannot cure and are assaulted with many adversaries which they cannot resist 7. Because hee is a heavenly Bishop they are but earthly and divers parts of his office he executes in heaven whereas other Bishops can doe nothing for us but on earth 8. Because hee is the onely Law-maker the onely Law-giver to our soules other Bishops can make no Lawes but by his authority Iam. 4.11 9. Because the other Bishops may require goodnesse in their flocks but cannot make them good he can make all his people righteous he is the Lord and their very righteousnesse Ier. 23.6 10. Other Bishops die and leave their flockes unprovided but hee lives ever and never forsakes his Church but is with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. ult Thirdly who are the charge of Christ Not all that are found in the charges of other Bishops he will not stand to our division of Parishes he counts by Election and righteousnesse all that the Father hath given him are his charge and none else The coherence shews they are onely penitent sinners Fourthly the happinesse of such as are under his charge which must needs be great O! It is a great comfort to a poore sinner to know that Christ hath a charge of his soule for he shall be sure that Christ will feed his soule and nourish it up by his Ordinances and will keep him to eternall life and use him with all tendernesse and compassion A bruised Reed he will not breake and the smoaking Flaxe he will not quench The particulars are metaphorically handled before in the consideration of the benefits we receive from Christ as a Shepheard Uses The Uses follow and so First for information and so first we may here take occasion to thinke of the preciousnesse of our soules for as they' are made of better stuffe than all this visible world being spirits and were redeemed with a greater price than would have beene laid downe to redeeme this whole world so it here appeareth because God sets his owne Son to tend our soules which should make us make more reckoning of them and not be so carelesse of them It were an ill bargaine to win the whole world and lose our owne soules Secondly in that he takes charge of our soules it imports that his Kingdome is not of this world and that he leaveth our bodies and outward estates to the charge of the Kings and Rulers of the earth he claimes himselfe chiefly the charge of our soules Thirdly in spirituall things it is imported that we are to be subjected to such as have the over-sight of us onely so far forth as they command us in the Lord and not otherwise Other Bishops have their power subordinate to Christ and must in all things see to it that they doe nothing against Christ. We are subject first and originally to Christ the charge of our soules properly belongs unto him Fourthly we may here see what need our soules have of looking to if they were not in great danger and subject to many diseases and necessities Christ had never taken such a peculiar charge of them Fiftly it imports the abject estate of all grosse offenders for if Christ be the Bishop of soules they cannot belong to his charge For wise and godly men as much as lieth in them cast out notorious offenders and protest against them and therefore will Christ much more cast off and refuse all such servants of the Divell and the World and Antichrist as will not beare his yoke Sixtly it imports that all Bishops must have ordination from him and therefore such as cannot shew their calling from Jesus Christ are plants which he will root out Use 2. Secondly for consolation to all the godly All that have committed their soules to him may rest upon it that he is able to keepe them till the day of his comming 1 Tim. 1.2 They shall never be lost none can take them out of his hand Iohn 10.29 It is the will of God that none of them should be lacking Iohn 6. And therefore they may comfort themselves with those words of the Apostle Nothing shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God Rom. 8. ult Use 3. Thirdly for instruction and so it should teach us to take chiefe care of our soules For from his office we may learne that he accounts our soules to be the chiefe
not experience shew that such wives as are so monstrous as to professe they will not be subject or doe in practice crosse their husbands or rule them doe we not see I say that such creatures are hatefull to God and men doe not all sorts of people detest them in their discourse The wife is the image and glory of the man 1 Cor. 11. is it not an ill favoured sight to see a scurvie picture that resembles the substance after a vile fashion As man by obedience is Gods image so is the woman by obedience mans image 8. Wives must bee obedient to their husbands that the Gospel be not evill spoken of especially the younger wives Tit. 2.5 To conclude this point it is to be noted that he faith Ye wives be subject that is ye Christian wives that professe religion as if he would say religion should make you not only better women but better wives The husband should feele the benefit of the wives religion even in her carriage towards him the should make it appeare that the more shee heard sermons or read the Scripture or praied to God the better she would become to her husband Thirdly it may bee asked why the Apostle chargeth wives onely with subjection seeing many other things are required of them The answer may be first because this of all other things is most essentially requisite as that which characteristically differenceth the duty of the wife she must love her husband but that is so reqâ—iâ—ed of her as it is required of the husband also and the like may bee said of other things But subjection is a thing God so stands upon as if they had other praises as that they were wise provident chast rich faire yea religious yet if he may not prevaile with them in this point he is not pleased with the rest Secondly because this duty foundly performed doth imply the rest and in the practice of it causeth the practice of other duties Thirdly in that the Apostle doth reduce all their duties into one word he doth it thereby to cut off all excuse for if they cannot remember one word they can remember nothing and if they will not obey in one commandement it shewes that they are governed by a very spirit of profanenesse as being persons that resolve to live as they list Fourthly it would be considered in what things they must be subject and so wives must be subject to the husbands commandements to do in all things what he appoints or desires to be done They must shew a minde desirous to please their husbands in obeying the directions he gives in matters of the family or any other things may concerne his profit or contentment As the Church is ruled by the word of Christ so must the wife be ruled by the word of her husband His will must be her law to live by So likewise she must be subject to his reproofes to amend what he dislikes and to avoid what is displeasing to him so likewise she must be subject to his restraints and to the order he gives about her labour diet apparell companâ—e or the like striving in all things to please her husband 1 Cor. 7.34 Ephes. 5.23 and this subjection extends also to that due benevolence the Apostle requires 1 Cor. 7. 3 4 5. Fifthly we must consider in what maner wives must be subject and so divers things are required of them for their subjection must have in it care honour and sincerity First they must be subject with care and study to doe and dispose of all things so as the husband may not be displeased or disquieted A wise woman is said to build her house Pro. 14.2 which notes that the studies in every businesse how to set every thing in order as the Carpenter doth study how to set every part of the frame in joint Oh that this word Studie could be carved upon the hearts of women that they might never forget it what a world of unquietnesse and inconveniences might be prevented if care and studie did enter into their hearts Secondly they must be subject with honour to their husbands now wives honour their husbands and shew it divers wayes as by giving them reverent titles as Sarah called her husband Lord and by modest and shamefac't behaviour in her husbands presence her husband should be the covering of her eyes and by striving to imitate what is excellent in her husband so she should be his image and his glory as man is the image and glory of Christ and by avoiding all company that is suspected or disliked by the husband and by concealing and hiding his infirmities as much as she can Thirdly the sincerity of her subjection must appeare many wayes as first by being subject to him not in some things but in all things as the Church is subject to Christ. Secondly by being subject at all times and in all places at home as well as abroad and alwayes as well as for the first quarter of the yeare Thirdly by practising this subjection not in outward shew only but in her very spirit Mal. 2.15 and that not for feare or shame but for conscience sake and willingly out of the love and honour she beares to her husband performing this subjection to her husband as it were to the Lord himselfe Eph. 5.12 Finally she must make conscience to obey and be subject though the husband did not find fault or much require it even because God doth require it Sixtly it would be considered negatively in what cases or respects the wise is not subject to the will of the husband and so her subjection is qualified and limited or lightned divers wayes First in the quality of her subjection she is not to be subject with a servile subjection as a servant or vassall is subject to his Lord but in a sweet and familiar kind of subjection as the body is subject to the head and as one that is partner with him in many priviledges both temporall and eternall they remaine still companions and yoake-fellowes Secondly in the matter of subjection she is not subject to his will in matters of her soule and religion when his will is coâ—trary to Gods will Wives must be subject but it must be in the Lord Col. 3 15. The unbeleeving husband must not compell the beleeving wife to change her religion or to neglect the meanes of her salvation And againe she is not so subject but she may admonish and advise her husband with certaine cautions as if she be sure the thing she speakes against be sinfull and hurtfull and withall that she speake without passion or contempt with reverence and without frowardnesse or imperiousnesse Thus Abraham is bidden to heare his wife Gen 21. 12. Againe her subjection doth not bind her to consent to or conceale his whoredomes wherein he breakes the Covenant betwixt them and defiles the marriage bed nor is she bound to obey him in any thing she knowes to be a
if we knew no more but that it pleased God to have it so it is his will it should be so But yet that it is a wise providence of God so to order it it may appeare in divers things for by continuing the meanes to call his owne Elect thus by degrees the wicked are left without excuse Besides the godly while they looke for the daily discovery of new converts are thereby put to the exercise of many graces and duties as diligence compassion charity a winning conversation meeknesse prayer exhortation and the like And besides the outward peace of the Church is thereby preserved for if it were knowne once that all the Elect in any place were called there would follow such violent opposition from the greater and worser sort as there would be no place of rest for the Church in the world They would all bee of Caines minde if God had declared his testimony on both sides from heaven And therefore at the day of judgement assoone as hee hath parted the Elect and Reprobate and sentenced them hee disposeth so of them as they shall never live together againe And further if all the Elect were gathered at once the world would bee at an end for then Christ would deliver up the kingdome to his father 1 Cor. 15.24 and therefore Ministers should continue painefull in their labours as remembring that they are set to worke for edification of the Church till Christ come againe Eph. 4.12 And though the most of their present hearers have refused the Word of God and are hardened yet they may see cause of constancie because God still supplies their Auditories with new generations that rise up by degrees in the roome of those hardned ones And withall they must thinke that all the yeere is not harvest they are Gods husbandmen and must not thinke much to labour and toile many daies and weekes before they see the fruit of their labours as hoping that in the end God may grant them a comfortable harvest and if Israel should not be gathered yet their reward is with God Thus of the first point imported in this word Also Secondly we may hence gather further that the Apostle would have us to account all that are won to religion to be safe He imples so much in that hee treats about winning of more to them as if hee accounted them safe that were won already And it is true of such as are won to the outward profession of religion that in charity wee are bound to hope the best of each one particularly but for such as are won to sound sanctification the signes whereof were noted before it is certaine of them they can never bee lost which is cleare by these proofes 1 Cor. 1.8 9. Phil. 1.6 Rom. 8. ult 1 Pet. 1.5 Iohn 6. 10.29 30. And it must needs be so for God will not cast off the people whom he hath chosen Psal. 94.14 Rom. 11. And besides Christ lives in the hearts of those that are truely sanctified Gal. 2.20 and Christ can die no more Rom. 6.10 He may as well die at the right hand of his Father as die in the heart of a Christian. And further God hath given us his spirit as the earnest of our eternall salvation sealing to us thereby all the promises he hath made us Eph. 1.14 15. and it is a known principle that whom God loveth he loveth to the end and finally Gods decree is unalterable 2 Tim. 2.29 Ob. This may be true of the most but alas how know I that God will looke so carefully to me in particular I may be lost Sol. Gods promise is universall Not one of them saith the Prophet shall be lacking Ier. 23.4 and God hath charged Christ to see to the keeping of the bodies and soules of every true beleever Iohn 6.39 40. Ob. It is true God will never depart from us but we may depart from him and so perish Sol. The Lords covenant is that neither he will depart from us nor we shall depart from him for hee will put his feare within us to that end Ier. 32.41 Ob. But I feele my selfe so weake and ignorant I cannot hold out Sol. The smoaking flaxe shall not be quenched nor the bruised reed broken Esay 42. Ob. But we are in continuall danger by reason of temptations within and infections of all sorts from without Sol. God is faithfull and will keepe you from evill for all that 2 Thes. 3.3 and Christ hath made intercession to his Father for that very thing that you may be kept from those evills Iohn 17. and God hath put his Spirit within you of purpose to make you keepe his statutes and to hold on your way Ezek. 36.27 Ob. But the Apostle Iohn seemes to say that we may lose what we have wrought 2 Iohn 8. Sol. The words of the Apostle Iohn are these Looke to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward Which words may be understood as spoken to such as were hypocrites had but temporary grace not sound sanctification for he saith in the next words He that transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God They never had God then that lose what they have wrought and so this toucheth not such as are sure now they have God in that they have saving grace Again it is true that the godly may lose what they have wrought when they fall into scandalls or by weakenesse fall from the profession of the truth I say they may lose what they have wrought in those sins first in respect of the praise of men all their former honour may be laid in the dust secondly in respect of the inward sense and comfort of what good they have done and thirdly in respect of the fulnesse of the reward in heaven for their glory may be much lessened by their falls but it doth not therefore follow that they may fall finally away from God for they will recover againe Ob. But we see that Christians of greater gifts than we have fallen away and never recover again but die in their Apostacie as Hymeneus and Philetus did in the Apostles times Sol. The Apostle in that place answers that Gods foundation remaines sure and hath this seale he knoweth who are his which evidently importeth that God did never know them to be his what shewes soever they made amongst men and therefore their fall need not discourage such as are sure by the former markes that they are Gods Object But wee see that the godly themselves doe fall as David and Peter did Sol. First they did recover againe and so were not lost Secondly though they fall they shall not be utterly cast downe for God staies them from falling wholly away though they fall away in some particular act Psal. 37.23 Thirdly in the worst fals of the Saints there is ever still an holy seed of grace and faith and knowledge that abideth in
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 we are not infected with the corruptions which are usually in the world 1 Tim. 5.22 2 Pet. 1.4 5. Freedome from the reigne of hypocrisie in the heart and from hypocriticall courses in the life Thus Saint Iames accounts the heart to be pure when men are not double minded Iames 4.8 And in conversation he 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 as well 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 Titus 2.14 8. Chastitie 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 only so far as it may fall into the observation of carnall men and so it comprehends of the former senses chiefly inoffensivenesse separation from impure men freedome from grosse impurities and dissimulation a Christian and wise strictnesse of life and devoutnesse and well ordered zeale in matters of religion Use. Now for the Use of it If these be applied to these times it shewes first how wicked and profane those sorts of people are who reproach godly men for the care and practice of these things as if to be a Puritane even in these senses were to be some vile man not worthy to live amongst men Secondly it shewes that worlds of people that beare the name of Christians are not true Christians because their conversations are not pure for their swearing or drunkennesse or whoredomes or sins of deceit or dissimulation or fashioning themselves to this world or the liberty they take to live as they list testifies against them to their faces that their workes are not pure and therefore unlesse they repent they will all perish Rev. 3.1 2. and the rather because they cause by their evill lives not only the hearts of the good to be grieved but the mouthes of the enemies of religion to be opened to blaspheme Thirdly godly men that find these cares in them should comfort themselves much in the testimonies of their owne consciences and the gracious acceptation of God who will shew himselfe pure with them that are pure 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal. 18. Thus of Purity in generall Now of Chastity as a part of a pure conversation and it may well be that which is chiefly here intended Chastitie is either of the mind or of the body and it is a most certaine truth that God requires a chaste minde as well as a chaste body and doth forbid unchaste thoughts and desires aâ— well as unchaste words or deeds For unchaste thoughts and desires are first foolish and noisome 1 Tim. 6.9 secondly they hinder the power of religion and true knowledge and grace 2 Timâ— 4 thirdly they fight against the soule 1 Pet. 2.11 A man were as good have his body wounded with weapons as his soule wounded with lusts fourthly they cause many times many and monstrous sins in the life which arise at first from the nourishing of soule desires and thoughts in the heart The wickednesse that was in the lives of the Gentiles did in many of them spring from the lâ—sts which they harboured in their hearts Rom. 1. lastly if men repent not of them in time they will drowne them in perdition 1 Tim. 1.9 But it is the chastitie of the body which is especially here intended our Saviour Christ divides those chaste persons into three sorts some are termed Eunuches from their mothers wombe and so are disabled for bodily fornication some are made so by other men who by violence for their owne service made some men Eunuches Now the third sort are they that made themselves Eunuches for the kingdome of Heavens sake Of this third sort are all chaste persons who by a godly care and watchfulnesse keepe themselves from the sinnes of filthinesse as well as naturall Eunuches doe Mat. 19.12 Now these persons that are made chaste for the kingdome of Heavens sake are either single persons or married persons of chastity in single persons other Scriptures intreat as 1 Cor. 7. of chastity in married persons this place intreats Now this vertue of chastity is of purpose imposed upon godly Christians by the Apostle because the sins of fornication were so rife and common among the Gentiles who oftentimes defended their filthinesse to be either no sin or a very small sin But before I come to speake of chastity in particular some doctrines would be in generall observed as first Doct. 1. A godly Christian must shew the proofe of his religion especially in keeping himselfe free from the sins that are most common and rife in the world and even the more sinne abounds in the world the more strict they should be in resisting sinne as here even the more filthy the lives of others were the more chaste should the conversation of godly Christians be because their love to God should constraine them the more to be zealous for his glory by how much the more God is dishonoured by other men and because they are flatly forbidden to follow a multitude to sin and because God hath chosen them out of all other sorts of men to beare his name and to hold forth the light of the Word in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation and because thereby the conscience of wicked men may be the more effectually convinced and prepared to repentance Thus Lot is righteous in Sodome and Ioshua and his house will serve the Lord though all the Nation serve Idols This point as it should inflame the zeale of the godly to contend for the truth the more earnestly and to resist all the vices of the time so it shewes that they can hardly have any truth of grace in them that are so easily borne downe with the streame of evill example and are so apt to follow the fashion of the world Doct. 2. Chastity may be in married persons as well as in single persons as here wives are said to be chaste in conversation though they with-hold not
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
the Apostle Peter who fell shamefully when he shooke off this feare and grew bold and confident of his owne strength and therefore they that stand are charged to fearâ— lest they fall Rom. 11. 3. Because of the many and fearefull adversaries our soules and religion have in this world Wee bee to wrestle with principalities and powers and spirituall wickednesses Eph. 6.10 2 Cor. 11.3 and our taske is to overcome the world and the flesh which hath many difficulties in it considering the multitudes of evill examples and scandals are in the world and the great treachery of our owne flesh 4. Because of the lamentable reproach of the Heathen and such as are without God and Christ of all sorts and in all places which would be powred out if wee should misse it in our conversation if our foot should but slip Neh. 5.9 5. Because of the dreadfull relation in which wee stand unto God who hath authority over us and is our Master and Father Mal. 1.6 and is able to kill both body and soule Mat. 10.28 and is the Lord God Almighty and the Kings of Saints and hee is onely holy and of most pure eyes and hath power over all Nations Revel 15.3 4. and doth wondrous things Hee hath placed the sand for the bounds of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it though the waves thereof tosse themselves and roare yet they cannot prevaile Ier. 5.22 Hee is the true God he is the living God and an everlasting King at his wrath the earth shall tremblâ— and the Nations shall not bee able to abide his indignation Ier. 10.7 10. so Iob 31.23 David said his flesh trembled for feare of God Psalm 119 vers 120. 6. Because of the fearefull falling away and rejecting of many Churches and particular persons that yet have beforâ— flourished for a time in the professing of true religion Ier. 3.8 Rom. 11.20.21 7. Because of the many precious things and spirituall treasures may bee lost in deed or in shew if wee doe not attend diligently and with great eare and feare Heb. 2.1 4.1 Quest. But how must wee shew this feare in our conversation Answ. It must be shewed many waies both in the ordering of our lives towards God and in the disposing of our conversation towards men Towards God we expresse this feare 1. By the sobriety of our minds resting in his revealed will and not daring to meddle with his secrets Rom. 12.3 2. By receiving his messengers with feare and trembling 2 Cor. 7.15 not daring to contest with them or stand upon our private conceits and opinions but rather to make haste to beseech God and to repent when they reprove us or threaten us Ier. 29.19 Exod. 14.31 Ezra 9.4 10.1 2 3. at the best mistrusting our selves and our owne wisdome and conceits and shewing our selves carefull to come to the light that it may be manifest our deeds are wrought in God Iob 37. ult Pro. 3.7 3. By shewing all awefull care and devotion in Gods service and worship expressing all reverence Psal. 2.11 5.7 and striving to make glorious conceptions of God in our hearts Rev. 15.4 14.7 not daring to omit any time or opportunity of serving God Acts 10.2 and avoiding all rashnesse and vaine behaviour in words or vowes or carriage Eccles. 5.2 to the eighth verse not mentioning the very names or titles of God without great reverence Deut. 28.58 and remembring Gods presence especially at the times and in the places of his worship Mal. 2.5 Eccles 8.12 13. 4. By shewing respect to all Gods Commandements endeavouring to keepe not one or some few but all the statutes of our God Deut. 6.2 31.12 When our consciences are affraid even for the respect we beare to God to bawke one of the least Commandements or to be corrupted with any filthinesse either in flesh or spirit or to come short of any goodnesse is required of us 2 Cor. 7.1 being afraid to commit those sins are committed without feare either by persons neere to us or by the most men of all sorts Ezek. 18.14 Mal. 3.16 And for the manner of our obedience to Gods will this feare expresseth it selfâ— notably in two things first that it doth not onely make us avoide or leave evill which in some cases wicked men may doe but it makes us loathe and hate evill Pro. 8.13 16.6 causing us to eschew it as we would any thing we account poisonfull or deadly Psal. 34. Secondly it makes us not onely doe good duties but it makes us worke hard at them afraid to omit any thing injoyned us or to have our taske undone when God should call us to a reckoning Acts 10. 35. Phil. 2.12 Towards men we expresse this feare of God also divers waies as 1. By a continuall care of innocency avoiding all courses of injurie though they might be committed with any colour of right as oppression Levit. 25.17 usury Lev. 25.36 2. By pity and mercy to Gods creatures indistresse so Cornelius is said to be a man fearing God because he gave much almes Acts 10.12 Iob 6.14 3. By reverence to Gods image in his creatures even in the lowest kinde as by rising up before the hoare head and honouring the face of the old man Levit. 19.32 not daring to curse the deafe or put a stumbling blocke before the blind Lev. 19.14 4. By all possible care of the faithfull discharge of the particular callings they are set in for the good of others as is required in servants Col. 3.22 especially Eph. 6.5 and Magistrates 2 Sam 23.3 2 Cor. 19.6 7. 5. By a tender and compassionate care to recover such as are spiritually fallen and to preserve such as are in danger to fall from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 11.3 Iude 23. 6. By an awefull endeavour to give no offence neither to them that are without nor to any of the godly 1 Cor. 10.3 avoiding all waies of provocation or contention even in civill life Psal. 34.12 Now it must be remembred that of all those wayes by which feare should be shewed in our conversation in this Text those only can be intended which are subject to the observation of others The Uses may be first to shew how miserably the lives of all sorts of men are faulty in the want of this feare for hereby it is apparent that these sorts of men following have not this feare of God in their conversations as 1. Such as be masters of opinions and dare boldly and securely obtrude their erroneous conceits and new opinions upon the Church of God straining their wits for applause to goe beyond Gods revealed will Rom. 12.3 2. Such as are usually well pleased with themselves and their doings and are not troubled at their owne insufficiency and infirmities God cannot abide such as are wise in their owne eyes Iob 37. ult 3. Such as live securely in knowne sins and blesse themselves in their hearts when their
curious desire after the adorning of their bodies And though the Text mentioneth onely wives yet it must needs also be true of unmarried women much more For wives many times lay the fault of their vice upon their husbands that they doe it either by their command or to please them but that vaine excuse is wholly taken away from the unmarried because they have none upon whom to lay their faults that waies And therefore the practise of the younger women is the more abominable in our times when wee see that usually they are more vile and excessive in cost and vaine fashions than the elder women And the pretence that it is to get them husbands is devillish for if their naturall comlinesse will not set them out they are wicked deceivers that make themselves to be that in dressing which they are not in nature and those men are excessively foolish that judge of the fitnesse of women to make wives of only by their cloathes and not by the persons or gifts And further it is out of doubt that if these things in apparell are ill in wives they are as ill in husbands or rather worse What can be more abominable to the view than the observation of the most monstrous effeminatenesâ—e that is found in many of our Gentry that daily betake themselves to most womanish trickes in their dressing of themselves Theâ—e are uncleane Devils in the flesh and no Christians Now there are many reasons why Christian women and so men also should not pride themselves or bee any way vaine and fantasticall in their dressing or apparell and why they should not be curious about their cloathes or the comlinesse comes from them 1. Because our cloathes are a continuall remembrance of our shame A theefe may as well be proud of his halter as wee of our garments for it was sin brought in raiment If Adam had never sinned he had never needed raiment 2. Because curiosity and cost is against the first institution of apparell God himâ—elfe made the first garments that were made and left a pattern to follow Now he cloathed our Parents with the skins of Beasts shunning of purpose either cost or superfluous ornaments and I suppose yee will grant they were as great and as good as any of us God attired them in a habit became sorrow and the estate of banished men 3. Because God hath forbidden this curiositie of dressing in women at all times and in all places of his worship For when the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. had commanded men to pray in all plâ—ces and given them in charge divers things they must looke to at the time of Gods worship he then turnes to women and chargeth them to looke to the cloaths they weare when they worship God expresly prohibiting rich and vaine apparell ver 9 10. And good reason for such as either publickly or priâ—â—tly come to worship God shouâ—d come to him in the habit of suppliants and petitioners seeing they come or should come to beseech God to forgive thâ—m thâ—ir sinâ—es which they should aske with teares and groanes as such as know no happinesse if God be not reconciled to them Would any man regard a Begger if he came to aske almes in rich cloathes and can any man be so over-growne with dotage as to thinke God doth not care in what colours or fashions we worship or entreat him Besides we come not into the house of God to shew our selves to men but unto God amongst men Yea in private how dare fantasticall women stand before God to pray when they carry upon their backes such Ensignes of pride and vanity And hereby we may discerne the horrible wickednesse of these times which are just opposite to Pauls direction for we see men and women cloath themselves with the greatest cost and vanity when they are to appeare before God in his house What saith a Father to such creatures as these What come you for into this place this is the house of God doe you come onely to shew your selves to men this is no dancing schoole nor wedding house nor yet any play house that you should come hither in these histrionicall and strumpet-like attires saith Chrysostome upon this second chapter of the first of Timothie 4. Because our bodies we are so curious about are but houses of clay and were made of the dust or mire of the earth and will be shortly dissolved and therefore we should not so sin against our precious soules as to mis-spend our cares cost and affections upon that which in it selfe is so vile and the apparell we put on the body will last but a while whereas the dressing of the soule will last for ever 5. Because of the absence of the Bridegroome our Lord Jesus Christ. Is the Husband so far from home and can a chaste Spouse be taken up with such affectation of curious and vaine dressing What more evident sign of a strumpet than for to dresse her selfe curiously and for the shew to men when her husband is far from home Shall we so sin against the Lord Jesus now absent from us in the body and so mind earthly things and set our affections upon the vanities of the world as if we had no sense of his absence and did not care for him now he is gone 6. Because these vanities in apparell are so grievously threatned by the Lord. He will visit them that weare strange apparell Zeph. 1.8 And what woman can reade the third of Esay and not tremble at the wrath of the Lord if she be guilty of any such vanities And the Prophet was but a Novice in describing vaine fashions if that description were to be applied to our times for those vanities are now become the dressing of such as are more sober Oh what a world of wicked devices are there now beyond that Catalogue Those were wicked women but now they exceed the wickednesse of the wicked Let these creatures take heed of vaine interpretations of that place They may deceive themselves but they shall finde that God will not be mocked They dawbe with untempered morter that tell them that those things condemned were not sinfull or that God was not displeased with them 7. Because excesse and vanity in apparell hath beene condemned by the greatest lights in the Christian world and that with great bitternesse of censure I will give instance in some of their censures Cyprian said They that put on vaine and gorgeous apparell cannot put on Christ. Gregorie said Let no man thinke that in the study of precious apparell sin can be wanting Ambrose saith That proud attire obtaines nothing of God and causeth that men never thinke well of the partiâ— using it for saith he what wise man doth not abhorre a woman proudly drest and therefore much more God their Creator cannot abide to see that bodiâ— which he made free to be chained to metals he meanes gold and pearles and such like and adds The more they are liked of some men
or contempt of others or hath the appearance of such evill in the judgement of others Esay 3. 1 Thes. 5. 8. When it becommeth not good workes or hindereth them 1 Tim. 2.9 as when men restraine mercie to the poore or oppresse their Tenants or defraud other men onely to mainetaine themselves or theirs in outward pompe and gallantnesse of apparell This is the horrible sin of the Gentry in many places of this kingdome 9. When it is condemned and reproved by godly Ministers that are both wise and learned for their testimony ought to be received 2 Thess. 1.10 and it is a vile sinne to vexe them and grieve them by our obstinacie yea though they were not able to make so full demonstration yet when they reprove such things out of a spirituall jealousie and feare they corrupt their hearers they ought to be heard Heb. 13.18 1 Cor. 11.2.3 10. When the time that might be profitably spent is consumed by the tedious curiositie of dressing Ephes. 5.16 as it is with those that have not time for Godâ— worship in private or cannot come time enough to the Church or neglect their calling by being so long in dressing 11. When it dishonours the body of a man Col. 2. ult as when it is slovenly or sluttish or is taken up of meere singularitie and affectation of the praise of mortification and tends to restraine Christian libertie in others For no pretence may uncomely apparell be used for 1 Tim. 2.9 it is required that the apparell of women be comely for so the originall word signifies But especially uncomely apparell is then most vile when it is worne with a purpose to deceive as the Prophet complained of such as weare a roâ—gh garment to deceive 12. The puritie of a Christian life should avoide all dressings or fashions which had their originall from infamous persons such as are the fashions of Whores or debauched creatures and such a beginning it is said commonly Yellow starch had What fellowship betweene light and darknesse righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse Christ and Belial If we would have God to love us we must separate and come out from amongst them and touch no uncleane thing 13. When such apparell is worne as is contrary to the wholesome lawes of men for we are bound to submit our selves to every ordinance of man for Gods sake 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Lastly when the partie that useth such apparell or dressing is condemned in himselfe and hath his owne conscience accusing or disliking it or is noâ— fully assured that he doth not sin Whatsoever is not of Faith in those things is sin Rom. 14. Verse 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart c. HItherto of that adorning they should not be curious or costly in Now in this verse he shewes in the affirmative what apparell or dressing they sâ—ould be carefull of and that is the adorning of their soules and the apparelling of the inward man In the words three things may be noted 1. What must be apparelled viz. the hidden man of the heart 2. With what it must be adorned which he shewes both in generall and in particular in generall it must be with incorruptible things in particular it must be with a meeke and quiet spirit 3. The reason viz. because such apparell is very rich in Gods account The firâ—â— thing then is what must be apparelled viz. the man of the heart The man of the heart This is a kind of speaking not used in any place of Scriptuâ—e but this onely this Apostle onely useth this kinde of expressing himselfe Now concerning the man of the heart I would consider of sixe things 1. What he is 2. Whence he is or his originall 3. In what he excels the outward man 4. What condition he is in by nature 5. Hâ—w he may be mended or made better 6. How we may know when the man of the heart is right â—or the first by the man of the heart hee meanes the same the Apostle Paulâ—oth â—oth by the inward man 2 Cor. 4.16 and the inward man is the soule or heâ—rt of man Thus â—e speakes of a Jew that is outward and a Jew that is inâ—arâ— Rom. 2.28 29. Now the heart is and may well be called the man for divers reasons 1. In respect of definition For the definition of a man agrees to the heart of man though there were no body for God was the God of Abraham and Abraham was and was a living man many hundred yeeres after his body was in the grave Mat. 22. And hence it is that unto the soule or heart of man in Scriptures is attributed all things that the outward man can doe as life Psal. 22.27 language Eccles. 9.1 Psal. 14.1 36.1 praying to God Psal. 37.4 receiving messages from God as when the Prophet is bidden to speake to the heart of Jerusalem Esay 40. serving of God c. 2. In respect of dominion The heart is the man because it disposeth the way of man Pro. 16.9 and ruleth the outward man for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And therefore Solomon saith that from the heart comes life Pro. 4.23 3. In respect of acceptation The heart is that which God especially respects in man it is the heart he lookes upon 1 Sam. 17.7 He tries the heart and as Solomon saith He weighes the hearts of the children of men Pro. 21.2 and he will be served with our hearts Iosh. 24.14 and in all holy duties it is with us in Gods account according as he seeth the heart 1 Kings 8.39 so he requires the heart in repenting 1 Sam. 7.3 in praying 2 Tim. 2.22 Hos. 7.14 in hearing the Word Luke 8. and so in every good duty Thus of the first point For the second The man of the heart hath his originall from God himselfe He is the Father of Spirits Heb. 12.8 and it was his especiall glory to forme and fashion the heart in man as divers Scriptures shew Zech. 12.1 Psal. 33.15 and is therefore called the God of the heart Psal. 37. For the third The man of the heart excells the outward man exceedingly and that both in substance and in priviledges As for substance in the outward man we agree with beasts but in the inward man we agree with Angels in as much as the man of the heart consists of a spirituall and immateriall essence as well as the Angels And as in substance so in properties there is great difference for first the man of the heart is hidden it can be and doe all his worke and yet be invisible God himselfe hath variety of conversation with the man of the heart that no creature else knowes Secondly he is free and subject only to the God of his heart properly No man can come at or governe or command the heart of man Thirdly he is properly the seat of Gods image Wee are not properly like God in our bodies because God hath no body but in
his zeale upon us Mat. 11.28 and so in a wise it is a property of a meeke and quiet spirit to be easie to bee directed and advised and governed Ob. But is it not lawfull to be angry Sol. Yes it is at some times for some persons upon some causes and in some maner Anger is a tender vertue and such a one as by reason of our unskilfulnesse may be easily corrupted and made dangerous Ob. But we must reprove or correct Sol. You may doe so but that you must reprove with passion or unquietly I reade not but rather you must reprove with the spirit of meeknesse And besides many rules are requisite to the right use of reproose and correction Ob. But can all this be attained Sol. It may or else it would not be required in the new Covenant so often and so vehemently urged and the Church of God is not without instance of such as have attained it and though in many things we may sin all yet this vertue may be had though not in the perfection of it Object But I have desired and endeavoured to attaine to it and cannot Sol. First use the meanes to attaine it yet still it may be had at length though not presently Secondly it may be doubted of many that pretend this that they have not such desire nor use not such endevour in sincerity they are not watchfull and carefull to looke to the opportunities of this vertue or the occasions of the contrary vices Ob. But may not one have comfort of this vertue if he be at any time angrie Sol. Moses the meekest man on earth was once angry and Christ himselfe we reade was angry but where this vertue of anger is not habitually it reignes not and where it is it is bridled and ordered Or else I may answer that the act of meeknesse may be interrupted and yet the habit preserved Ob. But we are so provoked and have such wrongs as are very great and absurd c. Sol. Else it were no great praise to be quiet a Mastive a Beare a Lion it may be can be quiet sometimes if they be not stirred or provoked There is nothing from without us can make us vicious without the working of a vile nature in our soules The Use should be first for instruction I may say of meekenesse and quietnesse as Christ said of humility If you heare these things blessed are you if you doe them Iohn 13. Now there are many reasons should move us to be very carefull to expresse a meek and quiet spirit in our behaviour at home and abroad as first Gods Commandement He requireth this at our hands earnestly as appeareth by the places before quoted and other Scriptures Pro. 4.24 â—â—condly we have an excellent example for it in Christ and hee chargeth us of all the things which be imitable in him to learne meekenesse and lowlinesse of him Mat. 11.29 Thirdly it will be a signe of our election and true sanctification and that God loves us Col. 3.12 Psal. 147. â— and that we have attained the wisedome that is from above Iames 3.17 Fourthly it is a great ornament to a man as this Text imports and that both in the sight of God and man A meeke behaviour is very lovely and comely Pro. 19.11 5. Hereby we shall bring much rest to our soules Mat. 11.29 Our hearts and consciences will be at great peace whereas there are many occasions of trouble to our consciences which flow from passion and an unquiet and contâ—ntious course of life 6. Meekenesse is incorruptible it will last for ever both in the habit of it and in the comfort and fruit of it and besides it will keepe the spirit from such putrefaction and corruption as passion and unquietnesse useth to breed in the spirits of other men 7. Meekenesse makes the heart very capable of grace and of the Word of God The heart is fit to have the Word graffed upon it when it is meeke and quiet Iames 1.21 and the Lord teacheth the humble his way Psal. 25. Pro. 3.32 and he will give more grace to the humble Iames 4.7 8. God will be the protection of the meeke he will relieve them and make them glorious by deliverance Psal. 76.8,9 147.5 6. 149.4 Zeph. 2.3 Yea a meek spirit is a great advantage to a mans outward estate for the meeke shall inherit the earth God loves no Tenants better than such nor grants longer leases to any than to them Mat. 5.6 Secondly this discourse of a meeke and quiet spirit should greatly humble such Christians as are froward and passionate and unquiet and in particular such wives as are guilty of these or the like faults Now that this Use may be more profitable to these Christians I would add two things first reasons to disswade them from frowardnesse and unquietnesse secondly I would shew them remedies how to help themselves against these faults There be many things observed in Scripture and which they may feele in themselves which should move them to hearty repentance for this unquietnesse and frowardnesse as to consider 1. The causes of frowardnesse and unquietnesse which are in generall their ill nature and in particular pride idlenesse want of love to those with whom we converse ignorance and love of earthly things From these or some of these roots proceeds this vice 2. That the Scripture maketh this fault to be a sign of a wicked and naughty person Pro. 6.12 14. 21.24 especially where one is guilty of it in the power and custome of it and besides reckons it among the faults of which there is little hope of cure Pro. 29.20 3. It causeth many and vile effects for 1. It is a great affliction and vexation to such as converse with them that are guilty of it as these places shew Prov. 17.1 21.9 19. 27.3 15. 2. It is very hurtfull to the party that is guilty for it makes him run into many sins as these places shew Pro 17.19 22.8 29.22 Psal. 37.8 and besides it brings upon him great misery for it makes a breach in his spirit within Pro. 15.4 and brings much mischiefe upon him without Pro. 17.20 and further it makes him abominable in the sight of God Pro. 3.32 8.13 11.20 and shames him almost incurably amongst men Pro. 12.8 25.9 10. and further no body that is wise will make any friendship with them but every body will avoide them as much as they can Pro. 22.24 Wives thaâ— be so froward and peevish and hard to please and unquiet should much think of these things And yet besides it interrupts prayer 1 Pet. 3.7 and is a great hinderance to the power of the Word Iames 1.19 20 21. Lastly if it bee not repented of it will bring damnation of body and soule Mat. 5.22 3. It grieves the spirit of God Eph. 4.30 Now Christian men or women that desire to mend this fault of frowardnesse and unquietnesse may attaine
preservation of life we have need of many things as first we need meat drinke raiment sleep marriage physicke the light of the Sun by day and the Moone by night Yea the life of grace though it consist not in these things yet in a remote consideration hath need of these that we may be the better able to serve God in body and soule But in heaven we shall need none of these we shall be as the Angels of heaven and God himselfe shall there be all in all and shall fill us with his goodnesse 1 Cor. 15.28 Our life shall subsist in God himselfe who shall satisfie us out of the plenty of his owne glory In that Citie there will be no need of the Sun to shine by day or of the Moone to give light by night for the glory of the Lord doth lighten it and the Lamb shall be the light thereof and there shall bee no night there Rev. 21.23 22.5 Secondly in this world wee need the helpe of superiours as Kings Rulers Parents Husbands Teachers c. But in that world inferiority and subjection shall cease when we shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of God Mat. 8.11 and so all the first things shall then be done away Rev. 21.4 Thirdly in this world we need spirituall meanes for our soules and the help of divers gifts in the Spirit which serve for our furtherance in the way to eternall life Our soules cannot live without a Temple on earth without the Word and Prayer and Sacraments but in that new Jerusalem St. Iohn saw no Temple in it there is no preaching nor praying there we shall not need any nor have cause to mourne for the want of it as many times we doe now for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereofâ— from God we shall have an infinite supply in stead of all these things Rev. 21.22 Here we treat with God by meanes at a great distance there we shall enjoy him immediately yea those gifts of the Spirit that suppose imperfection in us or misery in others shall there be done away The gifts that suppose imperfection in us are faith and hope and repentance we shall not need promises to imply either faith or hope because all shall then be performed and we shall have actuall possession 1 Cor. 13. ult Nor shall we need sorrow for our sins because all our iniquities shall then be done away The gifts that suppose misery or sin in others are such as these holy feare anger jealousie care hatred griefe pitie or such like now all these shall then be put off for ever because in that kingdome shall be nothing that is either uncleane or wretched or in danger to fall away Yet notwithstanding this hinders not but that God may delight the soules of his people by wayes unknowne to us after a most glorious maner which seemes to be shadowed out by eating of the tree of life which beares so often fruit and by drinking of the water of life which runs like a river pure as chrystall and proceeds from the Throne of God Rev. 21.6 22.1 For the third There is great difference betweene the company with whom we live here and those with whom we shall live there and that in seven things As first in the sorts of peoples Here our life is made grievous by the evill ones that either molest us with their oppositions or grieve us with their wickednesse or infect us with their evill examples but there shall be no wicked ones no Divels to tempt us no divellish mento slander us or persecute us no abominable persons either to grieve or pollute us All these enemies shall be cast into the Lake of fire Rev. 11.8 20.4 22.14 wee shall never be troubled with them more and the people there are all righteous Esay 60.23 Secondly in the dignity of the friends we shall finde in heaven They are usually but meane persons we must sort withall here but there they are such as exceed all the glory of this world our friends and companions shall be glorious Angels and blessed Patriarkes and Kings and Prophets and Apostles and the Martyrs of Jesus and in generall all weare Crownes of glory Thirdly in respect of the number of our friends Here we have scarce one friend we have reason much to admire or can safely relie upon there we shall have an innumerable company of Angels of the spirits of just men a huge congregation of the first borne even the generall assembly of all Gods elect Heb. 12.22 23. Fourthly in respect of disposition both theirs and our owne Here our life with our friends is made often grievous by reason of envie suspition offence passion pride forgetfulnesse and private discords or our owne indisposition at some times to take delight in the presence of our friends but in heaven the spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12.23 and charity will be enflamed on all hands to performe exactly all those properties mentioned 1 Cor. 13. Fiftly in respect of constancy Our friends herâ— are not only mortall and must leave us but mutable and may forsake us but there all the company is immortall and being perfecâ—ly sanctified are as God himselfe immurable and so their love is not only perfect but everlasting charity there will abide for ever 1 Cor. 13. ult Sixtly in power to content us and satisfie us Alas here on earth many things befall us wherein our friends though they would yet they cannot help us but in heaven there is all-sufficiency of power to solace and content one another â—o all eternity Lastly in their relation to us On earth we lose daily such as are neere and dâ—â—re to us in heaven we shall have them all and it is very probable we shall know them all and one by one Adam in his innocency knew his wife and could call her by her name without any body to tell him And Peter and Iohn in the Transfiguration on the Mount knew Moses and Elias and yet had never seene them how much more in heaven shall our knowledge be perfected to know and to be knowne perfectly and as it were by name For the fourth Our knowledge which is our life differs greatly now from that it shall be both in respect of the ground of it and in respect of the manner of it and in respect of the measure of it The ground of it is our union with God by which we partake of his light Psal. 36.8 Now in heaven we shall be made one with God after an unspeakable manner in such a neerenesse as we cannot conceive of now This is that which our Saviour praies so earnestly for Ioh. 17.20 21. Secondly in respect of the manner of it Now God treate with us by meanes as by the Word and Sacraments c. but then without meanes immediately Now we see by the help of a glasse or as an old man doth by Spectacles but
then we shall see God by direct vision Moses that saw as much of God as a mortall man then could saw but his backe parts he saw God as we see a man going from us but then we shall see him face to face as he is comming to us yea as he is possessed by us Wee shall not need helpe to shew God to us as we doe now for God himselfe shall be our everlasting light as was shewed before There is a foure-fold vision of God the one is natuâ—all as when wee see him in the creatures the other is speculous or Symbolicall when we see God in certaine signes of his presence as in the burning fire in the Bush or in the Cloud or Pillar of fire at the Tabernacle The third is the vision of Faith when we know how good God is by the promises of his word to us in Christ. The last is the vision of â—lory which differs from all the former in a way of seeing unknowne to us Thirdly our knowledge will differ in the measure Now wee know bâ—t in part there are many things wee know not and what wee doe know wee know but obscurely and darkly then wee shall know perfectly even as wee are now knowne perfectly of God 1 Cor. 13.10 11. c. and so wee shall know both God and the Creatâ—res There is a world of most delightfull and rare knowledge of the Creatures which wee attaine not to in this life but the chiefe glory of our knowledge then shall bee in the perfect vision of God and those unspeakable beauties of his nature when wee shall behold perfectly the glory of every propertie or attribute in God which will be sufficient to breed everlasting wonder and delight In a word the knowledge of the meanest Christian in heaven shall be above the knowledge of Prophets or Apostles on earth The first difference is in the effect of our knowledge for from our knowledge and this celestiall light flowes righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost which the Apostle Paul makes to be the parts of the Kingdome of God and so both in this life and in heaven Rom. 14.17 And unto these three heads may bee referred all things that concerne the glory of eternall life and all these are held with great difference in each degree of eternall life For though we have righteousnesse and peace and joy now in the truth of them yet wee have â—hem not as we shall have them in heaven as will appeare if we consider of them distinctly First for righteousnesse Here it is the greatest burthen of life unto the godly that they are not able to serve God as they desire the imperfections of their gifts the corruption of their natures the daily infirmities that discover themselves in their conversations make life many times more bitter than death would be to them as appeareth by St. Paul Rom. 7. But there all that is imperfect shall be done away there shall be no danger of displeasing God for we shall be made perfect in all parts and degrees of holinesse our nature shall be perfect like the nature of God our members shall never more be servants unto unrighteousnesse and our soules shall exactly resemble God in all perfection of goodnesse and gifts Here the glory of mans inheritance lieth in the goodnesse of things without them there it shall consist principally in an everlasting goodnesse confirmed upon themselves We shall be without spot and wrinkle Eph 5.27 We shall be as he is in holinesse 1 Iohn 3.2 Here is our griefe that our hearts cannot be so filled with the love of God and the godly as they should be there our hearts shall burne with an eternall inflammation of affections towards God and the blessed ones without any interruption or decay we shall never morâ— be troubled with hardnesse of heart discouragement feare distractions inordinate desires and perturbations Yea our holinesse shall be better than Adams in Paradise for he had a power not to sin but we shall have no power at all to sin Yea in relation to Christ it shall be better with us then than it is now for now we are reckoned just men only by the benefit of Christs righteousnesse imputed to us but then we shall be made so perfectly holy by inherent righteousnesse that we shall stand everlastingly righteous before God by the righteousnesse that is in us Imputation shall there cease for ever when Christ hath delivered up the kingdome to God the Father and when faith shall be done away Lastly the difference in this point may further appeare in the freedome of our wills In this life many times our wills are not free to desire to doe the good we should doe and most an end want power to execute what we desire but there shall be all libertie so as we shall never want either desire or power to accomplish what may be for Gods everlasting glory or our owne felicity Secondly for peace there is great difference for first in this life we have but little peace in respect of the miseries of life Sometimes we have but little inward peace our hearts being unquiet with feare or griefe or discouragement or passions or else our consciences are unquiet either because God fights against us to trie us or to humble us or we fight against our selves through ignorance and unbeliefe or distresse for sin Sometimes when our spirits are quiet and there is a truce from inward war we then want out vard peace either men are unreasonable and molest us without cause in our estates or names or else God afflicts us in body with paine and weaknesse or in estate sometimes with easie crosses like small rain sometimes with greater crosses like some fierce storms Now in heaven there shall be an eternall cessation of all miserie there shall be no curse and affliction shall be cast into the Sea Rev. 22.23 Secondly our Sabbaths or dayes of rest which Gâ—d hath consecrated and blessed to us as the chiefe joy of our lives prove many times daies of sorrow affliction because either our bodies are molested with pain or our soules distressed for want of powerfull meanes or for want of abilitie to keepe a Sabbath unto God or for want of joy in our soules but in heaven we shall have an eternall Sabbath not one day in seven but all our dayes rest without labour and solace of heart without any difficultie in our selves or interruption without us God and the Lamb will be an eternall Temple to make our rest for ever glorious Wee shall be freed from all the labours of life and from all paine and difficultie in serving God and our works shall be all easie and full of delight even the praising of God for ever Rev. 14.12 Heb 4.9 Thirdly for joy There is great difference both in the causes and in the measure and in the continuance of it The causes of our joy shall be the highest can befall a
trespasse against 〈◊〉 And that we shall be iâ— we soundly 〈…〉 râ—les If we know any fault by our brother and feele that it doth tempt us to alienation we must then remember the charge given Levit. 19.17 which is not to suffer our hearts to hate him but give a vent unto our hearts by a plaine and discreet reproofe 2. We should be soundly settled in judgement that there are infirmities in the best though we know them not and so to looke for it as when they doe breake out we should shew our selves ready to beare their infirmities and forbeare them if they be meere frailties choosing rather to crosse our selves than to irritate or provoke them in their weakenesse Rom. 15.1 2. 3. If any brother trespasse against us we should shew our selves easie to be entreated and willing to practise the rule given by our Saviour even to forgive him if he offend unto seventy times seven times when he saith it repenteth him Mat. 18.21 4. If we have done any wrong we should make haste to be reconciled and seeke it with willing acknowledgement and readinesse to make satisfaction Mat. 5.23 24. Only we must remember about this doctrine of the love of the brethren that there are three caveats to be looked to 1. That we misplace not our affections upon false brethren for there are false brethren that will creepe in privily many times for corrupt ends Gal. 2.4 2 Thes. 3.13 2. That if any brother be scandalous or walke inordinately or will not be subject to the forme of doctrine and the publike ministerie then such a one is to be avoided only he must be admonished as a brother 2 Thes. 3.6 15. 3. Servants are charged to looke to it that they be obedient and subject notwithstanding this doctrine that their Masters are brethren 1 Tim. 6.1 Pitifull The word rendered Pitifull in the Originall signifies rightly bowelled or such as have true or right bowels and so it is to be referred to mercy and is more than other Scriptures expresse when they require bowels of mercy for here it is required that these bowels be right In Mat. 25. men are sentenced to condemnation for not shewing mercie In other Scriptures it is shewed that though they doe shew mercy yet if some things be not looked to it will not be accepted as Miâ—h 6.8 there is required not only mercy but the love of mercy and Mat 6. the Pharisees did workes of mercy and yet our Saviour finds fault with them because they were done to be seene of men and in 1 Cor. 13.2 the Apostle saith If a man give all that he hath to the poore and want love it is nothing So here the Apostle requires not mercy only but that their bowels be right in mercy and about this rule therefore two things are to be explicated 1. What bowels of mercy means 2. What right bowels imports For the first Bowels of mercy imports 1. Truth in shewing mercy that it be not in ceremony or word only but in deed that the heart shew mercy as well as the tongue 2. Love that our mercy proceed from hearty and Christian affection to the partie 1 Cor. 13.2 not of constraint nor with wicked thoughts or griefe of heart Deut. 7.7 8. to 12. 3. Tendernesse of affection that we be affected as if our selves were in want Rom. 12.16 4. Cheerefulnesse in expressing our mercy to such as are in misery who are sometimes as much refreshed with the respect we shew to their persons as with the supply we bring to their estates Men in misery should be comforted as well as relieved 5. The practice of secret mercy as well as open even to thinke of them and provide for them and to provoke others to mercy and to pray for them when they know not of it even when wee are gone from them still to shew them mercy For the second our Bowells are right in shewing mercy 1. If we be prepared unto such good works and so both our eares should be prepared that they may be open to the cry of the poore Prov. 21.13 and the matter of mercy should be made ready And to this purpose it were an excellent course if Christians would lay up weekly a part of their gettings which they would consecrate to God that it might be ready when there were need 1 Cor. 16.1 2. and further if we be as God is mindfull of mercy and doe exercise it speedily without delay Prov. 3.27 28. 2. If we looke not for too much beholdingnesse from them that are relieved The rich must not rule over the poore nor the borrower become a servant to the lender Prov. 22 7. 3. If we have a good eye Pro. 22.9 and shew it by dispensing of our mercy to such as have most need and to such as are best affected in religion if there be choise 4. If wee doe workes of mercy out of goods well gotten for God hates robbery though it were for burnt offerings Esay 61.8 5. If it bee for right ends as not for merit or the praise of men Mat. 6. 2 Cor. 9.19 6. If we be full of mercy rich in mercy much in mercy abundant in mercy not onely to our power but sometimes and in some cases beyond our power Wee must open our hands wide Deut. 15.8.1 Tim. 6.18 2 Cor. 8.2 9. good measure and pressed downe Luk. 6.8 if we give not sparingly 7. If we be discreet so to ease others as we burthen not our selves 2 Cor. 9.14 15. 8. If we exercise our selves in every kind of mercy both spirituall and corporall in giving lending visiting clothing feeding instructing admonishing comforting c. 9. If we be constant and not grow wearie of well-doing Gal. 6. The use may be first for reproofe and confutation of divers sorts of men 1. Of the Papists that brag of their good workes in this kind to whom it may be granted that they shew workes of mercy and perhaps have bowels of mercy but they are not right bowels both because with the Pharisees they doe their works to bee seene of men and with opinion of justification and salvation by the merit of their workes and besides though they shew compassion to the bodies of men yet are they without all true compassion to the soules of men 2 Of the house keeping of many Protestants that brag of their great Hospitalitie and good house keeping when their entertainment is either spent upon the rich or else in the profane abuse of the good creatures of God by drunkennesse or else in the entertainment of disordered and lewd persons 3. Of the great neglect of mercy in the most men that either shew not mercy at all or not bowels of mercy or not according to the rules given before especially such as hide themselves from the poore Esay 58.7 and use shifts and excuses to avoide such supplies as are necessary for the furtherance of the reliefe for the poore in such places as
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
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
thereof 235 236 Signes ibid. c. Guile Vide Deceit Hypocrisie The words acceptation 205 Why and how to be avoided 206 The miserie of Guilefull persons ibid. Of secret Guile 207 Signes of a man without Guile 209 Guile in words many wayes so in Hypocrisie 525 H HArdnesse Hardnesse of heart seemed to be fâ—lt more after assurance than before 113 Healing Wherein Christs Healing excels for our comfort 550 That we are all healed by Christs stripes 551 What we must doe to be healed by Christ 550 The bodies of all men by nature need Healing 552 Christ is a Physician as well for the body as the soule 553 Rules for such as desire to Heale their bodily griefes 554 Heart Adorned with eight graces maketh it acceptable to God 17 Eleven things in which a sanctified Heart rejoyceth ibid. Three speciall signes of a new Heart 415 What the hid man of the Heart is 607 Wherein it excells the outward man 608 By what meanes it may be mended 609 How to know when it is right ibid. Eight things to be done for getting a cleane heart 175 How our Hearts are purified in obeying the truth 176 Heaven Where and what wiâ—â— its excellencie above all other plâ—â—â—s 41 The glory of Heaven â—â—llâ—d grace in three respects 110 111 Heavinesse Foure sorts of Heavinesse 56 Heires How godly men become Heires 645 How they must behave themselves 648 Godly men and women are Heires together many wayes 688 Holy Ghost The Spirit why called the Holy Ghost 93 He is a Person distinct from Father and Son 94 Whether its mission doth signifie any inequalitie 95 Holinesse Foure sorts of Holinesse 122 God Holy three wayes ibid. Helpes with motives thereto 123 Christians are Holy many wayes 322 Rules for the right ordering of a Holy conversation 323 Inward Holinesse wherein it consists 174 175 Honest. Honestie What it signifies 388 Sixe things which make and manifest an Honest conversation 389 An Honest conversation is the way either to convince or convert the Gentiles 392 Honour How Christ is an Honour to us 292 By what wayes we may expresse our Honour to men 477 How we must honour the King 483 Hony The Word for sweetnesse compared to Hony 240 The excellent uses of it ibid. Hope The differences betweene a living and a dead Hope 36 Nine wayes to shew our Hope 108 Five things to be done to get assured Hope 108 109 The difference betweene Faith and Hope 160 161 Houshold Housholders Vide Familie Humble Humblenesse Humblenesse of mind hath sixe things in it 16 Humblenesse is shewed in three things 330 Husband For Husband and Wife to live together quietly there are sixteen motives 576 Five speciall causes of disorder betweene man and wife 577 Motives to make Husbands carefull of their duties 633 Their cohabitation 634 In what cases they may be absent 635 He must dwell with her in knowledge 637 How they honour their wives 641 Hypocrisie How many wayes men commit it 210 Motives against it with effects of it ibid. c. Excellent uses hereof 211 The sorts of Hypocrisie that we are most in danger of 212 Preservatives against it ibid. Hypocrites How an open Hypocrite may be discerned 213 What makes an Hypocrite and how a man may know himselfe not to be one ibid. c. Hypocrites in bondage whilst they seeme Freemen 471 Eight things for the discoverie of Hypocrites 177 I IGnorance The unregenerate charged with Ignorance 116 Signes of their Ignorance 117 How different from the Ignorance of the godly ibid. It is hatefull to be Ignorant in spirituall things 457 A hard thing to cure Ignorance 463 464 Imitation We must imitate God 118 Five things in which we are not to imitate Christ 328 Immortalitie Foure degrees of it 186 Incorruptible Seven things which are Incorruptible 611 Incorruptible things doe wonderfully adorne 612 Grace begotten in the hearts of the godly is Incorruptible in divers respects 188 Indifferent Things â—Indifferent in matters of religion though somâ—times inconvenient may be commanded and must be obeyed 434 Pretended inconveniences by humane lawes surveyed 435 About taking and giving of scandall at humane ceremonies 436 How Christian libertie is made a cloake of maliciousnesse in things indifferent 472 In thongs indifferent there be cases wherein Christian libertie is vilely abused ibid. Inheritance How the Saints inheritance is incorruptible even in foure respects 39 Undefiled in five respects ibid. Inventions Whether any Inventions of men may be obeyed 433 A catalogue of such Inventions as were used for religious ends without any commandement 434 Joy A Christian life is a joyfull life manifested in nine things 54 Gods servants may joy nine wayes ibid. How that their joy is preserved 55 How full his joy may be in earthly things 56 Sixâ— kinds of joy 72 Five kinds of divelish joy ibid. Eight signes of discerning the joy of the holy Ghost from all other joyes 73 Whether the joyes of the holy Ghost be felt of every Christian 74 What we must do to get the joy of God ib. How to preserve that joy ibid. The differences betweene joy temporarie and true joy 188 Judge God is a terrible Iudge to the wicked 529 He judgeth righteously 530 Judgement The day of judgement why called The last day 52 Why deferred ibid. Why the Day of judgement is called The Revelation of Iesus Christ 111 Of the last judgement and the certainty thereof 128 All must appeare at the day of judgement 129 We shall be judged according to our workes iibid How infants can be judged according to their workes 130 Iudgements inflicted on some particular offenders belong to all for divers reasons 301 K KIll Repentance for sin doth in divers respects kill a man 538 Kings Differences betweene spirituall and earthly Kings 319 Christians should live like Kings 320 King is a note of the highest dignitie on earth 440 The originall of Kings 441 The excellencie of Kings above others 442 Many encouragements to Subjects to beare Kings superioritie ibid. Kings must be honoured first in heart secondly in word thirdly in worke 483 Kin Vide Generation Onely good Christians are of the best kin 317 The uses of it ibid. They are of Royall kin and that in many respects 318 629 Knowledge The excellencie of divine Knowledge in many respects 637 It is required of all sorts of men 638 It is given for use and practice ibid. It ought to have a commanding power ibid. Meanes to give power to our knowledge ibid. c. It makes an impression in every mans life 639 In it men should excell women ibid. What it is for the husband to dwell with the wife in knowledge 640 Knowledge must have three properties and effects of it 652 653 L LAmb. Christ a Lamb in sixe respects 147 The Lambes in the ceremoniall law types of Christ ibid. c. The uses of it 148 Libertie Vide Freedome Christian Libertie is a great gift bestowed by Christ 466 A man may use his Libertie as a
called 272 Wherein it exceeds all other writings ibid. Servants Service How we are to serve God 473 Who are rejected from the number of Gods Servants 474 It is an excellent freedome to be a Servant of God 475 Their prerogatives ibid. Servants are of divers sorts 486 For what cause Servitude came in ibid. How a godly Servant may comfort himselfe in his estate 488 They must be subject three wayes 490 Helps in their subjection ibid. They are to shew their feare of God in their callings 492 Their feare towards their Masters shewed divers wayes 493 Sheep Signes of a lost Sheep 557 Hopes of returning 558 Motives to returne 559 The time when the number and meanes 560 The maner and signes of returning 561 The lets 562 Shepherd What attributes are given to Christ as a Shepherd 563 564 He is the one true great and good Shepherd 564 The happinesse of such as live under this Shepherd appeares in ten things 565 Shew Seven wayes whereby we may offend by outward Shewes 333 Motives to the Shew of vertue 334 Sicknesse Vide Healing How it comes into the soule 548 The Sicknesse of the soule grievous many wayes 549 Why many feele not the Sicknesse of the soule ibid. Silence To put to Silence is diversly accepted 455 Sin Sixe wayes by which one mans Sin is derived on another 141 How many wayes Sin hinders the growth of the word 200 A man may be said to make Sin many wayes 522 523 How Christ had no Sin 524 Inwhat respect Christ bare our Sins 531 His sufferings fitted to our Sins 532 Men are said to be alive in Sin many wayes 535 Their miserie great that so doe ibid. Sinner To be a worker of Iniquitie what and three wayes manifested 397 Sion The Church is like Mount Sion in many respects 276 How the Citizens of this City may be knowne 277 Their speciall priviledges 279 Sober Sobrietie A fixefold Sobrietie 104 Sojourners Vide Saints and Strangers 4 5 132 Soule What it is 76 Soule taken many wayes 367 Its description ibid. Seven things considerable in it ibid. c. It is a substance but not bodily 368 It is immortall 369 Its originall 371 Anima non est ex traduce 372 God creates the Soule 373 374 Objections against it answered 374 375 Of the union of the Soule with the body 376 Shewed by many similies 377 By what band the Soule is bound to the body ibid. The faculties of the Soule 378 Its five senses 379 The inward senses three 380 The Soule gives to the body a threefold motion 311 The facultie of reason in the Soule and wherein it excells 382 The end of its creation 383 Foure kinds of warre against the Soule 384 The Flesh wars against the Soule five wayes ibid. How the Soule comes to be diseased 548 The sicknesse of the Soule grievous many wayes 149 Many feele it not ibid. The Soule synechdochically signifieth the whole man 17â— Speaking Vide Evill-speaking and Report Spirit What need our Spiritâ— have to be sanctified â—5 In what its sanctification consisteth ibid. Eight things belong thereto 16 Why the Spirit is called the Holy Ghost 93 Why the Holy Spirit ibid. Sprinkling The meaning of that ceremonie of Sprinkling Christs bloud 22 A fourefold legall Sprinkling 22 23 c. The manifold passages of Sprinkling the Passeover opened 25 26 Statutes God hath foure Statute books 149 Foure praises of those Statutes ibid. Stone How Christ is said to be first a Stone secondly a living Stone 249 250 This Stone disallowed how and by whom 251 252 Wicked men compared to Stones in many respects 258 So the godly also ibid. Reasons why we ought to be lively Stones 259 That Christ is laid as a foundation Stone imports many things 276 A corner Stone 282 Elect and precious ibid. Strangers Who and why man is a Stranger even in five respects 3 4 The Elect are Strangers 4 And in foureteene things they should be like Strangers 4 5 The word Stranger literally and mystically taken 132 Prettie allusions from Israels being in Egypt 132 c. We should carry our selves as Strangers 364 Submission The Submission which belongs to Princes and Magistrates hath sixe things in it 425 Objections against this Submission answered 427 Suffer The markes of such as truely suffer with Christ 315 Divers wayes of Suffering 514 Christ Suffered for us in divers respects 517 518 His Sufferings were for our examples 519 Ten things to be followed by the examples of Christs Sufferings 521 Christs Sufferings 〈…〉 532 He suffered in his body and soule 533 Why he suffered on a tree 534 T TAbernacle Christ hath a fivefold Tabernacle 261 A godly man like a Tabernacle in many respects 262 Excellent uses hereof 263 Taste What will bring us unto a good Taste of Gods goodnesse 239 240 Our true Taste is seene both by the causes and effects 241 Wherein the Taste of the godly and wicked differ 242 How far the Taste of the wicked may goe 243 The uses of it 243 244 We can have but a Taste of Gods sweetnesse in this life 244 The uses of it ibid. The true causes of the want of Taste to the Word 245 When we have tasted of it we must not lose our Appetite 246 Temptation Foure sorts of it 57 Sathan tempts five wayes 58 Thirteene degrees of it ibid. c. How Sathans Temptations differ from our owne concupiscence 59 60 Comforts against Temptation 60 Twelve rules in Temptation 61 God tempts man sixe wayes 62 Seven wayes in affliction 62 63 Testimonie The Scripture is our sure Testimonie and thence how our Testaments are to be fetcht 124 125 Time Times Foure sorts of men have enquired about Times 1. The curious 2. The weake 3. The superstitious 4. The wise 83 Tradition The word is taken five waies 89 90 How many wayes children are infected by the Tradition of their fathers 142 Why those Traditions should be so infectious ibid. c. Trust. Five things pertaining to a perfect Trust 105 Nine wayes to shew our Trust 108 Truth What it is 175 What it is to obey the Truth how 176 V VAine-glory Wherein it is seene 512 Verily The word oft used in Scripture and that for three speciall causes 150 151 How many wayes we shew forth the Verilies of Christ 332 333 Why the Verilies that are in us are called Christs Verilies 334 Vertue How the word is taken in the Originall 327 Nine Vertues in Christ which we should shew forth 329 Vertue and Grace are a Christians best riches 618 Vessell The word Vessell diversly taken 642 Visit Visitation Men are said to visit diversly 412 So God also ibid. c. First in judgement 413 Secondly in mercy 414 Signes of such as he visits in mercy 415 What glorious things the day of Visitation brings forth 419 Uncleannesse Two waies contracted 25 Unitie Of Unitie in mind or judgement 674 675 Helpes thereto 676 Aggravations against discord in opinion 677 Many ill causes of
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