8 29. The Devils acknowledge that Christ was to destroy them they understood so much in the Sacred predictions but withal hope it was not yet the time for that execution and in the mean while counted it a kind of destruction and torment to them to be cast out or retrenched of any of their power which they had over the bodies or souls of men III. Rom. 4. 22. It was imputed or counted to him for Righteousness i. e. God took this for such an expression of Abrahams faithfulness and sincerity and true piety that he accepted him as a righteous person tho no doubt he had many infirmities and sins which he was or had been guilty of in his life unreconcilable which perfect righteousness The second Meeting A. I. 2. COr 13. 5. Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you among you as Ex. 17. 7. except you be reprobates The words may be best resolved into a question and an answer Know you not discern you not your selves by the miracles and preaching the demonstration of the Spirit and of power that Christ Jesus that is the power of the Gospel is come amongst you this by the context appears to be the meaning And then the Answer except ye be reprobates i. e. ye are obdurate insensate creatures unless you do know it II. Rom. 5 3 4 5. Tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not a shamed Here the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render experience Signifies being approved upon a tryal and the sense runs thus Tribulation is a season and a means to work patience and that patience to produce approbation as of one that is tryed in the fire and hath past the test and this a means to work an hope or expectation of reward and that hope will keep from being ashamed of those sufferings and make us rather rejoyce in them as in benign auspicious signes that in another world there is a reward for the righteous So Rom. 12. 12. rejoycing in hope and patient in tribulation are joyn'd togeher III. 1 Joh. 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him on him relying on his mercy purifieth himself By this you shall know a Christian hope from all other The Hypocrite or Carnal man hopes and is the wickeder for hoping he fears nothing and so discerns not the necessity of mending The best way to reform such a one is to rob him of his ungrounded hope But this hope of seeing God being grounded on the Conditional promises and the conditions being purity and holiness 2 Cor. 7. 1. sets presently to the performance of the conditions B. I. MAtth. 22. 37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul with all thy mind and with all thy strength The heart seemeth to signifie the affections the Soul the will or elective faculty the mind the understanding or rational faculty and the strength the powers of the body for action All four together make up the whole man and the word all is affixt to each not to exclude all other things from any inferior part of your love but only from an equal or superior love to exclude a partial or a half-love II. Jam. 5. 16. Confess your faults one to another The context seems very probably to mean the presbyters for they are to be called v. 14. And for the cure of sin it will sure be very profitable to advise with the Physicians of the Soul to which end alone the disclosing of the particular estate is more then profitable And this may tend much to your comfort when the Minister of God upon a strict survey of your former life and your present repentance passes judgment on you better than you can do on your self III. 1. John 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin i. e. doth not live in sin as in a trade or course for his seed remaineth in him there is in the regenerate a new principle or seed of life a cognation with God which whilst it continues keeps out sin and he cannot sin in such manner because he is born of God or if he do sin thus he is no longer a child of God or a regenerate person So we say An honest man cannot do this not affirming an impossibility but that his principles of honesty will not suffer him to do it or if he do it he is no longer to be counted an honest man C. I. GAl. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit c. By the spirit it meant the seed of Grace planted in the heart by God as a principle of new life or the mind and upper Soul elevated yet higher by that supernatural principle By the flesh is meant the carnal appetite still remaining in the most regenerate during this life The lusting of one against the other is their contrariety that whatsoever one likes the other dislikes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that you do not the things ye would this contrariety gives you trouble that whatsoever ye do on either side you do it not quietly but with resistance In this opposition we must be sure that the flesh do not carry it against the Spirit i. e. do not get the consent of the will to it For he that fulfils the lust's of the flesh walkes not in the Spirit and consequently is not in a regenerate estate II. Matth. 16. 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himself Self denial is to renounce whatsoever comes at any time in competition with Christ namely all opinion of my own abilities towards the attaining of any supernatural end not depending upon any righteousness of my own for Salvation but only the free mercy of God in Christ not imputing unto me sin All unlawful desires of the flesh and even lawful liberty my reputation my estate and life if selfe when either Christ must be parted with or these By taking up the Cross in the following words is meant bearing of Affliction patiently and chearfully III. Phil. 1 29. To you it is given i. e. It is granted as a grace and Vouchsafement of Gods special favour to suffer far Christ and that grace is designed to reform what is amiss and to punish here that there may be nothing of evil left for another world Wherefore we are bound not only to patience but thankfulness also in our Afflictions The third Meeting A. I. 1. COr 2. 9. Eye haâ—h not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God haâ—h prepared for tbem that love him The true superlative delights even to flesh and blood that are in Sanctity and the practice of Christian Virtues beyond all that any sensual pleasure affords are so great that when they are exprest by the Apostle in these words they are ordinarily mistaken for the description of Heaven II Rom. 7. 23. I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind
This war is the perswasion of sin or carnal objects on the one side and the law of God on the other commanding the contrary In this Combat the person which hath not the grace of Christ to sustain him will by his carnal appetite be led to do those things which the Law tells him he should not do which if he do and continue in them this condition you will have no colour of reason to mistake for a regenerate estate The serving of sin or Captivity to the law of sin is all one with the reigning of sin a sure token of the unregenerate III. Prov. 28. 13. Who so confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy forsaketh i. e. in hearty sincere resolution abandons the sins of the old man shall have mercy and none but he God will not pardon till we in heart reform and amend They that say our sins are pardoned before we convert to God and resolve new life are in a dangerous error which is in effect to exclude Justification by faith that first grace of receiving Christ and resigning our hearts up to him and must be in order of nature precedent to our Justification or pardon of sin or else can be neither instrument nor condition of it B. I. ROm. 12. 20. Thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head That 's the way that Metallists use to melt those things that will not be wrought on by putting fire under them So if you heap kindnesses upon the head of your enemy the injurious person you may hope to melt him and make a friend of him which is the noble victory of a Christian to overcome evil with good II. Math. 5. 5. The meek shall inherit the Earth Literally the promise is all one with that annexed to the fifth Commandement A prosperous long life is ordinarily the meek mans portion which he that shall compare and observe the ordinary dispensations of Gods providence shall find to be most remarkably true especially if compared with the contrary fate of turbulent seditious persons This temporal reward can no way deprive him of the eternal The earth here is a real inheritance below and a pawn of another above III. Matth 5. 39. Resist not evil or the injurious evil man We Christians must beare small supportable injuries without hurting again or so much as prosecuting and impleading the injurious person In weightier and more considerable matters tho we may use means to defend ourselves and to get legal reparations for our losses yet even it those the giving way to revengeful desires is utterly unlawful C. I. MAtth. 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect Instead of which St. Luke hath Be ye merciful Whence you may note this Mercy or Almes or Benignity to enemies to be the highest degree of Christian perfection II. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him This place seems to require all to be set apart that comes in by way of gain for t is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever It was it seems a peculiar case at that time for relieving the poor Christians at Jerusalem However hence may every rich man or thriving man every one that hath either constant revenue or gainful Trade learn to lay by him such or such a proportion for charitable purposes that it may be ready for such occasions as God shall offer to them III. Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works There is a great difference between doing our good works so that men may see them and doing them to be seen of men and again between doing them that men may glorifie our Heavenly Father and that we may have glory of men The former is only a charitable care that your good actions may be exemplary to others the latter is a desire that they may be matter of Reputation to our selves Which reputation if we aim at that shall be our only reward instead of that which otherwise God would give Such is the folly and unhappiness of this sin of vain-glory The Fourth Meeting A. I. MAtth. 6. 17. When thou fastest anoynt thy head and wash thy face As for thy outward guise appear in thy ordinary countenance and habit the Jews were wont to anoynt themselves daily unless in time of mourning that thou appear not to men to fast that no man out of thy Family be witness of thy private Fasts but to thy Father which is in heaven that thou maist appear desirous to approve thy self to him only who only is able to reward thee II. Luke 6. 30. From him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that receiveth by way of loan any of thy Goods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 require no usury according to the notion of that word in the Text. Which being joyned with give to every man that asketh of thee denoteth a work of mercy as indeed lending is a prime way of mercy The good man is merciful and lendeth Now ordinary prudence will interpret the words so that if a Covetous rich man ask of you you are not bound to give to him but only to him whose wants sets him on asking and so the prohibition to exact or require use of him that borrows belongs not to the poor or mean Creditor when a rich man borrows of him but only when the rich lends to the poor man to whom a free loan is a seasonable mercy III. Act. 2. 46. Breaking Bread from house to house margin at home 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some house or Room as the upper room Act. 1. 13. assigned and separated from all other to that peculiar use to be the place of Christian Assembly it being by the Jews permitted them to pray in the temple but not to break bread or administer the Sacrament v. 47. having favour with all the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having or exercising charity whereby is intimated that offertory which was then and ever since used constantly in the Church of Christ at the receiving of that Sacrament and by the phrase all the people is signified the liberality of those offerings and the impartiality of distribution B. I. 1 COr 6. 10. Drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vinosi vinolenti from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong or sweet wine The word is not to be restrained to those who drink to bestiality to the depriveing of themselves of the use of their reason but belongs to all that drink wine or strong drink intemperately tho through their strength of brain they be not at present distempered by it II. Act. 2. 31. His soul was not left in hell The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render hell may signifie the common state of the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living Soul or that faculty by which we live and the not leaving this in that is
and incongruity B. I. LUk 16. Is it necessary to be rich Be-hold Dives in hell and Lazarus in Abrahams bosom Is it necessary to be noble Not many noble are chosen Is it necessary to be learned Where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this World 1 Cor. 1. II. Psal 72. 18. When we say He only can do wondrous works When in all humility we acknowledge that he can do more than we can think that he can uphold us when we are ready to fall enrich us in our poverty strengthen us in weakness supply us with all necessary means and encouragements in this race when we believe and relye on it that he can tread down all our enemies and bind Satan in chains that he is able to immortalize our flesh to raise us out of the dust and set us in heavenly places we need not set our Songs and Hallelujahs to a higher note III. Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son c. He that giveth his Son will also give salvation And he that giveth salvation will give all things that may work it out It is impossible it should be otherwise Christ cometh not naked but clothed with blessings He cometh not empty but with the riches of Heaven the treasures of wisdom and happiness Christ cometh not alone but with troops of Angels with glorious promises and blessings Nay to make it unanswerable It is his nakedness that clotheth us his poverty that enricheth us his no reputation that enobleth us his minoâ—ation that maketh us great and his exmanition and emptying of himself that filleth us and his being delivered for us delivereth to us the possession of all things C. I. JOh. 3. 16. So God loved the world c. Must the Son of God be delivered Love sendeth him down Charitas de caelo demisit Christum It was love that bowed the heavens when he descended Must he suffer Love nailed him to the cross and no power could do it but love Must he be sacrificed Love calleth it a baptism and is strâ—itned till the sacrifice be slain Must he dye Must the. Son of God dye Love calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his perfection Heb. 2. 10. II. Mark 14. 36. The bitter ingredients so filled up his Cup that he made it his Prayer to have it taken out of his hand The consideration of which truth induced some to conceive that sense of pain had so weakned his intellectual faculties that he forgot himself Non fuit haec meditata Christi oratio Calv But we may truely say Non fuit haec interpretis meditata oratio that would leave Wisdome it self without the use of it No question it was the language of a bleeding heart and the resultance of grief There was no disorder no fullenness in it III. Matth. â—6 39. He prayed Let this Cup pass from me But that was not as some think the Cup of his Cross and Passion but the Cup of his agony And in that prayer it is plain he was heard For there appeared an Angel unto him from heaven to strengthen him Luk. 22. 43. The Nineteenth Meeting A. I. MAtth. 27. 46. Why hast thou forsaken me God in a manner forsook him restrained his influence denied relief withdrew comfort stood as it were a far off and let him fight it out unto death II. Tit. 3. 4. We must seek the true cause in the bosome of the Father nay in the bowels of his Son and there see why he was delivered for us written in his heart It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of God to mankind Delexisti me Domine plusquam te quando mori voluisti pro me August Such a high esteem did he set upon a Soul which we scarce honour with a thought but so live as if we had none III. Esai 53. 5. He was wounded for our trangressions Our sins nailed him to the cross which not only crucified him in his humility but crucifie him still in his glory now he sitteth at the right hand of God put him to shame to the end of the world Falso de Judaeis querimur Why complain we of the Jewes malice or Judas's treason or Pilat's injustice We we are they who crucified the Lord of Life Our treachery was the Judas which betray'd him Our malice the Jews which accus'd him Our perjury the false witness against him Our injustice the Pilat that condemn'd him Our pride scorn'd him Our envy grinned at him Our luxury spate upon him Our Coveteousness sold him B. I. ROm. 8. 32. For us all All not considered as elect or reprobate but as men as sinners â—or that name will take in all for all have sinned some turn all into few make the World not the world and whosoever not whosoever but some certain men dedâ—ct whom they please out of all people nations and out of Christendome it self leave some few with Christ upon the Cross whose persons he beareth whom they call the elect and mean themselves II. Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the World i. e. the Elect say they They are the World where it is hard to find them for they are called out of it And the best light we have which is the Scripture discovereth them not unto us in that place If the Elect be the World which God so loved then they are such Elect as may not believe such elect as may perish and whom God will have perish if they do not believe It is true none have benefit of Christ's death but the elect but from hence it doth not follow that none might have had III. 1 Tim 4. 10. God is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe All if they believe and repent and those who are Obedient to the Gospel because they do The blood of Christ is poured forth on the Believer and with it he sprinkleth his heart and is saved the Wicked trample it under their feet and perish C. I. 2 PEt. 3. 9. God would not that any should perish In this all agree both hold up the priviledge of a believer and leave the rod of the Stubborn impenitent to fall upon him The death of Christ is not applyed to all say some It is not for all say others The Virtue of Christ's meritorious passion is not made use of by all say some It was never intended that it should say others The event is the same For if it be not made use of and applyed it is as if it were not as if it had never been obtained II. Joh. 3. 19. This is the condemnation that light came into the world c. The Indians live at the very rising of the Sun yet their bodies are black and swarthy and resemble the night So many there be who live in the very region of light where the beams fall upon them hot and pure and are darted at their very eyes and yet they remain the Children of darkness Facit infidelitas multorum ut Christus non pro
ye be baptized c. It is not absolutely necessary to be baptiz'd but it is necessary to cleanse our selves from sin S. Augustin thought not to be baptized was to be damned and therefore was forced to create a new hell and to find out mitem damnationem more fit as he thought for the tenderness of Infants II. Matth. 12. 34. The moral man that keepeth the Commandments is not far from the kingdome of God and he that is a Christian and buildeth up his morality and justice and mercy upon his Faith in Christ shall enter in and have a mansion there when speculative and Seraphic Hypocrites shall be shut out doors III. Luk. 16. 25. Thou bast received thy good things Saith Abraham to Dives good things but thine such as thy lusts esteemed so thy good things and such good things as have helpt to hurry thee to this place of torment The five and Twentieth Meeting A. I. PSal 24. 1. The World is the Lords and the world is the Souls and all that therein is And to behold the â—reature and in the world as in a book to study and find out the Creator to contemplate his Majesty his goodness his wisdome and to discover that happiness which is prepared for it this is the proper act of the soul for which it was made this this alone was proportion'd to it II. 2 Tim. 1. 13. The form of Sound words Erasmus Praef ad Hieron will tell us that Religion was never more sincere and incorrupt than when they used but one Creed and that a short one III. Isai 13. 3. Let us not seek our peace in false and deceitful but in true and real goods such as fill and satisfie here let us let down our pitchers and draw Waters out of this well of Salvation even those waters which wil sweeten our miseries and give a pleasant tast to bitterness it self B. I. EPh. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest in Sloth and idleness thou that sleepest in a tempest in the midst of thy unruly and turbulent passions arise from thy grave and sepulcher wherein thy sloth hath intombed thee where so many vitious habits have shut thee up Christ shall give thee light if not to know the uncertain yet certain ways of Gods providence yet to know the certain and infallible way to bliss II. Psal 100. 3. It is he that hath made us not we our selves And he made us to this end to his glory to be united to himsef to bow under his power to be conformed to his will and so to gain a title to that happiness which is ready to meet them that run unto it by doing what he requireth at their hands III. Psal 139. 14. I am fearfully and wonderfully made saith David marvellously made excellently made set a part selected from all the other Creatures My members were curiously wrought drawn as with a needle so the word signifies embroidered with all variety as with divers Colours every part fitted for its use C. I. ROm. 3. 13. He doth not say All must sin but All have sinned For both the Gentiles might have kept the Law of nature and were punisht because they did not as it is plain Rom. 1. and the Jews might have kept that law which was given to them as far as God requir'd it David Asa Josias kept the Law so far as that God was pleas'd to accept it as a full payment Augustin It is in our power to do what God requireth cum Dei adjutorio by the help of Grace II. Matth. 11. 30. My yoke is easie saith our Saviour and my burden is light For it is fitted to our necks and shoulders and it is so far from taking from our nature or pressing it with violence that it exalteth and perfecteth it There is love and hope to sweeten them and make them easie and pleasant III. 1 Cor. 2. 15. Wicked men if an eye of flesh may judge are the greatest favourits of God But the spiritual man judgeth all things and to his eye they are but a sad and ruful spectacle as condemned men led with musick to execution The six and Twentieth Meeting A. I. GAl. 6. 12. We are as so many looking glasses which present the actions of men in power back upon themselves doing in all as they do and all to gain our peace or lest we should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ The denial of our own will is not a thing of such difficulty as it is thought We may do that for Gods cause which we do for our own II. Eph. 4. 25. Wherefore cast off lying c. The reason follows For we are members one of another Thou art a part of him and he is a part of thee being both hewn out of the same rock formed and shaped of the same mold Therefore by lying to thy be other thou puttest a cheat upon thy self and as far as in thee lyeth upon that God that made you both gave you tongues not to ly but to instruct and wits not to decieve but counsel and help one another III. Matth. 10. 3. Beware of men A strange caution it is from him who so loved men that he dyed for them Beware of men transformed and Brutified That smiling friend may be a tempter he that calleth himself a Saint may be a seducer his oyly tongue may wound thee and his embrace crush thee to pieces B. I. MAtth. 7. 12. This is the Law and the Prophets Upon this Law of Nature depend the Law and the Prophets Or this is the sum of all which the Law and the Prophets have taught to wit concerning justice and honesty and those mutual offices and duties of men to men II. Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the substance and expectation of a future and better condition but we do not use to expect a thing and have no eye upon the means of attaining it Can we expect to fly without wings or go a journey without feet No more can we hope ever to enter those heavens wherein dwelleth righteousness without righteousness III. Mar. 7. 11. The Pharisees taught Children to say to their Eather and Mother Corban which is not a Curse as some have imagined but their craâ—t and policy to teach children which were offended with their parents to consecrate their wealth to the Treasury that so they might avoid that other Law which bound them to supply their parents in want and distress C. I. ROm. 13. 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day and not after those blind Guides the Love of our selves and the glory of the World which will lead us on pleasantly for a while and at last slip from us and leave us in the dark there to lament and curse the folly of our ways II. 1 Joh. 2. 11. He that hateth his brother walketh in darkness that he cannot see a man in a man nor a brother in a brother a man in the same shape and built up of the same materials a man of the
same passions with himself III. Psal 19. 2. Day unto Day teacheth knowledge and every act of piety is apt to promote and to produce a Second to beget more light which may yet lead us further from truth to truth till at last we be brought to that happy estate which hath no shadow of falshood The seven and Twentieth Meeting A. I. 2 TIm 3. 5. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof As virtes other fruit-trees bear the less fruit â—hen they are suffered to luxuriate speâ—d their sap upon superfluous suckerâ— and abundance of leaves so commonly we may observe both in civil conversation where there is great store of formality there is little sincerity and in Religion where there is a decay of true and cordial piety there men entertain and please themselves with external formalities and performances II. Joh. 14. 15. If ye Love me keep my commandments This is not the office of a friend to bewail a dead friend with vain lamenations sed quae voluerit meminisse quae mandaverit exsequi to remember what he desires and execute what he cammands so â—â—id a dying Roman to his friend And so saith our Saviour to us To love him is not to profess kindness but to perform Obedience to â—im III. 1 Joh. 3. 17. He that shutteth up his bowels c. He that keepeth from any brother in Christ that which his brother wants and he wants not doth but vainly think that he loves God and therefore vainly hope that God loves him B. I. MAtth. 18. 3. Except ye become as little Children Christ requires of men humility like to that of little Children and that under the highest pain of damnation That is that we should no more over-value our selves or desire to be highly esteemed by others no more under-value scorn or despise others no more affect pre-eminence overs others than little Children do before we have put that pride into them which afterward we charge wholly upon their naturaâ— Corruption II. Matth. 3. 2. Repent for the Kingdome c. Much better because freer from ambiguity Amend your lives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That repentance to which remission of sinâ— and salvation is promised is perpetually expressed â— the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a througâ— change of the heart and soul of the life anâ— actions III. Duet 23. 9. When thou goest to wâ— with thine enemies then take heed there be no wicked thing in thee Not onely no wickedness in the cause thou maintainest nor no wickedness in the means by which thou maintainest it but no personal impieties in the persons that maintain it lest the goodness of their cause sink under the burthen of their sins C. â— LUk 24. 47. That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name The condition of the new Covenant to which remission of sins is promised is expressed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which if ye compare that in S. Matth. 28. teaching them to observe all you see that what our Saviour calls in one place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repentance that in the other he calls observing all that he hath commanded Which if Repentance were no more but sorrow for sin and intending to leave it certainly he neither could nor would have done II. Act. 20. 21. S. Paul profeiseth that the whole matter of his preaching was nothing else but Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ It is manifest in his Epistles he preaches and presses every where the necessity of Mortification Regeneration new and sincere Obedience all which are evidently not contained under the head of Faith and therefore it is evident he comprised all these under the head of Repentanâ—â— III. Heb. 6. 1. We shall do much right to this place and to that Act. 2â— and make them more clear and intelligible if instead of Repentance we should put conversion as it is in some of the best Latin translations and read conversion from dead works and conversion to God You see 't is more perspicuous and more natural The eight and Twentieth Meeting A I. MAtth. 3. 9. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit c. It is not then the leaves of a fair profession no nor the blossoms of good purposes and intentions but the fruit the fruit onely that can save us from the fire neither is it enough not to bear ill fruit unless we bring forth good II. Matth. 7. 26. Our Saviour after he had delivered his most divine precepts in his Sermon on the mount which Sermon contains the substance of the gospel closeth up all with saying He that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not and yet these were the hardest sayings that ever he said I will liken him to a foolish man which built his house upon the sand that is his hope of salvation upon a sandy and false ground III. Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christs have Crucified the flesh c. They then that have not done so not crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts let them be as sorrowful as they please let them intend what they please as yet are none of Christs And Good Lord What a multitude of Christians then are in the World that do not belong to Christ B. I. 1 JOh. 3. 3. He that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is pure The meaning is not with the same degree of purity for that 's impossible but with the same kind the same truth of purity He that doth not purifie himself may nay doth flatter himself and without warrant presume upon Gods favour but this hope he hath not III. The fool hath said in his heart c. i. e. Not so much perswadeth himself in secret that there is no God but rather expresseth so in his life or in his affections being a person of the same mould that are described Tit. 1. 16. They profess that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work void of judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignorant imprudent inconsiderate II. Luk. 7. 12. When they have heard then cometh the devil c. The Devil will give people leave freely to hear the word of God preached to study it to dispute it upon condition they resolve not to be the better for it in their lives He will suffer it to swim in the brain so that he may stop the passages to the heart It troubles him not to have the precious seed of the word entertained by a man so that it may be kept in granaries and not multiply in to a fruitful harvest C. I. 1 COr 13. 4 c. Here you may behold almost all the Vertues that can be named enwrapped in one Virtue of Charity and Love according to the several acts thereof changed and transform'd into so many several graces It suffereth long and so 't is Longanimity It is kind and so 't is Courtesie It