A COMMENTARY UPON THE THREE FIRST CHAPTERS OF THE FIRST EPISTLE general of St. PETER. WHEREIN ARE MOST JUDICIously and profitably handled such points of Doctrine as naturally flow from the TEXT. Together with very useful Application thereof: and many good Rules for a godly life. By NICHOLAS BYFIELD Preacher of God's Word at Isleworth in Middlesex. To which is now newly added an Alphabetical TABLE, not formerly published. 1 PET. 1.13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind: be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of jesus Christ. LONDON, Printed by MILES FLESHER and ROBERT YOUNG. MDCXXXVII. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND MOST noble Lady, the Lady LUCY Countess of Bedford: Grace and peace be multiplied. MADAM, BY reason of my Lord's absence, and your Honours, a great part of the year past, I have had more leisure, than I desired, and thereby opportunity to write out my notes on the first chapter of Peter, and not knowing which way to testify so fully as I ought, my observance, and duty to your Honour, or to satisfy the daily opportunity of many friends, I have adventured again to come under the Press, that so (receiving daily an increase of favours from your Honour,) I might thus publicly take occasion to profess my vows of service and thankfulness, beseeching your Honour to vouchsafe the acceptation, protection, and perusal of this abridgement of those Sermons, many of which your Honour hath been pleased to hear with great attention. As for the desire of many go●●y friends herein, I should not have been easily inclined to hearken to it (the world abounding with books even to loathing) but that in writings of this nature, and upon this Epistle, there is some want, and that I have received encouragement from the acceptation of my former labours, and that I know the matter herein contained is wholesome, and not unprofitable; and besides having suffered an involuntary vacation in my weekdays attendance in your Honour's family, and an extreme loss in the want of diverse of my chief bearers, I was resolved to try, whether I might be helpful to the Church of God abroad, by such an employment of myself in the hours I could spare from my study for the Lords day. My most humble request to your Honour is, that you would be pleased to grace these notes with the liberty to pass under the protection of your name, and favour; I should much rejoice, if the reading hereof, may make any supply of my intermitted service to your Honour, and your worthy family. The God of mercy and father of glory (that hath abounded towards your Honour, not only in the outward happiness of unstained nobility, greatness of means, and favour with the highest on our earth: but which is greatest of all, in the unsearchable riches of jesus Christ, in the largeness, and eminency of many singular gifts, and in abundance of all good works) make you perfect to do his will, and work in you an increase of all that is pleasing in his sight, that you may never lose, what you have wrought, but be kept without offence till the day of jesus Christ. Isleworth, july 1617. Your Honour's servant in things of jesus Christ to be commanded, N. BYFIELD. THE LOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE first Chapter of the first Epistle of ST. PETER. THis Chapter hath in it 2 things: 1. matter of salutation, verses 1, 2. 2. matter of doctrine, verse 3. to the end. In the salutation consider, 1. the person saluting, 2. the persons saluted. 3. the form of salutation. The person saluting is described, 1. By his proper name, Peter. 2. By his office, an Apostle, 3. By the author of his office, jesus Christ. The persons saluted are described, 1. By their outward estate. 2. By their spiritual estate. In their outward estate consider first, what it was: they were strangers dispersed here and there. 2. where it was, viz: through Pontus, Asia, Galatia, etc. For their spiritual estate, they were the Elect of God; and their Election is amplified: 1. By the foundation of it, the foreknowledge of God the Father. 2. By the means of execution of it, the sanctification of the Spirit. 3. By the ends of it, which are two: 1. the obedience of their lives. 2. the fruition of the benefits purchased by the blood of Christ, and applied by the sprinkling of his blood. The form of the salutation is in the end of the second verse: grace and peace be multiplied, etc. Thus much of the salutation: the doctrine of the Chapter follows, which contains both matter of consolation, & matter of exhortation. The consolation is from verse 3. to verse 13: where consider both the proposition of the consolation, verses 3, 4, 5. and the confirmation of it, verse 6. to 13. In the proposition consider first the manner of propounding it. 2. The arguments themselves. The manner of the proposition is, that it is expressed in form of thanksgiving, Blessed be the God and father of our Lord jesus Christ. The arguments are three. The first taken from their regeneration, verse 3. The second from their glorification, verse 4. The third from their preservation unto glory, verse 5. The consolation raised from their regeneration is amplified, 1. By the impulsive cause, the abundant mercy of God. 2. By the effect, viz: a lively hope. 3. By the cause of merit, or efficacy, viz: the resurrection of jesus Christ. The second argument is taken from our glorification, which is said to be the inheritance of the Saints which is amplified, 1. By the properties of it, which are three. For it is first incorruptible, 2. undefiled. 3. imma●cessible, it withereth not. Secondly, by the manner of their present interest; It is not now possessed, but laid up for them. Thirdly, by the place, where it lieth, and that is heaven. The third argument is taken from our preservation unto glory, verse 5: where consider, 1. the means of our preservation, which is both power in God, and faith in us. 2. The end, which is salvation, which is amplified by the things that go before it, viz: preparation and revelation, in these words prepared to be revealed▪ as also for the ●ime, when it shall be communicated, viz: in the last time. Thus of the proposition of the consolation: the confirmation follows, which is performed two ways. 1. By prolepsis, or the answer of objections, verse 6. to 10. 2. By the testimony of the Prophets, verses 10, 11, 12. First, the Apostle labours to confirm them against two objections. The first objection might be taken from their crosses, to which the Apostle gives answer, by yielding four reasons, why their manifold temptations should not dismay them. 1. Because they may have much joy in the midst of many crosses, verse 6. 2. Their heaviness is but for a season, verse 6. also. 3. They are not bound always to grieve at their crosses, but when need requires, verse 6. also. 4. Because their temptations do them good: for they try their faith, verse 7: this effect is both propounded, and amplified: propounded in those words, The trial of your faith: amplified, 1. by comparison with go●d tri●d in the f●rnace. 2. by the event; it will be found to praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of jesus Christ. The second objection might be made thus: We know not whether the former comforts belong to us; to which the Apostle answers by giving three signs, by which men may try themselves: 1. The love of Christ, whom they have not seen. 2. Believing. 3. The unspeakable and glorious joys of the Holy Ghost, verse 8. The end of all, which is, the salvation of their souls, verse 9 Thus of the Prolepsis: the testimony of holy men fo●●owes, where consider five things. 1. Wh●●e s●●i fie? In general, Prophets: In special, those Prophets, which were app●●●●ed to testify of the grace that should come unto us Christians. 2. 〈…〉 preciseness to furnish themselves for the knowledge of the things they testified; They searched & inquired diligently▪ 3. The question they studied, or unto which they testify: In general, 〈…〉 of salvation, verse 10. In special, it was of the manner, and time of the grace foretold. 4. The 〈…〉 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. 5. The success, and that is, that they were answered of God; where observe two things. 1. The manner of the giving the answer, it was by revelation; Unto whom it was revealed. 2. The matter of the answer, which concerns both Persons and Things. The persons are considered negatively, and so they were resolved, that they themselves were not the men, to whom those glories did belong: and affirmatively, that they did minister those things unto us Christians. Now the things promised are not only propounded, but commended: and that two ways. 1. By the glory of their efficient causes, which were less principal, the Apostles: and more principal, the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. 2. By the adjunct respect of the Angels, which things the Angels desire to look into. Hitherto of the consolation. The exhortation follows from ver. 13. to the end, where observe: 1. The things, unto which they are exhorted, verse 13. 2. The reasons, by which the exhortation is enforced. The things to which he doth exhort are three: 1. The first concerns the renovation of the mind, Gird up the loins of your mind. 2. The second concerns the moderation of life, be sober. 3. The third concerns the confirmation of their hope, Trust perfectly upon the grace to be brought &c. ver. 13. The reasons follow, and they are 6. in number, taken from the consideration, 1. Of the Image of God, verses 14, 15, 16. 2. Of the judgement of God, verse 17. 3. Of the redemption in Christ, verses, 18, 19, 20, 21. 4. Of the relation to the godly, verse 22. 5. Of the immortality of the soul, verse 23. 6. And sixthly, of the mortality of the body, verses 24, 25. The first reason taken from the Image of God is both propounded, and expounded: propounded in these words, as obedient children: expounded two ways, 1. by description. 2. by testimony. By description, 1. negatively, showing what they should sh●nne, Not fashioning yourselves to the lusts of your former ignorance, ver. 14. 2. He sets it out affirmatively, both by showing the pattern to be imitated, viz: the holiness of him that called them; and also the manner of imitation, viz: to be holy in all manner of conversation, ver. 15. In the testimony two things are to be noted, 1. Whence the proof was fetched in these words, As it is written: and 2. what was alleged, viz: Be ye holy, as I am holy▪ ver. 16. The second reason is taken from the judgement of God, where note, 1. The proposition of the reason, viz: He that ye call upon as Father, etc. 2. The inference, or use of the same, viz: Pass the time of your sojourning in fear. In the proposition consider, 1. Who shall be judge, viz: he that was called upon as a Father. 2. How he shall judge, viz: without respect of persons. 3. Whom he shall judge, viz: every man. 4. For what they shall be judged, viz: according to their works, verse 17. The third reason is taken from the consideration of our redemption, and this reason should move the more: 1. Because all the precious things in the world could not redeem man, verse 18. 2. Because the deliverance from our vain conversation, was one of the main ends of our redemption, verse 18. 3. Because our redemption was effected by a matchless price, viz: the passion of Christ, which is increased, 1. In that it was a suffering even to the effusion of blood. 2. that it was a suffering of one, that was so infinitely pure, without spot or blemish, verse 19 4. Because our redemption was ordained in God's counsel, ver. 20. 5. Because the honour of manifesting Christ in the clear preaching of the Gospel, is done now to us Christians, and not to the Fathers of old, verse 20. 6. Because our redemption was ratified by God the Father, and that two ways. 1. By raising Christ from the dead. 2. By giving him glory, verse 21. 7. Because all this was done, that our faith and hope might be in God, verse 21. The fourth reason is taken from our relation to the godly, ver. 22. In which reason observe, 1. A proposition of doctrine. 2. An exhortation by way of use. The proposition in itself properly concerns sanctification, which is described, 1. By the nature of it, imported in the metaphorical term, purified. 2. The subject of it, your souls: 3. the form of it, in obeying the truth. 4. The cause of it, the spirit. 5. The end of it, which was brotherly love, amplified by the property of it, unfeigned. The exhortation is therefore to love one another with a pure heart fervently. The first reason is taken from the immortality of the soul, which is considered two ways. 1. In respect of the fountain of it, which is the new birth. 2. In respect of the means of it, which is set down, 1. negatively, not of corruptible seed. 2. affirmatively: where consider what the means is, and by what it is. What it is, viz: incorruptible seed. By what it is, the word, which is praised for three things. 1. It is of God. 2. ●t liveth. 3. It abideth for ever, ver. 23. The sixth reason is taken from the mortality of the body compared with the eternity of the word of God, ver. 24, 25. Of the vanity of man, ver. 24 which is ●●th propounded, and repeated▪ propounded as it concerns either the person of man, All flesh is grass: or the condition of man, All the glory thereof is as the flower of grass. The repetition ●s it concerns both, is in these words, the grass withereth, and the flower falleth away. The eternity of the word of God is propounded in these words, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever: and explained by showing of what word he speaketh in these words, and this is the word which is preached unto you. THE METAPHRASE OF THE FIRST CHAPter of the first Epistle of ST. PETER. Verse 1. PETER an Apostle of jesus Chr: to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Capadocia, Asia, & Bithynia. PETER by immediate calling and commission from JESUS CHRIST the Ambassador for the Churches to the dispersed servants of God, strangers and Pilgrims in this world, that dwell here and there in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. Verse 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of jesus Christ: Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Who for their spiritual estate were chosen of God from everlasting, and foreseen of God with special approbation above the rest of mankind, and loved with a fatherly love (as appears by the inward sanctification of their hearts, which can be found in none, but the Elect of God) separated of God to these ends, namely that both they might glorify God by their holy conversation, and be glorified of God by the fruition of the benefits purchased by the blood of JESUS CHRIST, and now estated upon them by the application of the merits of CHRIST: The grace of God, even his continual free favour, and the gifts of his spirit, and peace, even tranquillity of heart and conscience, and all comfortable and needful prosperity be established upon you, and more and more increase in you. Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, which according to his abundant me●cy hath begotten us alaine unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Eternal thanks be given unto God, who is the God of our Lord jesus Christ in respect of his humane nature, and his Father in respect of his divine nature, for all the consolations, wherein he hath given us reason of singular rejoicing, and in particular for that he hath regenerated us and made us his children by adoption, when we deserved nothing but his eternal wrath, merely out of the abundance of his own matchless mercies, and sets us in such an estate, as whatsoever our trials & afflictions may be, yet he hath given us effectual & assured hope of full happiness, the pledge and undoubted testimony whereof we have, in that ●esus Christ is risen from the dead, which shows evidently, that all is discharged: For else he could not have come out of prison, till he had paid the uttermost farthing. Verse 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. And to show that he will acknowledge us for sons, he hath reserved for us in heaven such an inheritance, as shall never be lost, or taken from us, and shall have no fault nor defect in it, nor ever decay in the incomparable worth and glory of it. Verse 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. And that we may be sure of possession, his own almighty power will be as a strong garrison about us to keep us; and he hath given us also a lively faith, that well preserve us, till we be possessed of that glorious and full salvation, which he hath prepared for us, and is ready to be revealed in the full perfection of it, when the day of death, or judgement shall come. Verse 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season (if need be) you are in heaviness through manifold tentations. If you object, that you cannot take that comfort in these Arguments of consolation, because of the many tentations, inward and outward, with which you are daily disheartened: I answer, that for all your crosses you may have exceeding much joy even in the midst of your tribulations; and besides the trouble of your crosses is but for a little while, they are but short trials, nor are you bound always to be pensive for your crosses, but only when need requires, namely when you need to be humbled for some corruptions, that get too much head in you, or for other profitable ends. Verse 7. That the trial of your faith being much more precious, then of gold that perisheth, though it be tried by the fire, might be sound unto praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of jesus Christ. And lastly you lose nothing by your tentations, and afflictions. For your saith, which i● a thing more precious in God's account, than all the gold in the world (for that will perish, and come to be of no use one day) is hereby tried; and what though the fire of the furnace of affliction be somewhat hot, yet remember what wonderful praise, and honour, and glory you shall have for the steadfastness of your faith, when jesus Christ shall appear, and with his own mouth commend you, and glorify you before all the world. Verse 8 Whom having not seen ye love, in whom (though now ye see him not) yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. If you object, that you do not know, whether the former consolations do belong unto you, or no: I will put you in mind of three infallible signs, that you are converted and shall go to heaven. 1. The first is your unfeigned affection to the Lord jesus Christ, though ye never yet saw him with your bodily eyes. 2. The second is your continual ●aith relying upon him alone for your reconciliation and salvation. 3. And the third is the wonderful, matchless, and unutterable, and celestial joy, that at sometimes ye feel in the presence of God in his ordinances. Verse 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. And therefore ye need make no doubt, but believe confidently, that God will reward your trust in him, by giving such an end to your course, as that your souls shall be sure to be saved. Verse 10. Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you. And that you may be the more abundantly confirmed in the former consolations, think of the Testimony of the Prophets, that were men extraordinarily raised up of God, and did Prophesy of this great salvation, which is now come to pass, and fulfilled in us Christians; and being appointed, and inspired of God to foretell the singular privileges of the Christian Churches, they took marvellous pains about it, enquiring diligently by all the means they could. Verse 11. Searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Studying to find it out, if it were possible, what, and what manner of time the Holy Ghost, which was in them meant, when it made them foretell both that the MESSIAS should suffer so many things, and withal that after his suffering there should be wonderful glorious times for the Church. Ver 12. Unto whom it was revealed, th●● not unto themselves, but unto us they did the things, which are now reported unto you by them, which have preached the gospel unto you with the holy ghost sent down from heaven, which things th': Angels desire to look into. Now they were answered by revelation, that they themselves must never see those glorious days on earth: but that they were used only as God's servants to signify to the Church, what should be the estate of Christians after the sufferings of Christ; according also to the doctrine of the Apostles, who have published the same things to you in the preaching of the gospel, being men inspired by the Holy Ghost from heaven, and assisted with the visible gifts of the Holy Ghost: and your happiness is so great, that the Angels ●f heaven (like the Cherubins, that stood looking into the Ark) do with singular admiration stand and wonder at, and search into the manifold wisdom of God in the happiness, to which you are brought by Christ. And as you need to be comforted, so have I thought it fit to exhort you, and first in things that are general to you all, both concerning the matter of holiness, and concerning the means of it. Verse 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind: be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of jesus Christ. There are three things you should labour after. 1. The first is the restraining and resisting of all l●ts of godliness, which within from corruption of nature are wont like long garments to hinder you in the labour and race of a holy life. 2. The second is the moderation of yourselves, and that right temper in your hearts and lives, especially in the use of the outward things of this world. 3. The third is, the perfecting of the assurance of your hope concerning the glory of heaven, which God hath given of his free grace, and shall be fully brought upon you at the last day, when Christ shall be showed in his glory to the world. Ver. 14. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former. lu●●s in your ignorance. Now there are six reasons, which may induce you to the care of a holy conversation intended in the former duties. 1. The first concerns the image of God: ye are the children of God, and therefore you should live so, as becomes God's children, and express in your carriage the resemblance of the nature of God, not given yourselves over, on● of the liking of sin, to the service and obedience of any of those corruptions, which either yourselves lived in before your calling, or are usually found in such only, as know not GOD. Verse 15. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. But as God, who by the power of his word hath converted you, is holy; so should you strive with respect of all his commandments to resemble the praises of God in all your car●age, striving in every duty to follow your pattern. Verse 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy. And the rather, because this hath been anciently required in the old Testament of God's people, to propound unto themselves the imitation of God's holiness, and to detest sin, because they would not be unlike to God. Verse 17. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according unto every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. 2. A second reason may be taken from the judgement of God. For the time must certainly come, when God, whom we call a Father, and call upon as a Father in this life, will summon us before his Tribunal certainly, and speedily, and then no man shall escape, but shalt be dealt with without partiality, or any corrupt respect, according as men's works have been either good or evil: and therefore it behoves us, that are in this world but as sojourners for a time, to spend our days in all carefulness, and godly fear. Verse 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. 3. A third reason may be taken from the consideration of our redemption, which hath many important motives in it: For it cannot be, but ye all know, that your misery by nature was so great, that ye could not be ransomed, if all the treasures of gold and silver in the world had been given for you; and when you were redeemed, a chief respect was had to the freeing of you from the viciousness of your conversation, in which vainly ye spent your times, and which corruption in many things ye sucked in from the sinful examples, and precepts, and ill education of your Parents, and ancestors. Verse 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot. But especially, if ye consider, what a matchless price was given for your ransom, even the precious blood of Christ, who as a most absolute sacrifice for our sins, was without all soul of nature, or life, and so the full substance of all the ceremonial sacrifices, and in particular was the true lamb without blemish, or spot, that makes atonement for the sins of the world. Verse 20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last time● for you. And the rather, if ye consider, that from all eternity God had ordained, that Christ should dye for you, and when the fullness of time came, that God was to reveal his Son, as the Saviour of the world, he showed him in the flesh, and caused him to be preached unto you, and for your sakes with far more evidence and clearness, than in for●er ages. Verse 21. Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that you● faith and hope might be in God. To you, and for your sakes I say, that do constantly put your trust in God's mercy through his merits: that God, that to show he was fully paid the uttermost farthing of our debts, came to the prison door, and let him out, which he did, when he raised him from the dead; and beside exalted him to wonderful glory, when he ascended up into heaven, that so for the time to come, you might believe and trust upon God's goodness and favour to you without all fear or doubting. Verse 22. Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spiri●, unto unfeigned love of the brethren; see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. 4. And the rather in the fourth place should you be careful of the former exhortation, if you consider your relation to the godly, to whom ye are 〈◊〉▪ For seeing that by the spirit of God your souls are purified from the leprosy of inward evils, by the holy course you have held in cleansing your hearts of those evils, which might hinder your internal sanctification, in that obedience you yield to the truth of God: and inasmuch as the end of all this reformation was, that there might be a holy communion and affection without hypocrisy and dissembling among such as fear God, who are all the children of one Father: therefore see to it by any means, that ye order your lives and hearts so, that you may love one another both with ardent affection, & pure & sincere hearts, which you never do, unless you gird up the loins of your minds, and live soberly, & be settled in the assurance, that ye shall altogether one day reign in heaven. Verse 23. Being borne again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 5. And five, the immortality of your souls should persuade with you: you were made new men, not as you were made men by a natural propagation, but inspired with a life, that should never cease, having the seed of this eternal life cast into your hearts by the word of God, which in itself, and by effect in you, liveth and abideth for ever. Verse 24. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man, as the flower of grass: the grass wi●hereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. And lastly, if you consider the mortality of your bodies: All in a man's outward estate is but vain and transitory, the bodies of all men are but as the grass, which is to day, and tomorrow is cut down, and cast into the oven: Man is quickly and suddenly gone, nor is the glory of men's outward estate better than their bodies. For all the riches, pleasures, etc. of this life, in which men glory most, they are but as the 'flower of grass: His body withereth like the grass, decaying in a short time, till he have nothing left but the very root of life; and as for his riches and pleasures, they like the flower fall off so, as they are never recovered again, many times in this life, but always in death. Verse 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever; and this is the wor▪, which by the Gospel is preached unto you. But on the other side; the word of God, upon which men should set their hearts, continueth in the efficacy of it, in the sense of it, and in the fruit of it for ever; and that you may not be mistaken, this is that word of God, which is daily preached unto you. AN EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST EPISTLE general of PETER. CHAP. I. verses 1, 2. 1. Peter an Apostle of jesus Christ, to the strangers, that dwell here and there throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bythinia: 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father unto sanctification of the spirit through obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you. THe purpose of the Apostle in this Epistle is to confirm the Christians, to whom he writes, The scope of the Epistle. in the faith, and to assure them, that it was the true grace of God, they had received, and to persuade them to all possible care of sincerity of life, becoming the Gospel, and to constancy in trials. The Epistle stands of three parts: The parts of the Epistle. 1. The salutation, Chap. 1. ver. 1, 2. 2. The body of the Epistle, Chap. 1. ver. 3. to Chap. 5. ver. 12. 3. The Epilogue or conclusion, Chap. 5. ver. 12. to the end. These two verses then contain the salutation: where observe, The parts of the salutation. 1. The person saluting: 2. The persons saluted: 3. And the manner of the salutation itself. 1. The person saluting is described, 1. By his name, Peter: 2. By his office, an Apostle: 3. By the author of his calling, jesus Christ. 2. The persons saluted are described, both by their outward estate, and by their spiritual estate. For their outward estate, not● both what it was, and where it was: they were strangers of dispersion, and that through Pontus, Asia, etc. For their spiritual estate: they are God's Elect, and their election is amplified: 1. By the foundation of it, which is God's foreknowledge: 2. By the means of execution of it, which is the sanctification of the spirit: 3. By the end, which is twofold: 1. Obedience of life: 2. Remission of sins by the sprinkling of the blo●d of Christ. 3. The form or manner of the salutation is in the end of the second verse. Peter] This Apostle was by Nation of Galilee, Who Peter was. borne in the town of Bethsaida: His father's name was jona, or john a fisherman: He was the brother of Andrew, who (as they were fishing at the sea of Galilee) of a fisherman was made a fisher of men a Mat 4.15. : His name at his Circumcision was Simon, and his name of Peter was given him by his Saviour b Mat. 3.16. . It signifieth a stone, a rock, perhaps it was given him for his confession, and acknowledgement of Christ the rock c I Cor. 10.3. , upon which the Church was built: He was called by our Saviour Cephas d john 1.42. which in the Chaldean tongue is of the same signification. The Si●i●ck vers●●● se●s the 〈◊〉 of the Epistle th●●: The epistle of Peter Simon Cephas. This is he, that was ever accounted a Prince amongst the Apostles, taught in the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven by the voice of the Son of God himself before his death: This is he, to whom the Lord after his resurrection three times said: Simon thou son of jonah, lovest thou me? feed my sheep, feed my lambs. It is storied of him, that in one day he converted 3000. ●●ules: He cured Aeneas of the palsy: raised Dorc●s to life, first preached to the Gentiles being instructed by a sign from heaven, and baptised Cornelius with his household; He was by agreement appointed to be the Apostle of the Circumcision e Gal. 2. . Apostle] Peter had a threefold call from Christ 1. To the Discipleship f Mat. 4. joh. 1. . 2. To the Apostleships. g Mark 3. 3. And then to the Apostleship h john 21. again, having fallen from his former call, by his threefold denial of Christ. An Apostle was the highest office in the Church. The Apostle Ephes. 4. reckons the callings of the Ministry; some were extraordinary: viz: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists: some were ordinary, viz: the Pastors and Doctors. His mentioning of his Apostleship here shows three things: 1. Authority. 2. Modesty. 3. Consent. 1. His authority must needs be great, seeing he was the Orator, Legate, Ambassador of jesus Christ, which should persuade these, to whom he wrote to receive his doctrine with all reverence, and care; and not them only, but us also, for whom it is left upon record, so as what is here forbidden we should take heed of, and what is commanded we should receive as the words of Christ: we should take heed, we fashion not ourselves after the lusts of our former ignorance, vers. 14. and not dare to live in malice, deceit, hypocrisy, etc. Chap. 2.1. or yield to the fleshly lusts that fight against our souls, Chap. 2.12, or to be offensive, or disobedient in our particular callings, Chap. ●. & ●. or to ●●ve●●● ourselves, Chap. 3.8.9. or to live after the wills of men: or to walk in the sins of the Gentiles, such as are mentioned, Chap. 4.3, 4. and so of the rest. 2. His modesty appears in this, that he seeks not principality of Primacy. 3. And hi● consent, in that he professeth hereby to bring no other doctrine, then that the rest of the Apostles did. For being in the same office with them, he brings the same words of Christ also. Of jesus Christ] Here he shows, who put him into this office, and Apostleship, even he, that was prime of Pastors, head of all principality and power: The uncreate and eternal wisdom of the Father: The image of the invisible God: The first borne of every creature: The great Messias: The promised seed: The son of David: The Lord our righteousness: The shepherd i 1 Pet. ●. ult. and bishop of our souls. He is called jesus a Saviour, an Hebrew name, to intimate the interest of the Jews, and Christ anointed, a Greek name, to intimate the interest of the Gentiles: the joining of both together, note that he is a perfect Mediator without respect of persons for the elect both of Jews, and Gentiles. It is a matter of great weight in the condition of life, we live in, to have, and to be able to show a good warrant, and sound calling thereunto: For the knowledge of our calling from God may both encourage us, and support us: encourage us to do the work required, as in this case of preaching: Woe unto us, if we preach not the Gospel when we are sent of God: support us against all the troubles, that ●ay befall us in our Callings for the doing of our duties. Seven sorts of men transgress about this matter of calling. Seven sorts of men transgress about their Callings. 1. Such as run into callings, before God send them: as many Ministers do. 2. Such as live by such means, as God calls them from, as they do, that live by usury, lottery, oppression, deceit, etc. 3. Such as do the works of a lawful calling at an unlawful time, or on the Sabbath. 4. Such, as abide not in their callings k I Cor. 7. 5. Such, as meddle with many Callings, or Vocations, being called but to one. 6. Such, as live without a calling l 2 Thess. 3. 7. Such, as are slothful to execute the calling God hath set them in: If Christ make P●ter his Apostle, or if Peter be Christ's Apostle, he must go and speak in his name. Thus of the person saluting. The persons saluted are first described by their outward estate: The strangers, that dwell here and there. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Advenis dispersionis. There are three opinions about these strangers, who they should be: 1. Some think they were the provincial jews, who were scattered into these parts, and converted to the faith of Christ by Paul and Silas, Ly●a and because Silvanus (which is Silas) was about to return to visit these Churches, therefore Peter writes by him: Hierome thinks they were converted by Peter himself, who had preached unto them, when he was Bishop of Antiochia. In the sixth of the Acts, there are two sorts of Jews, viz: m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grecians, and Hebrews: The Grecians were such Jews, as were scattered abroad: The Hebrews were such, as kept their own state, and removed not. There are two reasons alleged, why these provincial Jews should be meant: 1. Because they are not simply called strangers, but strangers of the dispersion, which should note such Jews, as were driven thither either of old, or by the persecution about Stephen, or at other times after. 〈…〉 be the Apostle of the Circumcision. Others think, they were Gentiles converted to the Jewish Religion, Beda. Gl●ss: Heming. and so they take strangers and Proselytes to be all one; and to such Peter preached Acts 2. and converted many of them, and they think he writes to them now. Others think, that this Epistle is so written to the Jews, as it is intended also for those elect Gentiles in those parts, Ares. because he saith Chap. 2.10. that these people were not in times past a people, nor under mercy, but now were the people of God, and had obtained mercy: which words do not so fitly agree to the Jews, and so all the Elect of God are strangers in this world, and so the word is evidently used, Chap. 2.12. and I think it is to be taken in this last sense. Stranger's] Man may be said to be a stranger in five respects. Man is a stranger in five respects. 1. In respect of absence from his natural friends, and his native soil: so Abraham was a stranger in Canaan. 2. In respect of the want of God's favour and grace, so wicked men are strangers from the covenant of promise, from the Commonwealth of Israel, and from the life of God n Ephes. ●. 12. & 4.17. . 3. In respect of the contempt of the world: so God's children, when they begin to fear God, the world accounts them as strangers, and avoids them. so David was a stranger to his brethren and kindred o Psal. 69.8. . 4. Some make themselves strangers by a wilful retiring, and discontentment for crosses that befall them p 1 Pet. 4.12. . 5. In respect of absence from the heavenly Canaan, and the troublesome condition in this world, and so all Gods elect are strangers. Gods elect then are strangers in this world: this point is abundantly confirmed in these places: Doctrine. Gen. 47.9. 1 Chron. 28.15. Psal. 39.13. Heb. 11. 12, 13. & 13.14, 15. And it may teach us many excellent things for the ordering of our carriage both in ourselves, Uses. and toward others. There are 12 things, which may be gathered out of this metaphorical term, 14 Things wherein we should be like strangers. to teach us (with much life) by the comparisons may be taken from thence: Or there be 14 things, wherein we should be like to strangers. 1. A stranger is unacquainted, and hath little to do, but with his journey: so while we are in this world, we should think chiefly on our journey, and keep ourselves estranged from the world, dissolving our sinful acquaintance, and keeping our hearts from the cares of life. 2. A stranger useth to be much affected with lesser courtesies in a strange place, Ruth 2.10. so should we be thankful to God for any kindness in this world: it is enough it shall go well with us in heaven, we should say with David, who am I, and what is my people, that we should, etc. for all things come of thee? Now therefore our God we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name: for we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding. 1 Chron. 29.14, 15. 3. A stranger is wont to be glad of any good company, that will go with him, though it were but a part of the way: How should we then with all joy, and dearness entertain God's servants into our inward and perpetual society? These are they will go with us to heaven. 4. A stranger will be careful to inquire his way, fears to miss it, seeks best directions, and that every day, yea and at every turning: It will not serve his turn once, or twice, or seldom in his journey to take general directions: yea he is glad to ask of any body, even children, when he is out of his way, or doth but fear it, or is in danger of it: And shall not this teach us to 〈…〉 should we go to God to seek a way of him? yea going and weeping we should go, and ask the way with our faces thitherward, jer. 51.4. Ezra 8.22. How should we be glad of guides, and make ourselves also equal to them of the lower sort, that by conference, and all good helps from Ministers, and godly people we might receive daily directions? It is a horrible plague to have a heart, that is not willing and forward to ask questions about the way to be saved, and intolerable pride not to make use of any that can give us counsel. O the incredible stupidity of our spirits! we that cannot travail in a roadway, that perhaps we have gone before, without every hours' questions, yet think ourselves wise enough to find the way to heaven with little, or no directions. 5. A stranger looks not for great things for himself, he doth not seek honours, and offices, and possessions in the City he travels through: his care is only for necessaries for his journey. And are not we strangers on earth, and is it now a time for us to take up our dwellings here, and to seek great things for ourselves in this world? jer. 46, 5. a stranger never pleads any privilege in the place he comes to: and this was the ancient mind of the godly Patriarches, they quitted all claims, and confessed plainly, they were but pilgrims, and embraced the promises as their portion, and so set up their rest in their hopes, Heb. 11.3. 6. A stranger can endure wrongs: He stays not his journey to turn again to every d●gge, that ba●kes at him, nor to seek revenge for every indignity: He lets not his journey for every shower of rain, and should it not be thus with us? Why do we fear reproach? what stand we still at every slander? why busy we our heads for projects of revenge? or our hearts with indignation at every currish caitiff, or dogged Doeg, that will falsely accuse our good conversation in Christ? When will we come to our journey's end, if we every day trouble ourselves with the indignities we receive in this strange world? let the cur's bark, ride thou on, and mind thy way. What if thy crosses fall like rain? ride on, it is but a shower, it will be over. 7. A stranger or traveller, so thinks of his travail in the day, that he looks for rest at night, and so takes his rest at night, as he resolves to travail again in the morning: so should we be minded: In prosperity to provide for adversity, and in adversity to hope for prosperity again, as assured, that man abideth in no certain stay here. 8. A stranger never measures his own worth, by what he finds in the way, but by what he shall possess when he comes home: 2 Cor. 5, 6, 7. so should a Christian do, he should live by faith, and not by sight: It matters not, what the world thinks of him, his greatness is in the kingdom of heaven. 9 A stranger will be glad to send home upon any opportunity, and to get any friend to provide for him against he come: should not we then be glad of any opportunities to send home to heaven by our prayers, and to beseech Christ (our friend, john 15.15.) to provide our place for us, who is ready with all willingness to do all our business in heaven for us? 10. A stranger is unskilful in the language of the several people, where he comes, only cunning in his own language: So it should be with us, though we find in one place the ambitious man telling of his honours, offices, livings; and in another place the covetous man telling of his barns, wares, bargains; and in another place the voluptuous man telling of his dogs, sports, whores; and in another place the wrathful man, telling of his adversary, wrongs, revenge, etc. yet we should keep us to the language of Canaan, and speak as becomes the oracles of God, and the gifts God hath made us stewards of. 11. A stranger is cautelous and wary, he looks to his words, and behaviour: So should a Christian be circumspect, and get the wisdom of a serpent with the innocency of a dove, he should not be curious nor inquisitive, but study to be quiet, and meddle with his own business. Phil. 2.14, 15. 12. A stranger strives to ride on merrily, and to wear out the tediousness of the way with singing sweet songs to himself: So should we: our songs should be of the statutes of God in the house of our pilgrimage. Psalm 119.34. 13. A stranger, if by ignorance or passion he have brought restraint, or bonds upon himself, he will use all possible entreaties, and means to get himself loose again, that he may go on in his journey homewards: so should we, if by sin we have brought restraint upon ourselves, we should never be quiet, but power out our tears and prayers unto God, and urge him to be good unto us even for this reason, as David doth. Psal. 39.12, 13. 14. A stranger specially hath his mind still running upon his home, his thoughts, desires, longings, wishes, and all for his journey's end: So should it be with a Christian, his conversation should be in heaven, and our affections continually running after God, and heavenly things, Phil. 3.20. Heb. 11.12, 13, 14, etc. & 13.14, 15. This also should teach us, seeing Gods children are strangers in this world, to use God's pilgrims with all honour and kindness: let them be as princes of God amongst us, though they be now far from home, yet they are noble persons, they are Gods heirs, learn of the very Hittites, Gen. 23.4, 6. This doctrine may also serve for great reproof not only to wicked men, who like cursed Edomites, Hab. 12. abuse Gods Israel in their journey: but also for many, that are in Israel, yea of Israel, for their worldliness and continual plodding cares about the things of this life, miserably forgetting, that they are but strangers, and this world is but an Inn: Psal. 39.5, 6. Eccles. 7.1, 2. Lastly, we should gather consolations to comfort us in our travail to heaven; certainly the Lord hath a great care of his pilgrims, he keepeth the strangers, Psal. 146.9. If God command men to use strangers well, and not to wrong them, Exod. 22.21. or vex them, Levit. 19▪ 33. but love them, Deut. 10.19. how much more will God himself have mercy on his banished, and pity his weary servants in their travail. What though the way be long, and labour great, and dangerous: yet think of two things: 1. That Christ will be the guide of the way, and never leave thee, nor forsake thee: 2. How great thy happiness shall be, when thou art come home to that heavenly Canaan, that glorious new Jerusalem, the City of the great King, when God shall wipe away all tears from thine eyes, and give thee a thousand fold for all thy travail. Dispersed here and there] If we understand this of the jews: It shows the malice of wicked men: if they may have their wills, they will never be quiet, till they drive the godly from them. If we understand it of the Elect in general, it teacheth us: 1. That God's children may be driven from their native dwelling, God doth not always build them a house in their own land. 2. That the Church of God is not tied to any one place, neither to Rome not to Jerusalem. 3. That the godly are thin set: It is rare to find true godly men, they dwell here and there. 4. That the Church hath not always an external glory to commend it: It consists sometimes of a few scattered persons, that live straggling here and there. 5. That there may be a great inward beauty under a despised condition: These dispersed ones are glorious creatures, sanctified in their spirits under the abundant mercies of God, that have lively hope through the sprinkling of the blood of jesus, such as shall have an immortal inheritance. 6. That there may ●e excellent order in appearing confusion: One might think the husbandmen spoilt their corn, when they scatter it abroad on the ground: and yet we know, it is better so, then when it is in the barn all on a heap: so is it with the godly. Quest. If any ask, what good can come of this dispersion of the godly? Answ. I answer▪ First by this means they carry the light of the truth all abroad the world: The good that comes by the dispersion of the godly. 2. By this means they preserve the whole earth. For they are the world's guard: they bear up heaven as it were: were it not for these the world would be destroyed: and by their dispersion they bind Gods hands, as it were, from the places, wherein they are, and keep off his fierce judgements; and besides it is good for the godly themselves to be asunder t●us: It quickens them to prayer: It makes them love and long one for another more: It prepares them for heaven: It trains them up in spiritual soldiery, when they see they must fight alone: All the riches of a Christian is his armour, and he hath nothing but what he gets by wrestling and fight. Pont●●●, Galatia, Bithy●ia.] For the Geography of these places: some think they all belong to Pontus: Hence some of the Fathers cite this Epistle by this title: Epistola Petri ad Ponticos q Tertull: Cyp●: Cassiod. . Some say, they were called by one name of A●tiochia r Beza. Heming: : Others say, they are all in Asia minor: It is certain, they are all in Greece s Beda. Gloss: . Two things may be observed from hence. 1. That Christians, though scattered here and there, yet they have one God, one faith, one Lord jesus Christ: the doctrine we see is common to them all. 2. That unthankfulness and contempt of the Gospel, and sinful living may ruinate famous Churches. Where are the Churches, that then were in those places? Oh how hath the Turkish fury swallowed up almost all amongst them? If we continue in sin, may not our sun set, as well as theirs? Hitherto of their outward estate. Their spiritual estate in general is comprehended in their election. Elect] There is a fourfold election. 1. There is a general election of a Nation, or City, A fourfold Election. singled out to the benefit of God's general covenant: and so Israel was Elect t Deut. 4.37. . 2. There is an Election to salvation, which is the eternal predestination of God appointing certain men to be vessels of mercy, and to enjoy the glory of heaven u Ephes. 1.4, 5. . 3. There is an Election to sanctification, which is performed in time by the power of the Gospel, separating the fore-ordained from the mass of forlorn men unto holiness of life * john 15.19. : This is nothing else, but effectual vocation. 4. There is an Election to the administration of some office, as to the Apostleship x john 6.70. . Election imports a singling of a man from some thing, that is vil● and miserable; and so the godly are elect from the mass of condemned men in Adam, and from under the power of Satan, and the kingdom of darkness: From what they are elected from the first death: from the company of evil men: from the tyranny of sins of all ●o●●s▪ from 〈◊〉 ●igo● an● 〈◊〉 o●●he law, and eternal condemnation. These Elect men are not to be known by their numbers y Deut. 7.7. , wit, wealth, How they may be known. nobility z 1 Cor. 1.27. james 2.5. , beauty, personage a 1 Sam. 16.7. , nor by their presence, pains, or priority in God's vineyard b Mat. 20.16. : but they are to be known both by their birth, and by their life: By their birth, and so they may be known, for they are borne of God, borne by promise, borne again: they are then called and converted of God, Rom. 8.30. By their life, they may be known, for they depart from iniquity, and call upon the name of the Lord. 2 Tim. 2.19. they are fruitful in well-doing, and their fruits remain. john 15.16. they are holy and unrebukeable. Ephes. 1.4. they bear the image of the Son of God both in holiness and sufferings: for holiness, Rom. 8.29. They abound in faith, virtue, godliness, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly love, and kindness, 2 Pet. 1.5.6.10. These Elect men have admirable felicities, and privileges above all the men in the world: For, 1. They have most dear acceptation with God, in his beloved, Eph. 1.5. 8 Privileges of Gods chosen. they are his delight, Psal. 132.13. his chief treasure, Psal. 135.4. his peculiar people, Deut. 7.6. & 26.18. 2. They are adopted to be the children, and heirs of God in Christ, Ephes. 1.4. 3. They have the pleasures of God's house, Psal. 65.4, 5. 4. In adversity they are sure of countenance, Esa. 41.8, 9 Protection, v. 10. the avenging of their wrongs, Esay 41.11, 12. Luke 18.8. deliverance and victory, Zach. 1.17.20.21. 5. The non-suting of all actions, and accusations in heaven against them, Rom. 8.35. 6. They are made the friends of God, and from thence have audience in all suits, and communication of the secrets of God, john 15.15, 16. Deut. 4.7.37. 7. They are assured of preservation to the end, Mat. 24. 8. They shall obtain glory in jesus Christ, being chosen to salvation, ● Thess. 2.13, 14, 15. Uses Hence we may inform ourselves: 1. That there is a choice: God did not drive in whole Nations, Cities, Towns, etc. but a certain number of them. 2. That the doctrine of Election may be taught: It is true, that it is in some respects strong meat, and hath in some things an Abyssus. It should also inflame in every one of us, both praises, and prayers to God, that he would above all things remember us with the favour of his people, and comfort us with the joy of his chosen, c Psal. 106; 3, 4, 5 and above all care, to care to make our calling and election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. What shall it profit a man to be sure of his house, money, lands, etc. and not to be sure of the salvation of his soul? Know ye not that Christ jesus is in you, except you be reprobates? 2 Cor. 13.5. Such as find by the signs, their Election, should abound in all possible thankfulness to God, 2 Thess. 2. 13. etc. Further, hath God cho●en us, and shall we not live like God's Elect? It should teach us to endeavour to show by our works, that we are chosen of God, separating ourselves from the wicked, and holding forth the light of the truth in all unrebukablenesse of holy conversation, not being discouraged with ill entertainment in the world, Deut. 10.12. to 18. & 14.1. & 26.26. etc. Ephes. 1.5. & 2.10. john 15.18, 19, 20. etc. Finally, we should hence learn not to be ashamed of God's Elect, but choose unto us, whom God hath chosen to him: choose them, I say, both to honour them, and to sort with them, and to countenance them, and defend them. Ministers should acknowledge there in their teaching, and great men in conversing. This also may be a doctrine of singular terror to wicked men, that will not be gathered and called by the means of salvation, Esay 66.4, 5. If it be such a felicity to be chosen of God, what misery is it then to be rejected of God for ever? If such a vexation to be disgraced and scorned of great men, what is it then to be rejected of the great God? and this is the more woeful, if the forerunner of the full declaration of it be upon men, I mean a spirit of slumber, Rom. 11.7.10. And thus of Election. This Election is first amplified by the ground of it, which is the foreknowledge of God. According to foreknowledge] Distinctions about prescience. Prescience or foreknowledge in God is considered more largely▪ or more strictly: more largely, and so it notes the whole act of praeordination: so in the 20. verse of this chapter, it is rendered ordained: more strictly and properly, for the knowledge of God, preceding in order the appointment to the end, and thus it is taken two ways: For there is a prescience, they call in schools absolute, by which God from eternity doth know all things simply and absolutely: Praesci●●tia 1. absolute. 1. specialis & approbationis. so the word is used, 2 Pet. 3.17. There is also a prescience, they call special, by which God not only knoweth the Elect, as he knoweth other things, but acknowledgeth them for his, and loves them above all others, and this is called the knowledge of approbation. Rom. 8.27. & 11.2. In the first sense there is difference between Foreknowledge, Providence, and Predestination: Prescience reacheth to all things, to be done either by God, or any other, and so to sins: Providence reacheth to all, that God would do: Predestination only to the counsel of God about reasonable creatures. Quest. If any ask after what manner God views things, or looks upon them, or knows them? Answ. I answer; that we are not able to express the manner of divine knowledge, How God knows things unless it be by way of negation, that is, by denying to God those ways of knowledge, which are in the creatures, and note imperfection: For God doth not know things 1. By sense, as by hearing, seeing, tasting, etc. For these things are in God only by an Anthropopathy, or Metaphor. 2. By opinion or conjecture: For that knowledge is neither certain, nor evident, and therefore cannot be in God. 3. By faith: For God knows nothing by relation, or report of others. Besides, though faith be a certain knowledge, yet it is not evident. Heb. 11.1. 4. By Art: For God doth not know things by defining, dividing, compounding, or reasoning. 5. Successively: For God knows all things in one view, and not one after another. 6. Nor last by Images, but by his essence, by a way more excellent above all Men or Angels, by a knowledge most true, certain, evident, and perfect. In this foreknowledge of God is as in a book recorded the persons, birth, qualities, and deaths of every man, Psal. 139.16. and the deeds of all men, according to which they must be judged. The special foreknowledge of God looks upon the Elect only, and is joined with an infinite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and delight in them, Rom. 8.27. & 11.2. 2 Tim. 2.19. Exod. ●●. ult. This is called the 〈◊〉 of life, and the writing of the house of Israel, Esay 4.4. Revel. 20.12. Phil. 4.3. Dan. 12.1. Ezek. 13.9. The Uses follow. 1. For information: We have here a sea of contemplation, that the heart of man can never be able to conceive of. Uses. How great cause had the Apostle to cry out as he did, God so David Psal. 114.24. Rom. 11.29. Secondly, this may show us, that men cannot possibly be just before God, seeing the knowledge of God is so excellent and infinite, job. 9.2, 3. 2. The doctrine of this infinite and eternal knowledge, or foreknowledge of God, is used in diverse scriptures for singular consolation in diverse distresses: as 1. Against the malicious practices of evil men, How the foreknowledge of God may comfort us in diverse distresses. that set themselves against the godly. They shall not prevail, though they think the Lord doth not see: yet they shall one day know, that he that made the eye doth see, and he that gave man understanding will correct: and for the godly in the mean time this may comfort them, that all the hairs of their head are numbered: Psal. 94.1. to 12. Mat. 24. 2. Against the errors, and spiritual frauds, and deceits of men: The deceiver and the deceived are with the Lord, Job 12.13, 16. and therefore it is not possible, that the Elect should be finally deceived. Mat. 24. 3. Against our own cares, and doubtfulness under the afflictions, and troubles of this life: Doth our heavenly father know what we stand in need of? Mat. 6.33. doth not knowledge also extend to the number, times, places, and measure of our crosses? and not our persons only, but our banishment, tears, etc. are in his book. Psal. 56.9. 4. Against our unbelief and distrust of God's love, and favourable acceptance of us; His eye hath been ever, is, and will be upon the righteous: Psal. 34.16. 5. Against the fear of falling away: Is not the foundation of God sure? Hath it not this seal, he knoweth who are his? 2 Tim. 2.19. 6. Against the spiritual distresses, and diseases of our souls: He hath experience and skill to heal the broken hearted, and this is a great addition to our comfort, he knows our desires in all the afflictions of our spirits, Psal. 147.5. 7. Against the troubles of our private Calling: Thus God comforted, and encouraged Jeremy: Before I form thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest out of the womb, I ordained thee a Prophet to the Nations, etc. jer. 1.5, 6, 7. 8. Against the weakness of our faith in things promised, and are not yet performed: In respect of this foreknowledge, he calls things, that yet are not, as if they were. Rom. 4.17. 9 Against the doubt of audience, and success in prayer: and the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also, that thou hast spoken. For thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name: Exod. 33.17. 10. Against the fear of God's wrath, and forsaking of man, when he enters into judgement: The Lord will not cast off the people, whom he knew before. Psal. 94.12. to 17. Rom. 1●. 2. & 8.29. 11. Against the contempt of the world, and the censures of the wicked, and all their flanders and indignities: The Lord knows us, and our desires, and endeavours, God knows our hearts, and our innocency, whatsoever the world say or think of us: It matters not what the prisoner saith, if the judge acquit us: If God know us, it is no matter, whether the world do, or no. 12. Lastly, How can it be but well with the righteous, whom not only a God loves, but with such a lasting and preventing love, when he cares for them, and taketh order so long before. 3. Thirdly, the doctrine of God's foreknowledge may teach us: 1. To fear God, and forsake sin, and not to dally with disobedience, seeing all is naked and manifest before him, with whom we have to deal, Heb. 4, 13. and we may be the surer of it, seeing his very word can tell us of our thoughts, and the secret intent of our hearts, ver. 12. 2. To trust upon God, and rely upon him in all estates, seeing there is nothing but he knows it, and hath considered of it long since. 3. It should inflame us to piety, seeing no good can be done, but he will know it, though it be done never so secretly: It should make even holy thoughts precious, and dear to us, and it should make us abhor hypocrisy, seeing it is so vain, and God seet so evidently through us, at all times, and in all actions. Psal. 139.17. 1 Thess. 5.8, 9 4. It should quicken us to the meditation and care of our assurance of our eternal salvation: God hath delighted himself to foresee it from eternity, and shall not we foreknow, and fore-meditate of our own glory? 5. Paul useth this as a reason, why we should help and encourage Christians, and do all the good we can for them. For their names are in the book● of life. Phil. 4.3. etc. 6. When we are to choose men for any Calling, we should learn of God to know before, and those we see to be wicked, we should never Elect: custom, riches, friends, entreaty, kindred, etc. should never prevail with us. 7. It shows us how we should love one another, we should imitate God, no time should wear out our affection, God is not sadded with love, though he set his affections upon us before the beginning of the world was. 4. This doctrine of God's eternal knowledge is terrible for wicked men, and that in four respects: 1. Against the conceit of their own parts, and praises, job. 11.11. If God should set in order before thee, what he knows by thee, thou wouldst appear more ugly than any Leper. 2. Against their persuasion of secrecy in their sins, as these places tell them: Psal. 90.8. & 139.1.11. to 16. jer. 17.9, 10, 11. yea this doctrine tells them, that God hath had time enough to know them, he hath observed them from eternity. 3. Against their persuasion of impunity, they think, they shall escape punishment for their sins, but they are deceived. as is at large showed. Psal. 94.1. to 11. & 139.8, 9 Revel. 2.23. 4. Lastly, woe to the man, whom the Lord doth not acknowledge by his word, spirit, and children in this world: This imports, that he shall not be known in the day of Christ: oh how woeful will that sentence be, when he shall say, away from me ye workers of iniquity, I know you not: Mat. 7.27. Hitherto of the foundation: The founder follows, who is described, by what he is himself, viz. God: and what he is to us, viz: a Father. Of God] To be elect and known before others is a great benefit: but to be chosen of that dreadful and immortal being, and that when nothing was, must needs add to this prerogative. If God choose them, it matters not, who refuse them: If God know them, it matters not who is ignorant of them: If God honour them, it matters not who disgrace them. He that founded our election in his own eternal prescience, is ●ee, that founded this earth, and spread over it this great heaven: jehovah Elo●im is his name; and spiritual, incomprehensible, immortal, infinite, almighty is his nature: The immense fountain of all love, mercy, holiness, justness, goodness, wisdom, and bounty: It is he that before guided the ways of eternity, as he now doth of times. What God hath done in time, is done, that we might know, and praise him: but what he did before time, is without our measure, and as it cometh nearer to God's nature; so it goeth farther from our apprehension; at least, till we be glorified in heaven. But this is a sea, over which no ship hath failed: a Mine, in which no spade hath delved: an Abyssus, into which no bucket hath ●unke. our sight is too tender to behold this sun; our understanding too finite to comprehend this glorious and infinite being, and therefore I pass from what he is in himself, to consider, what he is to us. The Father] God is Father to Christ, to Angels, to Men: To Christ he is Father by nature, as he is God, and by personal union as he is man: To Angels he is father by creation, and to faithful men by adoption: As he is father to Christ, I consider of it ver. 3. here only, as he is father to the faithful. God hath an everlasting fatherly care and compassion over the faithful and elect, Doctrine. and this may serve for three sorts of uses: Uses. 1. For consolation to the godly: Comforts to the godly as God is their father. God useth them and ever will use them like a Father, both for the affections of a father, and for the provisions of a father: he both loves them, and provides for them, as a father for his children. God's affection to the godly is a fatherly affection: for it is 1. free, and 2. tender, and 3. constant. 1. A fatherly love is a free love, there needs no argument to a father, but that, this is my child; so it is with God. 2. A fatherly love is a tender love, it hath much compassion and care in it▪ such is God's love to the godly: Look how Parents pity their children so doth God pity them, that fear him, Psal. 103.13. yea God is troubled in their troubles, and his bowels are turned in him in their discouragements and griefs Esay 63.8. jer. 31.18, 19 3. A father still loves his child, so doth God, and much more, than all fathers, or any of them. For he loves with an everlasting love, Esay 49.14. and is called an everlasting father, Esay 9.6. Add unto these, that a father will love his child, though no body else do: so can God love us, though he love alone. Though natural fathers, and kindred forsake us, Psal. 27.5.10. and spiritual fathers forget us, Esay 63.16, 17. yet God will never cease to love us, he will never leave us nor forsake us. Only we must ever remember, that God's love is a pure love: For it hath not in it hurtful indulgence, he will not mar his children with too much fondness: He can hide his face, and though he will never take his mercies from them, yet if they sin, he will scourge them with the rod of men, he will afflict them, though it be but for a short time. Psal. 89. Esay 67.7, 8, 9 As is the affection of God, so is his provision for the godly, a fatherly provision, he provides for them like a father, yea like a heavenly father in their 1. attendance. 2. diet. 3. preservation in trouble. and 4. portion. 1. For their attendance: he provides for them better, than the great men of the earth can do for their children: He hath given his Angels to be ministering spirits to all these heirs of salvation, and these pitch their tents round abo●t them, Psal. 34. Heb. 1.14.2. And for diet, they are fed with the food that perisheth not, yea such food, as he that eateth thereof shall live for ever. John 6.27. 3. And for preservation in trouble, the power of God doth so keep them, that a hair of their heads cannot fall to the ground without the providence of their heavenly father, Mat. ●●. and ●o that 〈◊〉 all the hairs of their head are numbered, and the spirit of God is given them to teach them, to comfort them, and uphold them. 4. And for portion: he hath blessed them with all spiritual blessings ìn heavenly things, and since the earth was forfeited into God's hands again, he hath restored the inheritance of the earth to none (as is the opinion of many learned) but to them: Other men hold without any title from God, Ephes. 1.3. Esay 45.11, 17, 18, 19 and in the world to come, they shall shine as the stars of heaven, and as the sun in the firmament, Mat. 13.43. Object. Ob. But God hath so many sons of this kind, how can he provide for them all? Solut. Sol. Our hearts are not troubled for that: we believe in God, and believe in Christ also: In our father's house there are many mansions: if it had not been so, Christ would have told us, and he is gone before to make our places ready for us. John 14.1, 2. Object. Ob. But they have so many adversaries without and within, that there is great danger, lest they be pulled out of their inheritance. Solut. Sol. God that hath begotten them, and given them to Christ, is greater than all: no man can pluck them out of his hands, John 10.29. Object. Object. But they are for the most part a people of many, and those continual wants, there is scarce any moment, wherein they want not something, and therefore must either be uncomfortable in themselves, or burdensome to God. Solut. Sol. Whatsoever they ask the father he will give it them: It is no trouble to God to receive Petitions from them continually, he delights in it, and rather blames them for ask so seldom, and so little, john 16.23. Ob. God himself plagues them with troubles as much, Object. or rather more than he doth other men. Sol. The fathers of our flesh, correct us, Solut. and shall not the father of spirits do it? and the rather if we consider, that he shows his love therein: a man will correct his own son more, than another man's, and he doth correct us for our profit, that we might partake of his holiness and live, and there is much fruit in the afflictions of the godly, all working together for the best unto them: If God spare wicked men, it is because they are bastards, and not sons, and yet there is a great deal of difference between God's usage of wicked men, and of godly, even in their trouble. For he spares and pities his own children as a man will spare and pity his own son. He never strikes them but it is in measure, and in their branches. He doth not make a full end of them to confound them, as he will do with wicked men, Heb. 12. Esay 27. Ob. The world sees no such excellency in them, or in their Estate. Object. Sol. The world knows them not, because it knows not God their father: Solut. they are now the sons of God, but it doth not appear, what we shall be: but we know, that when Christ shall appear, we shall be all like him, 1 john 3.1, 2. This doctrine of God's fatherly love to his people may serve for instuction. Use 2. 1. To godly men. 2. To carnal men. 3. To earthly fathers. 1. Godly men should learn here to live like the children of God, and so they'doe, if they look to three things. 1. That they live without sin, How we may live like God's children. and not shame their father by their wicked lives: their works should show, and bear witness by their care to finish them, that God is their father, and set them about them, john 5.36. Their righteousness must exceed the righteousness of civil men in this world: Mat. 5.20. and therefore their daily prayers unto God should be, that he would establish them in holiness before him, till the coming of jesus Christ, 1 Thess. 3.13. 2. Secondly that they live without care, having such a heavenly father to provide for them, Mat. 6.25. etc. 3. Thirdly that they live out of the society with wicked men cleaving only to the household of God, 2 Cor. 6.18. they should love their father's house, Psal. 27.4. and deny utterly the love of this world, john 2.15, 16. 2. Carnal men should hence take notice, if it may be, to be better advised, and not meddle with the godly, no not to despise the least of these little ones: Their Angels always behold the face of God for them, and their heavenly father will requite their wrongs, Mat. 18.10. etc. 3. Earthly parents should here learn of God: God cares for his children before they were, and shall not they care for their children, when God hath given them to them: God's greatest care is to provide holiness for his children, and should not they learn of God therein. Lastly, this may serve for reproof both of some of the godly, Use 3. and also of the wicked, that live in the Church of God: some of the godly do greatly forget themselves about this point, that is such, as stir not up themselves to take hold of God, and to call upon his name in their distresses, but sit down dismayed and dead hearted, as if there were not the compassion, care, or help of a father, in God: this is reproved, Esay 64.8. Those sons of Belial also, that live in the Church, and call God father, but live like the Devil, who indeed is their father, whose works they do: those I say are most bitterly reproved in these, and such like Scriptures even from their daring to call God father, Mal. 1.6. & 3. ult. jer. 3.4. etc. Mat. 3.9. & 7.21. john 4.23. & 8.38.41.44. 1 john 3.15. 2 john 9 Through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of jesus Christ] There is difference of senses about the understanding and dependency of these words amongst Interpreters. Some take sanctification in a large sense for man's righteousness in general, and obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Christ, as the two parts or kinds of it: by obedience understanding man's righteousness, or holiness in himself, and by sprinkling of Christ● blood, that righteousness of Christ, that righteousness (I say) made ours by imputation, both which are applied or wrought by the spirit of God. Some others make sanctification the end, and obedience, and sprinkling the means, and so conceive, that before man's sanctification there goes two things in God: Election, and foreknowledge: and two things in Christ, obedience and sufferings, and all this in both, that we might be sanctified. Others understand sanctification of the heart, or spirit of man, as a means intended in God's Election for the fitting of us unto obedience of life, and the fruition of the benefits purchased by the blood of jesus Christ; and thus, I take it, it is meant here. The sum seems then to be this, that our lives may be obedient to Gods will, and that we may enjoy the benefit of Christ's death, we must be sanctified within in our spirits. Sanctification of the spirit.] Man is said to be sanctified, or made holy three ways: 1 Ex non sancto privative. 1. Of not holy privatively, and so man, that was once without holiness, is made holy by regeneration, and justification. 2 Ex minus sancto. 2. Of less holy, and so God's children are daily sanctified by proceeding from grace to grace. 3 Ex non sancto negative. 3. Of 〈◊〉 holy negatively, and so Christ as he was man was sanctified. For there was a time, when Christ had not this holiness in his humane nature, Thomas Aquinas. viz. when his humane nature was not. Spirit is taken sometimes for the holy Ghost, sometimes for an evil Angel, 1 Kings 22. Luke 10.20. sometimes for the Gospel, which hath adjoined to it the spirit, or working of the spirit of God, 2 Cor. 3.6. sometimes for the soul of man, and so it is taken sometimes more strictly for the understanding, the Queen of the soul, the reason of man's mind (and then the soul is taken for the fear of affections) Ephes. 4. ●3. 1 Thess. ●. 23. sometimes more largely for the whole inward man, the whole soul with all the faculties of it, and so I take it here. Divers things may be noted here in the general. 1. First that without sanctification we can never have comfort of our Election; by our obedience others may discover our Election, and by inward holiness we may discern it of ourselves. 2. That our sanctification hath some dependence upon God's election, and that, 1. as he hath ordained the rules of good works, we should walk in, Eph. 2.10. 2. as he hath bound himself by his decree to guide his people to the holiness, he doth require of them. 3. That an outward civil life will not serve the turn, God requires especially the sanctification of the heart of man, 1 Sam. 16.17. when God looks for the marks of his own people he trieth the heart and reins, jer. 11.20. & 4.14. Prov. 4.23. & 23.16. God's ways are in the blessed man's heart, Ps. 84.5. 4. That there is flesh in the best of Gods Elect in this life, their spirits only are sanctified. Thus in general. More particularly concerning the sanctification of the spirit, I propound two things distinctly to be considered of: 1. What need our spirits have to be sanctified. 2. Wherein lieth the sanctification of the spirit of man. Our spirits have great need to be sanctified: 1 By reason of the first sin, What need our spirits have to be sanctified. they want original righteousness, and they are corrupt and infected with a general leprosy. 2. By reason of the stain and uncleanness all our actual sins have added to the former corruption. 3. By reason of the inhabitation of unclean spirits our spirits have in them trenches, cages, forts, and strong holds of Satan, 2 Cor. 10.4. and therefore had need to be cleansed after such soul spirits have been there. 4. The natural spirit of man frames nothing but evil, and that continually: this makes God so weary, Gen. 6. In particular all the faculties of the spirit of man need sanctification. 1. The mind is covered with a veil, wrapped in an ugly mantle of darkness, distracted with error, coupled with a thousand forms of evil thoughts. 2. The memory performs no service to God: it should be God's Treasurer, and Register, but no body is in the office to keep record. 3. The Will is grievously diseased, and with sickness so distempered, that it will not be ruled by any, not by God, not by men, not by reason, not by religion, nor doth it agree with itself. For man wills not always the same thing. 4. The affections out of the first poison of natural corruption, have such monstrous births of evil, that the spirit by them is set out of all order. They are compared to beasts, Esay 11. To fight soldiers, 1 Pet. 2.12. To tyrants making cruel laws, and leading into bondage, Rom. 7. 5. The wretched Conscience (than which there was once no diviner thing on earth) is now in miserable case. For either it is sick of a Lethargy, and sleeps, or if it waken it is like a mad Dog▪ or Lion▪ or a judge transported with rage: It is ignorant without light: it is soiled or ●tein●d with a thousand sins: It is impure, and exceeding base, and without all properties of a divine judge. For it is blind and will be corrupted, and will defer the Affise, etc. Instead of a throne of judgement it is thrust into a hole, and horrible dungeon of darkness, where the Sun of righteousness shineth not, and there for the most part, as if it were still night, it lieth obscure and sleepeth. And thus of the need we have of sanctification in our spirits. Wherein the sanctification of the spirit lieth. The sanctification of the spirit lieth in two things. 1. In cleansing the spirit from sin. 2. In adorning the spirit with graces. In the cleansing of the spirit consider both from what, and how. For the first, if any ask, Of cleansing the spirit of man, from what and how. what there is in our spirits needs cleansing away? I answer: That besides what hath been showed, many more particulars may be set out thus: There are vile both impieties, Answ. and unrighteousness in our spirits must be done away. For impieties: There is ignorance, error, atheistical thoughts, pride, hypocrisy, inconstancy, hardness of heart, and division of heart, conceitedness, vanity, self-love, hatred of goodness, false fears, carnal confidence, forgetfulness, doubts, unsettledness, unbeliefes of all sorts, and love of the world. For unrighteousness: There are evil cares, & covetousness, lusts of all sorts, hatred, malice, desire of revenge, anger, fretting, worldly grief, bitterness, discontentment, vainglory, emulation, inordinate affection, and evil concupiscence: as good as men think their hearts and meanings are, they may by this taste see, how foul their spirits are. 8 Things to cleanse the spirit of man. Now for the second: The spirit is cleansed from these sins by degrees; and to that purpose the spirit of God worketh and useth 8. distinct new qualities, which have not place in the soul, but upon occasion of this service against sin. And these are, 1. Spiritual poverty, or sense of sin and misery. 2. Base estimation, viz: of the world, with the pleasures, profits, and lusts of it, Phil. ●. 8. Esay 30.22. 3. Hatred of sin. 4. Shame for sin. Rom. 6.21. 5. Godly sorrow. 6. Fear. 7. Indignation. 8. A purpose and inclination to forsake sin. Thus of the cleansing of the spirit. Of the adorning of the spirit The adorning of the spirit follows: The spirit of man in sanctification is adorned with holy graces; and here I consider of the adorning, 1. of the mind: 2. of the heart: 3. of the conscience. Three things which adorn the mind in sanctification. The mind is adorned with three things, which come new into it. 1. The first is a heavenly light. 2. The second is humbleness of mind. 3. The third is purity of imaginations. 1. This light comes in by the illumination of the spirit, setting in the mind a celestial kind of knowledge, and this stands in two things: For first this sanctification breaks open a way, and sets at liberty the light of nature, which was imprisoned and withheld in unrighteousness, and then there is beside infused a new light from above, and this light hath in it: 1 The light of the mind hath 5. things in it. 1. A holy discerning of good and evil, truth and falsehood, by which the mind in a measure discerneth a general course of avoiding the ways of death and the 〈◊〉 of hell. 2. A holy inquiry, by which the mind aspireth after God and truth, and trieth things that differ. 3. Wisdom from above, by which the mind is carried not only to a foresight, and forecast for the things of the soul and a better life, above the things of the body, and this life; but is furnished with certain feeds of discretion for practise with observation of the circumstances of time, place, persons, manner, end, occasions, etc. 4. A sacred frame of piety, and pattern of godliness and truth, and this pattern is so communicated to the understanding, that it is indelible, no dangers, sin, or death can ever utterly abolish it. This frame of truth is perfected by degrees. 5. There is planted in the mind God's watch, by the light whereof all the ways of the heart, and life are over-looked. 2 Humbleness of mind hath 6. things in it. 2. The second grace planted in the mind, is humbleness of mind. 1 Pet. 5.5. and this hath in it, 1. A sense of the wants of the soul, and life of man. 2. A lowly kind of forecast in all things to glorify God, and profit man, accounting it no abasement to serve and please with all readiness. 3. A thankful acknowledgement of the mercies of God infinitely above desert, by which a man holds himself not worthy of the least of God's mercies, 4. A freedom in matters of opinion, from self-conceit, by which a man attains to that, not to be wise in himself, or to rely upon his own reason, or judgement. Thus a man is not high minded. 5. An accounting of others of God's servants better than ourselves. 6. A proneness to humiliation for sin, and humility in carriage. 3. The third thing brought into the mind is purity of imaginations, Purity of imaginations. holy thoughts, by which the mind converseth as it were in heaven already, and feedeth upon the fairest objects in heaven and earth. Prov. 14.22. Phil. 3. 20. Colos. 3.1. Thus much of the adorning of the mind. 2. The heart is adorned with 8. graces. 1. Holy desires: such as the heart felt not before, such as these: The heart adorned with 8. graces. after remission of sins, and righteousness by Christ, Mat. 5. after the means of God's kingdom, and the power of it, Psal. 42. 1 Pet. 2.2. after the presence of God, even that of glory, and the coming of Christ, 2 Tim. 4.8.2 Cor. 5.8. after communion of Saints (the heart longing after them) and in a word, after all sorts of heavenly things. 2. Divine love: and that of God, Psal. 18.1. of Christ, 1 Pet. 1.8. of the word, Psal. 119.103. of God's house, Psal. 26.8. & 84.5. of the godly, Psal. 16.3. 1 john 3.14. 3. joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 14.17. in such things as these: 1. In the satisfaction of Christ for sin, Galat. 6.14. Rom. 5.11. 11 Things wherein a sanctified heart rejoiceth. & 15.13. 2. In his Election, Luke 10.20. 3. In the breasts of the Church's consolation, Esay 66.10. 4. In the word both read and heard, Psal. 119.77. jer. 11.16. john 3.29. and so in the sacraments. 5. In the sabbath, Esay 58.13. 6. In well-doing, Prov. 21.15. 7. In suffering for righteousness, Mat. 5.10. 8. In the presence of God knowing the soul in adversity especially, Ps. 31.7. Rom. 5.4. 9 In the people of God, Ps. 137.6. 10. In all the good things the Lord hath given, as the pledges of his love. Deut. 26.11. 11. In the things that pertain to God. Rom. 15.17. In these a Christian hath his seasons, and though he may sow in tears, yet he reaps in joy. 4. A holy fear of God, and that of his mercies, Ps. 147.11. Host 3.5. of his word, Esay 66.2. of his presence, especially in time of his service, Heb. 12.28. and of his name and glorious titles, Deut. 28.58. and in all things a fear of his offence and displeasure, in respect of which a man is jealous of his own infirmities. Pro. 28.18. 1 Pet. 1.17. 5. Confidence: in which the godly are as mount Zion, that cannot be moved, Psal. 125.5. by which he committeth his way to God, Psal. 37.5. and runneth to God for refuge, that he may be under his arms for ever, Deut. 33.27. God's name is to him a strong tower, Prov. 18. in respect of which, his place is on high, even in the defence of the munitions of the rocks, Esa. 33.16 etc. yea such is the power of this confidence sometimes, that though God trouble him with his own hands, yet he will hope, job 15.19. By this sign God knows his in the day of trouble, and will own them, Neh. 1.7. and the eye of God is never off them, because they trust in his mercies, Psal. 33.18. 6. A holy hatred, by which he cannot abide sin, Ps. 97.10. the garment spotted with the flesh, jude 23. any false way, Ps. 119.128. wicked company, Ps. 26.5. the work of such as fall away, Psal. 101.3. them, that hate God and goodness. Psalm 139, 21. 7. Peace: whereby a man is made to rest from passions, and perturbations, and enjoyeth tranquillity in the contemplation of God's favour, Rom. 14.17. 8. Bowels of mercy, Col. 3.12. I omit hope, patience, meekness, and the rest: either because they some way belong to some of these; or because these are the most eminent, and easy to be discerned: and all these are put on by faith. And thus much of the adorning of the heart. The Conscience adorned with 9 things. 3. The conscience is also adorned with 9 gifts. 1. Life: it being quickened from the dead sleep, it was in. 2. Light from ignorance. 3. Peace from terrors, differing from security. 4. Purity and care in all things to do uprightly. Acts 23.1. Heb. 13.1. 2 Tim. 2.3. 5. joy and refreshing, it is now a continual feast, Prov. 15.15. 6. Constancy, job 27.6. so as no power can compel it. 7. Plainness and harmelessnesse. 2 Cor. 1.12. 8. A divine sentence, so as in determining, it judgeth for God, and as God. 9 Tenderness: so as it will now smit● for lesser evils. Uses. All this doctrine concerning the sanctification of the spirit may serve: First for humiliation: We may all say, if God look upon our spirits, innumerable evils have compassed us, Psal. 40. and therefore we had need to pray to God to cleanse us from secret sins, even those sins of our spirits. 2. For admonition to all men, to take heed, that they neglect not this great work of inward sanctification, especially if God have touched the heart with any inward feeling of thy estate and remorse of sin: Look to thyself, thy heart is deceitful, and sin is a witch: watch against security, or relapse into security▪ ●e persuaded it is a dangerous thing to sin against the purposes of amendment: The axe is now laid to the root of the tree, and therefore trifle not, let not thy righteousness be as the morning dew; thou art come near to the kingdom of God, quench not the sparkles of light and remorse. And much more this may warn such, as will not be touched with the care of sanctification, take heed of a swinish and dogged heart, the Lord will not cast pearls before such swine still. And thirdly, it may warn such, as rest in giving fair words: If they praise the Sermons, and speak fair to God's servants, they think all is well: The Devil could speak Christ fair to be rid of him, Mar. 1.24. and so did Herod, Mar. 6.20. 3. For instruction to all sorts of men, that yet find not comfort in this work: oh labour about it, that thou mayst be cleansed from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, even sanctified throughout, following after holiness, without which no man shall see God, 2 Cor. 7.3. 1 Thess. 5.23. Heb. 12.14. and if there were in men a heart to return, there are many encouragements: Christ is given to us of God to be our sanctification; and in his intercession, he remembered to pray for this, that God would sanctify us, 1 Cor. 1.30. john 17.14, 17, 19 and the word of Christ is able to sanctify us, Acts 20.32. and Christ hereby proves his resurrection from the dead, Rom. 1.4. and God hath promised his spirit to help us, Ezech. 33.37. 4. For confirmation: since this is so, let him that is holy, be holy still. 5. For much thankfulness, in such, as have attained in any measure to the gifts of God's grace herein, 2 Thess. 2.13. Thus much of the sanctification of the spirit. Unto obedienc●] The first end of our sanctification is, that our lives may be brought into obedience. This obedience must be considered either in the 1. whole, or in the 2. parts. 1. In the whole it is profitable to observe three things: Of obedience in general. 1. the original of true obedience: 2. The rules or properties of true obedience in the manner of it. 3. The motives that might stir us up to the care of obedience. 1. The cause of this obedience is 1. either without us, or 2. within us: without us it is both God, and the word of God; Of the causes of our obedience. God the Father causeth it by electing, etc. the Son by redeeming: the holy Ghost by calling. The word of God is the sampler or pattern of our obedience; for if ever we would bring our lives into order, we must resolve not to follow men's examples, wills, lusts, or our own reasons, inclinations, or conjectures; but only to have recourse to the Law of God: this must be the light to our feet, and the lantern to our paths, Psal. 119. & 19.2 Tim. 3.15. to the end we must obey them that have the oversight of us, and do instructs out of the word, and observe the form of doctrine into which we are delivered, Rom. 6.17. Heb. 7.18. and receive such teachers as the Corinthians received Titus, 2 Cor. 7.15. we should get an ear of obedience: Prov. 25.12. 2. The causes within us are either 1. general: the sanctification of our spirit; or 2. special, and so it is Faith: For the first, the coherence shows, that unless our hearts be sanctified, our lives can never be framed to true holiness and obedience; and for faith, it is certain before ever we can practise true obedience to the Law, we must have the obedience of Faith, that is, we must be persuaded of God's love to us, and receive his promises in Christ, and repenting of our sins, believe the Gospel: Rom. 1.5. & 10.16. 2 Thess. 1.8. The faith of the Truth is generally the chief guide of all our actions, whether they be works of reformation, or of our general calling, or particular carriage: 2 Thess. 3.16. For we must believe God's threatenings, power, promises, assistance and reward, or else our work will go slowly forward. 2. Now for the second: there are six things to be observed in the manner of our obedience, Rules▪ or six things to be observed in all true obedience. without which our life will never be brought into order. 1. The first is care. The Apostle saith, we must yield ourselves as servants to obey: Rom. 6.16. which notes, that we must do the works of God, and s●ew our obedience to him, as the servant doth his work, that is with great heed, forecast, and care: God doth not only require we should obey, but obey as servants obey. 2. The second thing required in our obedience, is Wisdom: It is not enough to do good, but we must be wise to that which is good, and simple concerning evil: This the Apostle shows, Rom. 16.19. 3. The third is Constancy: our obedience must be fulfilled, 2 Cor. 10.16. We must not be weary of well-doing: 1 Thess. 3.13. 4. The fourth is abnegation: In obeying Gods will, we must throughout the course of our lives be contented to deny ourselves, so as we would do Gods will with patience, though crosses follow, Luke 8. A sign of the seed sown in good ground, it bringeth forth fruit with patience: and besides it imports, that if we mean to reform our lives aright, we must live soberly, showing our moderation in diet, apparel, recreations, and the like: yea we must not think it much to be crossed in our reason, desires, ease, profits, or preferments: but be contented to be that we may be, with a good Conscience: Heb. 11.8. Gen. 22.18. 5. The fifth is sincerity: and the sincerity of our obedience appears, both when we show respect to all God's Commandments, as well as one, obeying in all things: as also, when we obey without corrupt and carnal ends and respects: Gen. 26.5. Phil. 2.12. 6. The sixth thing is peace: we must lay our projects so for holiness, as we follow after peace, as much as is possible, and that with all men, much more with the Church and people of God, Rom. 12.19. Heb. 12.14. so as our conversation be without division or offence: Rom. 16.18, 19 3. For the third point, we may remember that it was long since noted by Samuel, Motive to obedience. that obedience is better than sacrifice: 1 Sam. 15. This obedience is the end of the writings of the Apostles and Prophets. If we be not trained up by the Scriptures to good works, we do nothing with general profession of the name of Christ. Rom. 1.5. 2 Tim. 3.15. etc. If we obey not, we are the servants of sin, and it will be our ruin, we shall dye in our sins: The Ministry had never been broken open, but that the Nations might be brought to obedience: Rom. 16.26. If you obey not, you break the hearts of your teachers: it is not good words, and liberal pensions will serve the turn, you must yield obedience to our Ministry in your lives, or else you do nothing: Phil. 1.15.16 2 Cor. 7.15. Vengeance is ready against all disobedience, every whit as ready in God's hand, as in the Minister's mouth, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. In this text we may see God delights to receive the obedience of his people from all eternity, and all the benefits purchased by Christ's blood, shall be given to them that obey, he is author of eternal salvation to them that obey. Heb. 5.9. Thus of obedience in general: external obedience which is here entreated of, is distinguished by the Apostle: Rom. 15.18. into two kinds. Of obedience in words. For either it is obedience in word, or obedience in deed. Quest. Here might some one say, what need the obedience of the tongue, our tongues are free? Answ. It seems some men think so: Those hypocritical, flattering, and wicked men mentioned Psal. 12.3. say their tongues are their own, and yet it is certain, the Lord will have the tongue bound to the good behaviour, jam. 3.3. Quest. What great hurt can there be in the tongue, if men live honestly otherwise? It seems there can be no great offence in the tongue. Answ. Men are extremely deceived that think they cannot commit dishonesty & impiety by their words. There is a world of wickedness in the tongue, Jam. 3.6. There are many sins which are most vile and hateful, which have their principal seat in the tongue, or are practised in words, as blasphemy, murmuring, desperation, lip-service, swearing, cursing, perjury, charming, reproaching, persecution by the mocking of the godly, bitter words, silthy speaking, lying, backbiting, slandering, flattery, and false witness bearing, together with diverse sins of deceit, hypocrisy, heresy, etc. And on the other side excellent graces, and duties depend much upon the service of the tongue: God's glory; our own Callings, and other men's good are much furthered by the tongue. By the tongue men preach, pray, confess their sins, give thanks, comfort, exhort, rebuke, swear, vow, etc. and therefore great reason, we should show our obedience even in the tongue. Under the obedience of conversation are comprehended duties of piety to God, of mercy to the distressed, of justice to all men, of temperance to ourselves. The catalogues of the sins we should avoid in our conversation, or of duties we should do, I omit here, having some purpose, if God will, to handle them more largely in Treatises by themselves. And thus of obedience. And sprinkling of the blood of jesus Christ] Before I come to the more particular, and full opening of these words, these things may be touched in the general. 1. There was blood in Christ, he took the true nature of his brethren, true flesh and blood, that he might serve and satisfy God in the same nature, that had offended. 2. This blood was shed. If you ask, who shed it? I answer: judas by selling it: the Priests by advising it: the people by consenting to it: Pilate by decreeing it: the soldiers by effecting it: Christ himself by permitting it, and after presenting it to God: (Heb. 9.14,) our sins, that chiefly caused it. If any ask for whom it was shed? I answer briefly for the Church, Act. 20. not for himself, nor for impenitent, and obstinate sinners, that die in their sins. 3. It is not enough, that the blood of Christ be shed to make us happy, unless it be applied also: which the word sprinkling notes. 4. This effusion of blood was solemnly prefigured, or foretold by the sacraments, and sacrifices of the Law. For this word sprinkled is a Metaphor, borrowed from the legal sprinkling; which shows us two things: 1. The great account that God and good men make of it, in that it was so solemnly and anciently typed out: 2. That the ceremonies of that Law are now abolished, seeing we have here the true sprinkling of the blood fore-shadowed out. 5. That our estate in Christ is better now, than our estate in Adam was. Our estate in Christ better than our estate in Adam here in this life. For God here in his eternal counsel is brought in overlooking that first estate in Adam, and setting up his rest in this estate purchased in the blood of his Son. If any man marvel at this, he shall be thus satisfied: Our estate in Christ is better, than our estate was at the best in Adam, even in this life, and therefore much more in the world to come: In this life, it is better only in two respects. 1. That we cannot fall from this happiness. 2. That Christ's righteousness imputed to us is better, than that righteousness was, inherent in Adam. Now for the world to come, heaven is better than paradise. 6. We can never discern our comfort in the blood of Christ, till we be sanctified in spirit, and set upon the reducing of our lives into the obedience of Christ. justification and Sanctification are inseparable. Thus much for the general. In particular, concerning this sprinkling of the blood of Christ, I consider two things: 1. What benefits the Christian enjoys by the blood of Christ, which is here noted, as the end of his sanctification: 2. The mystery of this sprinkling, or applying of the blood of Christ, as it was shadowed out by the legal sprinklings. The benefits which flow from the effusion of the blood of Christ are either general, or particular. The general are; The benefits flowing from the blood of Christ. 1. The purchase of the Church Acts 20. 2. The ratification of the new Testament, or covenant of grace, Heb 9.18. 3. The breaking down of the partition wall between Jews and Gentiles, and the adopting of the abject Gentiles, the free denizing of the Gentiles, and repealing of all statutes of aliens, Ephes. 2.13. etc. 4. The reconciliation of all things both in heaven and earth, and the dissolving of that enmity, which came in by sin, Col. 1.20. The particular benefits, which flow from the blood of Christ to every converted Christian, are 1. justification: which hath in it, 1. the pacification of God's anger: Christ's blood is the propitiatory, like the cover of the Ark, that hides the law from the sight of God, Rom. 3.25. 2. the pardon of all sins, 1 john 1. 7.9. Ephes. 1.7. 3. prevention of God's eternal wrath, or the loss of heaven, Rom. 5.9. 4. the garment of imputed righteousness, or putting on of robes made white in his blood, Rev. 7.14. 2. Sanctification, and the cleansing the conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Heb. 9.13, 14. 3. The sanctification of all the means of help to the believer both spiritual and temporal: the very book of God is sprinkled with the blood of Christ, that it may be opened, and of use to the faithful, and so all means else in his general and particular calling. Heb. 9.19, 20. 4. Intercession: the blood of Christ speaking better things, than the blood of Abel, pleading daily for the godly, and procuring the establishment of favour in God, and acceptation. Heb. 12.24. 5. Victory over Satan, who is overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of the testimony, Rev. 12.11. so as his molestations, and temptations shall not prevail. 6. The destruction of him, that had power over death, so as now the believer needs not fear death, nor can he be hurt of it. Heb. 2.14. 7. Entrance into the most holy place, even within the Veil, that is, into heaven. Heb. 10.19, 20. you may see more john 6.53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, etc. All this may serve for diverse uses: As Uses. 1. For singular consolation to all the godly: Oh what an honour is it to be descended of the blood of Christ? How doth a Christian man's new birth in this respect excel all the nobility of birth in the world? john 1.13. What reason have we of thankfulness for so happy a condition? what should we complain of? what matters it, what we lose, or want, if we neither lose nor want the blood of Christ? How incomparable are these benefits beyond all the glory of this world, if we have eyes to see them, and hearts large enough to conceive of the glory of them? The Lord from eternity looking upon the blood of his Son sets up his re●t there, as having provided a sufficient portion for all that shall be sanctified by his spirit. 2. For instruction: we should every one of us be incited to all possible care of assurance, that Christ died for us, and get it ratified to our hearts by all the testimonies we can. There be three witnesses of a man's happiness: 1. the water: 2. the blood: 3. and the spirit, 1 john 5.6. The water of repentance: the blood of expiation in the passion of Christ applied by faith; the spirit of sanctification testified by saving graces, and new divine gifts. 3. For terror to all wicked men: that sin against the blood of Christ, by despising and neglecting the grace of the covenant, by swearing, by unworthy receiving the sacrament, and by their obstinate unbelief and impenitency. Shall the blood of Abel cry for such vengeance, and shall not the blood of Christ much more? What a blood-guiltiness do these men draw upon themselves, that sin against the blood of Christ? If judas burst his heart with despair for betraying it, how can their case be better for despising it? Thus of the benefits, which come by the blood of Christ: Now it followeth, that I should open the meaning of those ceremonial legal sprinklings, and show, how they did in their kind foresignify the mystery of this sprinkling of the blood of Christ. There was a fourfold legal sprinkling. 1. the first was of the blood of the red Cow, and of a water made of the ashes of the red Cow, Num. 19 2. the second was of the blood of the Paschall Lamb, Exod. 12. the third was of the bullock by the High Priest, cleansing the Tabernacle, Levit. 16. the fourth was of the blood of the burnt offering at the ratification of the covenant: and that these things may be made more plain, I would take liberty to explain those types, as they lie in the text, though the explication thereof will in some things contain a little digression from this Text. And first for the sprinkling mentioned Numb. 19 The Israelites by their wicked murmurings had brought the plague of God upon themselves: In their distress they cry and seek reconciliation: An explication of the whole Ceremony of the sprinkling of the blood of the red Heifer, Numb. 19 the Lord makes an ordinance, and shows a way, how he may be pacified, where many things may be noted. 1. That of necessity the expiation must be made in blood, which was a type of the blood of Christ: God will never be friends with offenders, till they bring him the blood of his Son to make atonement; and this is of such absolute necessity, that in the second verse the direction is called, the ordinance of the law commanded of the Lord. Note: an ordinance, a law, and commanded: to show the peremptoriness of the Lord in this point, we must lay hold upon the blood of Christ, or God will never turn away his displeasure from us. 2. That this expiation belongs only to the house of Israel. 3. That they of the house of Israel, that is, the members of the true Church need to be called upon in this point, he must speak to the children of Israel, verse 2. 4. That Christ, that should be the true sacrifice, must be one taken out of the Congregation: one that lived amongst men on earth, and should be offered up in the flower of his youth, and should likewise take the very infirmities of our nature upon himself: This was shadowed by the H●ifer taken out of the heard. 5. The Heifer was red, to shadow out the bloody passion of Christ: The Church says of Christ, my love is white, and ruddy: white, in respect of the righteousness of his life; and ruddy, in respect of his passion unto blood. 6. The Heifer was without spot, and blemish, to signify, that Christ should be without sin: He was indeed in the similitude of sinful flesh, but had no sin in his flesh: It is somewhat, that the Heifer must be such, as had in herself no blemish: Note, in herself; for it is true, Christ had no fault in himself, but his members were not without fault. For no flesh in this life is without sin, but the flesh of Christ. 7. The Heifer must be such, as upon which never came yoke, and that fitly and significantly required. For such was Christ: for he never bore the yoke, in that he never sinned; he came to deliver those, that were under the yoke, and servants of sin, but knew no sin himself. Besides, the yoke was not put upon his flesh, because he had power uncompelled to lay down his life, and to take it up again. Some say, that a Heifer was to be offered to expiate the idolatry in the Calf, and it was to be brought to Moses▪ because Aaron had sinned: and must be without yoke, to note, that the Israelites had cast off the yoke of God's law, but the former sense is the right. 8. This Heifer was to be brought to Moses, and why that? not only to signify, that Christ should be condemned under pretence of the breach of Moses law; not only because he should dye by the appointment of the Magistrate; but to import, that Christ must be offered up to God the Father, the Lawgiver, who was the party offended. 9 Who must bring this Heifer to Moses? Answ. All the Congregation of Israel, they must all get them a red Heifer, that is, a bloody Saviour, or else they can never be accepted: This is the best, yea the only present they can bring to God to pacify his displeasure toward them. 10. Ver. 3. It is said, He shall give her to Eleazar the Priest. Who delivered up Christ to be slain? In the letter, the jews; in the mystery, the Elect. But why delivered to the Priest? to note (as in all other sacrifices) the priesthood of Christ by his eternal spirit offering up himself to God, Heb. 9.14. perhaps to foretell, that the Priests should kill Christ. But why to Eleazar, rather than to Aaron? Some say, because Aaron had offended in the Calf: But other say, to note, that the passion of Christ should not only serve for that time, or the time under the law; but for their successors, and all successions to come; and to note, that this was a doctrine to be delivered down by all Ministers one after another. 11. It must he without the camp, to prefigure, that he should suffer without Jerusalem, and thereby leave us a warning to withdraw ourselves from conversation with this world, and bear our reproach, joh. 19 Heb. 13. 12. She must be slain before Eleazar's face: The flesh of Christ was slain before the face of the Priests of the Lord in the new Testament; or rather Christ was offered up before the face of God the Father: that which in the sight of the world was a punishment, in the sight of God was a sacrifice. 13. Ver. 4. Eleazar must take of this blood with his finger, to note, that men may not rudely with blind hopes thrust in their hands into this sacred blood: it must be touched, or applied with great discretion, and reverence; and the blood of Christ is to be touched with our fingers, or hands, not with our mouths, or hearts only: To note, that our practice should be died in the blood of Christ, and savour of the virtue of his death, and our applications of it, that so we may imitate his passion as well as know it: 1 Pet. 2.21. 14. The blood must be sprinkled directly before the tabernacle of the Congregation 7. times. Some understand the Jewish synagogue, upon which the curse for the effusion of Christ's blood came most exquisitely, according to their own desire, when they said, His blood be upon us, and our children: But rather hereby is signified, that the Church of God only hath the benefit of Christ's blood applied; and then 7. times notes both the perfection of justification, and the often need we have of the renewing of the application of it, and also the continuance of it to all ages. 15. The skin, flesh, blood, and dung of the heifer must be burnt, Ver. 5. By the skin, flesh, and blood may be meant the substance of the flesh of Christ: and by the dung, the base indignities and contumelies, which were cast upon him, and these were all offered up, and sacrificed in the fire of his passion. 16. Ver. 6. Cedar-wood, hyssop, and scarlet are not without their signification: The Papists reach high here, that can find in these three to be meant three persons suffering with Christ: By Hyssop should be meant the Virgin Mary, and by the Cedar, john the Evangelist, and these two should suffer with him per compassionem mentis, and by the scarlet should be meant the thief, that suffered with him per compassionem carnis. Some think that the Cedar-wood is hope, that dwells on high, and will not be putrified: Hyssop is faith, a low growing herb, that fastens her root upon the rock: scarlet is charity: Others understand by the Cedar contemplation: by the hyssop humility, and by scarlet twice died, charity which is twice died, Coccus bis tincture. viz. on the one side with the love of God, on the other with the love of our neighbour: All these must burn in the Lord's passion: but I think, that hereby may be noted, that three things arise out of the passion of Christ: 1. th● 〈◊〉 of immortality. 2. the hyssop of mortification: For so the word purge applied to hyssop Psal. 51. doth import. 3. the scarlet is the blood of Christ, which is twice died, in that it is twice applied: once for expiation, 600. years ago: and then again for justification of every particular believer. 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 sin in kill Christ, of whose conversion is mentioned Act. 6. But rather hereby may be gathered, as the Apostle doth gather it, the great excellency of Christ's Priesthood above all those legal 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 unclean by that, which did purify the people? Answ. Uncleanness was two ways contracted. 1. First by the foulness of the things touched, and so he that touched a dead corpse was unclean. 2. Secondly by the unworthiness of the man touching, and so it was here: He must profess himself unworthy to touch so sacred an expiation; we had need to take time even till the evening to humble our souls, and bewail our unworthiness of the blood of Christ. 18. Now after the death of the Heifer, it is said Verse 9 that a man that is clean, must gather up the ashes of the Heifer, and lay them up without the Camp in a clean place. This man, that is clean, 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 kingdom. The laying up of the ashes imports the Christians accounts of Christ's merits, as his chief treasure: The clean place is the clean heart, for the merits of Christ belong not to all Gentiles, but to such as have a clean heart, and will keep the mystery of faith in a pure conscience. Without the Camp notes the native condition of the Gentiles, who were without the law: strangers from the commonwealth of Israel, and from the covenant of promise, without sacrifices, and out of the Synagogue of the Jews. 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 God's 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 Christ's merits, and the water of the grace of the holy Spirit of God: This is the perpetual 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 unclean, till the Even: to note, that even the nearer a Christian comes to the merits of Christ, the more he is affected with the sense of his own uncleanness, he that hath the strongest faith doth most wash his clothes, yea he retains the sense of his uncleanness 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, Of the sprinkling at the Passeover. about the passover there are not many things which need expounding. The Lamb for the Passeover is Christ the lamb 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 faithful. The house is the soul of man. The doors of the house are the ears, eyes, and mouth of man. Exod. 24. The benefit is deliverance and protection from the destroying Angel. In the narration of the sprinkling of blood used at the ratification of the covenant: Of the sprinkling 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 sanctify 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 faithful, that stand before, and bear witness 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 faithful. The young men, and the first borne of the children of Israel, were types of the Elect in visible Churches, borne again to God, his first fruits of the multitude, a people consecrated to God, as his only portion. These offer to God two kinds 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 practice of godliness: The other was the pea●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 himself all sufficiency of merits. The other part of the blood sprinkled on the people, notes the application of the merits of Christ to the faithful, and of his graces without diminishing from the fountains of excellency of merit and grace in himself. The means, by which it is sprinkled, is to be supplied out of the Heb. 9.19. viz. the hyssop of mortification, and the scarlet of charity, and the Christian love 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 against sin and ●ervent desire of piety. The benefit is the reconciling of the people to God, and the establishing of the covenant. Of the sprinkling Levit. 16. In the aspersion of blood mentioned, Levit. 16. I note only four things. 1. The benefits, that come by it, which are first entrance within the veil, even the right to the kingdom of heaven. 2. The assured procurement and continued establishment of mercy from God, noted by the sprinkling of the mercy seat 7. times. 2. The intercession of Christ noted by the incense, heated by the burning coals of his own ardent affection, Ver. 12, 13. 3. The perfection of Christ's mediation, in that no man is joined with him, nor must any man be present, Ver. 17. 4. The extent of the benefits to all the Elect, noted by the sprinkling of the blood upon the four horns of the Altar. Use. The Use of all may be briefly both for instruction and consolation. For instruction: 1. To the people, who should be above all things careful to seek the comfort of the application of God's favour in Jesus Christ: oh we must above all things by faith keep this sprinkling of blood, as is said of them, Heb. 11.28 2. Ministers should hence take notice of the main end of preaching, which is to sprinkle blood upon the hearts of the people, that they may both be settled in the knowledge, and assurance of their right in Christ, and the covenant of grace, and likewise purged in their consciences from dead works: we do little by preaching, if we beget not reformation, and assurance in the hearts of the people; he preacheth not that sprinkles not. 2. For Consolation. Be not fearful, Christ's blood will protect thee, as safely, as ever did the blood of the paschal lamb the children of Israel. Be not doubtful, of the efficacy of it: For if the blood of bulls and goats etc. could purify in respect of legal cleansings? how much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the eternal spirit offered up himself to God, purge thy conscience from dead works, and make atonement for all thy sins, cleansing thee from all unrighteousness, Heb. 9.13, 14, 15. 1 John 1.7. Be not discontent, with thy condition, thou hast what was merited, and purchased with blood, how little soever it seem in thy eyes. But especially be not unthankful for such a singular way of mercy, but with all gladness of heart rejoice above all things in Christ, & him crucified for thee. Hitherto of the persons saluted, the form of the salutation follows. Grace and peace be multiplied to you.] It was the manner in their salutations to wish to their friends that which they accounted a chief happiness to them: The form of the Salutation. So doth the Apostle here wishing the multiplying of grace and peace. Grace and peace] Grace must be considered two ways. 1. First, as it is in God, and so it is his free love and gracious disposition to show mercy in Christ. 2. Secondly, as it is in man, and so it notes either the gifts of their mind, or their condition, or estate in Christ, and so the faithful are said to be under grace, and not under the Law. Peace is both inward, and outward: Inward peace consists in the contentation and rest of the soul, and so it is both the rest of the conscience from terrors, and the rest of the heart from passion's and perturbations. Outward peace is nothing else, but prosperity, or an estate free from unquietness and molestation, and adorned with needful blessings. Grace and Peace are the two principal things to be sought, and wished in this world, when Christ comes to enrich the world, he comes with grace and truth, john 1. he cannot be miserable, that hath th●se two, nor happy, that wants them altogether. Which may be a singular comfort to a Christian: in grace and peace is his portion, and he may go boldly to the throne of God in the intercession of Christ to beg either of these in his need, Heb. 4. ult. God may deny him other things, but he will never deny him grace & peace. And therefore also Christians should joy in the grace of God, wherein they stand, Rom. 5.3. and be resolved in themselves, that the grace of God is sufficient for them, 2 Cor. 12.9. Especially they should praise and esteem and glorify the grace of God: It is all God asks for as it were at our hands, even to honour him, by praising his grace and free love to us, Ephes. 1.6. Woe unto wicked men, that neglect the grace of God, what shall it profit them to gain the world (which yet they do not) and want grace and peace: but especially why do they not let Christians alone with their portion? why do they trouble them in their peace, and despite them for their grace? can they not follow their pleasures, lusts, profits, honours, etc. and let Christians live quietly by them, who desire but liberty to enjoy grace with peace? There is something also to be noted from the order of placing: grace must be had before peace, there can be no peace to the wicked, and he is undoubtedly wicked, that hath not the grace of God. Be multiplied.] Grace and Peace is multiplied. 1. First when the number of gracious persons is increased: This is to be sought, and prayed for. 2. When the kinds of grace and peace are all had: For there is the manifold grace of God. 3. Thirdly, when the measures and degrees are augmented. Uses. The Husbandman would fain have his seed increase, and the tradesman his trade: so would the ambitious man his honours, and preferments, etc. Even so should the Christian be ambitious, and covetous in his desires, that his grace and peace might increase. Quest. What should we do, that grace and peace might be multiplied? What we must do that grace and peace may be multiplied in us. Answ. 1. Be sure it be true grace, else it will never increase. 2. Thou must increase in meekness, and humility: For God will give more grace to the humble, jam. 4.8. and the meek shall have abundance of peace, Psal. 37.6.11. 3. If thou wouldst have thy grace and peace increase, thou must be constant much in the use of all the ordinances of God, which are the means of grace and peace: As thou measurest to God in the means, so will God measure to thee in the success: thou must be much in hearing. For grace is in the lips of Christ, Psal. 45.3. and much peace shall be to them, that love God's laws, Psal. 119. and thou must go often unto God by prayer, who gives grace and glory, and will withhold no good thing, Psal. 84.12. 2 Thess. 1.11, 12. Run by faith to Christ, who is the Prince of peace, Esay 9.6. and stir up the grace of God, that is in thee. For thou hast not received the spirit of fear, but of power. 2 Tim. 1.7. 4. Thou must not perplex thy heart with the cares of this life: but in all things go to God by prayer, and cast all thy care upon him: so shalt thou have peace, that passeth all understanding to keep thy heart and mind: Phil. 4. 6, 7. Thou must make much of the beginnings of desires, joy, liking, and care of the means of godliness, and not let them go out, so as thou shouldest fails of the grace of God, or receive those graces in vain. 6. Thou must be resolved upon it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, and religiously, and soberly in this present world: else thou c●●st never meet with true peace further than thou art good and true in thy heart; and as thou increasest in the care of reformation in thy life, so shalt thou increase in every good and perfect ●ift, till thou come to a ripe age in jesus Christ, Tit. 2.12. Esay 32.16. Psal. 125. ult. This likewise may be comfortable to a poor Christian, and that two ways. 1. First, If he consider, that grace is not given all at once, but by degrees, and therefore he must not be discouraged, though he have many wants. 2. Secondly, if he consider the bountifulness of God to all, that seek grace and peace, it may be had in abundance. For the Apostle implies, that God will multiply grace and peace, if we be constant in the use of the means, and glorify him by seeking to him, he will give liberally and reproach no man. And thus much of the salutation. Verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of jesus Christ from the dead. HItherto of the salutation: the substance or the body of the Epistle follows: the doctrine whereof is two ways to be considered, The order of the body of the Epistle. 1. as it is propounded, 2. as it is repeated: Three things are principally propounded, and the same also repeated, or gone over again. For there is first matter of consolation, 2. Matter of exhortation. 3. Matter of dehortation. The consolation is from this third verse to the thirteenth of this Chapter. The exhortation is from ver. 13. of this Chapter, to ver. 8. of the 3. chap. The Dehortation is from ver. 8. of the 3. chap. to the end of that chapter. Then doth the Apostle a little changing the order go over the same three things again. For he exhorts from ver. 1. of chap. 4. to the 12. ver. of the same chap. and then he comforts from ver. 12. to the end of the 4. chap. and the Dehortation he lodgeth under request to the Elders, and the people chap. 5.1. to 12. In this first part he intends to comfort, where I consider, first, the Proposition of comfort, ver. 3, 4, 5. Secondly, and the confirmation of that comfort, ver. 6, to the 13. In the Proposition I observe, first, the manner of propounding, and the arguments themselves, by which he would comfort. The manner of the Proposition is, that it is expressed in form of thanksgiving in these words: Blessed be the God and father of our Lord jesus Christ. The arguments of consolation are 3. The first is taken from our Regeneration ver. 3. the second from our Glorification ver. 4. the third from our Preservation unto glory ver. 5. Blessed be God, 2. Observation from the coherence. etc. Two things I observe from the coherence of these words: First, that a Christian can be in ●o such distress, but he hath still cause to be thankful to God for many blessings, though he be a stranger and used like a stranger, though he be scattered and driven to and fro: yet in all the days of his dispersion he may observe many memorable things, for which he ought to bless God. Secondly, that a Christian should never think of spiritual blessings, but his heart should kindle in him with desire to praise God for them. Blessing is diversely taken or carried: sometimes man blesseth a Psal. 129.8. man: sometimes God blesseth man b Psal. 67.1. : sometimes man is said to bless God: and so here. Man blesseth God three ways: 1. In his heart, Man blesseth God 3. ways. when being refreshed with God's favour, and inflamed with the joys of his presence, and nourished with the sense of his blessings, he doth lift up his heart within him inwardly with affection, striving to la●d God and acknowledge his mercy▪ 2. In his tongue, when he taketh to him words and openeth his lips to confess and praise God either in secret, or openly: either privately or publicly. 3. In his works, and that 4. ways: ●. When he sets up memorials of God's great works or deliverances. 2. When he receives the Sacrament, setting himself apart to celebrate the memory of Christ's death, by which the covenant of God was confirmed, and the fountain of all grace opened. David when he would render thanks unto God takes the cup of c Psal. 1 16.12. salvation. And the Sacrament is called the Eucharist from giving of thanks, and so the cup is called the cup of d 1 Cor. 10.16. blessing: 3. By the obedience of his life striving to glorify God in a holy conversation. 4. And lastly by showing mercy, and thereby causing the hearts and lives of others to bless God. Great reason hath man to bless God▪ 1. For God is blessedness itself, Reasons of blessing God. and whether should the water run but into the sea, from whence it is originally taken. 2. Besides the Lord hath required our praise, as the chief means of e Psal. 50.23. glorifying him: 3. And thirdly he hath blessed us, and therefore we have great reason to bless him. He hath blessed us in the creatures: blessed the work of our hands: blessed the fruits of our loins: blessed us in his son: blessed us by his Angels: blessed us by his Ministers: blessed us in the blessings of the Gospel, and blessed us in the fruits of the earth: blessed us in his house, and in our own houses: blessed us in our Sabbaths, Sacraments, the Word, Prayer, etc. blessed us in our souls, bodies, states, names, etc. And therefore let the people praise thee O God, yea let all the people praise f Psal. 67.3. thee. Use. All thy works praise thee, and the Saints shall sing of thy praise, and of the glory of thy power, and the majesty g Psal. 145.10, 11, 12. of thy kingdoms. The God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, etc. This periphrasis is used to distinguish our God from the god of Turks, Jews, and Pagans. The Lord was used to be known to the old Church by the names of the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of jacob: but now in the Church of the Christians he is celebrated by the name of the God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ. Two things are here affirmed, 1. that God is the God of Christ. 2. that he is the Father of Christ: It is not against the use of Scripture to say, that God is the God of Christ, for (john 20.1.) Christ saith, I go to your God, and to my God, and Psal. 45.7. it is said of Christ, God even t●y God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Now if any ask, how this can be; How God is the God of Christ. that God is the God of Christ, I answer by distinguishing the natures in Christ. If you consider Christ in his divine nature, he is God of himself, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. but not son of himself: His person is of the Father: but his essence is of himself: but I think that this is properly taken or meant of his humane nature, for that he received from God by the mighty working and over shadowing power of the holy Ghost. How God is the Father of Christ. 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 wa● 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, How Christ is without father or mother. in respect of which by an eternal generation the person of the Son was begotten of the Father: dreadful is this mystery, and most difficult to be understood, or conceived, and the rather because nothing carnal 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 manner, neither know I how to express a way of conceiving of this generation better than by way of negation, denying unto it, whatsoever hath imperfection. There is a threefold generation. A threefold generation. Per se, de se, & extra se. The first is corporeal, called i● Schools Logical and predicamental, and this i● of bodily things, which by themselves, and out of themselves, and without themselves do beget. The second is transcendent and metaphysical, and this is of spirits, and is mendell. For here the mind as an uncompounded subject, doth not o●● of itself, but by itself, and in itself beget, and thus it begets contemplation or reason, thoughts or affections. The third is supre●●● and singular, N●● de se, sed per se, i● se. or 〈◊〉, and that is that generation, by which the Father in himself, and by himself, by nature, and not by faculty or power, begets the Son, and this is th●t, which in this place is to be conceived of: so that we must as●e●d highe●, than the geniture of bodies, or souls, 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, a● in other things, so that in three things we imagine no likeness between the Father begetting the Son in the Trinity, and earthly fathers begetting their sons in the world. First here is no priority in time between the father and th● son, Three things wherein Christ's generation is not like ours. as in some sense there is in corporeal generations. For Christ is of the Father, but not after the father. Secondly, there is no inequality: the son is not lesser, than the father. For Christ is coequal, as well as coeternal. 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Uses. The consideration of this doctrine, that Christ is God's son, may serve for diverse uses. For as it may confirm us in the detestation of the blasphemous wickedness of the Jews, that would never receive the doctrine, that h john 5.18. & 6.42. & 8.19 Christ was the son of God: so it may diversely both instruct, and comfort: It may instruct us three ways. For first, here we may see, that it is a matter of necessity to be believed, and accordingly we should labour to inform ourselves aright in this doctrine, as being a point should be illustrious in the Churches of the Christians, and the rather because of that promise, that whosoever shall confess that jesus is the son of God i 1 John 4.15. , God dwelleth in him, and he in God. Secondly we may hence gather our own dignity. For if this be an honour unto Christ to have God to be his father, than what reason have poor Christians to rejoice, considering that whatsoever they are in this world, yet they have no worse than the true God, the great I●●ovah to be their father also? Thirdly, from hence by inference we may learn our duty to God: For by this doctrine we hear, that God is the father of Christ, now by other Scriptures we may observe, how Christ ●●ryed himself toward his father, and from him we may learn, how to order our behaviour also. Three things are memorable in Christ. 1. Hi● 〈◊〉. 2. His patience and humility. 3. And his willingness to die: In three things we should learn of Christ to carry ourselves towards God as towards our Father. all inferred upon this consideration, that God was his father. For first, k Io●. ●. 17, 1●▪ & 6. ●8. If the father work, the son works also, yea whatsoever the Father did, the Son did also. Yea Christ did not desire to be believed, when he said, he was God's son, further, than he proved it, l john 10. ●6. by doing the works of his father. And for his patience and humility it was admirable. This son of God had not whereon to lay his head: he endured the impious contradictions of vile sinners, he would not tempt God by presumptuous trusting upon extraordinary support, when ordinary means was m M●●. 4.3. offered▪ he was to be consecrated through afflictions, and n Heb. 2.10. to learn obedience by what he suffered▪ and when he had suits to God his father, he doth in all humility pray and importune, yea h●● used strong cries in the days of his ●●esh, and left his father to expound the meaning of his prayer: o Heb. 5.7, 8. also by the good pleasure of his own will ●ven to honour him, as he thought best for him. And for his willingness to die in the ●3. of john he useth that as a reason, why he could gladly go out of the world, because it was nothing el●e, p john 13.1. but to go to his father. In all these we, that are younger brothers, should learn, how to order ourselves 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 works we could show our generation to be of God by resembling his holiness. And for patience and humility, we are specially charged with it by Christ, even to learn of him to be lowly and meek, and it is a great shame for us to make so much ado about our crosses, when we consider the patience of Christ, or to think it much if we be not heard in our prayers at the first, or as we would have it in the letter of our desires, when we observe the carriage herein of God towards Christ the son of his love. And as this doctrine doth instruct, so it doth comfort, and that especially three ways: 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 himself to be the son of God by the spirit of sanctification, showing his power in throwing down and dissolving q Rom. 1.4. 1 john 3.8. the works of the Devil. 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 success. We are sure to speed well, when we have the King's son to put up our petitions, and the rather because Christ doth desire to show his greatness with his Father by obtaining our requests at his hands. For thereby the Father is glorified in his son, and God loves us so much the better, because we love Christ, and believe, that he came from his Father, and show it by using r john 14.12, 13, 14, 16, 23, 24, 26, 27. him as our Mediator: and indeed what need we any other to the King, than the King's son. And thirdly, it may comfort us in respect of the hope of preferment by his service: we cannot serve a more honourable Lord. Many times if we serve earthly Princes, they may neglect us. For we seldom see all the followers of the greatest Princes come to preferment: but if Princes on earth were never so honourable, that they did purpose to exalt every one of their servants, yet under that hope men may consume all their means, and in the end die beggars, because the Prince may dye, before they get their preferment; but it is not so with Christians in their service of Christ. For as for greatness he is the King of all kings, and himself Lord of all lords▪ so for well, he never neglected any, that served in truth and sincerity, and beside he cannot die. For he hath life in himself, and therefore blessed are they, that serve him, and trust in his goodness. For he ever liveth to make request for 〈…〉 have ●●tten them to himself, that where he is, there they may be also. Thus of the manner of propounding: The places or arguments of Consolation follow. The first is taken from their regeneration, which is amplified here, 1. by the impulsive cause, the abundant mercy of God: 2. by the effect, a lively hope: 3. by the cause of merit, or efficacy, the resurrection of jesus Christ. The necessity of the new birth. Two things may be noted from the coherence: 1. the necessity of the new birth: 2. the honour of it. The necessity, in that it is so chained and linked, that it is apparent, we can no way have s john 3.5. 2 Cor. 5.17. mercy from God, nor glory in heaven, unless we be borne again. 2. The honour of it may appear, in that it is a work, that stands in relation to the mercy of God, the glory of heaven, The honour of the new birth. the resurrection of Christ, the power of God, etc. all which belong to this admirable work of the new birth. In the handling of these words, I consider of them, as they lie in order, and so here are four general heads of doctrine to be thought of, 1. The mercy of God. 2. The regeneration of man. 3. A lively hope. 4. The resurrection of Christ Jesus. Which according to his abundant mercy, etc. God's mercy is abundant. The main proposition is, that there is abundance of mercy in God, he is full of compassion, and of great mercy t Psal. 145.8, 9 his mercy is over all his works: It is so great, it cannot be expressed. u Psal. 36.5, 6, 7 The clouds may commend the extent of his faithfulness, and the mountains may shadow out his righteousness, and the deeps resemble his judgements: but who, or what can express the excellency of his goodness? It cannot be fully discerned any way, but in heaven. God's mercy is abundant: 1. In the fountain in himself, 1. In the fountain. there is an Ocean of mercy in God: It is infinite in him, as his nature is; yea it is his nature itself to be so: 2. In the streams, and that either generally considered, 2 In the stream●s to all. and so it flows to all the creatures reasonable and unreasonable, good and bad, * Psal. 33.5. Mat. 5. The whole earth is full of his goodness: or more specially, as it flows to the faithful. Now God's mercy is abundant to the faithful 3. ways: 1. In the kinds of mercy: 2. To all the godly, and that three ways. for the Lord x Psal. 32.10. compasseth them about with variety of all sorts of mercy. 2. In the extent of mercy: He did not spend all his mercy on David, or Abraham, or the like: but he keeps and reserves mercy for thousands, even for all the thousands in all ages, that believe y Exod. 20. with faithful Abraham, and will z Esay 55.4. Acts 13. hear and do all Gods will with obedient David: He is plenteous in mercy to all that call upon him a Psal. 86.5. 3. In the continuance of mercy b Psal. 100.4. : for his mercy is as himself everlasting: and it must needs appear to be so, that God is wonderful abundant in mercy, because it is he, that is the father c 2 Cor. 1.3. of all the mercy in the world, and it is he, that requireth mercy in men. The use that may be made of the meditation of God's abundance of mercy, may be both for instruction, and consolation. 1. For instruction two ways principally: For first it may teach us therefore to run unto God in all misery, to seek, desire, pray for, d Psal. 123.2, 3. wait for, and trust upon his mercy: Here is enough, and therefore woe unto us, if we will not seek it, when it may thus plentifully be had: Our confusion is just, if we neglect and forsake our own mercy, it being opened and offered in such plenty: and secondly, this should teach us, how to show mercy, even to do it in all possible abundance, both for continuance, and extent, and for all the kinds both of corporal and spiritual mercies: for we should be e Luke 6.36. merciful, as our heavenly father is merciful. But especially this doctrine is intended for the singular comfort of all humble, and godly Christians; and how can it but be comfortable, if they consider, how exceeding abundant it is, 〈…〉 i●, how ●●●der his pity is, how full his goodness is, how constant and large his treasures of grace are, how slow he is to anger, how willing he is to forgive all sorts of sins, yea and to multiply pardon too f Exod. 34.6, 7 Mich. 7.18. Esay 55.8. Zeph. ●. 17. : how he passeth by transgression, and taketh away iniquity, how wonderfully he is pleased in himself with showing mercy, and how he quieteth himself, and rests in his love. Ob. But some man may say, that this is a doctrine of liberty. Object. Answ. It is not: For this doctrine is restrained for that; Solut. both if we respect godly men, and if we respect wicked men. If we respect godly men: How mercy is no occasion of liberty, either to godly, or wicked men. It is certain, that though the Lord will not deny his mercy, or take away his goodness from them; yet if they break his commandments, he will visit them with the rod g Psal. 89. , and make them to know by his strokes, how bitter● thing it is to abate of their care to fear, and serve God: 1. And for wicked men, it is wonderful clear, that the Lord for all this goodness in himself, or unto good men, will not by any means h Exod. 34.7. clear the wicked. If they bless their hearts against his threatenings, he will not be merciful to them i Deut. ●9 19 : It is true, that power and mercy belongeth to God; yet it is as true, that k Psal. 62.12. he will give to every man according to his work: they only shall find l Prov. ●8. 13. mercy, that confess and forsake their sins: while they m jonas 2.8. follow foolish vanities they forsake their own mercies: n Esay 27.11. He that made them will not pity them, and he that form them, will not have mercy upon them: God is gracious, and merciful, slow to anger, etc. but it is only to such, as turn to him with fasting, weeping, and mourning o joel 2. ●2, 13. . Quest. But doth the Lord show no mercy to wicked men? Quest. Answ. Answ. Yes, he doth: but deceive not thyself, he doth not show them this mercy to forgive their sins, or save their souls: and that thou mayest know distinctly, what mercy God doth show, I will instance in one only place of Scripture, What mercy God shows to the wicked. and that is the 9 of Nehemiah: for there thou mayst see, what mercy the Lord showed to the wicked and rebellious Israelites. To omit the extraordinary: he gave them good laws, ver. 13. and made known to them his holy sabbaths, ver. 14. and forsook them not, when they dealt proudly against him, ver. 16, 17. and gave his good spirit to instruct them, ver. 20. and for a long time multiplied his outward blessings upon them, ver. 21, 25. and when they wrought great provocations he sent them enemies to afflict them, ver. 26, 27. and when they cried sent them Saviour's to deliver them, ver. 27. and after often revoltings, he was often entreated, ver. 28. and did withhold his worst and consuming judgements for a long time, ver. 30, 31. these and such like mercies, the Lord may, and doth show to wicked men. Hath begotten us again, etc.] Hitherto of the mercy of God: now it follows, that I should entreat of the regeneration of man. As for the necessity, and honour of the work of the new birth, I have touched it before; I only here propound three things to be considered of: 1. The means: 2. The lets: and 3. the signs of the new birth. The means of the new birth. For the first: the ordinary means, by which God doth beget us again, is the word preached, as these places do evidently show. Rom. 10. 14. 1 Pet. 1.23. 1 Cor. 1.21. Gal. 3.2. Esay 55.4. The lets of the new birth. For the second: this great work is marvellously hindered, and that diversely: For first many men are seduced: seduced I say, either with hope of mercy howsoever, or with the colours of civil honesty and some good they do: or with pretence of after-repentance: or with the examples of wise, learned, and great men: or with prejudice conceited by reason of slanders cast upon such, as are converted: or with the common charity of the world, 〈…〉, when they die: or with false opinions, as that men have all their regeneration by Baptism: or that reformation will prove an enemy to their credit, or profit, or contentment: or else, that they are as they should be, because they are better than they were, and have more liking of Sermons, or care of religion, or such like. Secondly, multitudes of men are senseless and ignorant, and through wretched inconsideration wear out their days without care or conscience: they never consider either the number, filth, or guilt of their sins: or the greatness and fierceness of God's wrath and threatenings against their sins: or of the certainty and dreadfulness of the vengeance to come: or of the nearness of death, or terror of judgement: nor consider they, the very effects of sin, that are already upon them, they perceive not their death in sin, and the sleep of their conscience; and the inefficacy of all God's ordinances, and the absence of God's spirit, and the impotency of all the faculties of their souls unto that which is good. Thirdly, many are hindered through irresolution, and sluggish inconstancy: they have many pangs of remorse, and are near the birth, and give it over again. For either they forget it, or neglect it upon experience of difficulties, or objections against it; or else because they find more required, then stands with their ease, or credit, etc. Fourthly, worldliness is a monstrous let in many: I say not covetousness, which is an excessive desire of having superfluities: but a vain over-loading of the mind with continual cares about businesses in the world▪ The love of earthly things, and the cares of life choke all the sense, they get in God's house. For they suffer their business to eat up their thoughts and consideration, whence flows forgetfulness and hardness of heart. Fifthly, this work hath many and great adversaries, if we respect it in the truth and sincerity of it: It is opposed mightily by devil's invisible, and by wicked men of all sorts visible; sometimes by learned men, sometimes by the profane multitude: Satan strives to overwhelm the beginnings of it in many with the floods of reproach, and disgraceful oppositions. Lastly, it is hindered in the most men by the perverse love of some special sin, with which men are besotted, and unto which they are so engaged, as God must have them excused, till they find time to give it over. Thus much of the lets. 3. Now for the signs of new birth: amongst many, I instance in four. Four signs of new birth. The first is the washing of mortification, by which I mean a serious, secret, and unfeigned voluntary godly sorrow for all sin, striving in particular to bewail those sins, unto which they have been most prone, or in which they have most corrupted themselves. This is to be borne of water and of the holy Ghost p john 3.5. : This is the washing of the new birth q Ti●. 3.5. . The second is the imitation of Christ, by which we r Mat. 19.28. follow him in the regeneration. Now this imitation of Christ must have in it three things. First a willingness to deny our ease, profit, credit, will, or what else can be, taking up any cross, that s Luke 9.24. john 15.18. Rom. 8.29. 1 john 5.4. we may show our desires to be like him in sufferings: secondly, humility and t Mat. 11.29. lowliness, which will show itself, not only in a continued base opinion of ourselves, by reason of our corruptions; but also in the meekness and quietness of our affections, and in readiness to do the meanest office in the service of Christ, or his members: thirdly, innocency of life, or a constant care to be holy as he is holy, hungering after righteousness, and loving purity, and seeking the contentment of all welldoing. The third sign is the love of all such▪ as are u 1 john 3.14. 5.1. begotten again of God: For whosoever is borne of God, loves all those, that are borne of God: but this love of God's children is such a love, as shows itself: first by a desire to love God and keep 〈…〉 * 1 john 5.2. godly do: secondly, by a willing and ready Apology for such as fear God: thirdly, by fellowship with them x Phil. 1.5. in the Gospel: fourthly, by sympathy or compassion in y Rom. 12.16. their joys, or sorrows: and fifthly, by an estimation of them, as z Psal. 16.3. the only excellent ones. The fourth sign is the inbred native desire after the sincere milk of the word a 1 Pet. 2.2. . By the desire to suck you may discern a living child from an abortive birth: but than it is to be observed, what kind of desire it is. For the comparison showeth, it must be a constant desire, such as is renewed every day, as we see it to be in the infant; and beside, it must be such a desire, as is joined with a secret and sound contentment in the word: The child doth almost nothing else, but suck and 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 milk and sincere, it affecteth plainness, and acknowledgeth no wisdom like Gods, nor effectualness of speech more powerful, than the words of sacred scripture; and lastly it is such a desire, as intends growth in knowledge, wisdom, utterance, prayer, grace, and holy duties. Thus much of the signs. The consideration of the glory and necessity of the work of our new The Use. birth, may exceedingly reprove the wretched, and wilful neglect of it in thousands of people, especially of such, as be continual hearers, and cannot be ignorant of the doctrine of it; how many are the souls, that like the blackamoors will not be made white? the spots of whose sins 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 threatenings 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 hear their own lets opened, and yet go away unreformed? Oh the depth of the deceitfulness and wickedness of man's heart! Unto a lively hope, etc. Four 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 distress, but there is hope, the poorest Christian hath a job 5.16. , his hope, and if he were enclosed with crosses, yet he is b Zach. 9.11. a prisoner of hope: and therefore we should pray God to show us the c Ephes. 1.18. hope of our calling, and should the more willingly suffer afflictions, d Rom. 5.3. rejoicing in hope. Secondly, none have hope, but converted Christians▪ For all carnal men are e Ephes. 2.12. without hope in the world; I mean without true hope. For the hope that wicked men have, though they lean upon it, is but f job 8.13. 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 g job 11. ult. . Thirdly, there is one hope unto all God's 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 reign together in heaven h Eph. 4.3, 4, 5. . But the fourth thing is the chief, 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 d●ll and a dead hope. The differences between a lively hope, and a dead hope in six things. Now if any ask, 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 means: for a lively hope will use all the means, that are appointed of God, and not that only, but it seeketh and expresseth the i Lam. 3.25. to 31. affections requisite to the right use of the means, and it will be painful and patient: Now the common hope of carnal men betrays itself in this, that they think to g●e to heaven, though they never use the 〈◊〉, or 〈…〉, nor with any pains or patience. Secondly, in adversity a lively hope plainly shows itself: For it will make a man to run to God, and pour out his heart before him, Psal. 62.10. 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 brook to come in God's sight; it runs to carnal and devilish helps, and if it fail in them, it excites impatient murmuring, or despair. Thirdly, a lively hope is attended with lively joys: when God works the hope of heaven, he works also at some time or other, more or less the joys of heaven, which he utterly denies to wicked men. Fourthly, man's hopes may be tried by ●he object: A●ke a wicked man, what is the thing he would have in heaven, and he must answer, it is the joys and happiness of heaven: But ask a godly man, what he would have in heaven, and he soon answers, it is the holiness of heaven, he would be there, because he would sin no more: but the wicked would be there, because they would suffer no more: it k Gal. 5.5. is righteousness that hope waiteth for. Fifthly, the true hope l Tit. 1.1, 2. will acknowledge the truth, which is according to godliness: but the false hope thinks it enough to know it; it will not adventure itself to be so forward as to profess it. Lastly, whosoever hath the true hope, m 1 John 3.3. purgeth himself, that he may be pure, as Christ is pure: but the dead hope cannot abide much mortification. Use. The use of all this may be to instruct both carnal men, and godly men: Carnal men should take notice of this difference, that so they might address themselves to seek this true and lively hope, which that they may obtain, or attain; they must shun hypocrisy, and deny all ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and labour for true grace: for the n job 8. hypocrites hope shall perish, and we can never attain unto the blessed hope, unless we resolve to o Tit. 2.12, 13. live soberly, and righteously, and religiously in this present world; and this everlasting consolation and good hope p 2 The●. 2.16. is had only by grace: and the godly should here learn to hold fast their lively hope, as one of the excellentest fruits of their regeneration, and their daily refuge should be to nourish q Heb. 6.18. 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 r Rom. 15.4. might have hope. And thus much of the third thing. By the resurrection of jesus Christ from the dead. Concerning the resurrection of Christ, as it may here be considered of, ● propound four 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 ha●●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 work of redemption: Some understand the words, of his spiritual 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 ●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 soul to it, and receiving to himself in his humane nature, a blessed, celestial, and glorious life. In the belief of this we differ from Pagans: They can believe, that he died; but we must believe, that he rose again. This was solemnly foretold by s Psal. 16.10. David, and foreshowed by t Mat. 12.40. Io●ah; manifested by an u Mar. 16 6. Angel; recorded by the Evangelists; published by the Apostles; and demonstrated by * 1 Cor. 15.5. etc. six several apparitions. Now for the second: The resurrection of Christ i●● fountain of singular benefits unto us: For from thence flows, 1. our glorification: for he went away to provide a place for us, Four benefits of the resurrection of Christ even to prepare y john 14.3. 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 z Rom. 8.11. 1 Cor. 15. mortal bodies also. 3. The confirmation of our faith, and that in diverse things: For his resurrection assures us that he is the promised Messias, and a Ron. 1.4. son of God: and that our debt is paid, and that he hath discharged the uttermost farthing (for else he had not been let out of prison,) and that he hath vanquished all our spiritual enemies, and utterly foiled and disarmed them, in that they could not keep him down, when they had him in the grave: but he hath triumphed over them. 4. Our justification, and regeneration: for so the Apostle shows in the 4. to the Romans, that b Rom. ●. ult. he rose again for our justification, and here it is expressly said, that we are begotten again through the resurrection of jesus Christ. Quest. But may some one say: If this be true, Quest. that we are begotten again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ; than it seems, men were not begotten again in the old Testament; or else not by the resurrection of Christ: For he was not then risen. Answ. For answer hereunto, Answ. we must consider in the resurrection of Christ two things: 1. The act of his resurrection, and 2. the virtue of it: we are not regenerate by the act of his resurrection: Christ risen in the old Testament 3. ways. and for the virtue 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 ways: 1. In the counsel of God. 2. In the word of prophecy. 3. In the efficacy of it. 2 Quest. Quest. But how doth it follow, that we are regenerate, because Christ is risen? Answ. How our regeneration depends upon Christ's resurrection. Answ. I answer: Christ must be considered two ways: first naturally as man: secondly mystically as head. If Christ be considered barely as a man, it doth not follow; but if he be considered in the mystical union with his members, as he sustaineth their person, and was surety for them it will follow, he rose again to this end, that he might receive power to raise our souls by the first resurrection, and our bodies at the last day. Or more plainly thus: Our regeneration depends upon the resurrection of Christ three ways: 1. As his resurrection was a pledge, and assurance, that he would raise us; he showed his power, that he could do it, he laid down his body before our eyes, and quickened it again before our faces, and gave us that sign to assure us, of what he could do fo●us. 2. As by his resurrection, he merited ours. 3. The spirit of Christ applies the virtue of Christ's resurrection for the quickening of us, and the accomplishment of our whole vivification, and new obedience. Uses The uses of Christ's 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 condemn them? Is not Christ dead or rather risen again, and sitteth at the right hand of God, and maketh request for us? hath he not paid our debt? hath he not fully triumphed over death, sin, and hell? Again: would we have a sign, that in Christ all the promises of God shall be yea and Amen? we need no other sign, than this, that as jonas was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so the son of man was three days in the heart of the earth, and the third day rose again. Finally, why should we now be afraid of death, or any other spiritual, or terrible enemy? why should those last things dismay us? hath not Christ had a most glorious 〈…〉 them in a most terrible monomachy, when they did the worst they could? and therefore we may solace ourselves 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? thanks be to God, which hath given us victory also through jesus Christ our Lord. But if we would have benefit of Christ's resurrection, we must then seek the virtue of it to ourselves, as the Apostle shows in his own practice, Phil. 3.9. Quest. Quest. But how may we extract virtue out of Christ's resurrection? Answ. How we may get virtue from the resurrection of Christ. Answ. We may get out the virtue 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 believing, that it shall be according to Gods promise effectual unto us: And we must also attend to the motions of the spirit, yielding ourselves over to be framed by them, and we must not think much to suffer the labours of God's messengers to work upon our stony hearts, as the Angels of God rolling away the stone that lieth 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 follows 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 four ways. 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 inherit, and they are you, that is you that are begotten again. Fourthly, by the place, and that is heaven, the best place. For it much commends an inheritance, if it lie in convenient and commodious places. Incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not, etc. 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, Our inheritance is incorruptible in 4. respects. and so it is in four respects. 1. because there we shall need none of those means of preservation, which of necessity are requisite in this corruptible world; neither for the body, nor soul. For our bodies, we shall need no air, food, sleep, heat, or cold, apparel, or the light of the Sun, or Moon, or marriage, or physic. And a Mat. 22. Apoc. 21. 22, 23 & 22.5. for our souls, we shall need no sabbaths, sacraments, temple. 2. Because our happiness shall not be annoyed with any thing, that might corrupt it either without us, or upon us, or in us. There shall be no b Esay 57 2. Apoc. 22. Mat. 6.16. Esay 25. ●. war, no unquietness, no violence, no fraud, no sickness, pain, weakness, old age, no terrors, no sorrow. 3. Because this happiness shall never expire, it is immortal, there is no death there; hence the word is rendered by some immortal. 4. Because it is an estate of all perfection and blessedness, and so some think it is the genus to the two other words. The second thing affirmed of this inheritance i●, 〈◊〉 undefiled, Our inheritance is undefiled in five respects. 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 devil, 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. c 1 Cor. 15. 53. Rom. 16.20. Mat. 13. Because there we shall bejoyned to God, that most undefiled essence, the fountain of all holiness, whence will flow two admirable felicities: First, the continual Vision of God, in respect of which, we shall behold him immediately, we shall converse with him no more by scriptures, creatures, signs, or other means; but by an d 1 Cor. 13.12. Mat. ●. 8. 1 john 3.2. 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 pouring out of the divine essence, but by the communication of divine qualities, such as are e 1 Pet. 1.4. immortality, wisdom, glory, justice, virtue, etc. Thirdly, because we shall there enjoy the fellowship with unspotted Angels, and blessed souls, and that after an undefiled f 2 Thess. 1.7. Heb. 12, 19 etc. manner with all purity, concord, and quietness. 4. Because we ourselves shall be clothed with perfection of nature, being made like: g 1 john 3.2. unto Christ-man, and that both in soul and body: In soul, God's image in undefiled graces being perfected without mixture either of defects, or corruptions: yea our very bodies shall be made like the h Phil. 3.22. glorious body of Christ● For they shall be without death, shame, weakness, or trouble some drowsiness, or unweildinesse. For so the Apostle to the Corinthians excellently showeth, by opening four dissimilitudes between the sowing, and the raising of the body: It was sown 1. in corruption, 2. in dishonour. 3. in weakness, 4. a natural body: but it is raised, 1. in incorruption, so as it cannot putrify or die any more: 2. in glory, so as it shall never be shamed or dishonoured either through deformity, Dan. 12.3. Mat. 13.43. or reproach; they shall ● shine as the sun in the firmament: 3. in power, being delivered from all weakness, or infirmities: 4. a spiritual body, because in diverse respects they shall be as the spirits, or angels; as 1. in continuing without meat, or marriage: 2. in swiftness, or agility able with unconceivable nimbleness to pass through the air, or k Luke 20.36. 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 weakness or l Rev. 7.15. Psal. 16.11. It withereth not in diverse respects. weariness. The third thing affirmed of this inheritance is, that it withereth, or fadeth not, and well is this happiness praised for this: For how should it wither, 1. if we respect m Rev. 21.3. 1 Cor. 15.28. Psal. 36.17.15. the presence of God, and the Lamb, who will be all in all? Can the Sun in nature refresh the creatures, and shall not the brightness of God's presence do it much more? Was it such a privilege to eat at David's table, or to n Luke 22.30. sit down in the kingdom with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob: what then shall it be to be refreshed with the fullness of the sweet presence of God? 2. If we respect the fullness of all joys and contentment, which shall for ever support the hearts of the Elect; their joys shall never be dried up, nor grow into loathing, as all earthly o Psal. 16.11. 36.8. joys do: 3. If we respect the perfection of all things round about them, they shall inherit p Rev. 21.7. all things, and those made new also. Uses. The use is first for information. For here is employed the wretchedness of our earthly condition, there is nothing here in this world, but it will corrupt, and is defiled, and will lose his gloss and beauty: An estate that is incorruptible, undefiled, and that withers not we shall never have till we come to heaven. Secondly, for reproof: Oh do not men now know, what a kind of place heaven is? why then do they turn the glory of such an incorruptible estate into the similitude of corruptible things, while they prefer the things of this world before the glory of that, which is to come? and why do● 〈…〉 they not that the q Rev. 22. un 〈◊〉 shall not enter into heaven, and r 1 Cor. 15.50. this corruption shall not inherit incorruption? Oh why doth silly man suffer himself so to be bewitched, as with incurable doting to pursue these withering earthly things, and neglect those immarcess●ole felicities in heaven? Thirdly, for instruction, and so the thought hereof should especially affect us with a desire to seek this immortal and undefiled happiness; and to this end we should, first begin our separation here from the wicked ● 2. we should subject ourselves to the incorrupt ordinances of Jesus Christ, if we would have God to be a father of immortality, we must acknowledge him first s 1 Tim. 1.17. the king of all ages, and let him make us, and frame us by his ordinances: 3. we must mortify our corrupt natures, and refrain from all things, that may any way t 1 Cor. 9.24. corrupt us: 4. we must put on Christ; for he u 1 Tim. 6.16. Rom. 13.13. only hath immortality: 5. and lastly, we must continue in well-doing, as the Apostle shows, Rom. 2.7. we must begin our incorruption hereby sincerity of life: for so this word is ●endred, Ephes. 6.24. Lastly, it may serve for singular comfort to a Christian in all distresses, but to think, what a wonderful glorious estate is provided for him, yea even the more he hath experience of the vanity and wretchedness of this world, the more he should admire the happiness he looks for: yea it may be one reason, that the Lord will have his servants throughly tried with the miseries of this life, that so they might know the worth of that rest and glory, they look for in the life to come. Oh what reason have men to desire to dye, and to haste to the coming of jesus 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 pass from this point, one thing may in general be noted, that is, that all these properties do 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 worst lot in this inheritance shall have the fullness of the perfection of these praises. Which is reserved, etc.] We have the right and title in this world, but the inheritance itself is in the father's keeping, and possessed as yet by some of our elder brethren, we are in our minority in this world, if thou wert a Prince borne, thou must not inherit the first day, and it is the better for us, that it is so: for so it is the safer from sin, violence, Satan, etc. For you] That is, for such as are begotten again: some read in us, or in you, to note, that men must look into their hearts, whether they shall have heaven: For if Christ and his spirit dwell not there, they are never like to come to this glory; but I read it as before, and so it plainly notes, that none but converted Christians have any interest in this inheritance. Lastly, this inheritance is commended by the place, where it lieth, it is in heaven. The Holy Ghost would have us meditate much even of the very place of our glory; but for explication of this, I propound two things: 1. where heaven is: 2. wherein it excelleth other places. First, by heaven, I mean not the air, as sometimes the word signifieth: nor yet the heavenly movable orbs, that are visible above our head, but the place of the blessed, where * Esay 57.15. Where heaven is: God dwelleth, and Christ in his body is ascended, and where the spirits of just and perfect men now are. Now where this place is, cannot be known by sense, because it is not obnoxious to any of the senses, nor can we learn, where it is by reason. For it is true, that the ninth heaven is not known by sense: for we cannot see it, or hear it move, etc. yet Astronomers by the effect of it, though it be above the starry firmament, have found it out certainly to be. But now for the heaven of the blessed, that extends not to us by any effect or influence, and therefore cannot be known by reason: Scripture only doth reveal it, and so it is manifest to be a place, that is above us. For Christ x Eph●s. 4.8. ascended up into heaven, and we shall be y john 14.17. where he now is. It is called z Esay 57.15. the high and holy place; and God's family is called a Gal. 4. Rev. 21. jerusalem that is above; and the Psalmist saith, b Psal. 113. Heaven is not every where. God dwelleth on high: so that it is a place far above all those visible elements and heavens. As for those, that imagine heaven is every where, where God is, we may manifestly conceive of their error. For so to go to heaven, were to go to hell: for God is there also, as the c Psal. 139. Psalmist faith; and our Saviour saith not, Our Father which art every where, but Our Father which art in heaven▪ and besides, God and the devil do not keep house together. But we know, that the devils live in this air, and every where round about us in these visible regions of the elements, and therefore heaven must needs be above all these. Now for the excellency of this place above all others: 2. The excellency of heaven above all other places. who is able to describe it? yet for help to thy meditation, consider the names that be given to it. It is called Paradise, the Father's house, the throne of God, the kingdom, the heavenly jerusalem. 2. The shadows, by which the excellency thereof is signified. In the 21. of the Revelation a search is made through all the bowels of the earth to find out all the precious treasures, that could be had, gold, pearls, and precious stones of all sorts, and what can these serve to? only to shadow out the glory of the walls of the new jerusalem, and the gates, and to pave the streets of that City. But there is not treasure enough in the whole world, so much as to shadow out the mansions, that are there, and the inward furniture, or the glorious clothing, or diet of the Worthies, that shall dwell there, much less the divine Royalties, and prerogatives eternal of that excellent heaven. 3. Consider but the sum of that, which Divines out of the Scriptures write of it: For substance: It is a place obnoxious to no corruption, alteration, passion, nor motion; it is not whirled about as these heavens are. For quantity: it is greater, than all this world beside. For qualities: it is most exceeding light, most pleasant, and most fair; a place wherein none evil needs be found, and none good can be wanting, having upon it the very glory of God, even a most divine splendour. Verse 5. Which are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, which is prepared already to be showed in the last time. HItherto of our glorification. The third argument follows, and that is taken from our preservation unto glory, which is this Verse: It is two ways amplified. First by the means of our preservation, and secondly by the end of our preservation. The means are twofold: First in God his power, and secondly in us our faith: The end is salvation, which is also amplified first by the things which go before it, viz. preparation, and revelation: It is prepared to be revealed: Secondly by the time, in the last time. From the coherence and general consideration of these words three things may be briefly noted. First, that such is our wretched condition in this world in respect of corruption, adversaries, temptations, etc. that were it not for God's mercy and power, neither present grace would hold out, nor the glory of heaven ever be enjoyed. Secondly, that the same God, that of his mercy begot us again, and provided an incorruptible inheritance, doth undertake also to preserve it, he takes it upon himself to see it accomplished; which should be a singular comfort 〈…〉. Thirdly, that God's children may draw many arguments of consolation, and get great experience of joy from the very observation of God's providence in preserving them. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kept] The word in the original signifieth properly to keep as a town is kept from the enemies in the time of war with a garrison and so it is rendered 2 Cor. 11.32. where it is said Aretas kept the City with a garrison: In the a Gal. 3.23. third of the Galathians the word is used metaphorically to express our condition under the Law, he saith we were kept under the Law, that is, the sinner having transgressed was kept by the Law, as it were under a strong garrison, that he could not possibly escape, unless he be delivered by Christ, the law will hold him so fast, he shall not possibly get away; now here it is used to express the wonderful safety of all men, and women truly converted, they are kept with a garrison, wherein two things may be noted. 1 The Christians condition here is a military condition. First, that the dearest of God's children in this world are in continual war, they are ne●er at such rest and peace, as to discharge their garrison: seldom or never but they are continually in war either outward with the world of wicked men, or with crosses, that daily assail them, or else inward with temptations: Heaven properly is the rest of the godly: or if they be at any time free: yet they are in danger, and therefore still stand upon their guard, which should teach us under either afflictions or temptations never to account it strange, and if at any time God give us some little breathing, not to grow secure, but rather be still providing for the war again. Secondly, that God's children have a garrison to defend them. 2 A fivefold garrison of the Christian. Now if any would know distinctly how this is true, I will endeavour to show it to be true five ways. 1. For first we see, that sometimes they are fenced and protected by the godly, who as an holy army rise up in their defence to help them, either by Apology, succour, or prayers. 2. Sometimes the unreasonable creatures protect and avenge the righteous. God can send the armies of silly creatures, as a valiant garrison to defend Israel, and offend Pharaoh, and they are strong, that do Gods work. 3. It is sure, that the Angels are always in garrison for the Elect, pitching their tents round b Psal. 34. about them, that fear God. That which Elisha and his man saw with bodily eyes every believer may be assured of by faith. 4. God can raise up in them even an army of powerful thoughts and meditations, so as their very inward tranquillity, arising from the testimony of a good conscience, and the knowledge of God's excellent love, can make, and c Phil. 4. ●. keep them secure and sound. 5. But lastly, in all these, and above all these, God himself is the Christian man's garrison, d Psal. 18.2. as David saith, God is his rock, his fortress, his strength, his buckler, his high tower, and his deliverer. All this may very fitly serve for two uses. Uses. 1. First for consolation to the godly, and that two ways: First if they consider how carefully God hath provided for their safety, and that he is e 2 Thess. 3.3. faithful and will do it: Secondly if they observe, what is employed hereby, for in that God plants a garrison about his people, it imports, that they are wonderfully dear unto him, Jewels of great price, which God would by no means lose, yea great Princes, that are preserved with such a continual guard: If God's government towards his people were every way visible and manifested, the meanest Christian would appear to be no whit inferior to the greatest Monarch. 2. Secondly this implies terror and amazement to all the wicked. For it imports, that God cares not for them, and takes no charge of them, yea thathe accounts them as enemies, and yet they are not without their ●●●rison neither: But what is it? they have their hearts kept by the devil, as a strong man armed for their ruin, and the law keeps them with a strong guard, till the day of Christ. By the power of God.] The word translated, power, is rendered f Mat. 7.22. 11.20, 21. 13.54.58. mighty works, sometimes h Gal. 3.5. 4 Questions about the power of God keeping us. miracles, etc. but ordinarily it is meant as here, power: The main doctrine is, that the preservation and keeping of the faithful depends upon God's power. Now for explication of this doctrine, I must answer diverse questions. First some one might say doth it follow, God hath power to keep us, therefore he will? It doth not simply follow, but in two respects: 1 Quest. Answ. 1. First in respect of the intercession of Christ; he hath i john 17. mediated for our preservation, and the father will grant what he asks, and therefore so long, as he hath power he will continually do it. 2. Secondly in respect of God's promises, he hath promised to use his power for our preservation, and therefore as sure as God hath power, so sure are we to be preserved. Quest. Now if any ask, how it may appear, 2 Quest. that God's power is engaged to keep us? Answ. I answer, it may appear evidently by these scriptures, Answ. 2 Cor. 12.9. & 1 Cor. 4.8. Heb. 1.3. Ephes. 3.20. Heb. 7.16. Mat. 6.13. Rom. 1.4. jude 24. Quest. Now if any yet ask, 3 Quest. which way God doth show his power in our preservation? Answ. Answ. I answer, the Lord doth exercise his power in keeping us three ways. 1. In his word, making that a glorious instrument to keep us to salvation, it is as it were the arm of God, it is called expressly k Rom. 1.16. the power of God unto salvation. For by the word is the demonstration of the spirit and of power l 2 Cor. 2 4. , as the Apostle speaks; and thus Christ liveth still on earth m 2 Cor. 13.4. by the very power of God in the word: yea there is an effectual working of power n Ephes. 3.7. given to the word. 2. The Lord exercises his power in keeping us by the grace of his spirit in us o 2 Cor. 12.9. , by making grace to be sufficient for us: strengthening our saith, and establishing us with every needful grace, especially in times of trial. For a Christian hath p 2 Tim. 17. received the spirit of power, and of a sound mind. 3. In the works of his providence, by his disposing and raising means to protect, and uphold the faithful against, in, or out of all troubles, etc. 4 Quest. Quest. But may some one say: Is the promise of God's power in the preservation of the faithful so absolute, as do what they will, God's power will keep them? Answ. Answ. No: For if Christians would have God to keep them, they must themselves keep that which is committed to them: they must keep the word, even the pattern of wholesome words in faith and love: they must stir up the grace of God in them; and wait upon God by prayer, and the constant use of all the means, and here they must live by faith: they must keep themselves in their ways, or else they must not wonder, that the Lord do as it were tumble down the wall of their protection and seem to leave them to themselves. Uses. The use hereof is diverse: 1. First it may serve for confutation of that false opinion of the Papists about their doctrine of freewill. For mark it: The very Saints have not power to keep themselves, no not after calling, and therefore much less before calling. 2. And further it may confute the very confidence of all the adversaries of God's people: they insult many times over the godly, because they are so few, so mean persons, so simple, and weak, and pride themselves in the conceit of their own greatness, and power to compass all their plots and malicious intendments against the godly: But they do notably deceive themselves. For godly men are preserved not by their own might, or means, or friends, or sufficiency, but q 1 Sam. 29. Esay 41.10, 11, 12. by the power of God: grossly therefore are they deluded, if they think to prevail finally against them. 3. Yea this might fully and at once confute the objections of the weak Christian: Oh he hath so many infirmities, and temptations, and allurements, and corrupt inclinations, so many lets and discouragements, and so wanteth the means, that he can never persevere to the end: these are his fears, and this works his unbelief. But all this is soon answered: Thou standest not by thine own strength, but by the power of God, and therefore I must apply that speech of Christ to the Sadduces to them: a little turning them: you err, not knowing the promises of God in the scriptures, nor the power that is in God's nature. Secondly, this may serve for information: For it may show us the impotency of all earthly things, nothing but God's power can keep us to salvation. His work it is to preserve, whose will it is to save. Man's natural life stands not in the r Luke 12.15. abundance of the things, he doth possess: neither is our spiritual life sustained by the bare having of abundance of means. Thirdly, it may serve for instruction, and that diverse ways: 1. First, we should beg of God the spirit of wisdom, and revelation, to show the exceeding greatness of his power s Eph. 1.18, 19 , that we might discern it, and believe it by faith; seeing we do not observe it by sense and reason: 2. Secondly, we should daily ascribe power unto God, even acknowledging continually his power in keeping us from day to day, as our Saviour Christ teacheth us in the t Mat. 6.13. Lord's prayer, when he teacheth us to ascribe kingdom, power, and glory to him: and with Peter we should learn to put off praise from ourselves unto God, as he did in the cure of the Cripple, saying, u Acts 3.12. not by our power is this man made whole. 3. Thirdly, we should particularly of God seek the experience of his power. As for example, we should not rest in * 2 Tim. 3.5. 2 Cor. 6.7. the form, or show of godliness, but seek the power of it: we should not only get a little faith, but strive with God by prayer, till he x 2 Thess. 1.11. fulfil the work of faith with power: we should not think it enough to pray, but we should seek the spirit of prayer, and to do it with power y Zach. 12.12. , even to be made by the anointing of Christ, Priests after the power of endless life: so we should seek the power of conference, and utterance in the confession of the truth, in admonition, instruction, consolation, or propounding of our own doubts: for z 1 Cor. 4.20. the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 4. Fourthly, we should hence learn to be undaunted in afflictions, though it were to adventure all, even life itself for the Gospel; seeing we are kept by God's power, we may say in any distress, as Paul did: a 2 Tim. 1.2.8. I know whom I have believed, and he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, till the day of jesus Christ. If God keep our souls, it matters not, what else be in danger. 5. Fifthly, Ministers should hence learn to preach with power, and strive after it: For it is not the ordinance of God, but the power of God, that preserves the hearers: It is not preaching, but powerful preaching, that keeps the souls of men, till the day of Christ. 6. And lastly, the people should learn to place their faith not in the wisdom, learning, pains, or b 1 Cor. 2.4. graces of men; but in the power of God. Lastly, this serves for consolation to all God's servants against all their fears, troubles, adversaries, temptations, or what else might make them doubt their perseverance: For God is able to do above all that they can ask, or think, according to his power c Ephes. 3.20. , which worketh in them: The divine Power gives us all things d 2 Pet. 1.3. needful to life and godliness, and though they have but a little strength, yet the Lord can open a door of knowledge, and grace, and comfort unto them, which no e Rev. 3.9. man, nor devil can shut; and therefore let us from our hearts give praise unto the only wise, and strong God, that is able to support us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory at the appearing of jesus Christ f Judas 24. . By faith, or, through faith.] The means in us to preserve us is our faith, and that this will keep us through the power of God, is apparent by the scriptures: g john 3.36. He that believeth on the son of God hath everlasting life: (he is as sure of it, as if he had it) and he shall not come into condemnation h john 5.24. , but is passed from death to life: Christ is the bread of life (for nourishment) and he that cometh to him by faith shall i John 6.35. never hunger nor thirst: He that cometh to Christ shall in no wise be cast out: Christ will be so far from losing any one soul, that believeth in him, that not so much as his flesh, or any part thereof shall be lost, but the k joh. 6.37, 39 whole body, that is delivered to the grave, shall be raised at the last day: whosoever l john 11.26. believeth in Christ shall never die: For he that m Rom. 10.9. confesseth with his mouth, and believeth with his heart shall be saved: God will keep that which by faith is committed to him, and Christ n 2 Tim. 1.2. will be at the last day made marvellous in all that believe: but that this point may be more plainly understood, I propound three things. 1. First what faith doth for our preservation. 2. Secondly, how it doth it. 3. What kind of faith doth it, and then the uses. For the first, there are ten things, which faith worketh, by all which, Faith doth 10. things to further our preservation. and every of which, we are greatly helped, and furthered in our preservation. First, it inflames in God a singular tenderness of care to remove out of the way, what might be an occasion of falling, and therefore our Saviour Christ shows, that God so loveth the weakest Christian, that is truly humble and believeth, that if any whosoever shall offend him, that is, cast any stumbling block in his way; in respect of the sore judgements of God upon those, by whom such offences come, it were better a millstone were hanged about their necks o Mat. 18.6. , and they cast into the bottom of the Sea. 2. Secondly, as it procureth the healing of the soul of temptations, even of all the wounds of the serpent, quenching his fiery darts by showing us Christ p john 3.15.16 Ephes. 6. the true brazen Serpent of our recovery. 3. As it is the daily hand and mouth of the soul, by which we feed upon Christ the bread of life, and so are by the strength of that precious nourishment, kept to q john 6.35. 17.8. Rom. 1.16. life everlasting. 4. As it lighteth us the way to heaven. For as there is a light apprehended by sense, and a light of reason: so there is a light of faith, by virtue of the promise of Christ, who said I am come a light into the world, r john 12.46. that whosoever abideth in me, should not abide in darkness. 5. As it bringeth us within the compass of Christ's intercession. For when he prayed the father to keep them from evil, he expounds his meaning to be, to extend that his intercession not only to his Apostles s Acts 10.43. , john 17.15.20. but to all that should believe through their word. 6. As it procures the pardon of all sins according to that of Peter; to him gave t Acts 10.45. all the Prophet's witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of their sins. 7. As it will excite and compel a Christian in all suits to seek his own help. If a man believe, his faith will make him speak both by confession, and u 2 Cor. 4.17. Acts 18.19. prayer to God, and by inquiry and counsel, and reproof to men. 8. As it procures the seal of the holy spirit of promise, and the earnest of the inheritance purchased * Eph. 1.14, 15. john 7.38, 1 john 5.10. . Faith opens such a fountain of joy and encouragement within a man, that it makes him break through at length all doubts and difficulties, having a witness within himself, even the witness of the spirit of adoption. 9 As it procures strength to suffer adversity, so as a man shall not fail or sink under crosses, or wrongs. For he that hath given us to believe in his 〈◊〉 x Phil. 1.27. , gave ●● also strength to suffer for him. 10. Lastly as it overcomes the world, y John 5.4. that is, it fortifieth a Christian against all, pleasures, profits, carnal friends, hopes, fears, dangers, or whatsoever it is, that either by enticement, or enforcement, the world might draw them away by. How ●aith doth this. Now for the second: If any ask, how faith doth all this: I answer, it doth it, first as in general it assures a Christian of God's love, and that God is his father, and will love him to the end, and this assurance is wrought by the knowledge and application of God's promises, and the observation of the signs of those promises in himself. Secondly as it renews upon every occasion a particular persuasion, that God in such and such a cross or temptation, etc. will for his promise and son's sake keep, and deliver him in particular: For God stands upon this particular faith: I will not instance only in these cases extraordinary, mentioned in these Scriptures, Mat. 8.13. and 9.28. Mark. 5.36. and 11.23. John 4.20. but it is true also in cases ordinary: A persuasion, that God will help, and keep us, will keep us indeed. z Heb. 2.5. For the just lives by his faith, and it shall be to us according to our faith: so as he that believeth, or is so persuaded, a Rom. 9 shall not be ashamed. All b Mark 9.23. things are possible to him that believeth, and the true reason, why many things are not obtained, is because we are not persuaded, they shall be obtained: as for extraordinary things the same God that hath determined, that miracles shall cease, hath caused that kind of persuasion to cease too. Thirdly it doth it, as it sets meditation and prayer a-work, meditation I say, as it looks upon Christ, and the former promises of God in him, and prayer, as it begs performance in all humility warranting hope upon that general promise c Mat 21.22. whatsoever you ask the Father in my name believing it, you shall have it. Now for the third, it must greatly be pondered, what kind of faith, What faith will not preserve us. or persuasion can effect all this? This I unfold negatively, and affirmatively: negatively, it is not a verbal faith, will do it: By a verbal faith I mean a bare affirming, that a man hath faith without all reason or discerning, that inwardly there is any such thing in his soul; and this abounds every where amongst the ignorant sort, that take believing to be nothing else, but to say they do believe: but this will avail nothing: Nor is it a forced faith, that will work this: by a forced faith I mean such, as the faith of devils, when a man is compelled to believe some truth, not for love, or desire after the truth, but out of a servile disposition, because he cannot tell, how to deny it, or object against it: d Jam. 2.19. The devils believe and tremble, and so do many wicked men. Nor is it a partial faith; I am driven to use these terms, that by them I might express the several humours of men: by partial faith I mean this, when a man will believe some truths, but not all, as some men will believe Moses c 〈◊〉 5.46. , but not Christ: the Law, but not the Gospel: the truth of directions for life, but not the assurance in particular by the promises in Jesus Christ: and chose some will believe Christ, but not Moses, they think the promises are true, but they will never believe, that such and such threatenings can be so: God will be more merciful. Again some men will believe in prosperity, while they see means f john 9.3 5. , but not in adversity, when they want what they desire, or when their confidence may bring them into disgrace, or trouble: Nor is it a limiting faith, that will appoint, how it shall be before it be believed. The Jews will g john 4.48. 6.30. believe, but then Christ must work wonders at their appointment: The pharisees will believe in the Messias, but then he must be such a one, as they will describe: many could believe, if God will do it by such means, or at such times, or in such measure, as they could name h Luke 22.67. . Thomas will believe, but then he must first see Christ: but it i john 1.50. Mat. 27.42. was otherwise with Nathaniel. Nor is it a dead faith that james k james 2. speaks of, that is without works, that will effect this: Nor will the l Luke 8.13. Gal. 3. john 2.23, 24. temporary faith do it. Lastly, the wavering faith, hath but little force, I mean a faith, that is tossed with so many fancies, and so many doubts, that hath a kind of habit of inconstancy, which may be found in many Christians, that perhaps in the general have a true faith: my meaning is this that when we give liberty to the power of every fancy, or temptation, or doubts, or impediments, or affliction: so as if any thing fall in our way, that in the least measure might seem to cross our desires, we are presently out of all heart, or persuasion, and usually are never settled, but when nothing opposeth us; this kind of wavering and weakness is wonderfully scourged with want of sense and experience of God's mighty working, or at best it gives but dishonourable entertainment to the greatest means of God. For though perhaps great mercies are greatly affected for the present, yet the sense of them is instantly gone, and every trifling cross turns the heart out of contentment, and so out of persuasion too for all, that is not yet had: m john 11.40. Rom. 4.18. jam. 1.6, 7. These are unstable in all their ways. But chose that persuasion, that is thus mighty through God's power to keep us, is a persuasion n Rom. 10.14. originally begotten by the word, prepared o Mat. 21.31. by repentance, witnessed p 1 john 5.10. by the spirit, confirmed q Ma●. 16.16. by the Sacraments, renewed r Mat. 11.23, 24 by prayer, attended s 1 Cor. 13.7. with the love of God, encouraged by t Rom. 5.3, 4. experience within ourselves u 1 Tim. 1.16. or others, and continued by * Luke 8.12. john 8.32. some seed of the word. The use of all this is threefold: 1. First for terror to all those, that live without faith, and for humiliation to all those, that live without the settled assurance of faith: Here men may see, what by faith might be had, Uses. and the need of it. Now what can be the estate of such, as neglect it and willingly sit down in unbelief, but even the condemnation hereunto belonging: He that x john 2.16.18 believeth not is condemned, and this is the condemnation of worlds of men, even their wretched sinning against faith and assurance of God's promises: This is the true reason, that they y john 8 24. die in their sins, this is z john 10.26. a sign they are not of Christ's sheep. For if they were, they would believe in him; yea and the wretched wilfulness of many in confirming themselves in the neglect of assurance, causeth many times these fearful judgements, that they should be given over to such an estate, as they should neither see nor understand: the Lord being as it were made a joh. 12.38, 39 unwilling, that they should be converted: yea this very unbelief may cause God to repent of his mercies, and destroy men b jud. 5. even after many singular favours bestowed upon them: what shall I say, if we out of this text consider the use and need of faith, may not Christ wonder at our unbelief c Mat. 6.6. , if still we will go on in security? Secondly, we should all then be persuaded to settle about this work of faith and assurance, knowing the singular worth and use of it, and to this end pray unto God to show us the greatness of his power in them that believe, and withal make use of the light, while we have it to walk in it, that ●o the Lord may still own us, as the children of light, etc. Lastly, it may be a great comfort to all, that have gotten assurance. He d Rom. 10.11. that believeth is in such an estate for happiness, as he needs not be ashamed, no the Lord will so perform all things according to his faith, that he shall never be ashamed. A man need be ashamed of nothing but his unbelief; and of every such Christian it may be said, as once it was of one, e Luke 1.45. Blessed is she that believed. For there shall be a performance of those things, which were told her from the Lord. Unto salvation. This is the end of our preservation. From the coherence and general consideration of the words three things may be noted. First converted Christians shall be saved. Secondly, unless we endure to the end, all is vain: It will not profit us to be kept for a time, or a long time, but it must be till the very moment of salvation. Thirdly, here we may note a lively difference between a temporary faith, and a justifying faith. Difference between temporary faith, and justifying faith This is best at last; the other is most lively, when it is first hatched. This is sorrowful at first, but leads to joy: The other is joyful at first, but leaves men in such a case, as they must lie down in sorrow. This is only in such, as shall be saved: the other in such as may be damned: note, I say may may be, not shall be. This is a strong garrison to guard us in the evil day: the other is confident, till evil come, and then it betrays men. This will not rest without assurance of salvation to come: the other is secured with probabilities, and hopes, and conjectures present. This is a great discerner of wants, and therefore bears itself upon God's power: The other looks chiefly outwards, and considers not his fall, till he be falling. Thus in general. Unto salvation] Salvation is threefold: 1. f Acts 7.25. Corporeal: 2. g Luk. 1.71. &c 19.9 spiritual in this life: or 3. h Heb. 9.28. Of salvation, and what is imported in the word. eternal in heaven. It is eternal salvation is here meant, and so salvation properly notes the negative part of our happiness in heaven that is, that there we shall be made safe, that is, we shall be out of the reach of Satan, evil men, the flesh, sin, infirmity, sorrow, pains, reproach, evil example, discouragement, death, hell: but by synecdoche it notes the whole happiness of a Christian for ever in glory: but this is named, because it is easier to tell what shall not be in heaven, than what shall be there. The Uses are both for instruction and terror: Uses. For instruction this may teach us two things: first to acknowledge Gods great mercy, in that he gives us the means of salvation, which was i job. 4.22. Act. 13.26. Rom. 1.16. 2 Tim. 3▪ 15. wont to be the sole honour of the Jews: If carnal men had such available means for earthly things, how would they esteem them? how rich and great would they be? secondly, our hearts desire and prayer unto God should be, that k Rom. 10.1. we might be saved, even that we might have it as well as hear of it: and to this end First, we should shake off that natural security, and drowsy sleep l Rom. 13.11. that is upon our hearts, especially we should not deceive ourselves m Rom. 13 13 . For many a man thinks he should be saved, when he hath little reason for it. Secondly, we should use all diligence to get the knowledge of heavenly things: For Christ will never be salvation n Act. 3 47. Luk. 1 77.79. , where he is not first light. Thirdly, we should be especially careful to seek the knowledge of God's favour in the remission of our own sins. For God giveth knowledge of salvation by o Luk. 1.77. remission of sins; and to this end we should employ ourselves in p 2 Cor. 7.10. repenting us of our sins. Fourthly, as a singular furtherance hereunto we should be wise in discerning the seasons, fearful to q 2 Cor. 6.2. stand out the day of salvation. For our repentance and assurance might be at some times sped with singular success, whereas delay may breed either loss or difficulty. Fiftly, our hearts should be so set upon heaven, that we should always be ready to obey both present and absent, r Phil. 2.12. working out our salvation with fear and trembling. Those daring, venturous, bold spirits that dare live in any evil, so it stare not in their faces, and have not a heart fearful of the last evil, aspire not to immortality: they express not the care, or hope of heaven. And as it serves for instruction, so it may serve for terror and great reproof to all wicked persons, that do shift off and s H●b. 2.3. neglect so great salvation, and frustrate the means of saving t H●b. ●. 7, 9 their own souls. Prepared.] Salvation is prepared five ways: Salvation may be said to be prepared five ways. 1. By preordination, and so it was u Mat. 25.34. prepared before the world was, as * Esay. 30 33. Topheth was prepared of old for the wicked. 2. By creation, and so it was prepared when the Lord made of nothing x Prov 8 27. that glorious place above these visible heavens. 3. By the mission of Ch●ist, who by his obedience and sacrifice merited y I●h. 3.16. Heb. 5.7.8▪ 9 Eph. 1.14. for the elect this eternal salvation. 4. By regeneration: for so we are said in the verses before to be begotten again to an immortal inheritance: for therein the Lord breathes into us that lively hope and other immortal graces. 5. And lastly by justification, forgiving us all our sins that might keep us out of heaven z Luk 1.77. Rev. 19 7, 8. Eph ●. 5, 6. , and clothing us with the righteousness of Christ, and accepting us thereupon as his adopted children in Christ. 2. Preordination is the fruit of God's counsel: Creation of God's power: regeneration of God's word: Christ's mission of God's love: and justification of Christ's resurrection. Preordination, and creation, and Christ's mission are past, and so salvation is prepared: Regeneration and justification are present, and so it is preparing; now there is a preparation which remains yet, and that shall be in the last time, by the citation of the world, by the last trump, by the collection of all Nations from the four winds of heaven, after they are raised: But I think this is not meant here. The Use is threefold: First we should acknowledge Gods great love, that thus provideth for us so long before, and say with the Prophet, Lord what is man that thou art so m●ndfull of him! Secondly, we should kindle our desires 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 learn to prepare for it. For if God prepare it for us, we should much more prepare ourselves for it: yea it may be, that God writes this for our instruction: we hear what God doth, that we might learn what to do ourselves. Quest. Now if any should ask, what we must do in preparing for salvation? Answ. We prepare for salvation five wai●s. I answer, we must prepare five ways. 1. By a Mat. 3.2.3. repentance for our sins. 2. By procuring the assurance of it in the signs b Heb. 6.9, 11, 12. , seals, and pledges of it. 3. By the labour of love, endeavouring with speed to dispatch God's c ●ph. 6 13. Pr●v. 24.27. 2 Tim 4 8. work, even the task 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 d Mat. 6.19 20. H●w many ways s●l●ation is h●d. and desires. 5. Lastly, by special preparation for death, waiting till the time of our changing do● come. Thus of preparation: The revelation follows. To be revealed.] Two things are here implied, and one expressed: The things employed are, first, that the salvation of the soul is a hid mystery. 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 darkness and in the shadow of death, sometimes for want of means, but always for e Gal. 3.22, 23. want of faith to believe it in their own case: nay they see not clearly the happiness of the elect in general: for the glory of their salvation is darkened by their afflictions and disgraces in the world: thirdly, it is in some respects hid, and not yet revealed to the faithful: 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 brightness of it show f P●al. 50 ult. his salvation to them that dispose their ways 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 g Mat. ●4. accomplish it, or the full perfection h 1 Cor. 13.9▪ 10, 11, 12. of the glory of it. 2. That it shall never be fully revealed till the last time. Quest. But, is it not at all revealed in this life? Answ. To whom salvation is revealed, and how. ● I answer, it is: But then consider to whom, and how, and in what things. It is revealed to the godly in a more i joh. ●7. 6. particular manner: for the wicked have but a general glimpse of it. It is revealed by the word k 2 Tim. 3.15. , which teacheth it: by the spirit l 1 C●●. 2 10. , 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 i●. And for the last it is revealed three ways: 1. by way of negation: for in this life, we see by the word, what shall not be in heaven, as not sin, sorrow, sickness, death, etc. 2. In respect of the assurance of faith and h●p●. 3. In ●●sp●●t of the f●●st fruits, and pledges, and beginnings of salvation in saving graces. Salvation 〈◊〉 be revealed ●t the last day 3. ways. The doctrine expressed is, that salvation shall be revealed at the last day, and that three ways: fi●st by the voice of Christ, who in the last m Mat. 25. sentence shall set out the glory of God's mercy before men and Angels, describing the worth of the Kingdom of God, which he hath prepared for the elect. 2. God will then enlarge, and perfect the understandings of the faithful in full conceiving of the worth of eternal 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. Uses. The Uses of this doctrine concerning the revelation of salvation are diverse: First it is exceeding comfortable unto God's children, and thi● comfort may be concluded out of this doctrine three ways: First from the general, they may hence be greatly heartened, that those great things which are promised, shall one day be revealed: They are now the sons of God, but it doth not appear 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 evil censures and surmises of men, and wretched imputations. Their innocence shall one day be revealed, and the sins and secret plots of adversaries shall one day be discovered; n Mat. 10 24, 25, 26. There is nothing covered, that shall not then be revealed: that day shall try men's works. And also against all sorts of erosses might this doctrine comfort us: For if we did think of the things that are not seen as yet, they would make us hold all our afflictions light and momentary, in comparison of what we expect. And thirdly, from the less to the greater, they may hence deduce singular comfort: For if now at some times, when it is but in preparation to be revealed, God's people do find so much comfort, what shall that superabundant happiness be, when that Abyssus shall be broken up, Abyssus. and the mines of treasure shall be discovered and possessed? Here is also employed by the contrary wonderful terror to the wicked men: they little know what shall befall them, the Lord now treasures up much for them, and a n Deu. 32 34, 35 Rome 2.5. day will come, when it shall be revealed. If that anger, that God in this world doth o Rom. 1.18. reveal from heaven by his threatenings, 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 Lamb shall sit upon his throne to open the mystery of their iniquity and God's anger; and it is a misery added to their misery, that they cannot discern it, but for the most part die without knowledge p job 36.12. , and sink into perdition before they be aware: But especially woe shall then be to the hypocrite, q Luk. 12.1, 2. for his mask shall then be pulled off. Thirdly, this doctrine may serve for instruction, and that two ways: First, we should be thankful, if God have in any measure revealed unto us his love, and this mystery of our salvation: For there are many wise men, and great men, to whom in the secrets of his judgement that r Mat. 11.25. knowledge is denied: Secondly, we should with earnest expectation wai● for the revelation of the sons of God, seeing that that is the time of glorious and unexpressible s Rom. 8.19, 21, 22. liberty. And thus of the revelation of salvation. In the last time.] These words are diversely accepted in Scripture: Sometimes they note in definitely any time that is t Gen. ●9 1. Deut. 4.30. far off: sometimes they note the whole space of time from Christ's first coming to the u Esay ● 2. H●s 3.5. Heb ● 2. 1 joh. 2.18. second: sometimes they note the later age of the world nearer the second * 1 Tim 4 1. 2 Tim. 3.1. 2 Pet. 3.3. coming of Christ: sometimes it notes the time after the resurrection, till the end of the x I●h. 11.24, 12, 48. judgement, and so it is here. Before I come to the particular consideration of these words, there are diverse things may be noted in the general. First, that God's last works are his best works, which should teach us to imitate y Rev. 2.19. God, and never fear the forbearance of God; time cannot change him, he will be never the worse, or the colder for delay. Secondly, if woe mark, what days these last days are, we may also note, that God doth his best works, when men do their worst. For of these last days it is, that the z 2 Tim. 3.1. 2 Pet. 3.3. Apostle speaks, that they should be such wicked and perilous days: and this we should learn of God also, to let our piety and patience then shine most, when impiety and violence do bear most sway. Thirdly, there is a time when God will at once fully deliver, and save his servants, a Deut. 32. ●6. to 44. Luk. 18.18. and judge for them, and therefore b Gal 6 9, 10. we should not be weary of well-doing. Fourthly, God's servants must not think to be fully delivered, till these last times, and therefore they must walk circumspectly redeeming the time, and always c Rev. 16.15. stand upon their guard; seeing the days will be ever evil, we should remember, and hold fast, and lay up provision for many days. Fiftly, it is the will of God that the day of Judgement should not be known to any man or Angel for the moment of it, and therefore it is here described by ages not by days and hours, d Act. 1. which may confute curiosity, and teach us to watch at all times. e Luk. 21.9. Mat. 24.44, 45, 46. Sixtly, the world shall have an end, there is a last time, there will be an end of all perfection, and therefore we should learn to f 1 Cor. 7.29. 1 joh. 2.15, 16. use the world, as if we used it not, and therefore woe is to them that so greedily mind g jer. 17.11. jam. 5.1, 2. transitory things, and that place all their happiness in the things of this life. 1 Quest. Why is the time of the last Judgement called the last time. Answ. Why the day of judgement is called the last time. It is called the last time, 1. because time shall thenceforth be no more. 2. Because after that day there shall be no space left for repentance, or salvation for wicked men. 3. Because Christians shall be delayed no longer, but then all their wrongs shall be righted, all their sins shall be pardoned, all their wants shall be supplied, all their infirmities shall be removed, all their promises shall be fulfilled, ☞ all their graces shall be perfected, all their desires shall be satisfied. 4. Because all things shall then be fully determined, ended, and finally ordered. 2 Quest. But why is this time deferred so long? Answ. Why the last judgement is deferred so long. First to demonstrate Gods wonderful patience, and to clear his justice, in that eternal vengeance shall then be exercised on the wicked. For by this deferring, it will be made manifest, that he did it not suddenly, or passionately, or privately, or before he had used all other means. Secondly, it is forborn, till all Gods eternal decrees in the government of the world be accomplished; especially it is stayed, till the number of the Elect be gathered, and the fullness both of Gentiles and Jews be come in. And thus much of this verse, and so of the first part of the consolation, that is to say, the proposition of arguments: now followeth the confirmation. Verse 6. Wherein ye rejoice greatly, though now for a season (if need require) ye are in heaviness through manifold tentations. IN this Verse and the rest to the 13. is contained the confirmation of the proposition, and that is performed two ways. 1 By prolepsis, or the answer of objections, vers. 6, 7, 8. 2. By prophetical testimony, ver. 10, 11, 12. For the first, the Apostle labours to confirm them especially against two objections, whereof the first might be taken from their crosses. 1 Object. For they might say, they were so pressed with the multitude of tentations, inward and outward, that they were much disheartened in the contentation of their estates. Solut. Now unto this the Apostle answers, that Christians have no cause to hang down their heads for their afflictions, and that for four reasons. 1. Because one may have many crosses, and yet have exceeding much joy. 2. The molestation that comes by tentations or crosses is but for a season. 3. That a Christian is not bound always to trouble himself, or be grieved at his troubles: It is but when need requires. 4. Because great profit comes by afflictions and tentations, that is to say, the trial of our faith, ver. 7. 2 Object. Secondly, they might object, that they know not whether the former consolation do belong unto them. And to this he answers, Verse 8, 9 Sol. by showing that there were three things in them, by which they might know that those comforts did belong unto them. 1. The first was their love of Christ. 2. The second their faith in Christ. 3. And the third their unspeakable and glorious joys, the consequent & end of all which would undoubtedly be the salvation of their souls: this answer is contained in the 8. and 9 Verses, and thus of the order of those words. Now whereas all these Verses contain answers to secret objections in the minds of men; before I come to the opening of the particulars in the answers, I note diverse things briefly from the general, and which is here employed. First, that God seeth the secret thoughts of men's hearts, he seeth all the risings of their thoughts and affections, and the inclinations to object any thing any way whatsoever: which should make us careful to look to ourselves, for the very thoughts and risings of our hearts, especially if there be in men a wicked rebellion against the truth: let them not deceive themselves: For certainly God will judge them for their very inward boilings and indignations against the truth, even those, which they do not or dare not utter: For contrary thoughts aswell as contradictions. Secondly, not only God seeth, but the word of God meeteth with the very secret thoughts in the heart, or life of man, though they were never known or uttered: it ransacketh the spirit of man, and will search strangely into the secrets of men's courses. Heb. 4.12. There can hardly be an objection in a man's mind, but if he constantly attend the Word, it will meet with it; which may encourage humble Christians to rest upon the Word, for it will heal them of all sorts of spiritual diseases. The Lord can strangely be their Physician, when no creature knows it: and withal it confutes their stomach, that being met withal in the word, think the Preacher aims at them, and that it comes of very spleen against them, wilfully being ignorant of this, that the Word would search them, though the Preacher never knew their faces. For it is the Word of him that knows all the hearts of men, and was framed of purpose by the all-seeing Spirit of God, that it might discover what was hid, and converse secretly in the very bosoms of men. Thirdly, we see here, that there may be objections in the minds of the very Elect, even of such as have true grace: we may not imagine that they are absolutely freed from all doubts and fears. Fourthly, objections, In that the holy Ghost is so careful to prevent these it shows, that it is needful men's objections should be answered, and to that end, if the Lord do not answer otherwise, men should not repress and smother them, but propound them by seeking resolution. These sparks not quenched may breed a great flame: these drops of poison may infect the whole soul: a little leaven may sour the whole lump. Fiftly, A question may be here demanded, and that is, why the Lord here and in many places of Scripture else doth express the answer, Quest. and suppress the objection? For answer hereunto, diverse things may profitably be supposed. 1. First the Lord hereby shows unto men in their own experience, Answ. Why many times in Scripture the answer is, expressed & the objection concealed. what a divine light is in the Scpiptures, that can thus discern the hidden things of man. 2. Secondly, it may be, the objections are suppressed, lest men hearing the objections should learn to object. 3. Thirdly, the Lord hereby shows man's nature, who usually will not say so much, yet the Lord saith, they do thinkeso. 4. Lastly, I think for the most part the Lord doth it out of his compassion and tenderness towards his people, these things arising out of men's frail●y, he is willing many times to lay to the plaster, and yet not uncover the sore: and for fear of discouraging them, he rather implies their weaknesses then expresseth them, that they might be assured, that he is inclined rather to pity them, than to hate them; rather to succour them, than to reprove them. And thus of the general. Wherein ye greatly rejoice. The main thing that I observe out of these words, is, that converted Christians, though they have many afflictions, yet they are greatly solaced and find great joy even in this world. Now because this point is not believed by the most, who are loath to acknowledge so much gain in godliness, and because also many Christians are not wise either to discern, or to make use of their own felicity herein, I would (before I come to the use of this doctrine) for explication propound three things. 1. How it can be made manifest out of Scripture, that a Christian life is such a joyful life? 2. What are the particular ways, whereby Christians can meet with such a joyful life and comfort, as by Scripture is proved they might have? 3. And in the third place I answer an objection or two. How it may appear that a Christian life is such a joyful life. 9 things for this. For the first, The Scripture instanceth in nine things, all which do manifestly import, that such as fear God, may have exceeding much joy. 1. For first a Phil. 4.4. Zeph. 3.14. Psal. 32. ult. God commandeth his servants to rejoice, yea b Esa. 40.1, 9, 10 he commandeth his Ambassadors to comfort them. 2, God is bound by promise to give them joy. For besides that the Gospel in general is a doctrine of glad tidings there are particular promises for joy, c Esay 38. ult. 51. 3. 65. 13, 14 jer. 31.12. joh. ●6. 12. as the places in the margin show. 3. Thirdly, joy is one of the express d Gal. 5.22. fruits of the Spirit. 4. Fourthly, it is e Rom. 14.17. a main part of the Kingdom of God. 5. Fiftly, God threateneth his, when he finds them without it, as is manifest in Deut. 28. this was one cause of his displeasure, that they did not f Deut 28.47. serve him with joyfulness and a glad heart. 6. The Scripture is plentiful in the examples of men, that have found exceeding much joy in the ways of God, g Psal. 14. ●lt. Esay 2● 9 38.19, 20, 21. Rome 5.3. some few places I instance in the margin. 7. If a temporary faith find such joy in the word, how much more a justifying faith. 8. The nature of God is such, as he is as willing to communicate joy, h 2 Pet. ●. 3. Ilb 8.19, 20. as well as other graces. 9 Lastly, this is most apparent by this, that the Scriptures show, that God hath provided joys for his servants in such things as might seem most to cross them or their contentment, as in i Rome 8 3. tribulation, yea and k jer. ●1. 25. in affliction of conscience itself. Now if we can believe it of them in such times, than we need never doubt of it, but they either have, or may have great joy. But some one may say, Which way can they find such great joy? what means is there for their consolation? Quest. Answ. G●ds 〈…〉 may find joy nine ways. I answer: They find joy nine ways. 1. They have in them the l joh. 14.16. Spirit, even him that is called a Comforter, which no wicked man hath, and this Spirit of God is an everlasting spring of joy. 2. God's ordinances are unto them as m Esay 12 3. wells of joy: the word is a well, so is prayer, reading, the Sacraments, and conference. 3. They have their right to all God's n 2 Pet. 1.3. promises to comfort them, and certainly the Gospel is a deep well. 4. They have the presence of God ●●ke the o Zeph 3. 15. Psal. 36.7, 8. sun to refresh them. 5. They find secret joy in the communion of Saints, both to hear of them absent, and to have fellowship with them present, and that both public and private: For if this be a great part of the joy of heaven, then may it be some part of a Christians joy on earth. 6. There is joy in the graces of the Spirit, to see the buds of the Lord grow in the garden of their hearts, and the weeds of sin to be rooted out; yea great is the content of grace and well-doing. 7. There is joy in the meditation of the misery they are delivered from. 8. They are not barred from the joy in outward things, which is all the joy wicked men have, and in these the worst Christian hath more right to rejoice, than the best carnal man. 9 Lastly, they find much joy even of the p Rom. 12.12. hope of the joy they shall have in heaven. Ob. But might some ungodly person say, We see no such matter in them. Sol. The stranger shall not meddle with their joy. Ob. But might some scorner say, If any have found such joy in following the word and godliness, it hath been such, as have had nothing else to rejoice in. q Prov. 14.10. Sol. That is false: The Psalmist shows by prophesying, that even Kings that have abounded in outward things, yet coming to taste the excellency of the comforts of godliness, and to feel the power of God's word, should r Ps. 138 4, 5.119.72. sing for joy of heart, and greatly acknowledge the exceeding glory of God and godliness. Ob. But might some others say, We have been hearers thus long, and have followed godliness, and yet can find no such comfort in it. Sol. I answer, it may well be so: but then lay the blame where it is to be laid, & let men examine themselves concerning the cause: For if thou find not much joy in godliness, it is either because s Ps. 126 5, 6. Esay 61 1, 2, 3. Ruth 5.5. thou hast not sorrowed for thy sins, or thou hast not t jer. 33.8. seriously sought the pardon of thy sins, or thou sowest not good seed, thou art not conscionable in practice. If men were more fruitful in well-doing u job. 4.36. Gal. 6 8, 9, 10. Ma●. 25.21. Esay 35.8, 10. joh. 5.10. , they would find more joy: or thou * 2 Co●. 13.12. livest not in peace, or thou art not x joh 16.24. Phil. 4 6. much in prayer, or thou y Esay 51.11. receivest not the law into thy heart, or thou z Prov 29 6. art entangled with some gross sin, or thou art a 1 Cor 7.30. intemperate in thy earthly pleasures, or thou art not b 1 Thes 5.18. in all things thankful. This doctrine may serve for three uses. First, It may confute that cavil of carnal men, that Religion will make men dumpish and melancholy, whereas the clean contrary we see here is true. 2. It greatly reproves the uncheerfulness of many professors, who do thereby greatly darken the glory of Religion, and cause the way of God to be evil spoken of, besides the hurt they do themselves through unthankfulness and unbelief, Uses. The inconvenience of uncheerfulnes in such as profess religion. exposing themselves to the tentations, either of sin or apostasy, together with a continual unfitness to all duties of piety: and this ariseth out of aptness either to passion of anger, or worldly grief. 3. It may teach us to seek the joys of God, and having found them, to be careful by all means to preserve them. But what shall I do to preserve the joys of God in my heart? Quest. First, keep thyself free from the allowance of the least sin, violate not the peace of thy conscience. Secondly, Answ. What w● must do to preserve the joys of God in our hearts. digest the promises concerning infirmities after calling. Thirdly, take heed of omission, or careless use of God's ordinances. Lastly, care not for the world, but retire thyself, else from thence will flow unavoidable unrest. Before I pass from these words, yet two things more may be briefly touched. First, in that he ●aith, ye rejoice, he seemeth to import, that true joy is only in converted Christians. For as for the joys that the men of this world have, they are not true: For besides there is much vanity * Eccl. 2. and madness in them, there is also much danger in them; for c Amos 6. they breed security, and d E●cl. 11.9. men shall be called to account for them; yea men may lose e Luk. 12.15. their souls for them. Secondly, where he saith, wherein, he means in which benefits of regeneration, glorification, preservation, etc. whence may be briefly noted, that the chiefest joys of Christians are in spiritual things; it ill beseems Christians to set their hearts on earthly things. Quest. But is it not lawful to delight ourselves in earthly pleasures? Answ. How far forth a Christian may joy in earthly things. It is with these rules: First, thou must be sure thou hast repent of thy sins, before thou allow thyself liberty for f Esay 22.12. pleasures. 2. Thou must not make a vocation of recreation. 3. Thou must spend only thy own time upon them, not the Lords. 4. Thou must avoid scandalous delights, and such games as are of evil report. 5. Thou must watch over thine own heart, that thy recreations steal not away thine heart from the delight of better things, but be used rather as an help unto them. Lastly, note from hence, that they only are fit to give testimony of the joys of a converted estate, that have had experience of it themselves; trust not the judgements of carnal persons, for the dignity, utility, and durableness of the graces of godliness. And thus of the first reason. Though now for a season you are in heaviness. Sorts of heaviness. There are diverse sorts of heaviness. 1. There is the heaviness of the desperate, such was that in Cain and judas. 2. and the heaviness of the disappointed, such was the heaviness of Haman, Ahab, and Ammon, when they could not compass their ambitious, covetous, and voluptuous ends. 3. And there is the heaviness of the melancholy f Rome 14.15. , and of the scandalised. 4. There is the heaviness of the penitent for sins. 5. and of the afflicted for crosses. 6. There is a heaviness in God's children after calling for spiritual respects, as for corruption g Rom. 7. of nature, for h C●nt. 3. absence of Christ, for i P●al. 42. want of the means, for the k Ezek. 9 dishonour of God in public abominations, for the l Lament. miseries of the Church, for God's m Esay 66.2. threatenings and anger, for the n 2 Cor. 5. desire of death, for o Esay 6.3, 17. hardness of heart, and for special sins after calling. Quest. But may not Gods children be heavy for crosses? Answ. They may; and I think that may be meant here; but then these rules must be noted. First, that their heaviness be rather for some sin in themselves, Rules for heav●nesse for cro●●es. which might cause the cross, then for the cross itself. Secondly, that their heaviness be moderate. Quest. But when is sorrow for afflictions moderate? Answ. First, when it exceeds not the measure of sorrow for sin. 2. Secondly, when it withdraws not the heart from God and holy duties through passionate and incredulous perturbations: When sorrow in affliction is moderate. but it is to be noted in the general, that the Apostle is very loath to grant them liberty for heaviness, but it is with many limitations: as 1. it must be but a little season: 2. they must be sure need doth require it: 3. it may not be allowed for many crosses that will not be allowed for lesser, or fewer tentations. For a season.] Why the afflictions of the godly are but for a ●●●●on: and how. The troubles and griefs of God's children are but for a season, for a moment: God hides his face p Esay 54. Psal 30.5. but a little while; and the reason is, because afflictions are used of God, but as plasters, or medicines, or as a furnace. Now in as much as the godly will quickly judge themselves, and make their peace, therefore the Lord will soon q job 36. joh. 16 20, 21, 23. Phil. ●. 6. Luk. 18.8. draw off the cross, the plaster shall lie no longer than till the sore be whole; and the goldsmith will let his metal lie in the fire no longer than till the dross be● melted off, or it be fit to be wrought upon. Now if crosses should continue long in our reckoning (say it were the whole life of a man) what is man's life? even a vapour that appeareth a little time. Besides, what can thy longest crosses be in comparison of the pains of the damned from which thou art delivered, or of the joys and glory of heaven which thou shalt possess? Yea what is that thou dost suffer, in comparison of what thou deservest? but yet I say it is but a season, as we account seasons, even a small part of the life of the godly: For either the Lord removes the cross, or takes away the sting of it, or sweetens it with his mercies. The Use may be to teach us to check the r P● 42.11. unquietness and s Ps 73.26. etc. failings of our hearts, and to be ever ashamed of ourselves, Use. that we should make so much of our crosses, and so little of God's mercies: we should learn, seeing they are but for a season, to t Heb. 10. Ps. 73.26, 28. hold fast the confidence of our hope, and live by faith, and if the Lord be angry u Esa 26.19, 20 to hide ourselves for a little season, till his indignation be past. If need require.] Here three things may be observed: First, that Christians man● times make crosses to themselves, and draw heaviness upon their hearts, through fears, and suspicions, and unquietness, where there is no need: this is a great fault, and usually is a great scourge For by such distempers they many times lessen the comforts of God, and their credit with God's children. Secondly, crosses and griefs are sometimes needful: needful I say to hide our pride, to wean us from the world, to put us in mind of death, Why crosses are sometimes needful. to make us desire heaven, to drive us to seek more grace and holiness, to prevent sin to come, to humble us for sins past, or to make trial of some grace of God in us. It is a comfort, that God will not afflict us till there be need. Thirdly, In some crosses Christians need not be in heaviness: so was it with job, and the Apostles in their sufferings; and that is first, when we find the sense of God's love: secondly, while we keep our uprightness. Through manifold tentations. There are four kinds of tentations: First, There are four kinds of tentations. there is the a Mat 13.21. Luk. 8.13. tentation of persecution; and well may persecution be called tentation: For it is a property in most persecutors to tempt and entice, that they may seduce; and beside, the Lord hereby doth try the faith of men; for in the time of this tentation the temporary faith will fail. Secondly, there is the tentation of affliction, afflictions in b jam. 1.3, 12. general are called tentations in diverse places, and they may well be called so, either because they tempt or because they try. They tempt, and that either to vice, or despair: To vice, for afflictions they tempt men to lying, deceit, stealing, swearing, oppression, usury, filthiness, idolatry, carnal shifts, breach of Sabbath, passion, bitter words, inordinate desires, etc. yea and in some men they tempt to despair, and the blasphemy against God's mercy, as in Cain and judas. This should teach us to watch over ourselves in our troubles, that we be not led aside with the tentations of afflictions; and we should account it a great mercy of God to get out of our trouble, free from the infection of any of the former, or the like vices: and let wicked men know, that to be taken with the tentation of the cross, is worse than the cross itself; deceit is worse than want of trade, etc. Now afflictions are said to be tentations also, because they try men: For they try our faith and patience, and the constancy of our obedience to God. But of the trial of crosses in the next verse. The third kind of tentations is the tentation of concupiscence, of which c jam. ●. 14. james speaks, when he saith, a man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his concupiscence: Observe a plain proof, that the internal evils that arise from corruption of nature are called tentations. The last kind of tentations is the tentation of Satan, and this is usually understood, when we name tentations. Of the first and second kind I have entreated before: of the third I shall speak in the handling of the common place of tentations of the fourth kind. Concerning then the tentations of Satan chiefly I propound five things: First, how many ways Satan doth tempt men. Secondly, how many degrees there be of his tentation. Thirdly, what the difference is between the tentation of concupiscence, and the tentation of Satan. Fourthly, what comforts there are against tentation. Fiftly, what rules we are to observe either for the preventing of them, or deliverance out of them. Satan tempts men five ways. For the first. Satan doth tempt men five ways: 1. By causing men to tempt: Thus he caused Peter to tempt Christ; and so he doth commonly stir up wicked men in all ages to be his instruments for tempting. 2. By assuming to himself some outward shape or likeness, and therein vocally to allure and beguile men; thus he tempts witches, and some monstrous offenders. 3. By presenting objects to our senses that may tempt us: therefore job said, he would make a covenant with his eyes. 4. By enflaming the corruption of our own nature to evil: For when evil is hatched in our minds, if it work there strongly, it will have some effect upon the body in some part of it, and thereby Satan knows the fire that is in us, and then he comes to us, and blows all those coals with all cunning and fury to provoke us yet more and more unto sin. 5. Lastly, he tempts us by injecting evil into our minds, but how he doth this is unknown: and this last is that, which usually we think of, when we speak of the temptations of Satan. 1●. Degrees of te●●ation. Now for the second: there are in all thirteen degrees of the temptations of the devil. 1. The first is, the evil motion itself barely considered, as it is cast into the mind. 2. The second is, the liking of it, when our concupiscence upon the discerning of the evil thought, doth yield a kind of approbation, we being content, that such an evil thought should be there. 3. The third degree is delight: when we please ourselves with contemplative wickedness, taking a kind of contentment in musing upon such evil things, suffering our thoughts to feed themselves in the delights of such imaginations, where we suppose the practice of evil, though as yet we have no resolution any way to give ourselves liberty to do, as we think. 4. The fourth degree is security, or the willing omission of all such duties or services to God, as might hinder that contemplative wickedness, this is, when we are unwilling to pray, or hear, or read, especially any thing that might put us out of that liberty of thinking evil, now are we drawn away with the temptation, as the Apostle speaketh. 5. The fifth degree is ensnaring, when a man that all this while had no purpose to do the evil, let his thoughts yet run upon it, and he finds himself now so entangled, that he doubts he shall be carried into the practice of it, whereupon he struggles within himself a●d would fain resolve not to do it but yet finds himself like the fish catched with the hook, so as he cannot get off, but is strongly enticed to yield to seek all that pleasure, or profi●, or honour, or revenge, of which he hath mused: Thus for some time continue men in this degree, fain they would not do the sin outwardly, yet they fear they shall do it: They could now wish they had not given their thoughts that liberty. For now they are so fired, they cannot tell how to be delivered from them. 6. The sixth degree is Consenting: For at length the devil overcomes through the flames of concupiscence, so as he now resolves, he will practise it, and give his full consent to attend the opportunity to commit the evil, as supposing to find to himself great content, that he never had: such is the old fraud and murderous lying of the Tempter. This is called the conceiving of sin. 7. The seventh degree is Practice, or the birth of sin, and this is, when a man overcome within as before, now committeth his intended evil. 8. The eighth degree is custom, when a man now less fearful of sin, doth often commit it, and yieldeth himself over to the continual practice of his wretched evil. 9 The ninth degree is inward Apostasy, that is, departing from God with an evil and unfaithful heart, as it is called, Heb. 3. this is when a man confirmed in the custom of sin resolves to give over all care of godliness, and accordingly by the working of Satan hath his heart filled with all sorts of vicious inclinations, and is so obdurate, that he believes or cares for no threatenings, nor makes any great reckoning of any truth of God: But all this is but within. 10. The tenth degree is outward Apostasy, and this is, when a man at length growing audacious in sinning, gives over even outwardly all care of honesty or religion, openly showing himself to be fallen away from all care of the profession of the truth, or respect of godliness further than the laws of men, or other carnal respects may lead him. 11. The eleventh degree is tradition to Satan, which is done either secretly, the Lord giving the sinner up to Satan, or openly where the sinner is delivered to Satan by the censure of the Church: It is true, that sometimes Satan hath possession at consent before practice. For than he entered into the heart of judas: It is true also, that the censures of the Church fall upon many after practice before Apostasy. But if men do tarry out all these degrees, in this place they will be given up, if they prevent not death, or death prevent not them, etc. 12. The twelfth degree is a reprobate sense, when a man having been under the power of the devil, and not escaping out of his snare by repentance, i● most fearfully forsaken of God, and with unspeakable spiritual wickedness besotted by Satan, so as all sense and remorse is wholly extinguished i● him, so as neither the light o● Nature, nor the light of Scripture can work upon him. 13. The last degree is death, even death eternal. Thus we see the stairs that descend down to hell, and the several step● 〈…〉 stairs. Saint james makes but 6. degrees: For the first motions he suppresseth. Then the first degree is drawing away, now that contains the 2, 3, and 4. degree, as it is here in our reckoning, viz. liking, delight, and security. The 〈…〉 ●irth, that is, practice: the fifth, the finishing of sin, which hath in i●●●stome, in●●r● 〈◊〉 outward Apostasy, tradition and a rebrobate mind: the 〈◊〉 i● death. Thus of the second point. 〈…〉 the third, we must understand, 〈…〉 that the tentations of concupiscence, 〈◊〉 the ●entations of Satan differ thus: 1. First, the tentatations of Satan are usually to things against nature, or against the God of nature, and so the temptations of Blasphemy, as they are te●med, are from Satan; or they are against the constitution of nature, a● the 〈…〉 which a man is moved to kill himself, or destroy or betray his Country or Prince, or to commit sodomitry, Bu●●●r●, or 〈◊〉. 2. Secondly, the tentations of Satan are usually sudden, and fierce, and violent like lightning, that leaves not a man time for deliberation: Thus he 〈◊〉 CHRIST with the glory of the world, but it is in a moment, lest ou● Saviour by deliberation should find our reasons of exceptions against earthly glory: and so when the devil would persuade to sin that is gross and monstrous, he labours to confound a man with the sudden fierceness, and flame of the tentations; whereas concupiscence is more lingering and flower. 3. Thirdly, those evils that are instantly disliked, and in no measure consented to, or approved, are from Satan, and not from concupiscence. For concupiscence works by the natural proneness to the evil, which cannot be without all desire, or liking, and these tentations may be none of our sins. The first motions are not always to be counted our sins: For Christ was tempted not only for the matter, but for the manner in all things like unto us, yet without sin: he had monstrous things cast into his mind by the devil, yet he sinned not: so likewise it is not our sin simply that tentations are there. For a man doth not sin in the tentation, till he be in some degree drawn away by it. Comforts against tentations. Now for the fourth thing, there are many comforts against tentations diversely to be raised out of the Scripture. First, from example, and that both of Christ and Christians. Of Christ, for he was tempted, so the Apostle useth this argument as a comfort, Heb. 2.16. and 4. ●5. now there is a threefold comfort from Christ's example. 1 First, that he was tempted as well as we. 2. Secondly, that we see by his example, one may be tempted, yet without sin. 3. That he was tempted, that he might succour us when we are tempted. And as we have the example of Christ, so we have the example of Christians. For as the Apostle Peter saith, The same afflictions are accomplished on your brethren that are in the world, 1 Pet. 5.12. Secondly, from the meditation of the helps in tentations. 1. First, God's Spirit is within us to lust against the flesh, even to assist with grace and strength against the workings of Satan. 2. Secondly, the good Angels invisibly and insensibly are as ready to help and succour, as the evil Angels are to tempt and devour. 3. Thirdly, Christ is a present cure for the stings of this serpent, as the brazen Serpent was to cure the stings of the bodily serpents. Now Christ cures us, when we look upon him by faith, partly by his intercession, and partly by a virtue flowing out of him to us. For it is certain, he prays for us, as well as he did for Peter, Luk. 21.31. joh. 3.14. 4. Fourthly, God's care is for us: so as no temptation shall befall us, but by his sufferance: and beside, he will have respect to our strength, and thirdly, he will give issue with the temptation, as is excellently showed, 1 Cor 10.13. Thirdly, from the consideration of the effect of tentation. For though Satan would fain carry us away with the whirlwinds of his suggestions, yet indeed it is but to winnow us. Luke 22. And although it seems to be against all reason, that tentations should purge us, yet it is certain Gods children are made more clear and pure by the very experience in the conflict with inward evils: It doth winnow them, and drive away a great deal of chaff, even of lightness and vanity out of their minds. Again, temptations are but to hide their pride, 2 Cor. 12. and to keep them that they be not exalted overmuch. Lastly, we may greatly comfort ourselves, if we consider the promises the Lord hath made to us in tentations: He hath promised, that he will tread down Satan, Rom. 16 10. and that speedily, under our feet: He hath (in the Apostle Paul) answered and assured us, that his grace shall be sufficient for us, and his power shall be made known in our weakness: 2 Cor. 12.9, 10. yea and Christ hath promised, when we enter into the combat, that he will pitch his Tabernacle by us. Besides, it is an old and ancient promise made long since, that if the Devil for terror show himself like the great Leviathan, or for fraud like a crooked and piercing serpent, or for violence and fury like the dragon in the sea; Esay 27.1. yet the Lord will smite him with his great, and sore, and mighty sword. Thus much of the comforts against temptations. The fifth and last thing I propounded to be observed, 12 Rules against tentations. was the rules to be observed to relieve us against temptations: and these are twelve in number, whereof some are preservatives against temptation, and some of them are remedies to deliver us out of temptations. 1. The first is prescribed by the Apostle Peter; 1 Pet. 5. and that is to be sober and temperate in the use of all outward things. For usually Satan getteth in by the advantage he hath from our too-much liking or use of profits, or credit, or recreations, etc. 2. The second is, to watch, to watch I say indefinitely, observing our own weaknesses by a care to repress the beginnings of sin in our own nature, by avoiding the usual occasions of sin or tentations, and by providing ourselves against the time of the assault, looking ever for it, and standing upon our guard. This if we did, certainly the Devil would be afraid to attempt any assault upon us: but our own inconsideration and security, and dallying with the beginnings of sin, or the occasions, usually tempts the devil to tempt us. 3. The third rule is, to take heed of solitariness; I mean not only the inward solitariness, or emptiness of the mind; but the very outward retiring from company without cause or calling. The Devil set upon Eve when she was alone, Gen. 3. Mat. 4. and Christ was led aside into the wilderness to be tempted. 4. The fourth rule is, to be diligent and faithful in our particular calling. It is almost impossible, that a life full of idleness should not be also full of temptations: this was noted to be the door of David's tentations: whereas chose faithful employment bars out tentation. It is exceeding good not to be at leisure to attend tentations. Labour is a great preservative from a world of inward evils. 5. The fifth rule is, to be careful to walk uprightly, and to keep our righteousness: For he that walketh uprightly, walks boldly and safely; not only in respect of evil men, but of evil Angels also. Righteousness is an excellent breast plate to preserve the heart of a man; and usually outrageous tentations get in by the love of some presumptuous sin. But to hold this rule, that we would not allow ourselves in any sin (which is true uprightness) is a sure course, and seldom fails, and it preserves against all fierce tentations. 6. The sixth rule is, to search the Scriptures, and to get store of provision against the evil day. Now this rule is both a preservative, and a remedy: It is good to keep Satan from assaulting us, (for when he tempts, it is upon hope that we have no armour to resist;) or if he dare assault, It is written, will be a sure weapon: The Word is the sword of the Spirit, that Christ fought withal, and therefore we may be sure, it is a safe weapon. 7. The seventh rule is, that we must not complain only, as many do, but we must resist also; we must do our best to oppose tentation; neither must we think this a slender help, for it hath a clear promise, that the Devil shall flee from us. jam. 4.8. 8. Eighthly prayer is a tried medicine: This Paul used when he was tempted, 2 Cor. 12. and certainly it is powerful either to remove the temptation, or to procure an answer, or strength to bear it. 9 The ninth rule is, we must specially remember to run to the brazen serpent. It is without all question, that the sight of Christ is as available to help us against the stings of the old serpent, as ever the sight of the brazen serpent was to cure them that were stung by the fiery serpents. 10. The tenth: we must labour for a persuasion, that tentations shall never separate us from God: R●m. ●. ult. unbelief gives them head, and sometimes ere the more they are mistrusted, the more they grow infectious; whereas faith quencheth them, Eph. 6.16. though they were fiery darts. 11. The eleventh: If we find the devil practising upon the flesh, the way is not to revile the devil, but to beat the flesh: Mortification, and the crucifying of the flesh with the lusts of it, G●l. 5.24. will expel the devil. 12. The last rule is to be thankful for all mercies we find in temptations, and it is a great means to help us: whereas unthankfulness doth wonderfully strengthen the temptation. And thus much of the sixth verse. Verse 7. That the trial of your faith being much more precious than the gold that perisheth (though it be tried by fire) might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of jesus Christ. THis Verse containeth the fourth reason, why afflictions and temptations should not darken the sense of our happiness, and that is taken from the effect of afflictions and tentations, which is in this Verse both propounded and amplified: It is propounded in these words, the trial of your faith; and it is amplified two ways: First, by comparison with gold tried in the furnace: And secondly, by consideration of the event; it will be found to praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of jesus Christ. First of the effect, as it is briefly propounded. The trial of your saith.] Two things I would note here. 1. In general, that God will try men. 2. In special, what God tries in men, viz. their faith. jer. 9 7. Esay 31. ●ult. For the first: It is certain that the Lord hath his fire in Zion, and his furnace in jerusalem, and he will melt man. For what else should he do to his people? God tries men six ways. Now the Lord is said to try men diverse ways. First, by observing their ways: and so to try or search them, is nothing else, but to take notice of them and their estates: and so the word may be taken, Psal. 139.1, 2, 3. Secondly, God proves men when he bestows special blessings upon them, Exod. 16.4. Thirdly, God tries men by the power and efficacy of his Word. For that melts the heart of man like a furnace, and tries, and searcheth his inward parts, Mat. 3.2. Heb. 4.12. Fourthly, praise and applause is sometimes as the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold, Prov. 27.21. Fiftly, one special way, by which God tries men, is by false Prophets, and that is, by suffering their dreams, or signs, or words to come to pass, Deu. 13.1 Sixtly, God tries men by afflictions and tentations, so commonly it is meant, and so here: now God hath two furnaces of afflictions; there is the furnace of his fury, Ezech. 22.21, 22. etc. The other is the furnace of mercy, and this is here meant. Now the trial in affliction is not simply or properly the affliction itself, 7. ways God tries men in affliction. but certain specialties of consideration in the affliction: and thus God tries us, 1. First, when he sends many crosses one in the neck of another, and some of them of longer continuance, Dan. 11.33, 35. and so in jobs case. 2. Secondly, when he sends upon our spirits strange and unwonted terrors, Exod. 20.20. 3. Thirdly, when he smites some eminent men with sore, and unexpected judgements, Dan. 11.34. 4. Fourthly, when he delayeth or withholdeth expected favours, Deu. 8.2. 5. Fiftly, when he gives but a little help, Dan. 11.34. 6. Sixtly, when he leaves us to ourselves, and withdraws the special working of his spirit, 2 Chron. 32.31. 7. Seventhly, when he suffers us to fall into the same miseries that wicked men do, yea sometimes making our condition to be as the beasts of the field, Eccles. 3.17, 18, 19 Now the consideration of this doctrine of Gods melting, Uses. and trying men may serve for four Uses: 1. First, there is a great comfort in it, and that four ways: Comforts in our t●●●ls. 1. For first it is a comfort, that God makes so much account of men, as to think them worthy the melting or trying: even this favour job wonders at, joh 7.18. 2. Secondly, it is comfortable, that it is Gods wont to try his servants, it hath been God's custom to do so. It is no strange thing, if he try us, he doth no more than what he hath done to them that were dear unto him, Heb. 11.36. 3. Thirdly, it is especially comfortable, if we consider out of other Scriptures the manner of God's compassion and care for his people, when they be in the furnace. For First he appoints their time how long they shall tarry there, and beyond that time they shall not be in the furnace, Dan. 11.35. Secondly, the Prophet Malachy says, he sitteth down himself by the furnace to tend it, and to look to them, Mal. 3.2. or if he be upon any occasion urged to be absent, the Prophet Esay says, he flies, and returns, Esay 31.9. and ult. etc. Thirdly, if they have any suit to God, or make any moan while they live in the furnace, they are sure to be heard, no time like it for the hearing of prayer, Zach. 13.9. Fourthly, if the fire be too hot for them, he will defer his wrath, and refrain from them, Esay 48.9, 10. Fiftly, he will take notice of a little grace in the midst of a great deal of dross: if there be but a sigh, a good thought, a holy desire in the midst of a great deal of ignorance and perturbation, he will accept it, and account of it, Rom. 8.27. 4. Fourthly, it is a comfortable doctrine to God's children, if they consider but the effect of this melting, and that either the present effect, or the future. The present, it is to try them, not to consume them, or to make a full end of them: it is to refine them, not to destroy them, Dan. 11.36. jer. 46. ult. and they shall come out, as job saith, as the gold, job 23.10. And beside, for the time to come, it is certain, the Lord tries them, that he may do them good at their latter end, Deut. 8.14, 15, 16. and after they are tried they shall have a crown of life, jam. 1.12. And thus of the Use for consolation. Secondly, this doctrine is a terrible doctrine too: terrible I say in general to all such as will not be purged by affliction: such as will not be made better by their crosses: Let them consider, that it is the Lord that cast them into the furnace, and seeing they mend not, one of these two evils will befall them: Either the Lord will give them over, as altogether dross, and so they shall never be purged, or else since they will not mend by the beginnings of his displeasure, he will cause his fury to rest upon them, as the Prophet speaks, Ezech. 24.13, 14. and in particular, woe to all wicked men that nourish themselves in sin, because they are inward or secret sins. Little do they know, or think that God will search jerusalem with lights, even all them that be frozen in their dregges, or settled on their lees, Z●ph. 1.12. When the Lord will search for them, it is not the top of Carmell, nor the bottom of the sea that shall hide them, etc. Amos 9.2, 3. And in special, woe is to all hypocrites, they are fallen into God's hand, that compasseth about all their ways, there is not a thought in their minds, but God seeth: woe to careless professors, the Lord will make all the Churches to know, that he searcheth the heart and reins, Rev. 2.23. Thirdly, this doctrine may teach us two things: 1. First, to be more careful of in ●ard uprightness, seeing it is God that trieth us, who tries the heart as well as the life, 1 Chro. 29.19. 2. Secondly, in all the wrongs and aspersions of wicked men to put ourselves upon God's trial, Psal. 7.9. jer. 11.20. 1 Thes. 2.4. Of your faith. Two things I note here. 1. First, that where God gives faith, he will try it, where he bestows the assurance of his favour (let men look for it. For) certainly he will melt them, God will try our faith for diverse reasons, he will thereby melt off the rust of antiquity. There be certain odd and old opinions, and conceits in men at their first conversion, and it is God's manner to school men by afflictions, and many times a Christian in a few days of adversity learns more true knowledge, than otherwise he would do in many weeks. Again, there are dregges of unbelief in the best and these need to go into the furnace to get them off: Besides, by affliction God doth show the truth of his own grace from that, which is but counterfeit in wicked men. The furnace manifestly puts a difference between a justifying faith, and the best of all other faiths, to wit, temporary faith: this may serve to confute their folly, that think themselves happy, because they are not in trouble as other men. But chose, this is an ill sign many times that they are miserable, and have not any faith that would endure the trial. This should also teach us so to seek assurance of God's favour, or so to hold the possession of it as to look for assaults and trials, while we are in this world more or less. 2. Secondly, that of all other grace's God stands most upon faith in affliction, and this is so, both because it brings more glory to God (for to live by faith is to yield an immediate glory unto God) as also, because it is of most principal use for the good of Christians. For faith doth in the midst of all storms, and the waves of adversity set a Christian on a rock; it doth give him ground to be established upon, so as he needs not fear drowning, hence the Metaphors of grounded and established are given to faith. Again, Faith delivers from the curse of the law, so as what afflictions break in upon a Christian, they are not curses, but chastisements, which may be a great hearts ease in all temptations or trials. Again, Faith quiets a man's heart, and works peace and inward tranquillity: for against the force of the curse it gives a man access to the view of the glo●y of heaven, yea it doth as it were give a being to things which are not: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word used. Heb. 11.1. it makes the glory of heaven as it were present; it lays hold on eternal life. Lastly, faith is many times the very condition of deliverance; it is with us according to our faith. Faith makes us whole: faith delivers us: as soon as we can get our hearts to trust upon God, the Cross is gone: the Lord stayed but till we would believe in him with all our hearts. Now is this so? doth God stand so much upon our faith in affliction? Use. How is it then, that we do not believe? Oh unbelief! unbelief is ever worse than the cross itself. M●●k 4.40. There is nothing the tempter would rather deceive us of, than our faith. Oh how is the heart of man turned away from true faith! there are a great number of us, 1 Thes. 36. as it were ●eprobates concerning the faith, we are of no judgement, we are altogether blockish in this point of believing in God. But in the second place, let this doctrine persuade with us, when we feel impatiency, or any other perturbation rising in us, to check ourselves, Luke 8.25. and say to ●ur own souls, where is my faith now? and with the poor man in the Gospel, let us run to Christ with tears in our eyes, crying, and saying, I believe, Lord help my unbelief: and with the Disciples, let us still pray, Lord increase my faith. Yea thirdly, Luke 17.5. 1 〈◊〉 16.13. Heb 2.5. 2 Thes. 1.11. since the Lord accounts so much of our faith, we should strive after perfection even to get a strong faith, and to show ourselves unmoveable in affliction, and to this end we should be much in the Apostles prayer, that God would so fulfil the Counsel of his own will, that he would be pleased to fulfil the work of our faith with power. But some one may say, what is it in affliction to show our faith, Quest. or what must we do to approve ourselves to God, that we do believe? He that would approve his faith in affliction must do four things: Answ. How we show our faith in affliction. 1. First, if he be conscious to himself of any evil that he hath too much favoured, he must speedily repent, and give glory to God, and make his peace with God, Dan. 12.10. 2. Secondly, he must be sure he hold fast his assurance, so as he call not the love of God into question. For as the Lord will still own his people in all their adversities, saying, they are his people: so must they still stick to this, the Lord is my God. This is to believe, to hold fast this assurance, whatsoever befall us, Zach 13. ult. 3. Thirdly, he must be sure to lose no ground, either in the affections of godliness, or in the confession or profession of the truth. No affliction must abate his love to godliness, or the Word, or God's children; nor hinder his free profession of the truth. 4. Fourthly, he must commit his way to God, and rely himself, and all his a●tions upon God, putting his trust upon God's promises and goodness, Psal. 37. Phil. 4.6. But especially the praises of faith in affliction will be greatly enlarged, if we can add these things following: 1. First, if we can trust upon 〈…〉 ●●mmit ou● ways unto him▪ resting upon his promise, though we see no means to accomplish it, Rom. 4. 2. If patience may have her perfect work so as we could go through afflictions with that firm unmovableness that we would resist all perturbations, and that in all sorts of trials. 3. If we would believe, though God himself did seem to withdraw, or to neglect us. This was the great faith of the woman of Canaan. 4. If we can hold out without hasting to use any ill means, or unlawful courses to deliver ourselves, Esay 28.16. 5. Fiftly, if we can in affliction be wise to sobriety, resting contented, though God do not discover the reason of his proceedings with us, Rom. 12.3. 6. Sixtly, if we can preserve a tender sense of our own vileness, being glad of smaller favours, rejoicing when God is pleased to give us but a little help, thankfully acknowledging any degree of succour, not seeking great things for ourselves. Quest. But might some one say, What should move us thus in affliction to rely upon God, and to approve our faith in him? Answ. Seven things should persuade us to trust upon God in all adversity. 7 things should move us to rely upon God in affliction. 1. First, God's promise: Heb. 13.4. Psal. 50.15. job 34.23. Esay 30.18, 20. Psal. 94.12, 13, 14. Psal. 97.11. Psal. 125.3. Psal. 126.5, 6. and it is certain, we may trust God upon those promises: For God's words are pure, and sure words, and have been tried in the fire seven times. Mark 11.24. 1 joh. 5.14, 15. Psal. 91.15. 2. Secondly, the liberty of ask what we will of God. We have reason to believe in him, when we are sure to have whatsoever we ask of him. 3. The consideration of God's unchangeable counsel and decree; we are appointed unto all our afflictions, 1 Thes. 3.2, 3. 4. Fourthly, the example of all the worthies of God, as a cloud of witnesses, should persuade us with faith and patience to run the race of godliness set before us: For these all lived by faith, Heb. 12.1. Their afflictions were as great as ours, and they rested upon God and were not disappointed, therefore we should be followers of them, Heb. 6.12. 5. Fiftly, the speediness of our help and succour. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry, and therefore the just should live by faith, their tentations shall not last long. 6 Sixtly, our own experience: Did we ever lose by resting upon God? Was he not a help in trouble ever ready to be found? Can we say, that we ever believed in God and were ashamed of it afterwards? Or can we tell the time, that by our care we could ever add one cubit to our stature. Matth. 6. Rom. 9.33. 7 Seventhly, the recompense of reward proposed to them that will glorify God by believing in him: He will be made marvellous in them that believe. 2 Thess. 1.11. A crown of life is prepared for them, that by faith and patience prove their love to God, in enduring tentations. jam. 1.12. Lastly, in that the Lord stands so much upon faith in the time of trial, it may serve for singular comfort unto us, if the Lord be pleased so to lead us through afflictions, that our faith hath proved unmoveable unto the end. This is in a manner all that God would have of us: certainly he is happy, in whom Christ may find faith, when he comes to try him in the furnace of tribulation. Thus of the effect of tentations, as is briefly propounded in these first words of the Verse: Now follows the amplification of it, and that first by comparison with gold. More precious than gold.] These words more precious than gold, may be referred either to the persons of God's children tried: or to affliction, by which they are tried: or to faith, that was tried. For the first, it is most certain, that God's servants are most precious in his sight: He esteems them more than all treasures: They are his portion and inheritance: Tit. 2.14. 1 Pet. 1.19. Deut. 7.6. He bought them at a high price, and accounts of them at a wonderful high rate: They are his peculiar people, and his jewels; which should teach us in imitation of God to separate between the precious and the vile, accounting one that hath true grace, Mal. 3.17. jer. 15.19. above a thousand carnal persons: and we should oppose the love of God and his account against all the scorns and oppositions of the world. 1 joh. 3.1. Besides, it is an excellent comfort in affliction: for this great account God makes of us, may assure us, that he afflicts us not willingly, but with singular pity. To conclude, hath God avouched us for his treasure, and peculiar people, and shall not we then avouch God to be our God, to keep his commandments, Deut. 26.15. and set a high price upon the holiness he requires? Now for the second: It is true also, that the very afflictions and trials of God's servants are better than gold. Afflictions better than gold for diverse respects. Moses thought they were better than the treasures of Egypt a Heb. 11.26. , and they are so in diverse respects. 1. Because they take away our sins, which is all fruit b Esay 27.9. . 2. In respect of the wonderful joys of God, which a Christian finds in affliction c Rom. 5.3. 1 Thes. 1.5. . 3. Because they are notable means to wean us from the world, and fit us for heaven. 4. Because they work unto us d 2 Cor. 4 17. an eternal weight of glory, which all the treasures in the world would not purchase. All which should greatly hearten us in all wrongs and troubles, knowing that the Lord will cause all to work for the best e Rom. 8 28 34 , and in all these we shall be more than Conquerors. But I think chiefly it is to be referred to faith, and so it assures us, that grace is better than treasure, and faith is better than gold: and this will appear better, if we compare the nature, or the use, or the end of these. For the first: The substance must needs be better than the shadow; Grace better than gold in diverse respects. now gold is used, but to resemble and shadow out the worth of grace. Besides, riches are neither true, nor ours. Not true, for it is manifest, that opinion sets the price upon these outward treasures. Nor are they ours: for they will not go with us. And for the use of these, there is a great disproportion: Grace may bring riches, but riches cannot bring grace, job 28.16. Prov. 24.4. Riches are but for the use, or ornament of the outward man; but faith and grace make the soul glorious, Psal. 45.10. Riches occasion much sin, Esay 2.8.7. 1 Tim. 6.9. but faith purifieth the heart. Riches will not avail in the day of wrath, Prov. 11.4. Ezech. 7.19. & 28.13.19. Zeph. 3.18. but faith will find a propitiation to still God's displeasure, Rom. 3.25. Faith works a great deal of peace, and inward tranquillity; but riches are like thorns, and to have much gold is to have much care, and all will still be vanity and vexation of spirit. And lastly, for the end of these it is apparent, that the end of faith is the salvation of our souls, 1 Pet. 1.9. but a rich man can hardly be saved, and because of riches thousands of men lose their souls. The Use may be either for instruction or consolation. For instruction two ways: Use. 1. First, this should raise our estimation of poor Christians that are rich in faith, jam. 2.5. 2. Secondly, it should quicken us to the seeking of this precious faith above all treasures: Receive faith and not silver, and assurance above much fine gold, and when thou hast gotten assurance, keep that which God hath committed to thee. And for consolation, how can it but be comfortable to all that are thus honoured of God to be trusted with this true treasure: God will be their gold, as he said, job 22.23, 24, 25. Oh happy are the men that find● the merchandise of faith! Let all poor Christians rejoice, that they are thus exalted; and chose, woe is unto the world because of faith: men seek gold, but who seeks faith? what shall it profit him to have an empty soul, and a full chest; to have goods, and not be good? Yet before I pass from these words, we may note some things that are employed: First, gold is precious: He granteth that, when he saith, faith is more precious. For these outward things are Gods creatures, and he retaineth his title to them still: It is his gold, and his silver still; which may teach men to be careful, how to dispose of these outward things. For they must give an account of their stewardship even in these. Gold perisheth both actively and passively. Secondly, gold is here said to perish, which is true, both actively and passively: Actively, it makes many a man to perish, and therefore it is called riches of iniquity, and is said to drown men in perdition: and passively it perisheth, because it vanisheth, and will not continue; Riches have wings, and either vanity will rust them, or violence take them away; and many times they are lost to the unexpressible grief of the owner, Nabum 2.9, 10. Object. But it seems, Faith doth perish too, 1 Cor. 13. Solut. It perisheth in respect of the act of it, but not in respect of the fruit of it: for so it endures for ever. And all this should teach us to have our conversation without covetousness, Heb. 13.4. and if riches increase, we should not set our hearts on them, Psal. 62.10. but rather lay up for ourselves a good foundation by the merciful communicating of them, 1 Tim. 6.17. Though it be tried in the fire. Fire is sometimes taken properly, and so it may be referred to gold, and then the sense is, that faith is better than gold tried in the fire: Fire is sometimes taken metaphorically; and so there is the fire of mortification, 1 Cor. 3.13. and the fire of renovation, Mat. 3.11. and the fire of tribulation, and the fire of condemnation, etc. It is the fire of tribulation which is meant here. Sometimes by this fire is meant any tribulation; and sometimes a special, fierce, and unresistible cross is meant by it: and so I think the fiery trial, 1 Pet. 4.12. is to be taken, and so it may be understood here. It is sure, that God doth sometimes try his best servants with strange afflictions: yet here is comfort, that all this shall be for their good, which should teach us in the greatest troubles to live by faith, 1 Pet. 4.12, 13. and in lesser afflictions not to be moved, seeing we have n●t resisted unto so high a degree of affliction as many of God's dear servants have. Again, we may hence note, that Christians are not Stoics, they have sense of their afflictions: Crosses are fire, and fire will be felt, no affliction for the present seems joyous. Thu● of the first way of amplification: the second follows, which is by the consideration of the event. Might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, in the revelation, or at the appearing of jesus Christ. For the sen●e of these words: The words praise and honour, and glory may be referred to God, and so it is true, ●hat trial of the faith of Christian● in their manifold tentations shall bring a great deal of glory and honour to God in the day of Christ. But I rather choose to understand it of the Christian. Some think the three words should note the three ways of exalting Christians; and so they should have praise in words, honour in gesture, and glory in deeds: but I think they are but several words to express jointly one and the same thing. Before I come to the main doctrine, here are diverse things to be noted, which are employed both concerning Honour, and the appearance of Christ. Concerning Honour these things may be noted. First, that faith and sincerity in this world for the most part want praise, and honour, and glory from men, and therefore he promiseth them, that howsoever it go, yet in the day of Christ saith shall not want praise, etc. It is here no wonder to be made as a sign or wonder even in Israel, Esay 8. If men refrain from evil one beast or other will pray upon them, Esay 9 15. To be reviled with all man●r of evil sayings is supposed by our Saviour, M●t 5.11. They that are after the flesh have done it, and ever will persecute those that are after the spirit, Gal. 4.29. Secondly, it seems the Lord taketh a power unto himself and his word, even to judge and determine the cases of Honor. It is a fond conceit that our great Gallants have, that they think that in defence of their Honour they are not bound to the word: but they are deceived; Note. and they do well (perhaps) to shun the sentence of Scripture in the case of their monomachies or single fights; for it yields them but small comfort to embolden their great spirits. For these are the words of the holy Ghost, It is a man's honour to cease from strife, but every fool will be meddling, Prov. 20.3. Thirdly, perfect Honour will never be had till the day of Judgement, which should the more confirm us in a contempt of the honour of this world: In this world they are many times praised, whom God abhorreth, and men say to the wicked, thou art righteous. It is an usual thing, that they that forsake the law themselves, praise the wicked, Psal. 10.3. Prov. 24.24. Secondly, earthly honour is wonderful deceitful, many get it by ill means, and men may be praised by them that curse them in their hearts: and beside, earthly Honour will not abide, nor can man continue here to enjoy it long, Eccl. 8.10. Psal. 49. 13. neither will it content the mind of man if it be had, Eccles. 6.2. and for the most part it makes men sensual, man in honour understands not, but they live and die many times as the beasts that perish, Psal. 49. ult. Now concerning the revelation of Jesus Christ, we must know, that it is taken sometimes actively, and sometimes passively. Actively, and so for that work of Christ, by which he reveals his Father and his will to his members, so Mat. 11.23. Gal. 1.12. Now passively, there is a threefold revelation of Christ: 1. In his flesh: 2. In his spirit: 3. In his glory. In his flesh: for so godliness is a great mystery, in that God was revealed in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3.16. In the spirit, so Christ was revealed in Paul; in that by the spirit the grace of Christ was revealed in him, Gal. 1.16. Thirdly, Christ shall be revealed at the last day in his glory from heaven, and this revelation is meant here, as it is also 1 Cor. 1.7.2 Thes. 1.7. The doctrines employed are three: First, that Christ shall come again, and be revealed from heaven, and therefore woe to those mockers that walk after their lusts, and ask when his coming shall be. Christ hid till his second coming in six respects. Secondly, that Christ is as it were hid till his second coming, and so he is in six respects. 1. First, in respect of the sense of our mortal eyes, the heavens like a curtain hide him from us, Act. 1. 2. Secondly, in respect of the admirable glory of his person. For at that day his glory shall be revealed, which now is as it were hidden. 3. Thirdly, in respect of the estate of his members, our life is hid with Christ. He is not glorious in the outward glory of his members, Col. 3.3. 4. In respect of the manifestation of his love; he hath not showed himself to wicked men, joh. 14.22. nor fully revealed himself to the faithful; it doth not yet appear what they shall be, 1 joh. 2.3. 5. Fiftly, in respect of the secrets he shall then break open: little do we know, or hear of, what he will then discover, when he shall break open the everlasting counsels of God, and discover the depths of God's providence, and the deeds of all both good and bad, and the glory of the Elect, and the eternal misery of the damned. 6. Sixtly, in respect of the suddenness of his coming, Luk. 17.30. All which should make us the more to long for his appearing: for that shall be such a time as never was. The third thing employed is, that the thought of the day of Judgement is a sure refuge to a Christian mind, when many other comforts for the present fail. But the main doctrine is, that faithful and patient Christians shall have a great deal of praise, and honour, and glory in the day of Christ. Christ will be made marvellous in them, 2 Thes. 1.11. they shall shine as the stars of heaven, and as the sun in the firmament, Dan. 12. Mat. 13. they shall appear in singular glory when Christ appears, Col. 3.4. Quest. But shall Christians have no glory till that day? Answ. Yes: For first there is a natural glory stamped upon their very persons, Col. 2. ult. Secondly, they are already vessels of glory in God's decree, Rom. 9 Thirdly, true honour is restored them in the kingdom of gra●e: for God acknowledgeth them: so do the Angels of God, and they have honourable privileges, and such graces as will bring to glory. And lastly, God many times doth honour them with special Honour before men, Hest. 8.16. Psal. 64. 3. to the end. Act. 28.10. The Uses follow. Uses. And first, the consideration of this great praise, and honour, and glory in the revelation of Christ, should serve for instruction in diverse respects: For it should quicken us to faith and good works, seeing our labour shall not be in vain, 1 Cor. 15. ult. Men will say in that day, Oh blessed was he, or she, that believed. It may also persuade us to cheerfulness and patience under afflictions and the scorns of the world: we shall then have praise enough, what need we care for a little disgrace in the mean time? and shall we ever be ashamed of Christ and his truth, that will thus honour us at the last day? Finally, we may here learn of Christ how to esteem of tried Christians, we should learn of him to praise them and honour them. Secondly, this doctrine should wonderfully comfort God's servants. How should they exult in the glory and honour they hope for? They shall then have so much honour, as the Kings of the earth would be glad to bring their honour in exchange for it. Think of it: If it were such a great glory to be honoured by earthly Kings, as it was done to joseph and Mordecai; what is it to be such whom God will honour? God gives more honour than Kings have, and therefore much more than they give: & Christians shall have this honour, not in the sight of a few men, but before all Nations of men & Angels: & this honour shall not be for a small while, but for ever. For the King of heaven's mind will not change, nor shall the Elect die and lose their honour, or live and stain it. Besides, God will give fullness of gifts and grace to use this honour, which earthly Princes cannot give, and this honour shall be held without envy or opposition, and they shall have eternal possessions answerable to their Honor. And thus of the 7. verse, and so of the fourth reason to confute the first objection. Verse 8. Whom ye have not seen and yet love him, in whom now though ye see him not, yet do you believe, and rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious. THis verse and the next contains an answer to a second objection, which might be made thus: Might some one say, I know not whether the former comforts belong unto me: I know not whether I be borne again, etc. To this the Apostle answers by giving two signs, by which men might try themselves. 1. The first is the love of Christ. 2. The second, the joys of the holy Ghost. Concerning which, the meaning is, that whosoever loves Christ, whom he hath not seen, and hath felt those unspeakable and glorious joys of the holy Ghost, he is undoubtedly borne again: But such are you; therefore you need not doubt your estate. In general we may then note, 1. First, that there are certain and infallible signs of a child of God: there is such a way of trial by signs. 2. Secondly, that the trial of our estate by effects wrought in us, is a safe and profitable way. 3. Thirdly, that though we see not all the signs, yet if we discern any in sincerity, they are infallible, therefore the Apostle here propounds two of many. Whom having not seen ye love. Two things may here be observed: the one expressed, the other implied. The doctrine expressed is, that the unfeigned love of Jesus Christ is in every one that is borne of God; and where it is, it is an infallible sign. He that loves Christ, it is certain, that both God the Father, and Christ love him, joh. 14. 21. Eph. 6.23. and chose, 1 Cor. 16.22. The Use of this doctrine is threefold: 1. First, it should teach us to try ourselves whether the love of Christ be in us or no: now that this may be distinctly discerned, Uses. we must understand, that the love of Christ may be two ways considered, either as it is in the sparkle, or as it is in the flame. In some the true love of Christ is, as it is but in a small measure. Now others have the inflamed love of Christ. First, there are 7. signs of the love of Christ wheresoever it is in truth, 7. Signs of the love of Christ in the sparkle. though but weak. 1. First, we may know whether we love Christ by our estimation of him, if we do truly love him, we esteem him above all other persons and things in the world, Mat. 10 37 Phil. 3.9. 2 Secondly, we may know it by our constant desire after the means of communion with Christ: he loves not Christ, that loves not the means in which Christ makes his favour known to men: Cant. 1.1 do we love the kisses of his mouth? that is, do we affectionately desire the means, by which he shows his love, even those sweet pledges of his love in his word. 3 Thirdly, we may know our love to Christ by our love to Christians that are his members: we love him that begat, if we love them that are begotten of him, 1 john 5.1. 4 Fourthly, we may know it by believing in him, john 16.27. For if we love him we put our trust in him, and rely upon him and his merits. 5. Fiftly, we may know it by our care to keep his commandments. For so he saith himself, He loveth me, that keepeth my commandments, john 14.21. The love of Christ and the love of sin cannot stand together. 6 Sixtly, we may know it by our grief for his absence: if to miss Christ be the sorrow of our hearts, it is a sign we love him. Cant. 3.1. 7 Seventhly, we may know it by our willingness to suffer for his sake, joh. 21.19 Thus Peter must one day prove that he loves Christ, by being willing to be carried whither naturally he would not, for the confirmation of the truth. 2 Now there are seven signs also of the inflamed love of Christ: 7. Signs of the l●ve ●f Christ in the flame. For they that have such tender affection after Christ: 1 Do sometimes feel the very passions of love, they are as it were sick of love, for the time overcome with the wonderful affection they bear to Christ, Cant. 2.5. especially when they have felt great comfort in the means. 2. Their love is unquenchable and unresistible, it is strong as death, and much water cannot quench it, Cant. 8.6, 7. 3. They do wonderfully, earnestly, and affectionately sometimes long after his second coming, greatly desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ, 2 Tim. 4.8. Phil. 1.23. 4. Fourthly, they do almost only joy in Christ. God forbid I should rejoice in any thing but the cross of Christ, Gal. 6.14. They account all other things loss & dung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ, Phil. 3.9. 5. Fiftly, they continually talk of him, they never linn, they have words at will, their tongue is as the pen of a ready writer, Psal. 45.1. They can easily praise him, and admire almost every thing in him. Cant. 5.9. to the end. 6. Sixtly, their inflamed love is shown by a willingness with contentment to do the meanest service to Christ, or his religion. This was a sign Mary loved much, that she could even kiss the feet of Christ, and wash them with her tears, and wipe them with the hair of her head, Luke 7.44. to the end. 7. Seventhly, they are wonderfully encouraged with his praises, they are more fired with his praises of them, or his acceptation of them in the word or prayer, then with the applause of the whole world beside, Cant. 4.16. Coherence. 2. Secondly, if we want the love of Christ, we should use all means to get it. Now there are three things that would further us in getting this love. What we must do to get the love of Christ. 1. To pray for it to God. 2. To acquaint ourselves with the word of Christ. For that sets out his praises, his love to us, and the singular blessings he hath purchased for us. 3. To converse with Christians that do tenderly love Christ, and abound in holy affections. Those daughters of jerusalem, that wondered why the Church should make such ado about Christ, when they had conversed with her a while, and heard her speak with such affection and admiration, they are turned, and will now go seek Christ as well as she, Cant. 5.9. to the end, and 6.1. 7. Things to be observed to keep our hearts in the love of Christ. 3. Thirdly, such as have felt this love of Christ, should be careful to keep it; now there are seven things to be observed, if we would preserve the love of Christ in our hearts. 1. First, we must establish our assurance of both our loves to Christ, and his love to us: we must labour our own edification in the faith, if we would keep ourselves in the love of God, jud. 20. 2. Secondly, if we would preserve this love, we must keep uprightness. For if we relapse to the love of sin, the love of Christ will decay in us. 3. Thirdly, we must keep ourselves out of the company of such, as might entice us from the love of Christ, namely, out of the company of Idolaters, and all profane persons. 4. Fourthly, we must take heed of worldliness: for the love of God, and the love of the world will not stand together. The cares of this life will be a snare and bait to draw us away. 5. Fiftly, we must take heed of security after feelings. For if the Church be so sleepy after communion with Christ, that when he comes again she will be slumbering, and not rise when he calls; Christ will be gone and not answer, no though afterwards she call, Cant. 5.2, 6, 7. 6. Sixtly, we must walk in the steps of the flock, and feed our kids near the tents of the shepherds; we must converse with holy Christians, and keep ourselves under the powerful instructions of profitable Ministers, Cant. 1.7. etc. 7. Seventhly, we must be much in the preparation for the second coming of Christ. To be much in thinking of or praying for the coming of Christ will preserve us from declination in our affection to Christ, jud. 20, 21. The doctrine employed in these words is, that when we shall come to heaven, and shall see Christ face to face, we shall love him, and admire him wonderfully. For the Apostle takes it for granted, that it is no hard thing to love Christ, if we once saw him. And thus of the first sign. The second sign is the joy of the holy Ghost expressed in these words: In whom, though you see him not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious. There are six kind of joys. 1. Some are unnatural, such is the joy of those mentioned, Six kinds of joy. job 3.22. that are glad at heart to find the grave. 2. Some are natural, such are the joys Solomon commends, Eccles. 8.15. & Prov. 15.13. 3. Some are sensual, such are the joys Epicures conceive in the pleasures and sports of this life, Eccles. 11.9. job 21.12. 4. Some are fantastical, when men rejoice upon mere conceits and fancies without any ground. For as in some diseases there are abundance of sorrows without cause, so are there also joys without reason in diverse. 5. Some are diabolical, and there are three sorts of devilish joys. 3 Kind's of devilish joy. 1. The first is to joy in sin. 2. The second is to joy in the misery of God's people, Ezech. 25.6. 3. The third is the joy we call illusion, when Satan to feed the security of men doth tickle their hearts with a great deal of joy and ravishing of the heart. 6. Lastly, some joys are spiritual joys: and these are either 1. Temporary: or 2. Eternal. Temporary joys are those, which wicked men may feel in the hearing the word, Mat. 13. Eternal joys are such, as only the Elect feel; I call these Eternal, not because they are felt without interruption for ever, but because they are so now in the hearts of God's children, that they shall never either totally or finally be lost, but shall be felt again. Now there are two sorts of this joy in Gods elect. The one is a duty, the other is a sign: the one man brings to God's service, the other God gives as a token of his acceptance of man's service. The joys given of God are here meant, these are here called unspeakable and glorious. But how may we discern these joys of the holy Ghost from all the other sorts, especially the temporary joys and illusions of Satan? Quest. The true joy in the holy Ghost may be known by these marks. Answ. How the joys of the holy Ghost may be discerned from all other joys. 8. Signs. 1. It is given of God in the due use of some ordinance of God, the soul being retired into God's presence; especially these joys are felt in prayer, this joy is drawn out of the wells of salvation. 2. It usually follows humiliation for sin, Esay 6.2, 3. joh. 16.20, 22. 3. It may be felt in adversity, as well as prosperity, Hab. 3.17, 18. Rom. 5.3. Phil. 2.17. 4. It is accompanied with righteousness. It can never be felt of any, in whom the love of any sin reigns, Rom. 14.17. 5. It ratifies the written promises, and doth assure nothing but what the word assures, Eph. 1.14. 6. It is kindled upon the sense of God's favour, it follows here believing. 7. It is unspeakable and glorious above all carnal or earthly joys: it doth ravish the heart, as if a man were already in heaven. 8. Lastly, it may be known by the effects: For 1. It will make a man more humble, and apt to acknowledge his own vileness and unworthiness. 2. It will make a man less censorious of others, and with more compassion to tender the wants and sorrows of others. 3. It will mar the taste of carnal joys: it causeth us to find less relish in the taste of earthly delights. 4. It breeds a great love of God and godliness, and quickens to diligence in well-doing. Whereas the joys, that are illusions, or temporary joys, will make men more proud and careless, and contemptuous, and more negligent in the use of the means, and the care to do good. Quest. But are these joys felt of every Christian? Answ. Whether the jays ●f the holy Ghost be f●lt of every Christian. The defects in the joy of the temporary faith. Distinguish of Christians, and of feeling, and of joys. 1 Some are Hypocrites, and so have not any power of godliness at all, but only a show. 2 Some have temporary grace only: these have joy, but not such as will abide the trial: For, 1 These joys are not accompanied with humiliation for sin, or not for all sin. 2 They arise not from any grounds of particular assurance. 3 They are not felt in the time of temptation. 3 Some Christians are always diseased with some spiritual malady, and that many times till death, as with passion, or with strange effects of melancholy: these may possibly dye without any evident comfort. Some fall after calling, into some gross sin for a time, and these may so lose the joy of their salvation, as they may never recover it till their very end. Again, distinguish about feeling. 1 Some have those joys, but observe them not, either through ignorance of the doctrine of the joy of the holy Ghost, or through neglect. 2 Some have this joy and observe it, and are affected & established with it for the time, but presently either forget it, or suspect it. Lastly, this joy in the holy Ghost in some is an habitual gladness of heart, which constantly after assurance is found in them, though they feel not the passions of joy: but in others there is felt at sometimes the vehement passions of joy, but not the constant gladness. Now either may be the true joy of the holy Ghost, if it agree to the former signs. Quest. But what should we do to get the joys of God? Answ. Wh●t we must do to ge● the joys of God. 1 Thou must be in the general God's servant, and devote thyself to holiness, else thou canst never feel them. Esay 65.13. 2 Thou must voluntarily seek godly sorrow for thy sins: for these joys are promised to, and most felt by such as mourn for sin, Psal. 126.2, 3, 5, 6. Esay 61.3. Prov. 14.10. Mat. 5.5. 3. Thou must labour after the affections of godliness: till thou come to love Christ and the Word, and holy exercises, thou canst not get the joy in the holy Ghost: if we did once love to be God's servants, the Lord would refresh us with the joys of his presence, Quest. Esay 56.6, 7. Answ. What we must do to pr●se●●e the joys of the holy Ghost more constantly. But what should we do to preserve the joys of God, that'wee might more constantly rejoice in the holy Ghost? Observe these rules. 1. Thou must get a meek spirit. For passion and pride hinder the refresh of God wonderfully, Esay 29.19. 2. Preserve uprightness: the upright shall have an harvest of joy: But if thou nourish the love of any sin, it is impossible to keep the joys of God, Psal. 96.11. Prov. 29.6. & 12.20. 3. Lose not God's presence, but set him in thy sight, and walk before him, There is fullness of joy at his right hand, Psal, 16.11. 4. Be much in well-doing: For that will make our joy abound, Col. 1. 9, 10, 11. 5. Hang upon the breasts of the Church's consolation and sincerity, Esay 66.11. 6. Take heed of much carnal, or outward rejoicing. For the immoderate liking of earthly things hardens the heart in the things of God. Hence we may briefly note the causes, why many professors have no more joy. 1. Some neglect the means. 2. Others are mastered by strong affections, as Envy, or Passions, etc. 3. Others have neglected mortification. 4. In many their very unprofitableness is the cause. 5. In some, the love of some secret sin blasts all grace and joy. Thus of the 8. verse. Verse 9 Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. THis Verse is a ratification of the former, in which the Apostle labours to assure salvation to all such as have the former signs. 1. The matter assured is the salvation of our souls. 2. The certainty of the assurance is in the word receiving, which imports, it is as sure, as if we had received it already. 3. The instrumental cause is faith: for salvation is the end of faith. Receiving. If this word be marked in itself, and the coherence, four things arise to be observed. 1. First, that we should receive the graces and blessings of God with much joy and love of Christ, who is the foundation of the merit of all. This I note from the coherence with the former Verse. 2. Secondly, we are seldom glad at heart, longer than we are receiving some blessing, or promises from God: Note, that he joins this word to the joys of the holy Ghost in the end of the former Verse. 3. Thirdly, that salvation is received even in this life: received I say, 1. In the promises of it. 2. In the graces, which begin eternal life in this life. 3. In the certainty of the assurance of it. 4. The word in the Original signifies to carry back again, or to fetch out of the field: which imports, we cannot get salvation, nor any promises, or graces that concern it, but we must fight for it; there will be some bicketing before it can be carried away out of the field. Of your faith. Faith is here expressly made the instrument of our salvation. This is a principle, and should be unmoveable in the heart of every Christian, that without faith our religion is to no end. For we cannot be saved without it: which should teach us both to seek this faith, and to account of it as most precious, and to this end to make sure that our faith be right: we cannot be too oft urged hereunto: I will instance but in four signs of a true persuasion. For I take it for granted, that the most of us say, we are persuaded God loves us, and Christ died for us. Now we may try whether this persuasion be right four ways. 1. First, if it will endure the trial of manifold tentations, 4 Signs of a true persuasion of our salvation. as the coherence shows a true persuasion will. If it will support us in adversity of all sorts in some measure, especially if it will fence us against the scorns and oppositions of the world: this will prove it to be a true persuasion. 2. Secondly, if it be such a faith as will believe all that is written, Act. 24.14. so far as it sees it to be the will of God, though it be against reason, or affection, or profit, or the opinion of any other. 3. Thirdly, if it have the seal of the spirit. For he that truly believeth, hath a witness in himself, even the witness of the spirit of adoption, testifying by unspeakable joys the assurance of God's love, Eph. 1.14. 1 joh. 5.10. 4. Fourthly, if it be accompanied with a sincere life, and love of all that truly fear God for the image of God in them. True faith will show itself by this love, Gal. 5.6. The end of your faith. The word here rendered the end, doth further signify a reward, or wages which is given at the end: and so these things may be observed: 1. First, that in the end the Lord will take account of the use of all gifts, or graces in men. 2. Secondly, that unless we hold out to the end, we can never have reward. 3. Thirdly, that true faith will hold out to the end, if it be true, it will abide. 4. Fourthly, Faith itself will once have an end, and therein love excels faith, because that will never end. 5. But the last and chiefest point is, that it will be a glorious time, when the end comes, that God disposeth the rewards of believing: which may serve for four uses. Uses. 1. First, it may comfort God's afflicted servants. For the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever, Psal. 9.18. and God will certainly give an end and expectation, jer. 29.11. And have we not seen the end of the Lord in many things in our temporal troubles, and can we doubt him for our last end? why should any fear death? Is it not the time of receiving wages? No hireling is afraid of the time of receiving his wages. 2. Secondly, it should teach us therefore to wait upon God, and possess our souls with patience, holding fast our confidence of assurance. For the end shall come, and it will not be long before it shall be. 3. Thirdly, for information: we may hence note one excellent pledge of God's love and goodness; he is not bound to give us any wages till the end, yet see his mercy, he doth recompense us every day. 4. Fourthly, woe unto wicked men, their end is shame and confusion, even the fruit of all their evil ways, or as the Apostle saith, their end is damnation, Phil. 3.18. The salvation of your souls. What the soul is. The soul is a spiritual substance within us, by which we resemble God; it can subsist of itself, it hath neither matter nor end: it was created of God of nothing, and united to the body, that God might be rightly known and worshipped. The soul 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 mean it is not made of any other thing as our bodies be: there is no metal, 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 soul within us, we could never attain to any knowledge of God, more than the bruit beasts: For God cannot be known by bodily senses. Now for the union how the body and soul are knit one to another I cannot express it. Salvation notes especially that estate of excellency and glory, which the faithful have in another world, though properly the word notes but only what we are delivered and saved from in heaven. This salvation excludes all misery, and includes all happiness. All misery may be referred to four heads. 1. Sinne. 2. Infirmities. 3. Adversaries. And 4. Death: none of these shall be in heaven. All happiness likewise may be referred to four 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 soul be taken synecdochically for the soul and body, yet the salvation of the soul is principal, and more glorious. The use may be threefold: Uses. 1. For information. 2. For instruction. 3. For reproof. 1. There are three things we may be informed in from the consideration of the salvation of the souls of the faithful. 1. First, that godly men are in a wonderful happy case, whatsoever their outward estate be, because their souls shall be saved: there are springs of joy in the very hope of this immortal happiness: this salvation is so great a mercy, as we may truly say, his reward is with him. 2. Secondly, that there is a matchless love in God to man, not only 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 down the world to offer this salvation. From hence ariseth the Phrase, my salvation is gone forth. 3. Thirdly, that faith is wonderful precious, that brings us such a salvation. 2. Further for the second, there are diverse instructions may be deduced from this doctrine: as 1. First, it should teach us to deny ungodliness 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 do so much for us as he can. He is well said to be the hope of Israel, none have so great hopes as the faithful. 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 look to four things. Such as have t●e assurance of salvation should look to four things. 1. First, they should strive for large affections, to express the sense of so great salvation. It is such an incomparable benefit, as we should be always praising, etc. 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 fruitful in all well-doing. Salvation should be as a burning lamp within us: a Christian should never be without fire in his heart, in respect of his care to maintain good works. 3. Thirdly, shall we not be content with any condition in this world, seeing we are so well-provided for in a better? what should trouble us, if we can remember that after a short time our souls must be saved? 4. Fourthly, shall we be so glorious in heaven? why then our conversation should be in heaven: we should be always thinking of heaven: our minds should run upon it. 3. Now as this doctrine may inform and teach, so it may reprove whole troops of carnal Christians, that never labour after this glorious estate, that scarce ever ask, what they should do to be saved, but sleep it out in a Lethargy, and never ask 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 witness holy men of old have given of our happiness, that live now under the Gospel. In the words five things are particularly to be noted. 1. First, who testify, 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 prophesy of the gracious privileges should come unto us Christians. 2. Secondly, their adjunct pains and endeavours to furnish themselves in the knowledge of those things that concern us, They searched and inquired diligently. 3. Thirdly, the question they studied, or unto which they testify: In general, it was of salvation, ver. 10. In special, it was of the manner and time of the grace foretold. 4. Fourthly, the occasion that fired 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 fain have known. 5. Fiftly, the success, and that was they were answered by revelation; which answer is set down, verse 12. Prophets.] God hath revealed his will three ways. 1. First, by the light of nature, imprinting in man certain common notions, or small sparkles of divine light. 2. Secondly, by the book of the creatures; by these he did blow, and nourish, and more kindle the sparkles infused by nature. 3. Thirdly, when both these proved insufficient by man's sin, God revealed himself by his word▪ but after diverse manners, Heb. 1.1. Sometimes by dreams, when men were asleep. Sometimes by Visions, when men were awake. Sometimes by types and resemblances. Sometimes by Christ the Son of God; and so sometimes in the likeness of a man, and in the last age of the world in a true humane nature. Sometimes by Angels. But most usually by the ministry of man. Now the men employed to reveal God's will, were called either Extraordinarily, as Prophets and Apostles: or Ordinarily, as the Priests and Levites under the Law, or the Ministers now under the Gospel. So that we now see, who these Prophets were. It is true, that the word Prophet or Prophecy is diversely taken: Sometimes more generally for any, that foretell things to come: so every Preacher is a Prophet, and to preach is to prophesy, 1 Cor. 14. sometimes it is taken more restrainedly for those that foretell by inspiration, or special revelation: these were called in old time SEERS. Those students in the ancient Colleges, that were of special gifts, and more hopeful, were called Prophets, not that they did all prophecy, but because the Spirit did use to fall upon such men. Those called children of the Prophets were younger students, that attended upon, and were directed by those grave and more ancient Divines. Through the abuse of the succeeding time, those that were taken out of these Colleges to serve Princes, though many times they were men most ambitious and covetous, yet were called still Prophets. But the Prophets here meant were only those holy men, that by the immediate inspiration of the Spirit of God did foretell things to come concerning the Church, and kingdom of Jesus Christ. Now in that the Lord refers us to the testimony of the Prophets, it may serve for diverse uses. 1. First, it shows the excellency of Theology, Uses. or the truth according to godliness, in that it is penned and confirmed by such admirable instruments. 2. Secondly, it shows, that in matters of religion men must have recourse to the testimony of the Prophets: their writings are the true touchstone a●d square. And so in matters of consolation, if the Prophets speak comfortably to our hearts, it matters not what all the world beside says, or thinks of us: sure it is that Christ came not to destroy either Law or Prophets, and therefore by them we shall be tried whether we will or no. 3. It should quicken us to study the writings of the Prophets: we cannot receive their persons now into our houses, nor build tombs for them; but we may receive their writings into our hearts, and it will be made good, that he that receiveth the writings of one of these Prophets in the name of a Prophet, shall have a Prophet's reward. In the mean time we have a sure woid, t● which we may do well to trust without all wavering. Which prophesied of the grace that should come unto you. By grace to come, he means those excellent privileges, that God of his free grace would bestow upon the Christian Churches, more than upon any Churches before. The Prophets than did foretell of certain great prerogatives, with which we Christians should be honoured. But what were those privileges in particular? There are an eleven prerogatives of the Christian Church, Quest. Answ. 〈…〉 Christ ●n Church. wherein God hath dealt wonderfully graciously with us. 1. The exhibiting of Christ in the flesh. 2. The freedom from the bondage of the ceremonial law. Gal. 4.1,2.2. ●. The admission of the Gentiles to be copartners with the Jews, Eph. 2. & 3.2. to 7. 4. The multitude of believers in comparison of former ages, Esay 54. 1,2,3. 5. The more evident vision or manifestation of God's special favour and kindness in Christ Jesus, testified more fully both by the word and spirit. The Lord i● now fond over the Christian Churches, and doth more familiarly reveal his love n●w, Eph. 2.7. 6. The more evident clearing of our release from the moral law, in respect of the rigorous perfection of it, we are not now under the law, but under grace, so that if sin have not dominion in us, our obedience will be accepted, Rom. 6.14. 7. A large extent in the proclamation of pardon, and forgiveness of sins; so as now any man may get a pardon, that will seek it out in the name of Christ, Act. 10.43. 8. The pouring out of the holy Ghost, and that either extraordinarily, as in the primitive Church, or in the measure of ordinary gifts, as in utterance, knowledge, etc. 1 Cor. 1.4, 5, 6. 9 The eminency of holy life, and that in the meaner sort of Christians as well as the greater: This is only true of a remnant that are of the election of grace; and so for the power of practice, that never age saw it more lively, than it is now in many of all conditions that truly fear God, Esay 35.8. 10. Abundance of outward blessings: This God hath promised, Esay 60.15,17. and performed in several states of the Church in diverse ages. 11. Lastly, the more manifest revelation of the doctrine of heaven, and eternal life; immortality being brought to light by the Gospel, so as now we need not to be taught by the dark shadows of temporal and earthly ceremonies. Uses. Now since the holy Ghost hath made us to know, that these are times of such excellent graces; it may instruct us diversely. For in some things it may order us toward ourselves, and in some things toward others. There are four things we may learn for ourselves. First, let us take heed, lest any man fail of the grace of God. For woeful experience shows, that many thousands even in this light are as destitute of this grace, That we may not fail of the grac● of G●d, w● must 〈◊〉 ●oure things. as ever Jew or Gentiles were. Now that we may not fail of the grace of God, we must do four things. 1. We must be subject to the Gospel. For the Gospel is called the Gospel of the grace of God. 2. We must take heed of resisting, grieving, and despighting of the spirit of grace. 3. We must take heed we do not frustrate the grace of God, Gal. 2.21. and so men do, 1. By seeking justification in their own works. 2. By neglecting it, when it is offered by the word and spirit of God. 3. By turning the grace of God into wantonness, as they do, that make the promises of God and our liberty in Jesus Christ a bawd and cloak for sin. 4. We must go to the throne of grace, and beg grace of God with all importunity, giving him no rest, till he hear and show mercy, Heb. 4. ult. Secondly, the consideration of these times of the special and plentiful grace of God offered in the Gospel, should teach us not only to get knowledge and grace, but to abound in these. For now is the time, when God is willing to make all grace to abound, that we might abound unto every good work, 2 Cor. 9.8. and we might all of us know the Lord from the least of us to the greatest, jer. 31.33. Thirdly, since the Prophets testify of this grace, it should teach us to try our gifts and graces by the writings of the Prophets: for so we may know, whether it be the true grace of God or no. Fourthly, we should labour to walk worthy of this grace that is come unto us, and that we cannot do unless we do four things. 1. That we be exceeding thankful, and set out the glory and praise of God's grace. 2. That we abound with peace and joy in believing. 3. That we be fruitful in good works. 4. That we stand in the grace received, and not fall from our stead 〈◊〉, nor receive God's grace in vain, Rom. 15.8,9,10,13. Col. 1.9,10.2 Pet. 3.18. Gal. 5.1. 2 Cor. 6.1. Now concerning our respect of others. 1. First, Ministers should be encouraged to endure any thing, since they have so honourable a function, as to dispense the Gospel of the grace of jesus Christ, Act. 20.24. 2. Secondly, the people should esteem worthy of all honour, such eminent persons, and Christians, upon whom we see this grace of God prophesied to come: yea such as abound in knowledge and p●ety of life, we should wonderfully honour, as being the persons the prophecy ran of. 3. Lastly, this should be our great desire, and prayer for others, that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ might be with them. They inquired and searched diligently.] Two things are here affirmed of the Prophets: 1. First, that they searched and inquired: 2. Secondly, that they did it with great diligence and pains. Where did the Prophet's search and inquire? 1. First, they inquired of God by prayer. 1 Quest. Answ. 2. Secondly, they inquired and searched in the writings of the first Prophets, jacob, Moses, Samuel, David, etc. 3. Thirdly, they searched and inquired by meditation, studying their own prophecies, into which they were carried by the Spirit of God, that they might see whether they could find out this glorious salvation, especially for the time and manner of it. The Use is for wonderful great reproof of thousands amongst us, The Use. that neglect so great salvation: did the Prophet's search and inquire, and can it be safe for us to be secure? What should be the reason that multitudes of men have so little mind to inquire about their salvation? Quest. 2. 1. Men are diseased after an unexpressible manner with a spiritual Lethargy, when there ariseth any thought of the kingdom of God. Answ. 2. Salvation is far off: and unless the Lord by the spirit of wisdom and revelation enlighten the eyes of men's minds, they cannot discern the glory of it, or the need of it, Eph. 1.18,19. men only see things that are nearer, so purblind we are. 3. The most men are drowned and distracted with the cares and pleasures of this life. 4. Lastly, this comes to pass by the effectual working of Satan, who daily and mightily labours to hide the Gospel from men's souls, and to hinder the care of a better life. This is his every days work. But for hereafter let us all be admonished by this example of the Prophets, to devote ourselves to the study of salvation: especially 1. To seek the grant of it from God. 2. To seek the evidence of it in the word of God. 3. To seek the signs of it in our own hearts. 4. To seek a way that leadeth thither in our practice and conversation. Now whereas it is said, the Prophets searched and inquired diligently, that should also fire us, and still stir us up not only to study and inquire, but to do it diligently also. Now to inquire and search about salvation diligently imports five things. 1. First, that we should refuse no pains, or labour, or care to attain it. 2. Secondly, that we should do it daily and constantly. He that is in a journey doth not think it enough to ask his way the first day. Oh Lord, how are we guilty in thy sight, that inquire so seldom for the way to heaven! 3. Thirdly, that we should practise the directions which are given us out of the wnrd: Else to inquire a way of God, and not to follow it, is greatly to provoke God, Ezek. 14.3,4. jer. 42.2,3. etc. 4. Fourthly, that we should seek affectionately, as David saith, with our whole hearts, Psal. 119.2. as they did, that asked their way, and went weeping as they went with their faces thitherward, jer. 50.4,5. 5. Lastly, that we should seek help from all the ordinances of God, labouring to further our salvation by all means both public and private. Thus of the second part. The third is the subject matter, which in general is salvation, and in particular the time, and manner of the time. Of which salvation.] By salvation may be meant all that, which befalleth Christians after the time of their calling. For as true grace is the beginning of it, and perfect glory the full consummation of it; so all the means that work either, are comprehended under this name: yea the very sufferings of the godly are a part of their salvation, because they work unto them an eternal weight of glory: yea so should all the godly be disposed, as they should make salvation the end of all their actions; we should do nothing, which should not some way tend to further our salvation. Three things may be here noted. First, that the doctrine of salvation of God's people is a subject able to fill the contemplation of the divinest and wisest men: The Prophets have a subject able to fill them; yea more than they are able to conceive of to the full: which may serve for two uses: First, for humiliation, that we should be so barren-hearted, and able to conceive so little of so divine a subject, seeing the Prophets are so taken up with continual study and care about it. Secondly, for singular consolation to the godly. For by this it appeareth, that they have an admirable portion, in that such worthy men so much admire it. Secondly, that as any have more grace, so they are more heartily affected with the estimation and desire after the salvation of Gods elect. The Prophets foresaw the rising of many great Kings and Monarches, that should afterwards in several successions enjoy a marvellous glory in this world; yet they leave looking and wondering at them, and are now taken up with the consideration of the glory of the abject Gentiles, as finding more perfection in their calling into the kingdom of Christ, than they could behold in the greatest Princes of the earth. Certain'y so long as we can admire any thing more than the grace of God to his people, our hearts are void of grace. Thirdly, that when we go about any thing that concerns salvation, especially our own salvation, we should here learn of the Prophets to do it with all diligence. There are three sorts of men Satan doth in the Church bewitch. 1. The first are they that will take no pains at all, nor trouble themselves to study about their religion, and what belongs to their souls. 2. The second are they, that though they will take some pains, and study diligently, yet it is in by-studies, as matters of controversy, or the general knowledge of religion, or matter that may fit them for discourse, or the like. 3. Now a third sort there are, that will not be drawn aside from the needfullest studies, as are repentance, assurance, order of life, etc. but their fault is, that they study not these diligently. For they soon give over, and finish not their works either of mortification, or sanctification, or illumination, or preparation for salvation. And thus much of the 10. Verse. Verse 11. Searching when or what manner of time, the Spirit which testified of Christ which was in them, etc. THe particular subject of their inquiry was to have found the time of those glories the holy Ghost foretold should follow the sufferings of CHRIST. Four sorts of men have inquired about times, and the manner of times. Four sorts of men inquire about times. For there is the observation, 1. of the curious, 2. of the weak, 3. of the superstitious, 4. of the wise. 1 Curious men search into times prohibited, and restrained from them: They inquire what God did before he made the world, and in what year and day Christ shall come to judgement, with such like. 2 The weak Christian many times is too busy about time, as in his distress his thoughts run about the time of his deliverance, and with impatience he asks, How long? when he ought not to limit God, but live by faith, and leave the time unto God. 3 The superstitious are employed in observing time; such were the Galathians, of whom Paul was afraid. This was their humour▪ they did observe days and times not commanded of God, but prescribed, and kept afoot by the inventions of men. 4 Now in the last place, the wise observe time, and thus they observe time necessarily, or arbitrarily. Necessarily they observe the seasons and opportunities of God's grace, and so not to observe time is a great offence. jer. 8.7. Luke 9 Mat. 16.3. Arbitrary, they inquire after time, as the circumstance of some great things, wherein there appeareth some glory of God, and good to the soul. Thus the Prophets here inquire about the time of God's manifestation of the great grace he promised to the Church. Three things may be noted out of these words. 1 That the times and seasons of all things are known unto God: else the Prophets would not have searched, but that it was a received principle that all the times of all things are set and known to God. 2 That the Lord is many times loath to discover the precise time of his mercy: as for a long time he would not let it be known when Christ should come, so it was about the calling of the Gentiles, and so it is about the time of our going to heaven. For if it should be far off, men would grow the more impatient with their present condition, and by this means God tries the faith, and patience, and obedience of his people: and thus are blessings more admired and welcome when they do come; and by works of preparation the happiness of the Elect is greatly furthered. But is it not uncomfortable to be ignorant of the time when God will show his mercy? It is not: for 1 The time is infallibly set by God. 2 The Lord hath chosen and appointed the fittest time. 3 The Lord is precise in keeping his time. 3 The third Observation is, that when the circumstance of time is not of absolute necessity for our good to be known, we must be sober and temperate, and inquire with all humility: we may learn this of the Prophets about salvation itself, they are said to inquire diligently; but about the time, it is barely said, they searched. Thus of the third thing. 4 The fourth thing is the Occasion; which was an inspiration of the holy Ghost, which testified of Christ's sufferings, and strange glories should follow after. So that the efficient cause of the inspiration was the holy Ghost, which was in them: The final cause was to testify or bear witness: The subject matter of this inspiration was twofold. 1 Of the sufferings of Christ. 2 Of the glories should follow. The Spirit that was in them. Note that he saith not the Spirit of God, but the Spirit of Christ: so the holy Ghost is called the Spirit of the Son, Gal. 4.6. He may be called the Spirit of Christ, because he is given by Christ, and because he is given to the members of Christ, and because he should be especially manifested in the times under Christ, and because it did especially reveal Christ, and chiefly because it was essentially joined unto Christ, and did proceed of Him and the Father from all eternity. Now for the use hereof. Here is both Information and Consolation. We may be informed here, that the doctrine of the Trinity was not unknown in the Church of the Jews, in that we see, that the Spirit of God was called the Spirit of Christ. As for that place in Act. 19 where some say, they had not heard, whether there were a holy Ghost or no; It is to be understood of the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost, which at the time of the conversion of many did fall upon them, and not of the nature of the holy Ghost. This doctrine also may comfort us greatly: for whereas it it the office of the holy Ghost to mortify the deeds of the flesh, to lead us into all truth, to be a comforter, to bear witness unto our spirits, to help us when we know not how to pray as we ought, etc. This doctrine (I say) may greatly incourageus to beg the holy Ghost, and to believe our help therein, seeing he is sent of Christ; and is at his disposing that died for us, and gave himself for us: how shall he not then give us his holy Spirit also, if we ask it of him? Further, hence we may note, that the Spirit of God is the only immediate fountain and original of all Prophecies concerning times and things to come. The Oracles of the Gentiles were but either delusions under ambiguous sentences, or but conjectures; or else when they did foretell aright, they were permitted of God for the further hardening of the people, either from Scripture, or other revelation to foretell. As for the Sibyls that prophesied of Christ, etc. it is no absurdity to grant, that they were stirred up by the holy Ghost to prophesy of Christ among the Gentiles, etc. Verse 12. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they should minister the things which are now showed unto you by them, which have preached unto you the Gospel by the holy Ghost sent down from heaven, the which things the Angels desire to behold. THE fifth and last thing concerning the testimony of the Prophets, is the success of their enquiry, and diligent search: and that in general is, that they were answered and resolved of God. Now in the Lords answer there are two things to be observed. 1. The manner how God gave his answer, that is to say, by Revelation: To whom it was revealed. 2. The matter of the answer, which stands here of two parts. The first concerns the persons: the second concerns the things promised of God. The persons are considered both negatively and affirmatively. Negatively: the Prophets were resolved that they themselves were not the men whom those Oracles concerned. Affirmatively: they were told, that those things, which they prophesied of, they did minister unto us Christians. Thus of the persons. Now the things promised or prophesied of, are not only propounded, but commended, and further described and that two ways. 1. By the glory of their efficient causes, and those are either less principal, namely, the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospel, or more principal, namely, the holy Ghost sent down from heaven. 2. By the adjunct respect of the Angels in heaven, who are said to desire to look unto those things that are thus treasured up in the Ark of the Church. Now from the coherence and general consideration of these words, we may be assured of this general doctrine, that such as diligently seek unto God shall be satisfied, and resolved, and answered. God is no accepter of persons: he that resolved the Prophets, will answer us also: it is an unchangeable order of promise, such as seek shall find, such as ask shall have, such as knock shall be opened unto, Mat. 7.8. yea he saith, every one that asketh, etc. yea it is certain, that God will make this good unto the diligent use of every one of his ordinances, as Prayer, Esay 30.19. joel 2.19. jer. 33.3. Reading, job. 5.29. Hearing, Esay 56.3. Mich. 2.7. Conference, Esay 19.24.25. The use is first for confutation of their wretched Atheism, Uses. that scorn Gods ordinances, as bare and empty actions: but if there were no more to commend them then what this doctrine assures, it might sufficiently censure them for their just contempt. For in these and every of these the Lord meeteth his servants, and doth as it were by a heavenly intercourse confer with his people▪ and familiarly make himself known unto them, as one man is known unto another by conversation, or his name: therefore are they called his name in the third commandment. 2. Secondly, we should be encouraged in all distresses, and doubts, and ignorances to have recourse unto God, and in all humility, and constancy, and faith to seek unto him in the name of Christ, who was ever known to be a Counsellor unto his people; Esay 9.6. but then let me add this, that we look to ourselves when we come unto God, for there are diverse men whom God will not answer, or if he do, it is in justice, as Mich. 3.7. Zach. 7.11. Ezech 20.3.31. But what must we do, that God might answer us? Quest. Answ. 1. First, we must be such as will answer when God calls, else it is just, we should call when God will not answer, 〈…〉 Zach. 7.11. 2. Secondly, when ever we receive answers from God, we must be sober and humble, and take heed of swelling and pride, else the Lord in freed of feeding u● with revelation, may buffet us by the messengers of Satan, 2 Cor. 12.17. ●. Thirdly, we must take heed of security, and spiritual sleepiness, for that will silence God, and not answering may be justly the scourge of it, or else the Lord may permit the watchmen in stead of comfort to smite us with their words of reproof and discouragement, Cant. 5.6, 7. 4. Fourth●y, we must take heed of Idols in our hearts, beloved sins. For then either the Lord will not answer at all. Ezech. 20.31.3. or he will give u● bitter answers, Ezech. 14.3,7. or he will make our sins answer against us, The word translated testified, is by othoes translated answered. Esay 59.12. or his creatures as instruments of judgements shall answer us, Heb. 2.11. or if when our sins do answer against us, the Lord yet do hear, it is merely for his name's sake, jer. 14.17. yet mere infirmities are no hindrances, Rom. 11.4.3. 5. Fiftly, we must bring a mind that will give glory to God without limiting God, or daring to neglect or contemn God's answers: an instance of God's indignation at such, as will inquire at God what to do, and yet take their own course i● evident, jer. 23.35,36. 6. We must carefully distinguish between answers of trial, and direct answers: Paul received an answer of death, 2 Cor. 1.9. but yet he died not at that time. The Lord will reserve the glory of absolute infallibility to his word. As for private and secret revelations, Note. they are not always to be infallibly trusted unto, but such inward answers as have warrant from some promise of the word, such are infallible: but such could not Paul's sentence of present death be. Thus of the general, viz. that God will answer: Now the first thing in particular is, how they were answered, viz. by revelation. Unto whom it was revealed. God answers diverse ways. For at some times extraordinarily he hath given men their answers in dreams, Mal. 2.12. sometimes by his Angels to men awake, Act. 10.22. sometimes by the extraordinary revelation of the holy Ghost, as Luke 2.26. Ordinarily also, God answers more ways than one, as sometimes by his works, by giving what we desire of him: sometimes by his word, directing or comforting us: sometimes by his Spirit, especially in time of private prayer: The first is by operation, the second by information, the third by consolation, but here it is by revelation. Distinctions ab 〈…〉. Again, Revelation is either uncreated, or created. There is an uncreated Revelation which is infinite, and such is that which the Father reveals to the Son from all eternity. The created Revelation hath three degrees, 1. Imperfect, 2. Perfect, 3. And most perfect. The most perfect revelation is in Christ-man, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The perfect revelation is in Angels, and blessed souls in heaven: the imperfect is in men on earth. The revelation vouchsafed to men on earth, is either ineffectual, or effectual. The ineffectual is a revelation not available to salvation, such is that revelation which may befall wicked men. For they may prophesy, as is granted Mat. 7. But I call this revelation ineffectual, because they may be Castaways for all this. But properly, Revelation is the heritage of the Saints. For in them only it is effectual, and thus the Lord doth grant revelation in two degrees: 1. Sometimes it is such an illumination as works a full assurance: sometimes it is an illumination that works only a persuasion. In weak Christians, the work of the spirit of revelation is persuasion, but in strong Christians it is full assurance. Unto the revelation of full assurance I refer also these revelations of the Prophets, and I place all under the head of imperfect revelation, because though the things revealed to the Prophets were perfectly revealed, in respect of certainty and evidence, yet it was but a revelation in part, that is of some things only. There were many things known to Christ and the Angels, which the Prophets never knew. There is also difference between Visions and Revelations; Visions are external in some things showed to the sight: Revelations are internal showed only ●o the understanding. Quest. But what is the difference between Revelation, and Knowledge, and Prophesy, and Doctrine mentioned 2 Cor. 14.6? Answ. There are two ways by which men come to the understanding of Gods will. The one extraordinary, and that is by revelation; and the other ordinary, viz. by knowledge, attained by labour and industry in the use of means, this the Apostle calls knowledge: now prophesy and doctrine depend upon these two. Quest. For men did vent, and utter their revelation by prophecy, that is, by foretelling things to come, Answ. Though we want revelations, yet we are not in worse case than they in the Old Testament. and men do vent their knowledge by doctrine, and teaching others. Are not we more miserable now then they were in the times of the Prophets, seeing they had revelations, and we have none? We are not: for these reasons; 1. Because we have the substance of all their revelations. For their most glorious revelations were concerning Christ to come, whom we possess, as the riches of the Gentiles, whom they had not in the flesh, but saw him a far off. 2. Because the Lord hath now fully revealed his will in the Scriptures of the old and new Testament to be a perfect guide unto eternal life. 3. Because we have all their revelations that could profit us in any special measure, we have them I say left upon record, & written for our learning. 4. Neither are we altogether without revelations, We have fix sorts of revelations under the Gospel. that for the riches of them answer the full value of their revelations. For to omit, that God hath revealed his Son in the flesh in these latter ages of the world, which was a greater show than was ever made in heaven or in earth: to omit this; I say, 1. In the doctrine of the Gospel now, there are diverse riches, mines, Mysteries of the Kingdom Mat. 13.11. Eph. 3.5. and mysteries of knowledge broke open, which were hid since the world begun from ages and generations, Col. 1. 26. Rom. 16.26. and these made known not to Apostles only, but to babes and infants, Mat. 11.25. to abject Gentiles as well as Jews, (Luke 2.32. for revelation of the Gentiles) to young men and maidens, Act. 2. 2. Christ is revealed in the hearts of men now, as well as then, and that is the best revelation, the works of the grace of Christ, such as his image graciously revealed in their hearts: Christ lives in his people now, Gal. 1.12. & 2. 20. Rom. 8.29. 3. The righteousness, and favour of God, is with a special lustre revealed from faith to faith, Rom. 1.17. 4. The Lord doth still assist his servants in speaking and hearing, and teaching to profit: we have more than we bring into the pulpit, and th● Lord still opens man's understanding, and is with our mouths to give us a doors of utterance, Eph. 1.18. Col. 4.3.2 Cor. 3.5,6. 5. The Spirit of Christ doth reveal now also, both daily the things given us of God, 1 john 5.10. 2 Cor. 2.10. and at some times the particular pleasure of God in some special cases. 6. We are nearer unto, and wait for the revelation of Christ, and the sons of God from heaven, of which theirs was but a glimpse, and in this we shall in the day of Ch●●st have as full a measure as they. Their revelations were but a drops to this sea. Rom. 8. 1●,19.2 Thes. 1.7.1 Cor. 1.7. So that we are happy six ways in respect of revelation. The Use should be therefore to learn thankfulness and contentation, Use 1. as resting assure●, tha● if we truly fear God, though he make us not Prophets, yet his secrets shall be with them that fear him, and he will answer us when we call, and show us great and hidden things. Thus of the manner how God did answer them: the matter follows, which concerneth either Persons or things: Persons in these words, T●at not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister. The plain meaning is, that the Lord would have them to know, that they were employed in these prophecies of glory, not that they should thereby reveal any further blessedness unto themselves (for they should die before those days come) but should therein do service unto Churches that should come long after. Here are diverse things to be noted hence. That the Lord hath been used to deny the requests, Doct. 1. or desires of his serva●ts in respect of the circumstances of their suits, such as were time, place, manner, means, measure &c yea, we see, how he denieth his best servants in the letter of his desires: Isaac must not have his will concerning Esau: nor joseph concerning Manasses: Moses may see Canaan, but he must not enter in: David must not prosper in his beloved Absalon: the Apostles must not be great in an earthly kingdom: nor Paul have his tentation depart just as soon as he prays: jonah must not be humoured; nor Elias die when he list: David shall not bring in the Ark at his pleasure: nay Christ himself must not be heard in the very letter of his desires; for the cup did not pass from him. The Use is therefore to commit our ways to God with all patience and humility, Use. and never rebel in our hearts, if the Lord cross us, but rather confess our errors, and yield ourselves to God, as knowing that all shall work together for the best, etc. and he will so hear and so answer, as may be best for our best good. Doct. 2. The Lord hath been used to train his servants to know that their labours are to be spent for the good of others, as well as themselves: thus the Prophets must hear of it, God hath distributed his gifts not only for the use of each member, Use. but for the benefit of the whole body, 1 Cor. 12. The Use should be to teach all sorts of men to promote to their uttermost the common good, and to do it out of conscience, and heartily, and with all diligence, as we would care for our own things, especially promoting the edification of the body with all love and industry, Rom. 12.6.1 Pet. 4.9, 10. Eph. 4.26. Thus should ministers, and magistrates, and masters of families, and every Christian with his acquaintance. We are Stewards of God's gifts, and they must be implo●ed about God's work, not our own only: the Master's advantage is most principally to be respected: and therefore this must needs be a great reproof to such▪ as can only mind their own things, and not the things of jesus Christ, Phil. 2. It will be a singular comfort to such as excel in gifts, or riches, or power, if they can say at their death beds, not unto myself, but unto the servants of God, or to the poor, or to the Church, or to the service of my country, or to the conversion of souls, etc. have I ministered the wit, or learning, or wealth, or power the Lord hath given me. chose, it cannot but be woeful to some to remember on their death beds, that they have spent their means, and gifts to promote wicked courses, and to procure sin, or to maintain the riotous, or gamesters, or whores, or dogs, or any way their own lusts, oh what will they say when they are asked, whom have you clothed, fed, comforted, counselled, admonished, etc. But unto us. Quest. But why are we honoured thus and not the Prophets? Answ. The Lord showeth mercy on whom he will show mercy: I mean it for the manner, and time, and measure, and means: we must not herein dispute with God: yet even this tends wonderfully to the praise of God's 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, Patriarches, and Prophets, but he is ready to entertain even the prodigal son 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 father's household. Secondly, this also shows, that extraordinary gifts are not the best for us: we want the gifts of prophecy, but to have the glorious grace of Christ is better than 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: he is in better case that can pray with the Spirit, than he that can prophesy. 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. joel 2. Besides, we may note here, that God will not be bound to show his tenderest kindness to his best servants: no doubt the Prophets were better servants to God than we are; yet you see, they must not envy it to know that others shall be more made on then they. Finally, here is employed, that God's promises and provisions of grace can never be in vain. If it be not for the Prophets, yet it must be for us. For so in the original it is, as if it were rendered: but yet unto us; to note, that no word of God shall be in vain, Esay 55.11. They did minister. This phrase imports diverse things. 1. We are here again occasioned to think of a strange depth of respect God bears to the meanest of his children: none are too good in his account to do them service: the Prophets must not think scorn to minister to them, yea so doth God reckon of them, that Kings and Queens must not be too good to nurse them: yea, we see here the Angels are desirous to know, or do any thing that concerns them: yea, the holy Ghost will leave heaven to do them good. Oh the bottomless depth of God's love! and oh the barrenness, and shallowness, and unthankfulness of man's heart, that cannot be more inflamed towards God to render love for love! yea we 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 wonderful ill, Esay 49.15, 16. & 40.26. oh that God should love us so beyond all precedent, 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 do 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. Use. The Use is for all of us to search our hearts to see whether we can find such a noisome pride in ourselves, as that at any time, we should think ourselves too good to do Gods work, or to do service to any of God's people; if we do find it; let us purge it out as vile leaven, and be humbled for it before God: else the Lord may perhaps find out ways to shame us, and scourge us, that we dream not of. 3. This word Minister, as it is in the original, 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 commandment from God. 2. with all diligence. 3. constantly. 4. cheerfully, Rom. 12.5. with all humility, making ourselves equal with them of the lower sort. All this the Deacons did. 4. This word imports, that spiritual things are from God only in respect of beginning and as the primary cause. For the Prophets do but minister them: They have nothing but that they have received: for every good and perfect gift cometh down from God the Father of lights, which should teach us in the use of all means to direct our hearts to God. The things which were reported unto you. These words evidently show, First, that the primitive Church was first taught by tradition, that is, by lively voice, not by written Scriptures only: so was Adam: so were the Patriarches for the first 2000 years, 1 Thes. 2.15. But might some one say, Object. 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, Sol. The question about traditions. I will show out of Scripture that the word Tradition hath been taken three ways: 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 holiness 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 certain 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 certain 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 seems the Apostle had prescribed some courses for preventing of idleness, and such inconveniences. 4 Sometimes it is taken for the very word of God delivered by lively voice: so the word was delivered 2000 years before the law. 5. Sometimes it is taken for the word of God, as it was first delivered by the Apostles, while the Scriptures was yet unfinished, whether it were delivered by report, or writings, and so 2 Thes. 2.15. 1 Cor. 11.23. & 15.3. According to the fourth sense, or this last, it is taken here. Now this can make nothing for the Papists: for 1. This word of God was afterwards written, and so written, as nothing must be added, Rev. 21.18. 2. The doctrine here reported was delivered by the holy Ghost sent down from heaven, as the coherence shows. Therefore unless they can show the like authority for their traditions, they say nothing. 3. Their traditions were of the first sort, and so condemned in Scriptures. Secondly, we may note, that Christians, when their hearts are turned unto God, do see a wonderful glory in spiritual things. They see that, which the Prophets desired to see, and could not, Mat. 13 16,17. 2 Cor. 3.16, 17, 18. which is one difference between the knowledge of the godly, and the knowledge of the wicked. For wicked men have but a dark glimmering knowledge that tends to baseness and bondage: and this should teach us to pray for the spirit of wisdom, and revelation, to know the riches tha● is in Christ Jesus; being daily careful, that the god of this world do not hide the glorious Gospel of Christ from us. Object. But have we the will of God only by report? Solut. This word report belongs principally to the first times, before the Scriptures of the New Testament were written, and so the word was sure enough being delivered by Apostolical men, who confirmed it by miracles. And if the word do also belong to our times, then God● Ministers are said to report Gods will unto us, as Ambassadors do the wills of Princes by the instructions given in their commissions; or as Lawyers report the law out of their great Charter, or Statute-books; or as Physicians report their remedies out of the books of practice, and tried experiments. It is true, that the doctrine of holy things is like unto a report, 1. In respect of wicked men, who pass all over as a tale that is told, or respect it at best, but as a nine days wonder. 2. In respect of godly men, who receive it but by pieces and degrees, not as one continued story, but as a report. 3. In respect of the matter of happiness, it is so removed from our natures, and we have so little right unto it, that it comes to us as a report, not a● any thing we knew before, or could expect or look for 4. In respect of the opportunity of it; if we take not hold of it in the very season, it will be gone. The Lord doth not every day set before us life and death, but only at some times, and then how soon is the voice gone, if our hearts open not to receive it? Thus of the things contained in God's answer, as they are barely propounded. Now in the words that follow, they are further commended to us. First, by the efficient causes of them. By them which preached the Gospel unto you. The Gospel is diversely accepted in Scripture. Sometimes it signifies the history of the life and death of Christ: so in the title of every Evangelist his book, and so 2 Tim. 2.8. Mat. 26.13. Sometimes it signifies the glorious tidings of Christ come in the flesh, and of salvation in him: so it was promised by the Prophets, Rom. 1.2. Act. 13.32. but most usually it signifies in general the joyful news of happiness eternal, through the favour of God in Christ Jesus, notwithstanding our misery in ourselves; and this was called the promise in the Old Testament, and the Gospel in the new. The Greek word properly signifieth good news; and in the New Testament the word is used to express that most happy news of God reconciled in Christ, and of perfect happiness in him. Now because this news contains the more excellent part of God's word, therefore I will consider of it more exactly. This heavenly news is the more admirable, if we consider, 1. What it is that the Gospel doth signify. 2. How we are assured of the news in the Gospel. 3. What are the effects of it. 4. What is required in the persons that have any part in this news. Then I would resolve certain questions; and lastly, make some use of all. For the first: the Gospel brings news unto forlorn men. 1. Of peace and reconciliation with God. The Gospel of peace, What news the Gospel brings us. 2. Of remission and forgiveness of our sins, Act, 10.43. 3. Of freedom from death and condemnation. 4. Of a divine and most sufficient righteousness to be revealed from heaven, Rom. 1.16, 17. 5. Of eternal life: The Gospel of the Kingdom, Mat. 9.35. and all for Christ Jesus sake the son of David, Rom. 1.23. But how can we be certain of this news? Quest. 1. By the testimony of the Spirit. Answ. How we may he certain of this news. 2. By the vaticinies of the Prophets. 3. By the miracles that first confirmed it. 4. By the testimony of Christ himself, that in our nature preached it, Mat. 4.13. 5. By the word of God, or of the Apostles. The effects of the Gospel are: 1. It brings life and immortality to light, 2 Tim. 1.10. Eight effects of the Gospel. 2. It melts the hearts of Gods elect more than any thing with voluntary grief for sin: it makes men condemn themselves in the flesh, 1 Pet. 4.6. 3. It revives and refresheth with wonderful encouragements, 1 Pet. 4.6. 4. It makes a man sacrifice himself to God, Rom. 15.16. 5. It is the ministry of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. 6. It fenceth the affections against the love & care after worldly things: Hence we are said to be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. 7. It establisheth hope, Col. 1.23. 8. It is the power of God to salvation, Rom. 1.16. Fourthly, there are eight things required in every one that would have part in the Gospel. 1. Reformation of life. Eight things required in every one that would h●ve part in the Gospel. 2. Faith and trust in it, Mat. 16.15, 16. Eph. 1.13. Heb. 4.2. and to this end get evidence and seal to it, Eph. 1.13. 3. A singular estimation of it: so great, as 1. Our chiefest praise should be in the Gospel. 2. We should be content to suffer any thing for it, and not be ashamed of the afflictions or bonds of the Gospel, Mark 8.35. & 10.29. 1 Thes. 1.5. 2 Tim. 1.8. Philem. 13. 4. Poverty of spirit, Esay 61.1. 5. A diligent strife and constant endeavour to attend upon it, we should press to it, Luke 16.16. 6. Professed subjection to it, 2 Cor. 9.12. 7. We should endeavour to live so, as might become the Gospel, Phil. 1.27. 8. We should continue in it, and not be moved away from the hope of it, Col. 1.23. a vile offence to be turned from it, Gal. 1.6. Quest. But was the Gospel never preached till now, that he saith, it is now reported? Answ. Distinguish: If the Gospel be taken for the news of Christ come in the flesh, than it was not preached, till the times of Christ and the Apostles: But if it be taken for the promise of grace and pardon in Christ, it was given in Paradise to Adam, and continued by the Patriarches and Prophets, Act. 10. 43. Heb. 13.8. Moses wrote of Christ, joh. 5.46. Moses wrote of Christ two ways. 1. By writing the promise concerning the Messias to come. 2. By the whole ceremonial law and service. For all those were shadows of Christ to come. Object. But the Gospel is said to be hid and concealed from ages and generations etc. Rom. 16.26. Eph. 3.5. Col. 1.26. Solut. The text is, as it is now. It did appear, but not so clearly. Quest. But how doth this doctrine of the Gospel differ from other Scripture, especially from the law? Answ. How the Gospel differs from the law. 1. In the manner of revelation: The law is written in some sort in the heart of man, Rom. 2.15. but the Gospel now may not be known to nature, but revealed by Christ, Mat. 16.17. 2. In the subject of doctrine: The Law tells us what we should be, but not how we can be so. Now the Gospel shows us a full and sufficient righteousness in Christ, that will be available. The Law saith, pay what thou owest, do this and thou shalt live: But the Gospel saith, believe the promise and thou shalt be saved. Rev. 14.6. 3. In the continuance of the force of it. The gospel is an everlasting gospel, God will never alter his mind: whereas he hath changed his mind for the covenant of works. Quest. But is it the Ministers duty only to publish the gospel, in that the Apostle saith, by them which preached? Answ. It is chiefly: For to produce the effects before mentioned it is his calling, who hath commission from God to be his ambassador: yet private persons may comfort one another with these things. Quest. But is the gospel only effectual when it is preached? Answ. It is most effectual then, and that is the ordinary means God hath appointed, 1 Pet. 1. ult. Uses. The Uses are, First for Ministers, and so 1. For consolation. For the excellency of the subject exalts the dignity of their calling, they are trusted with a very glorious embassage, Rom. 15.16, 17. & 16.26. therefore never be ashamed of it, Rom. 1.16. and this was taught by Christ himself, Mat. 4.13. and those Eph. 3.4. 2. For Instruction: Therefore to serve God in their spirits, even with their whole hearts, 1 Thes. 2 2. 1 Cor. 9.15. Rom. 1.9. and suffer all things rather than hinder the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9.12. Paul says, It is better for me to dye, then to make my glorying void. Secondly, for the people. 1. For instruction. 1. To pray for their teachers, that God would open their mouths, and make their hearts fat with his goodness herein, Eph. 6.19. and to esteem them, as Rom. 1●. 15. 2. To receive it with all gladness and power, yea and affliction too, 1 Thes. 1.4, 5. 2. For terror to wicked men, that contemn or neglect so great salvation; this is preached for a witness against worlds of them, Mat. 24.14. The anger of ●od will be revealed from heaven against them, Rom. 1.18. God will search men's hearts both for desires, and care, and for contempt too, 1 Thes. 2.4. Act. 15.7, 8. and at the day of judgement the terrible vengeance of God shall fall upon them, 2 Thes. 1.8. 1 Tim. 1.9, 10, 11. This makes their judgement greater. Thus of the less principal: The most principal cause is the holy Ghost sent down from heaven. By the holy Ghost sent down from heaven. The meaning is, to affirm that the things propounded in the Gospel are the more eminent, because they were effected by the very holy Ghost. This that is here ●●id, that the holy Ghost was sent from heaven, was first and principally fulfilled in the days of the Apostles, and chiefly then also in the day of Pentecost, as is showed in the second of the Acts. But secondarily, it is true of all faithful Ministers, that the holy Ghost works wonderfully from heaven in the power of the Gospel. Ghost.] It is an old English word, and signifieth a spirit: and the Spirit of God is called an holy Ghost, or spirit, 1. for distinction sake, and 2. by effect. For God's Spirit is holy, that is, it hath all holiness; and it hath it in itself, not by illumination from any other higher cause, and so are not the spirits of men and Angels: holy men's spirits have sin in them on earth: and the Angels, and blessed souls in heaven have no holiness but what they received. 2. God's Spirit is holy by effect. For it his proper work to sanctify the elect, and so to work holiness upon the spirits of men by spiritual regeneration. But why is God's Spirit called a holy Spirit, rather ●hen wise, Quest. or merciful, & c? First, when we call him holy, we comprehend all that in it: Answ. for wisdom and mercy are but parts of holiness. Secondly, in respect of us, and his working in us, it is a most proper word: for it notes his working in the Elect above all reprobates. F●r a man may be a wise man and yet perish, Mat. 11. 2●. 1 Cor. 1.19. and a man may give all his goods to the poor, and yet it is nothing, 1 Cor. 13.3. but now if a man be made a holy man, he is sure to be saved. Well then the first doctrine is, that God's Spirit is a holy Spirit; Doct. 1. V●es. which may serve for diverse uses. 1. To exalt in us a further sense of God's goodness, that is pleased to put his Spirit within us, seeing our hearts are so unclean, and his Spirit so holy. 2. It may humble u●▪ and fear us from sin: if we belong to Christ, we carry about with us the Spirit of Christ, Rom. 8.9. Now think of it then, thou canst not sin, but thou hast a witness and a Judge within thee. Besides, the very respect of the holy Ghost should move thee to fear sin: for sin grieves the holy Ghost, and hinders his work of sealing thee up to the day of redemption, Eph. 4.30. 3. It should encourage u● in the works of mortification: for God's Spirit hath his name of holiness, and though it be never so hard, yet by the Spirit we shall be made able in some measure to mortify the deeds of the flesh, Rom. 8.10. and to walk in God's statutes, Ezech. 36.27. Secondly, if we consider why the holy Ghost is h●re named, Doct. 2. we may learn, that the holy Spirit of God is the first and chief cause of all that grace, which either Ministers, or people enjoy in the gospel. Uses. Which may first comforts us against all the impediments of the gospel. Oh might some men have thought a 100 years ago; how is it possible to bring down the power of Antichrist? why by the Spirit of Christ's mouth he will consume him, 2 Thes. 2. In the mouth of Christ, in the preaching of the Gospel there is a Spirit, even the Spirit of God, which will do more than 10000 armed men to pull him down. Oh might some one think, I shall never understand, or never remember so many holy comforts and instructions: why the Spirit of God will teach us to profit, and lead us into all truth, and help our infirmities, when we deal with God and his ordinances, and pull down those strong holds which Satan hath to hinder the obedience of Christ. Oh might some Minister think, I shall never rule such a people, or persuade with them: yet you see God will put his Spirit in their mouth, and men shall not be able to withstand the Spirit by which they speak; he will give a door of utterance, and secretly bow men's hearts unto the obedience of the truth. Secondly, the consideration of this second doctrine may instruct us how to order ourselves towards the means of salvation; and so it may teach us, 1. not to rest in the act done: we m●y hear the best Sermons, and receive the Sacraments, etc. yet if we beg not the assistance of the Spirit, all may be in vain: if we heard Christ himself, yet it may not profit us. 2. To believe in God, when we carefully use the means, how unlikely soever the success seem to be; God can work by the means as pleaseth him, notwithstanding infirmity either of the teacher or hearer. 3. To render all the praise to God, and his h●ly Spirit in the mediation of his Son, seeing thence flows all blessing and good success, as being the only original fountain of all holiness, and knowledge. Thirdly, in that the holy Ghost in the primitive times did so visibly fall upon the Apostles and the Disciples, it may serve for diverse uses. 1. To confirm u● in the truth of the Gospel, since the prophecies were therein so accomplished, and the doctrine of Christ crucified so miraculously sealed. 2. It may ●u●ble us, that we cannot see the glory of the Scriptures, seeing they proceed from such a fountain. 3. It may make us in love with the Scriptures, since they were penned by men so miraculously qualified by the holy Spirit of God. 4. It may assure us of incredible success, if we could stir up the holy Ghost in us, we might get wonderful knowledge and grace, if we did strive in these times of the Gospel. For though that manner of presence be ceased; yet God is no respecter of persons, but the Spirit of God now by lesser means is able to produce the same effects in the hearts of men, in what is necessary to salvation. For of these times it is that was spoken jer. 31.33. to spare i●stances in other things. 5. Lastly, it may confirm us against the scorns, and disgraces of the world, by which men every where dishonour the knowledge and practice of the holy things brought to us with the Gospel. These things that so many deride, came to us from the holy Ghost, who came down from heaven to propound, and confer them up●n the Church. Sent down.] It is to be noted further, that he saith, that the holy Ghost was sent. For from thence, 1. I observe an evident proof, that the holy Ghost is a person distinct from the Father and the Son. 2. Hence ariseth the consideration of the nature of this mission. Mission is a● attribute given here to the holy Ghost. Now divine attribute▪ are either essential, or personal. Essential are such proprieties as equally belong to all the persons in respect of the essence, as to be wise, just, merciful, holy, etc. Personal attributes are such proprieties as are given only to the persons apart, the one from the other, & do note a difference of the persons, as to beget, to be begotten, to send forth, to be sent forth, to proceed, to conceive, etc. Now these personal attributes may be distinguished also thus: Some are proper to each person alone; so in one, as not in any other: as to beget (in the Father,) to be begotten (in the Son), to proceed (in the holy Ghost:) some of these attributes are common to two of the persons, but not to the third, as proceeding in the holy Ghost is both from the Father and the Son, so to send forth is the attribute both of the Father and Son: so likewise to receive is common to the Son and to the holy Ghost: so that we see whither mission must be referred. Yet to make it more clear, we must understand, that there is a double sending forth: the one internal, the other external. Internal, when the Father and the Son cause the holy Ghost to proceed: external, when the Father and Son send forth the holy Ghost for outward operations amongst the Creatures, especially in the Church; and thus the holy Ghost is sent forth by the Father, joh. 14.16. and by the Son, joh. 15.16, of this mission is that speech, Gal 4.7. 3. Here may be a doubt: might some one say, Quest. Doth not this mission of the holy Ghost express an inequality with the Father and the Son? It doth not. For 1. it is not always true, Answ. that he that is sent forth is inferior to him that sent him. For jonathan may send David, and David send jonathan, and yet be both equal. Commission may import inferiority, not mission: or if it did hold amongst men, yet it is not true in the Trinity. 2. This word is used for want of words, metaphorically, to shadow out something above our reach. For it doth not note either a servile subjection, or a local motion; but it is used to express either some effect of his working, or some sign of his presence: so that the meaning is, the holy Ghost was sent: that is, he wrought some notable effect on earth, or showed that he was present by some sign. Now for some use of this sending of the holy Ghost, Uses. we may in this doctrine observe, 1. That to be sent of God is no disparagement unto us, he sent his own Spirit. 2. We may here note some things, wherein we may resemble and express the image of the holiness of the Trinity in us. Would we live together as the three persons in the Trinity do? Then 1. we must live without envy one at another. 2. We must not think much to be employed one by another, or to be advised and appointed in well doing. 3. The salvation of the elect should be dearer to us, than any respect of ourselves, or our own estate, we must not seek our own things. The holy Ghost repines not at his mission, and the Father thinks not his Son and Spirit too good to be sent unto us. As we grow in these things, so we more express a likeness to the Trinity. Down from heaven. Something may be noted in that the holy Apostle addeth, that he was sent from heaven. 1. It imports what this world is, it is but a place of misery, and to come into it, is to come down. 2. It expresseth what heaven is; it is the place of God's residence, the place where God dwells, the Palace of the great King, as Princes have their Palaces, so hath God, and as a Prince's palace differs from a cottage, so doth heaven from earth. The Use should be to inflame our affections towards this holy place: Use. oh how should we lo●g to see where God dwells? what natures have we to long to see the courts of Princes, and yet cannot long after the courts of our God? and yet in Prince's courts, 1. Not entertained, ● ut many times repulsed. 2. Not known many times of any body. 3. Not dwell there. 4. Not favoured of the King, or his son. 5. The Lords will not attend us to carry us to the King, or show us all, etc. 6. Soon are we cloyed with the glory of it, if we had all we would. 7. In the King's court we see the glory of others, not ●ur own. But contrary to all these, it is in heaven, as it shall be with the righteous. Which things the Angels desire to look into. In these words, the grace brought unto us in the Gospel is commended by the adjunct desire the Angels have to look into it: if such glorious creatures see such worth in these things, than they are certainly to be highly accounted of and rejoiced in: but the Angels do so as saith the holy Ghost, who is acquainted with the desires of Angels as well as with the thoughts of men. Therefore etc. Doct. Before I enter upon the particular consideration of these words, I must in general observe one doctrine from the coherence, viz. that as any are more holy and happy, so they do more admire the grace brought unto us in the Gospel: it is much that the Prophets give such testimony: so is it that the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel spoke such glorious things of it: but if that may not confirm us, the holy Spirit of God and the Angels of God shall be brought in to deliver not their opinions only, but their desires also. Which may serve, 1. For singular reproof of the madness of our natures, that cannot be won to know or regard wherein the chief good lies, but are so infinitely distracted with endless hunting after the riches or pleasures of life. Oh how are our hearts sunk deep in rebellion, when neither the verity of these things, nor our own mortality, nor such abundant testimonies from heaven can move us? But woe unto us for two reasons from hence: First, we shall be made inexcusable, since God hath warned and instructed us with such undeniable testimonies. Secondly, here we see the cause why we seek not after the grace of Christ in the Gospel; it is because we are alienated both from hol●nesse, and happiness. For if we had experience in either, we would judge as ●he Angels of heaven do. 2. For singular strengthening and encouragement to every one that hath true grace: let him rejoice in his portion: the Gospel is the best riches, it were ●ot bought dear if a man sold all he had to purchase it: we should rather take the judgement and opinion of one Angel, then of a thousand worldly persons: 〈◊〉 is no matter what they say, they know not their felicity: flesh and blood hath had no revelation in these things; it is the Spirit of God only tha● can show us the things given us of God; it is the scope of this place to confirm the consolations, ver. 3, 4, 5. Thus in general: now in particular there are four things to be considered of. 1. What these Angels are. 2. What account God makes of them. 3. What affection they bear to men, in that they are said to desire, etc. 4. What their knowledge is, in that they are said to look into, etc. 1. Now for the first you must understand, that all creatures are of one of t●e●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 soul. The heaven▪ and earth▪ and seas, and beasts, and fowls, etc. are visible: the invisible creatures are these Angels. Of A●g●●●, th●ir 〈◊〉 and natures. 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 therefore to this question I answer two ways. 1. By considering what they are in name. 2. What they be in nature. 1. The names given them are of three sorts. In respect of what th●y a●e they are spirits: in ●espect of wh●t th●y do they are Angels. 1. Some express their nature, and so they are spirits. 2. Some express their excellency and dignity, and so they are called principalities and powers, etc. 3. Some express 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 heirs of salvation. Heb. 1.14. 2. Now for their natures: Angels are spiritual substances invisible and immortal, subsisting of themselves, endued with singular understanding and freedom 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 express their natures? Quest. It is because God delights in them for their service, Answ. and they themselves are more glad of well-doing, then of their happiness in nature: from whence we may learn, that it is not enough to get singular gifts and excellent estates, unless we be industrious in the use of them: our glory lieth not in excellent parts, but in the fruitful use of them. We should learn then of God's 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, 2 Sam. 16 ●3. else we may be as the Angels of God for gifts, and y●t go to hell. But are all these incorporeal spirits here meant? Quest. Answ. No: for some of them fell away, and stood not in the truth: it is only the good Angels, called the elect Angels, 1 Tim. 5.21. are here meant; but it is worth the noting, what sin hath brought upon the Devils, they have not only 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 man's nature above Angels in and by Christ: some say a transgression of some commandments in particular, not expressed as adam's was. Thus of their names and natures. 2. Now for the singular account God makes of them, it may appear diverse ways: 1. By the excellent titles given them, a● are stars of the morning, sons of God principalities and powers, etc. 2. By the place he sets them in, he placeth them next his own person, in the chamber of his own presence to be always about him, even in heaven, the fairest room in the whole building of the world. 3. By the trust he hath put in them, he 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 evil, Col. 2.10. The consideration hereof should kindle in us a holy impatience of desire so to dispatch God's work on earth, that we might haste to that time and place, when we shall be like the Angels of God, Luke 10.36. yea their very society should kindle desire to be with such glorious creatures, and in the mean time, how can we sufficiently praise God, that hath appointed such excellent c●eatures to attend upon us both in life and death? how should we esteem faith and repentance, that in Jesus Christ works unto us such a safety of estate under their willing and careful protection? 3. Now for their affection which they bear to man: we must in general know, that as understanding is yielded them, so is will and desire inseparably joined with their knowledge, though in a far more noble manner than they are in man. There are two principal differences between the affections in Angels and those in men. For first, Angels have not those base and inferior our affections that are in men, I mean the sensitive appetites. Secondly, Angels have not their affections seated in any one place, or subject, as the fountain of affections, as in man, the heart is the seat of affections, (of some of them, I mean, which are more noble:) besides that their affections are carried without all sinful, or unhappy perturbations. Now for their special affection they bear to man either of love, or joy, or desire, diverse Scriptures testify, Mat. 18.10. Luk. 15.7, 10. Eph. 3.10. This also appears by their wonderful readiness, and wisdom, and care in the discharge of their protection and preservation of man, excellently showed in a Vision, Ezech. 1. Now this desire in them ariseth 1. out of the flames of desire after the glory of God. 2. Out of a sympathy or fellow feeling that they have as the members of the same body with the Saints, Col. 2.10. Uses. Now for the Use of this third point. Do the Angels thus affectionately long after, joy in, and desire to be hold the spiritual riches of the Church? 1. How should this confound us with shame, that have no more care to look into our own happiness? 2. The desire and joy of the Angels should be unto us a quick spur unto all well-doing. 3. We should learn of them how to rejoice in, and desire after the good of others; we should be so far from envy at their happiness, that we should desire to know the riches of God's love to them, that we might joy in it. This were to be as the Angels of God, and the contrary is to be like the devils of hell. Now the last thing is their knowledge, in those words, to look into. To look into.] Three things may be here noted. 1. That the Angels do look into the things of the Church; they do take notice how things are carried, which may both comfort and instruct us: Comfort us, that so excellent creatures, who have the charge over us, are so watchful over all our ways: so as there cannot be the least advantage of our good, but they behold the face of God, and are ready pressed to receive commandments for our succour and good. 2. It should make us wonderful respective of our ways; if not for other reasons, yet because of the Angels, they look upon us, 2 Cor. 11. and take notice of all we do. A 〈…〉 2. The word here used in the original seems to allude to the Cherubins about the Ark in the Law, and so imports, that the Angels look upon and into the things of the Church, as the Cherubins did look upon the Ark; and so it assures us three things in the manner of the looking of the Angels. 1. That they look into the Church and the things of the Church with wonderful sincerity, and singleness, and purity of nature: This was shadowed out, Exod. 26.8, in that the Cherubins that should look upon the Ark, were of gold, yea of beaten gold, not only excellent by creation, but by confirmation also, as the workmanship of Christ: so as their natures were every way far from contempt or envy, or any corrupt desires or ends. Besides, they did take this view as in the presence of God, whom they made the witness and Judge of the uprightness of their desires. 2. That it is with singular perfection and exactness: This was shadowed in that the Cherubins were not only placed within the most holy place, but close to the Ark, yea at both ends of the Ark, ver. 19 so as they throughly look into the affairs of the Church. 3. That it is with singular constancy of desire and admiration. For their faces are always upon it, as if they could never look enough into it. 4. That they desire to look into these things, as being wonderfully ready to do any service for the good of the Church: This was shadowed in the stretching out of their wings, as if they were ready to fly to the succours of the Church. Now lest man should grow proud of his estate, it is added in the Law, that all this view of the Angels was upon the Ark, but especially as it was covered with the Mercy-seat, to note, that that which they most wonder at, is the marvellous favour of God in the mediation of Christ, stilling the displeasure of God justly conceived by the view of his law broken by man. Thus of the manner of the knowledge, as it was shadowed out in the old law. Now thirdly I consider of the kind of knowledge more distinctly that is in the Angels, and that both negatively and affirmatively. 1. Negatively. We must lay this as a ground, Of the knowledge of Angel's negatively & affirmatively that the knowledge of Angels is not sensitive, but contemplative, that is, it is not by sense. They do not know things as we do, by seeing, or hearing, or smelling, or rasting, or feeling. They have no eyes to look upon things withal, nor do they know things by images, or by reason, as the souls of men do. When we conceive of any thing, we conceive of it either by images in the fantasy, or we find it out by reasoning or discourse, and so make judgement of it, and this judgement is as it were the eyes of the soul: but thus do not the Angels know things, nor do they know things by their essence as God doth. For God's essence is as it were an infinite looking glass, in which all things shine in their natures and motions, and so he knows them. That God that hath given virtue to precious stones or glasses to show things remote from them, hath such a power in his own being infinitely much more: but thus do not the Angels know things. Thus negatively. 2. Affirmatively: there is a fouretold knowledge in Angels. 1. Natural. 2. Supernatural. 3. Revealed. 4. Experimental. 1. Natural, was the knowledge all Angels good and bad had of things by creation. 2. Supernatural, was that saving knowledge, as I may so call it, by which the good Angels so know God, that they cannot, nor will not fall from him, but perfectly cleave to him. 3. Revealed knowledge is that illumination, by which God many times communicates the mysteries of his will to the Angels otherwise hid to them. 4. Experimental, is the knowledge which they get by experience and observation in the world, especially in the Church, as things daily fall ou●. But that this point may be yet more clear, it will be profitable to declare it by considering the several things they know, and the rather because they know them not all one way. All things Angels know are either, 1. God. 2. or the creatures. 3. or the mysteries of the Gospel. 4. or the thoughts of men. 5. or things to come. Now these things they know, but after a divers manner. How do they know God? Quest. For opening of this I missed show it by the eye of man three ways. Answ. By sight we know things first mediately, as by a glass expressing the proportion of the thing we see, though we see not the thing itself. Secondly, by the presence of the thing in the eye; or rather of the likeness, though the thing itself be not in the eye, as when we look upon a man some what distant from us. Thirdly, when the thing seen is present in the essence of it in the very eye, so the light is in the eye of man. Now by the first way the Saints see God on earth, 2 Cor. 3. ult. that is to say, by means, as by a looking glass, not face to face. By the second, that is by some sign or likeness of God's presence, the Angels did see God by creation. By the third, way, that is by the lightsome presence of the glorious essence of God, is Godseene of the Angel's face to face, as they are confirmed in Christ, M●●. 18.10. and so also do the blessed souls see God. 2. Now for the creatures of all sorts the Angels know them two ways. 1. In the glass of God's essence, in which they perfectly are resembled. 2. By certain likenesses of things put into them immediately after their creation, whereas man hath his knowledge by degrees, and they view things as it were in one view, not successively as we do, but at once, as it were by a sudden coruscation, as I may call it, they see what is in the creatures; as the heavens had their perfection all at once, so had the Angels: and as the perfection in the heavens is always actually, so is the knowledge of Angels always perfect in act, so there is no time wherein they know not any creature God hath made. 3. As for the mysteries of the Gospel, it is probable, that the main heads of salvation of the Elect by Christ, they knew it shortly after the creation, else how could they discharge the guardianship of the Elect, if they knew nothing of their salvation? It was their function to minister to them that should be heirs of salvation: and they did often attend upon Christ as the Saviour of the Church, when he appeared: yet the several branches and determinations, and the circumstances of time, and their employments, or the persons in several ages that should be called, (as for example, the calling of the Gentiles) or the like things, that concerned either their ministeries, or the mysteries of Christ, they did not know by nature, but by grace of revelation after, Eph. 3.10. 4. For the thoughts of men, I must distinguish: some thoughts are so secret and still in the mind, as they make no impression upon the body at all: some thoughts are so boiling and working, that either by gestures, or by the impressions of some affections raised by them, they leave some print upon the body. The first kind God only knows: of the second kind a wise man will know much by guess, much more the Angels of God. 5. Lastly, as for things to come, they must be considered either as they hang in their causes necessarily, or probable in nature, or as they are expressed in the prophecies of Scripture, or as they are secret in the counsel of God. Things to come of the first two kinds the Angels do know respectively. The third sort only God knows. Thus briefly of the nature, account, affections, and knowledge of the Angels. V●●. The main use of all is that which is here intended, viz. that the desire of these noble creatures should encourage and settle us in the assurance and estimation of the grace brought us in the Gospel. Thus of the 12. verse, and so of the first part, viz. matter of Consolation: The matter of Exhortation follows to verse 8. of Chap. 3. Verse 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind: be sober, and trust perfectly on the grace that is brought unto you by the revelation of jesus Christ. HItherto of the first main point of the doctrine of this Epistle, viz. matter of Consolation. Now follows the second, viz. matter of Exhortation, from ver. 13. of this Chap. to ver. 8. of Chap. 3. The Exhortation is twofold, general and special: general, concerning such duties as belong to all Christians as they are Christians, to ver. 13. of Chap. 2. special, concerning particular duties, as they stand in special relation to others, ver. 13. of Chap. 2. to ver. 8. of Chap. 3. The general Exhortation is likewise twofold: For either it concerns the matter of holiness in this Chap. or the means of holiness, Chap. 2.1. to 13. In these words, and the rest that follow to the end of this Chapter, two things may be noted. First, the things to which he doth exhort. Secondly, the reasons, by which he doth enforce this Exhortation. The things to which he doth exhort are three. 1. The first concerns the renovation of the mind: gird up the loins of your mind. 2. The second concerns the moderation of life, Be sober. 3. The third the confirmation of hope, Trust perfectly, etc. The reasons are six, taken 1. From the image of God, ver. 14, 15, 16. 2. From the judgement of God, ver. 17. 3. From the redemption in Christ, ver. 18. to 22. 4. From the relation to the godly, ver. 22. 5. From the immortality of the soul, ver. 23. 6. From the immortality of the body, ver. 24, 25. Thus for the order: From the coherence diverse things may be noted. First, that we are seldom comforted, but we had need to be exhorted, so apt are our hearts to security, and so usual is it, that deadness of spirit should follow lively joys. Besides, Satan is aptest to cast in his base injections after any comfort, as it was with Paul after his revelations. Secondly, that the best use of Consolation, is to stir us up to godly conversation, and the settling of faith and hope; and thereby we may note a difference between the illusions of Satan, and the true comforts of the holy Ghost. Thirdly, that the meditation of the desire of the Angels, and the true Prophets of God should make us ashamed of the slowness of our hearts, and quicken us to gird up the loins of our minds. Gird up the loins of your minds. These words are metaphorical, and may be three ways interpreted. 1. First, hereby may be signified, that we should with all care lay hold upon God's covenant, and in our minds and affections embrace it: For the girdle upon jeremy's loins is a type of God's covenant with the people, jer. 13.11. 2. It may note the humiliation wherewith our minds and hearts should be abased before the Lord: so to gird the loins must be taken, Esay 32.11. 3. But thirdly and chiefly, hereby is signified the care we should have to remove all the impediments that might hinder faith and godliness: it being a metaphor taken from the manner of the Eastern people, who wore long garments, which till they were girded up, were a great hindrance both to labour and travail. 4. To these may be added, that it is used to note the watchful expectation of Christ's coming, Luke 12.35. And so in general we may here note, 1. That true godliness, and devotion, and faith have many hindrances: There are many lets in the way of life; never any could order their course so wisely, but they did find impediments. Use. The use is for confutation of such as find no hindrances: If it be the true grace of Christ, there are le's: a sign they are in a slumber, and know not the ways of heaven: these ways are straight and narrow. Secondly, for comfort and encouragement to the godly that are troubled with lets; it hath always been so, the godly were ever annoyed with the loins and long garments. 2. That the first care should be to be prepared, and resolved against these lets. 3. That these lets are daily, they are as the very garments of our backs. 4. That they may be many times about things that seem needful. 5. That of all the impediments of godliness, those that are within are the worst, therefore he saith, gird up your minds. Ill company, multitude of business, carnal counsel and friends, losses, disgraces, enemies, and wife, and farm, and riches, and pleasures, are great lets; so is the world, and the devil: but yet the worst are within the minds of men. And thus in general. Now in particular diverse things may be profitably considered. 1. For what men must be thus prepared and made ready. 2. What are the garments of the mind, or inward lets. 3. Why must they be girded up. 4. How must they be girded or restrained. 5. It is to be noted, that he saith, gird up, not cast off. 6. The Uses. For the first, this metaphor in the letter was used in those countries upon four occasions. 1. When they were to go a journey, 1 King. 4.29. & 9.1. 2. When they were to run a race. 1 King. 18.46. 3. When they were to fight a battle, 1 King. 2.1. 4. When they went to labour, Prov. 31.17. In all four senses spiritually we must have our minds girded and resolved against impediments; we are travellers, runners, labourers, fighters, and in all these respects we must be girded and addressed to them: we can never run the race of godliness, we can never do the works of godliness, we can never abide the hard strife, and fight of godliness and faith; we can never hold out in our journey to heaven, unless we daily strive against the hindrances that, will be cast in our way, I say daily, and inwardly. For the second: there are 14. internal lets of godliness: 12. of them employed in the comparison of long garments, 14 〈…〉. and 2. of them in the similitude of loins. The twelve inward lets are these: 1. Ignorance, a veil, Esay 25.8. it hinders, Eph. 4.17. 2. Carnal reason, 2 Cor. 2.18. 3. 〈◊〉 thoughts, or contemplative wickedness, I●r. 4.14. Gen. 6. & 8. 4. Security, mindlessness, incogitancy, which shows itself either by not heeding, or by not remembering, or by not resolving, or applying, or practising. 5. Love of the world: It is not much business, or wealth, or many occasions; but the love men have to the world, that hinders them. Cares of life. 6. Troubles of mind: disquietness of mind, worldly or causeless sorrows, impatiency, when men's uncircumcised minds will not bear the punishment of their sins. These hinder assurance, society, labour of godliness, L●v. 26.41. see the phrases used Prov. 15.15. Eccl. 2.23. 7. Fearfulness and doubts, fear of this trouble, and that disgrace, or difficulty, or ill success, etc. jer. 1.17. Rev. 21.8. 8. Hypocrisy: a double heart, a heart and a heart, allowance of distractions, & c&c This frustrates all for the present, and angers God. 9 Precipitation of mind, when men's haste is in them, as the Hebrew phrase is, job 20.2. Thus David said in excessumentis: it is translated, in his haste, I am cast out of thy sight: suddenness, rashness, adventurousnesse is hereby meant, Prov. 15.28. This hinders, 1. soundness of understanding, by exposing to tentation. 2. by leading out of the race. 10. Hardness of mind, opposed to fearing always, Prov. 28.14. unteachableness: the difficulty that is in men to be persuaded, or moved. 11. Discouragement, Heb. 12.13. 12. Consternation, or amazedness of mind: Luke 24.4. 2 Thes. 2.2. And when he saith not barely, gird up your minds, but the loins of the mind, it importeth two things. For the loins in the mind signify 1. heaviness, dulness: so the word used 2 Chron. 10.10. 2. concupiscence: these must especially be girded hard; yea all the rest must be girded upon these. Thirdly, we should gird up our minds for diverse reasons. 1. Because the mind not attended will else run into a secret frame of evil cogitations, or stand still in emptiness being not wound up. Why we must be so careful of our minds. 2. Because that which is halting may be turned out of the way, Heb. 12.13. 3. Because the mind in pollution, as it is most secret, so it is most loathsome, Tit. 1.15. Eph. 2.3. 4. Because else through custom we may come to a reprobate mind, Rom. 1. 5. Lastly, because the keeping of our minds is the keeping of our souls, Prov. 9.8. For the fourth, there are diverse rules to be observed for the girding up of our minds: we may gird up our minds diverse ways. 8 rules for girding up of the 〈◊〉. 1. By confessing and complaining of them (I mean of these secret impediments) unto God; one way to restrain them is to confess them. 2. By inflaming the love of God in our minds. For if we could love God with all our minds, we were safe from all impediments. 3. We must be sure we be renewed in our minds. For the old mind will never be girded up; we must be renewed in the spirit of our minds, that is, in our carnal reason: for that like an old belldam is the mother and nurse of all the rest, Eph. 4.23. 4. We must speak often with our minds, as the Hebrew phrase is, that is, we must observe, check, inform, consider, and direct our minds. 5. We must get the word of God written in our minds, and obey the motions of the Spirit, that law of our minds. 6. We must converse much with the godly, and wise, that they may stir up our minds, especially labouring to be of the same mind with them. 7. We must carefully put on that girdle of truth, mentioned Eph. 6. which is inward sincerity, which is a care speedily to strive against those inward corruptions daily, and with strength of resolution. 8. Lastly, in this text two things are exceedingly available: viz. 1. sobriety in the use of earthly things: 2. and perfect assurance of God's favour and glory to come. It is want of settled assurance, and the love of earthly things, that so much entangles men with the hurt of all sorts of impediments. The fifth thing to be observed is, that he saith, gird up, and not cast off, importing, that in this life, even in the godly, there is not a perfect deliverance from the inward strife with hindrances that arise from our corrupt nature: Those garments they have still, but they are girded up, which is true of the most of the impediments mentioned before. The Use is for great reproof of our incredible slackness herein the most Use. of us, who know not of any lets in our mind; never observe ignorance, carnal reason, security, love of earthly things, worldly sorrow, hypocrisy, precipitation, discouragement, dulness, and evil thoughts. Those of us that do discern them, how weak are our hearts? how do we trifle? we feel them not to be a burden: we resist them not in the beginning. How justly might God leave us to a very reprobate mind for our slackness herein even of knowledge? How justly might we be left to ourselves, and so be turned out of the way, and there left either never to return, or not without unspeakable horror of conscience. Secondly, let us be warned, and stir up ourselves in a daily care in the way to heaven, and the labour of godliness. Let us consider, that this is given us here in charge in the very first place, as the ground of all the rest: in vain to expect holiness of life, if we look not to the daily lets of godliness. And the rather let us be encouraged hereunto, because though we have these things in us, yet if we use the means to gird them up, it will not hinder our acceptation with God, nor the success of our godly profession. Be sober.] There is a sixfold sobriety. 1. Sobriety in opinions, of which the Apostle saith, be wise to sobriety, Rom. 12.3. This hath in it, A sixfold sobriety. 1. A fear to conceive of God or godliness, after any senseless or unwarranted course. 2. A repressing of that itching desire after the knowledge of God's secrets, or hidden things, Deut. 29. ult. 3. Modesty in venting our opinions, or delivering our judgement. 4. A suspending in doubtful things. 5. A yielding upon employed dangers in things indifferent, as in reformation of such abuses as we see good men condemn, though we have not express Scripture: A singular waywardness in many, they will not leave their faults till direct Scripture be brought against it, as in vanity of apparel, etc. 2. Sobriety in prayer, 1 Pet. 4.7. and to be sober in prayer is, 1. to be advised and deliberate; desirous to pray according to Gods will. 2. It is not to be intemperate or peevish, as jonah was. 3. It is to be stayed, and settled, and established in persuasion, not wavering, & unconstant, or tossed with doubts and causeless fears. 4. It is to pray with due respect of God's Majesty, without trifling or vain babbling: it is to let our words be few, Eccles. 5.5. 5. It is to keep God's counsel, not to be proud, or boast of success, or speak of the secret sweetness of God's love without calling: it is to conceal the familiarity of God in secret. 3. Sobriety in the practice of godliness: in general this the Apostle calls holiness with sobriety, 1 Tim. 3.15. which stands, 1. in lowliness of mind, and sense of our own vileness: it is to be holy without vainglorious boasting. 2. In keeping the bounds of the Word both for sins and duties: it is to take heed of fancies, or vain stretching out of our practice to avoid such things as any way the word condemns: so in duties. 3. In not meddling with the business of others: it is not to be a busy body, to spend ourselves in prying, or censuring, or enquiring after others: It is a vile thing to s●ffer as a busy body, 1 Pet. 4. 4. In avoiding rash zeal and indiscretion in the circumstances of well-doing. The word is sometimes rendered discreet, as Tit. 2.5. and vigilant, ver. 2. 5. In not judging, Gal. 6.1, 2. 4. Sobriety in respect of the pleasures and delights of this life: and to be sober in them is, Tit. 2.12. 1 Thes. 5.6,8. Rules about recreations. 1. To let the Word of God be our rule for the matter of them, not to delight in unlawful pleasures, as chambering and wantonness, or unlawful sports and games that are of ill fame. 2. To restrain our affections in the use of them: to use them as though we used them not, not suffering our hearts to be stolen away by them. 3. To restrain the excessive use of them, not to make a vocation of them, a special sin in the Gentry of this land, and their followers. 4. To be well advised for the circumstances, the place, time, company, and such like; that we neither ensnare ourselves, nor give occasion of offence. 5. To restrain the passions that use to break out about them, that they be not occasions of discord or contempt, as Envy, or any evil affection. 6. Not to make merchandise of them, as to use their sports as means of gaining from others. 7. To use our delights with consideration of our callings, as Ministers, children, women, servants, etc. that which may be comely in others, may not be so many times, and in many things, in these. 5. There is sobriety in apparel, 1 Tim. 2.9, 10. Rules about apparel. This sobriety hath in it four things: 1. Comeliness, which takes order for both extremes, that our apparel be neither rude to dishonour our body, nor strange for the unwontedness or unseemliness of it. 2. Shame fastness and modesty, which takes order 1. that our apparel be not the apparel of another sex, Deut. 22.5. 2. or of known dissolute persons: modest women may not go as whores go. 3. that it tend no way to provoke inordinate desires in ourselves or others, as painting, perfuming, naked breasts, etc. The third thing is frugality, which hath respect, 1. to our degree, that we go not above it: 2. to our ability in that degree, as if we be in debt, or of less means than others of that degree. 3. to the rate of our expenses: for to spend as much as the foremost in our rank is no sobriety, though we observe the two former rules. It is sobriety not to be so costly or brave as others, as we by our degree might be. The fourth thing is piety: a Christian should in his very apparel proclaim his religion, not only by the moderation of it, but by a free willingness to do good to any, and by professing to know a greater comeliness, even the decking of the hid man of the heart, and the ornament of good works. For the clear understanding of this doctrine concerning apparel 4. rules are to be observed. 1. That whereas the Word of God doth not precisely tell what apparel we should wear: the judgement and example of the wisest and godliest men in the country where we live is to be followed. 2. That the sin reacheth as well to men as to women. For whereas the Scripture for the most part reproveth or directeth women for their apparel, it was because men in those times did less exceed; but now that men are grown so effeminate, the censure lights upon them as well as women. 3. That sin 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 diverse reasons why we should make conscience even of our apparel. Reasons against the vanity of apparel. 1. Here it is a part of our sobriety. 2. Nothing is required of us more than what is required of all that fear God, and is observed by many that might stand upon it as well as we. 3. We are forbidden to fashion ourselves 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 believe 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 apparel is the fruit of our sin; and shall the thief be proud of his halter? 7. Vain apparel begets in us pride, vain thoughts, lust, and many inconveniences, especially if we persist in it against our conscience. 8. Sobriety in apparel is a singular praise, an alluring virtue. The sixth thing is sobriety in meats and drinks, and so restraineth both gluttony and drunkenness, but especially the later, Luke 21.24. Rom. 13.13. Reasons against drunkenness. There are many reasons against drunkenness. 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 transforms 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 darkness, yea it is dishonesty, Rom. 13.13. 2. Fron the time, 1. Of committing it, they were wont to be drunk in the night, 1 Thes. 5.7. as they commit whoredom, 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. Internal. 1. It takes away the heart of a man: first from himself; it swallows him up, Esay 28.7.2. from God's service, Host 4.11. 3. from the consideration of God's judgements, 1. present, Esay 5.11. & 56.12. 2. the last judgement, and his own end, Luke 21.34. 4. from the care of his own happiness, Amos 5.6.1.4. 2. It breeds rage, Prov. 20.1. 3. It breeds lust and filthy desires, Prov. 23.29. 4. It wonderfully besots a man, Prov. 20.1. & 23. ult. 2. external. 1. It draws a man out of the way of salvation, Esay 28.7. 2. It breeds vomiting and vile uncleanness 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. joel 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 general, Esay 5.11. 10. It breeds damnation both of body and soul, 1 Cor. 6.10. Ob. But I am not drunk, I can carry it and go away. Sol. Woe to them that are strong to drink wine, etc. Esay 5.22. Ob. But I do not drink so excessively, I only sit in the alehouse, and now and then drink but a little. Sol. Drink is one of the lusts of the Gentiles as well as drunkenness, and to sit at it is accursed, Esay 5.11. Ob. But I never drink myself, 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 do I drink much. Sol. He is accursed, that eateth and drinketh with the drunken, that companieth with them, Mat. 24.49. Use. Use 1. For drunkards to beware and take heed, and if it be possible to get out of the snare of the devil; especially let those monsters be warned, 1. that are usually drunk: 2. that take a pride in drinking, Esay 28.1. Secondly, for masters of families to restrain these abuses, and to this end, 1. to restrain the liberties of their buttery and cellars: 2. to restrain their v●ry going to drinking houses, or else to cast them out of their houses, Psal. 101. Thirdly, for Churchwardens and Justices of Peace to see the reformation of this, to search and inquire from day to day, and especially to look to the houses that entertain such, else they are guilty of all the drunkenness, and filthiness is committed without punishment. Lastly, if the Lord have kept, any of us from this vice, be thankful, and show our subjection also in the former rules. Trust perfectly on the grace which is to be brought unto you in the revelation of jesus 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 forgiveness of all sins, and eternal salvation of our souls, which is called the hope of eternall●life, Tit. 1.2. Hope itself is one of the three principal graces: Faith, Hope, and Charity comprehends the substance of all holiness; but of hope in itself, 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 adds the perfection of our hope in God for salvation; we may observe, First, that a sober and temperate life is not enough to salvation; one may be free from drunkenness, and excess in gaming, and voluptuousness, and yet be in a miserable case: we must get faith and hope also; as he said of peace Heb. 12.14. so may I say of sobriety. Secondly, that unless we order our minds, and moderate our lives, we cannot ever attain to establishment of our hope of a better life. Thirdly, yea he teacheth us herein not to rest in the present gain of godliness, as to look upon the present grace, but still to hasten to the grace that is yet to be revealed. True grace should not so satisfy us, as to make us neglect the expectation and desire of heaven. Thus much for the coherence. But yet the main doctrine that the Apostle persuades unto, is, that we should seriously labour to perfect our trust and hope of a better life; that we should not be quiet, till we had established our hearts in the assurance of it. Being converted, God would have us set ourselves, as it were, wholly after heaven. For the explanation of this doctrine, I consider, 1. What it is to trust perfectly on the grace of God. 2. Why we should be so constant and confident in it. 3. How we should show it, that we do trust perfectly. 4. What we may do to attain this assurance, etc. For the first: To trust perfectly, is 1. To hope and trust upon it sincerely, and that hath two things in it: Five things in a perfect trust. For first it is to trust upon it without hypocrisy. 2. To trust upon it without profaneness. Without hypocrisy we trust upon eternal life, when we do it not only in words, or in show, but when we do it not without warrant from God's promises. Many men are confident of their salvation, but alas it is but in show or in words only; for their own hearts believe it not, or if they do, they hope upon unknown means without any ground of warrant from the Word. 3. To hope without profaneness, is to bring such a trust as is joined with a care of holiness of life; care of such a conversation, a● may some way become the glory we look for. It is not to turn the grace of God ●nto wantonness, or to make the doctrine of our salvation by Christ a doctrine of liberty for the flesh. 2. To trust perfectly upon salvation is to get a full assurance of hope: it is to trust without wavering or doubtfulness. 3. It is to hope continually, to hope to the end, as some read it here It is to hope in all estates, whatsoever befalls us either internally or externally. 4. It is to trust wholly upon it, even to trust upon nothing else: it is to withdraw our hearts from confidence in any earthly thing whatsoever, so to esteem it, as to care for nothing else. 5. It is to trust servently; not coldly, or dully, but with a lively hope, and inflamed affections. For the second: There are many reasons why we should be so sincere, so fully assured, 2 Reasons to trust perfectly on the grace is to be revealed. so constant in our hope of eternal life. Some few I will touch. 1. Because God requires it, as may appear by these places, Heb. 6.11, 18. & 10.23. Col. 1.23. & 2.2. Rom. 15.13. Heb. 3.6. Psal. 71.14. 2. Because we are saved by hope, Rom. 8.24. 3. Because the ministration of the Gospel is so glorious: therefore it is a shame to be ignorant of what is so fully and clearly revealed by the commandment of God, 2 Cor. 3.10, 12. 4. Because Christ is our hope of glory: It is a dishonour to his merits to doubt of it, Col. 1.27. 5. Because our perfect happiness consists only in that grace of God: we shall never be perfectly well till we get into heaven. 6. Because our trust will be tried and opposed by tentations and afflictions: it is good to get on our helmet, for we shall be sure to fight, and the combat will be sore: a little hope will not serve turn, 1 Thes. 5.8. 7. Because else we dishonour the promise and oath of God, Heb. 6.18. For the third: we shall show it, that we do trust perfectly upon the glory to come: 〈…〉 hope. 1. If we can rejoice in it even in tribulation, being not ashamed of our estate whatsoever befall us, Rom. 5.3, 5. & 12.12. 1 Thes. 1.5. using it as an ancre, Heb. 6.18. 1 Tim. 4.10. 2. If we can u●e with all humility, and honour all the heirs of the same hope with us: If we can love the poor servants of God, and be affected to them, as if they were already in heaven; this would be an excellent sign, that we trust in this grace to come, Eph. 4.4. Heb. 6.10, 11. 3. If we mourn not immoderately for the dead, 1 Thes. 4.13. 4. If we can constantly acknowledge the truth that is according to godliness, whatsoever the world think or do, Tit. 1.1, 2. 5. If we daily look for, and haste to that blessed appearing of jesus Christ, Tit. 2.13. 6. If we can keep our confidence though God himself seem to oppose us, as Job said, If he kill me, yet I will trust in him, job 13.15. 7. If we can withdraw our hearts from the care and love of this world, out of estimation of that glory to come, Heb. 11.15, 16. 8. If we can get the mastery of the fear of death, so as to rejoice in the very condition of our flesh, resolving that our flesh shall rest in hope, Psal. 16.9. 9 If our conversation be in heaven, and our hearts run daily upon it, Phil. 3.21. 4 〈…〉. For the fourth▪ that we may attain this steadfastness and full assurance of hope, five things are to be done: 1. We must acquaint ourselves much with the comfortable promises of the Scripture concerning eternal life in Christ, Rom. 15.4. 2. We must try ourselves, whether we have true grace or no, 1 Thes. 2.16. 3. We must pray unto the God of hope to give us his Spirit of revelation, that we may know the hope of our calling, and accordingly may find all peace and joy in believing it, Eph. 1.18. Rom. 15.13. 4. We should labour to be established in all well-doing, even in every good work and word, 2 Thes. 2. ult. denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and living soberly, and righteously, and religiously in this present world, or else we can never attain this blessed hope, Tit. 2.12, 13. 5. We must hold fast our hope when we have it, and not cast it away upon any occasion, Heb. 6.18. Heb. 3. The Use may be, First, for confutation of popish doctrine about the hope of salvation, Use. and that in two points. First, that they make hope to differ from faith in infallibility, as if faith were certain, but hope conjectural: whereas we see perfection, and full assurance, and not wavering, is given to hope as well as by faith; and so it shows the tenure by hope, is as certain and infallible as by faith. Secondly, in that they deny that men can be certain infallibly of their salvation, their hope can be but probable; we see we are charged to mend that fault in our hope, and to perfect it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. and get even a plerophory of hope to the end, Heb. 6.11. Secondly, it may serve for humiliation to four sorts of men amongst us. 1. The first is hypocrites, who bear but the show of hope, or have but the bare words of hope: what will become of them, when God shall take away their souls, job 27.8. their hope will be as the house of a spider, job 8.13. and as the giving up of the ghost, job 11.2. 2. The second is open profane persons, that never made any show or conscience of repentance. These are without hope, Eph. 2.12. so far are they from a perfect hope, they are sure to lose heaven, 1 Cor. 6.9. Deut. 29.19 etc. 3. Of weak and wayward Christians. This doctrine should found in their ears as a great reproof, Why do ye doubt, oh ye of little hope? doth God require a perfect hope, and are ye still after so many days so much unsettled, unperfected? We should account it a great shame to have but a little hope, especially after so long profession, and so much means, and so many pledges of God's love. 4. Of backsliding Christians that fall away; or to ●se the phrase of the Apostle, are moved away from the hope of heaven, either internally by an habitual forgetfulness of it, or externally by revolt or apostasy to the love of the world: These are so far from perfecting their assurance, that they fall away from it. Thirdly, this should serve for instruction to quicken us to use all means for perfecting of our hope, devoting ourselves to the study of heavenly things, and to the daily contemplation of the glory to come, according to the counsel of the Apostle, Heb. 6.11. not suffering slothfulness to hinder from the serious performance of our duties herein, ver. 12. Lastly, here is great encouragement to all such of God's servants, as do trust upon God for their salvation: the Lord will never fa●le them that trust in him and whatsoever become of the hypocrite, yet will he never cast away the perfect man, job 8.13, 20. If God require so great trust, it imports there is a sure preparation of a glorious estate. Oh saith the Psalmist, how great is his goodness that he hath laid up for them that trust in him, Psal. 31.19. Thus of the m●nner of our hope, Trust perfectly. Now followeth the object of it, viz. The grace which is to be brought unto us in the revelation of jesus Christ: and here first of the object itself, and then of the time of the communication of it. The grace which is to be brought unto you. Grace sometimes signifies the Gospel, What grace signifies in the several 〈…〉 of it. Tit. 2.11. sometimes the favour of God in Christ, so in the salutations of the Epistle: sometimes an external calling or function so Paul calls his Apostleship a grace, Rom. 1.16. sometimes the gifts of the holy Ghost, so usually: lastly, sometimes the glory of heaven, so here. It is true, that some read it, the grace that is brought in the revelation of jesus Christ: and so it means that true grace which in this world the Elect do receive, when Christ is revealed to them in their conversion to God by the mighty power of the Gospel: and so four things might be observed: 1. That God revealeth his Son in all that shall be saved at some time of their life or other. 2. That Christ is never revealed in us till the time the grace of the sanctifying Spirit be wrought in us, and the riches of God's graces in his promises be declared to us. For there is a double grace in the revelation of Christ. 1 The declaration of God's grace in his promises. 2. The possession of the graces of his holy Spirit. 3. That were not, this grace is brought unto us, offered and urged upon us, we would live and die without it. 4. That when we know our interest in God's favour, and that we have received the true grace of Christ, we should trust perfectly in it, and that i● all the four senses before opened. But I take it in the sense as it is rendered by the King's Translators, and so understand it of the glory of heaven, which is to be considered both in the nature of it, it is called grace; and the time of manifestation, not on●●y in general, that is to be brought unto us: but in special, at the revelation of jesus Christ. The glory of h●av●n c●ll●d g●a●e in three respects. Grace.] The glory of heaven is called grace in three respects. 1. Because it is given freely without our deserts, as the Scriptures prove, Eph. 2.5.8. Tit. 2.11. Rom. 4.16. & 5.21. 2. Because it is assured unto us by grace: as the body of Christ is called bread, because it is signified by it; so our hope and everlasting consolation is assured by grace, 2 Thes. 2.16. 3. Because grace and holiness is the greatest part of the kingdom of heaven. For righteousness is the main thing wherein the kingdom of God consists: as the image of God in the creation was Adam's greatest happiness, not Paradise only, see Psal. 17. ult. Rom. 14.17.1 P●t. 3.7. & 5.10. Uses. The Uses are, 1. We should therefore disclaim al● conceit of our own merit's, and use our hearts to it affectionately, to profess that we are all that we are only by the grace of God, 1 Cor. 15.10. 2. It should inflame our thankfulness: we should never be without this sacrifice, considering we have so great inheritance by the mere grace of God in Christ. It is worth the noting, that the same word for thankfulness doth signify grace in the original. 3. We should have our conversation according to the grace of God, 2 Cor. 1. 12. seeing grace is that which will live by us for ever, we should be taken up with a perpetual care of getting and increasing of it. 4. Seeing God doth all for us freely, w● should be importunate in prayer that he would make us worthy of the 〈…〉 him to fulfil all the goo● pleasure of his own goodness, especially the work● of our faith with power, that h●● name and grace may be glorified in u●, 2 The●. ●. 11, 12. 7▪ Th●ngs 〈◊〉 should 〈◊〉 Gods 〈…〉. 5. We should learn to show mercy as God doth. 1. Though they deserve it not. 2. In gr●at abundance. 3. In matters of holiness as much as any other way, it being the best means to show mercy to the souls of men. 4. To bring it to them, not tarry till it be sought of us. 5. In the most seasonable time: God doth not give heaven, or his blessings all at once, as men do their works of mercy all at one time of the year. 6. With constancy: God will never leave till they be in heaven. 7. With faith and faithfulness: so as promised mercy may be trusted on without fail; God never disappoints after he hath promised, we may trust perfectly on it. Which is to be brought unto you. From the manner of the propounding of the words diverse things may be noted. 1. That the Christians happiness in hope is better than the carnal man's felicity present: They must trust upon the grace to be brought; yea so a● they trust not in any thing el●e. For they are sure to have their happiness, and to enjoy it when they have it: so are not carnal men of any thing they hold, as we may see by experience. Is it not better for a poor man to have the hope of heaven when h● dies, then to be as some great men have been, which are now confounded and mined? 2. God hath thought it meet to defer the glory of heaven: it is to be brought, it is not brought already. If any a●ke, why God doth not give heaven, Quest. as soon as he gives grace and favour, I answer: Answ. Why God giveth not heaven as soon as he giveth grace and favour. 1. That God thereby doth give way unto the kingdom of Christ, for the exercise of it on earth in gathering the Elect, and subduing his enemies, which when it is done he will deliver the Kingdom into his Father's hands, and th●n God shall be all in all. 2. It is deferred, that so God might make evident proof of the faith and patience of his servants, and to show that they stand by a better grace than they had in their creation. But what should I wade into this point? It is enough for us, that it is the pleasure of Gods will it should be so, and it is equal we should do our work before we receive our wages. 3. It shows, that the Maker and Builder of that happiness is God, and that our glory is made ready to our hands. 4. It imports, that as in the state of nature we cared not for grace; so in the state of grace we are not so careful as we should be of going to heaven: wh●n we are justified, and sanctified, we forget heaven: it must be brought unto us, we will scarce go seek it. 5. It shows, ●u● security and forgetfulness shall not make the faith of God of none ●ffect: it shall certainly be brought unto us. 6. Lastly, we may here gather one way of comforting ourselves against the infirmity that accompany our natures; that when we feel our weaknesses, yet we should be comforted in the hope of the strength we shall have. Art th●u humbled for thy ignorance? why rejoice in the knowledge thou shalt have. And so I say of the untowardness of thy nature to good: think of the time when Christ shall be perfectly form in thee: think of the grace shall be brought unto thee, if thou be discouraged, and never of 〈…〉. ●t the revelation of jesus Christ. That i● at the day of judgement. Doct. Why ●h● day of judgement is called the revelation of jesus Christ. The day of judgement shall be a time of wonderful revelation. For then, 1. 〈◊〉 glory of his person which he hath received of the Father in heaven sh●ll ●e revealed. 2. The terror of Christ as a Judge shall then be fully expressed. The world little know● the terror of that day. He came not at the first coming to judge the world that is yet to be revealed. 3. The g●●ry of the body of Christ (the Church) shall then be revealed, when we shall ●ee all the societies of all ages together in one army. 2. All the good they have all done shall be fully opened. 3. All the glory of heaven shall then ●e e●●ated upon them. 4. The everlasting counsels of God shall then be broken open, and explained to the eternal clearing of God's justice, and the exalting of the praise of his mercy. Use. The Use may be, 1. For information: we may see one reason why Christ's Kingdom and the righteousness thereof is so securely contemned of the world: It is because a veil is as it were drawn over Christ that they cannot behold him: and so we may see one reason why we are not more inflamed to the personal love of Christ: it doth not yet appear what we shall be by his merits, nor have we seen the exceeding glory of the only begotten Son of God. 2. For instruction: we should long after that day: if Christ be so good unto us now, oh what will he be at that day? If in this life holy men could say of him, as Paul did Phil. 3.9. what shall we say or think of him, but as worth ten thousand worlds in comparison? In the mean while, let us be content that our life be bid with Christ in God, knowing that when he shall appear, we shall also appear with him in glory. Verse 14. etc. As obedient children not fashioning yourselves unto the former lusts of your ignorance. HItherto of the three things to which the Apostle exhorts. The reasons follow, whereof the first is contained in these verses, and it is taken from the image of God, in which Gods children ought to resemble him: they should strive against all inward evils, and refrain all the excesses of life, and address themselves with all care and confidence to the provision of a better life, because they are begotten again unto God, and it is required of them that they should be holy as he is holy. This reason is both propounded and expounded: propounded in these words, as obedient children: It is expounded two ways, 1. By description, 2. By proof or testimony. It is described negatively and affirmatively: by negation he shows what we should shun, viz. fashioning yourselves according to the lusts of your former ignorance: Affirmatively he sets it out by showing, 1. the pattern to be imitated: 2. and the manner of our imitation. The pattern is the holiness of him that called us: The manner is to be holy in all manner of conversation. Thus of the description. For the proof 2. things are to be considered. 1. Whence the proof is fetched, ●n these word, As it is written. 2. What is alleged in these words, Be ye holy as I am holy. As obedient children. These two words import a twofold consideration: 1. they are the children of God: 2. you must obey as children. The first point gives an occasion to consider of three things. 1. That God hath children, not only Christ his natural Son, and the Angels his sons by creation, but the Saints also by adoption and regeneration. 2. That it behoves Christians to seek and know their adoption to be the sons of God. It is wonderful to think of the almost infinite carelessness of men, that can hear of so great felicity, as the adoption of sinful men to be the sons of God, and yet there is no heart in man to seek after it. 3. In that the Apostle applies the consideration hereof to persuade to holiness of life, it shows, that the assurance of God's favour as our Father, doth kindle obedience, and make us more fit for all well-doing, as these places prove. 1 Thes. 1.5, 6, 7. 2 Pet. 1.8, 9, 10. 1 Cor. 2.12, 14. 2 Tim. 1.12. Heb. 10.22. Use. The Use is, First for confutation of their fancies, that think assurance would breed security, and that it is better to be a little doubtful then fully resolved: whereas both Scripture and experience is against it; yea there is a secret corruption in the hearts of the very godly herein, nourished perhaps by the devil. But let us be fully persuaded to pray with all importunity, that God would give us this knowledge. But I have felt more hardness of heart, Object. and corruption of nature since assurance, than I had before. First, examine thy heart, whether thou call not peace of conscience by the name of hardness of heart. Solut. Of those that think they feel more hardness of heart after assurance than before. 2. Know, that hardness of heart, and unfitness to holy duties is in us by nature, and is not taken away by assurance; neither is thy case the worse, that thou feelest it more now then before. For that may import more softness of heart. 3. Consider, that God may withhold his comforts, and lead thee to some tentations to try thee, whether thou wilt believe without feelings: It is not strange for God's servants after their greatest comforts to be assailed with greatest trials. For so after forgiveness of sins, we are taught to look for tentations, and pray against them in the Lord's prayer: as Christ was tempted presently after his confirmation in Baptism: Paul soiled with vile tentations after his revelations: David afflicted worse than before after his anointing. 4. It will be profitable to set thy heart in some order, and by examination and particular judging of thyself, resisting evil, to reduce thyself into a better frame, and order of well-doing. Thus of the first point. For the second: we may here observe, that the image of God in us consists in obeying God with the obedience of children, where two things may be noted. 1. The imperfection of our obedience, it is but as the conformity that is in children to the holiness either inherent, Our obedience must be ●he obedience of children in six respects. or prescribed by the Parent. 2. The manner of the truth of our obedience, and so there are six things imported in that similitude, which must be in our obedience. 1. It must proceed from love to God and goodness, not for servile ends. 2. It must be without distrustful care about success in outward things, or a present reward of well-doing: so is it in a child. 3. With constancy: a child is not hired for a day, or a year, to give over upon a quarter's warning. 4. With humility and fear. 5. With faith or some persuasion of acceptation. 6. In all things: so do Children. Not fashioning yourselves according to the lusts of your former ignorance. One great part of our holiness, and God's image in us, is to keep ourselves free from the lusts of our former ignorance, that is, from the power of such sins as we were specially guilty of before our callings, or are specially hateful in unregenerate men. Before I enter upon the particular opening of the words, in general these things may be observed. 1. That it is a singular dishonour to our holy profession, for such as profess sincerity in their carriage, to relapse into the similitude of carnal men, and to bear again the image of the old Adam, or to fall to the sins again, they have repent of in profession. 2. That after calling we must not only avoid the foul acts of evil, but strive against the power of lusts of evil, even against the power of internal concupiscence. In particular I consider in these words three things. 1. The evils to be eschewed: viz. lusts, and former lusts. 2. The manner of eschewing : not fashion yourselves. 3. The motive: they were the fruits of former ignorance. For the first I propound three things to be also considered. 1. What those lusts are of our former lives, which are so hateful after calling, and do so oppose the image of God in us. 2. What reasons there are to move us so carefully to preserve ourselves against them. 3. What means we should use to be kept from them. For the first. By lusts here the Apostle 1. May mean those gross sins, which before calling, while they were wicked, some of them lived in, such as were whoredom, drunkenness, covetousness, railings, etc. For these and such as these in the fourth Chapter he calleth lusts of the Gentiles, and such were some of them, 1 Cor. 6.9. Lust signifies sometimes all sorts of sins, Ephes. 4.22. Tit. 2.12. It is true, it is a most lamentable grief to see God's children fall into gross and soul evils, and to run with the times in the same excess of riot and disorder; I say it is lamentable both in respect of the scandal of it, and in respect of the wound it makes in the conscience, and in respect of the fierce judgement of God, wherewith he doth pursue it: but I think this is not here meant, or not chiefly. For this is not enough to show that we bear the image of Christ after calling, that we are free from outward gross sins, but he goeth further, and therefore 2. He doth mean those inward evil desires which deform and disfigure a Christian, especially when they show themselves outwardly by any signs or fruits of them: Thus are they called affections, Gal. 5.24. and thus there are diverse sorts of Lusts especially hateful after calling. Sorts of lust hateful after calling. 1. The love of worldliness, and the love of earthly things: the relapsing to the desire after earthly things, when it is immoderate. It is a most lamentable thing to see a Christian that professeth the assurance of a better life, lie digging like a mole in the earth, etc. Eph. ●. 3, 4. Ier 46. 2. The lusts of envy, strife, and malice, 1 Cor. 3.3. Rom. 13.13. 3. The lusts of vainglory and conceitedness, Gal. 5.24, 25, 26. 4. The lusts of uncleanness and impurity, Rom. 13.13. Col. 3.5. 5. The lust of Epicurism, viz. the desire to far deliciously, and to wear dainty apparel. This was Dives his lust, Luke 16. 6. The lust of the eye, 1 joh. 2.16. It is wonderful unseemly to behold any of these in Christians. The reasons why we should be so careful to avoid these lusts, are Eight reasons why w● should avoid lust after 〈◊〉. 1. It is the special will of God, and a special part of our sanctification, 1 Thes. 4.3, 4. 2. These defile the soul, and make it ill-favoured like a leprosy, Matth. 15.19, 20. 3. These are works of the flesh, Gal. 5. and fruits of corruption in nature, called lust o● concupiscence: the unclean issue they are, of our corrupt and putrified natures: the devil is the father of them, and the flesh is the mother: it is to bear the image of Satan, joh. 8.44. 4. These fight against the soul as well as gross evils, 1 Pet. 2.12. 5. The Apostle disgraceth them by saying they are foolish and noisome: and so they are in their nature and effect, 1 Tim. 6.9. 6. These hinder the efficacy of God's ordinances; as the word, 2 Tim. 3. 6. Mar. 4.19. prayer, jam. 4.1, 3, 4. 7. These lusts will quickly entice, and be enticed, and quicken, yea and bring forth too, if they be not watchfully suppressed, jam. 1.15, 16. As in this late instance; Lust begat chambering: Chambering begat sorcery: Note. Sorcery begat whoredom: Whoredom begat desire of divorce: Desire of divorce begat murder: Murder begat the unknown villainies. 8. Here lieth the proof of our sincerity in Christ, 4.21, 22. Now there are four Preservatives to keep us from the power of these lusts. Four preservatives against lust. 1. The sound knowledge of God's Word. For as it is Ignorance that first bred them, so is it knowledge that both drives them out, and keeps them out, Prov. 2.1, 3, 4. etc. Psal. 119.9. especially the promises, 2 Cor. 7.1. 2 Pet. 1.3. 2. Meditation of our short continuance in this world, 1 Pet. 2.12. 1 joh. 2.17. 3. To walk before God, and to keep ourselves in the way of the righteous, conversing with the wise and mortified, shunning the company of the wicked and dissolute. 4. By confession and godly sorrow to beat down, and crucify our flesh, and the lusts thereof, when they begin to rise. Thus of the matter to be avoided, viz. The lusts of their former ignorance. The manner follows, viz. not to be fashioned unto them; which imports, Fashioning of ourselves to sin hath 7. things in it. that they should not give themselves over out of the liking of sin to the service and obedience of it. For to fashion ourselves to evil hath in it diverse things. 1. The imagining of mischief : praeconsideration, deliberation: the frame of evil. 2. An admiration of the beauty of sin, a liking of it, a secret inward high estimation of it, a kind of adoring of the felicity contained in it, a contemplative delight in it. 3. A taking care to perform it, and accomplish it. 4. A framing and ordering of our affairs, that they may be obeyed, and the inward frame effected. 5. A constancy in all this to be every day striving about it. 6. A pursuing of sin, though we be disappointed or cloyed in the enjoying of it. 7. A laying down of all our armour, and not resisting it. The Use of this is: Use. 1. For information: we may here note impliedly, that God's servants have their frailties after calling, in that he doth only exhort from fashioning ourselves to sin. 2. For trial: Art thou grieved for thy daily sins and wants, How to know whether one sin presumptuousty or no. and dost thou foare thou dost sin presumptuously? here thou mayest try thyself by 1. enquiring, whether thou fall to thy old sins or no. 2. whether thou sin with study and deliberation. 3. whether thou admire sin, and accordingly favour it, and delight in it. 4. whether thou take care for it, being vexed if thou be crossed in it, & casting about for all ways to accomplish it. 5. whether thou yield thyself to it, as a servant to obey it, or rather as a child of disobedience to be framed according to it. 6. whether thou refuse to bear arms against it. 7. and lastly, continue in the love of it, though thou be disappointed. For if thou bear arms against it, and art thankful when thou art disappointed, and dost not by covenants yield thyself to it, nor place thy happiness in it, or not sin by deliberation; it is certain thy sins are but of infirmity. But chose, if these things be in thee before condemned, thou sinnest presumptuously. Here also men may try, whether they decline or no after calling. 3. We should be here informed to take heed of any of these degrees of sin, and by a daily watch to look to ourselves, that we be not overcome of the deceitfulness of sin, and be thankful to God, if thy sins get not this head in thee; or if they have, dally no longer, but repent: For certainly thou art fallen away, inquire no further into it, but repent and amend. 4. Lastly, here is employed, wherein the holiness of a Christian doth consist, viz. 1. To be free from the power of his old corruptions. 2. To fashion himself to the law of God, and the law of his mind: It doth not consist in the perfect resembling of the holiness of God's law, but in a desire and daily endeavour to fit and frame himself more and more to the holiness set before him, and that daily striving still to come nearer and nearer to the pattern. Ignorance.] There are three sorts of ignorance. 1. There is a profitable ignorance. 2. There is an ignorance of mere negation, that is no sin. 3. There is a ignorance of corrupt disposition. There is a profitable ignorance, viz. not to know evil: so it had been good for Adam never to have known evil by experience: so had it been good for the jews, if they had never known the fashions of the Gentiles: and in some respect for Apostates, if they had never known the truth, 2 Pet. 2.21. There is also an ignorance of mere negation, as Christ knew not the day of Judgement, and husbandmen know not Physic, or Astronomy, etc. and yet sin not. But most usually ignorance is taken in the third sense, to note, that want of knowledge is joined with evil disposition also: and so it is taken here. Now this ignorance is either of frailty, or of wilfulness and presumption: The one is in the godly after calling, and they pray against it, and confess it, and mourn for it; and the other is in wicked men, and they like themselves well enough notwithstanding; yea they refuse the knowledge of God's ways, and willingly live without knowledge; and this latter is here meant. Quest. But why is ignorance named as the special sin to set out their unregenerate estate, seeing they were guilty of many other sins? Answ. Why ignorance of all the sins of unregenerate men is rather named. Not because men sin only by ignorance, as the Platonists think; but 1. It may be the holy Ghost doth of purpose do it to aggravate the hatefulness of the sin, because men use to excuse it, and make light of it. 2. Because it is a sin none are free from: If he had named whoredom, or drunkenness, etc. many unregenerate men would have pleaded not-guilty. 3. This sin serves more to taunt and reproach the rebellious nature of man: It was the knowledge of good and evil that Adam so much aspired unto, and lo now he and all his were set in gross ignorance, as the just fruit of aspiring after forbidden knowledge. 4. Because ignorance is the mother and nurse of all sorts of sins, as these places show, Eph. 4.18, 19 2 Pet. 2.12. Psal. 36.2, 3, 4. Quest. But have unregenerate men no knowledge, that he thus directly chargeth the unregenerate estate of the very Elect with ignorance? Answ. Yes, they have some knowledge: For they are wise to do evil, and they may have great knowledge and learning in Arts and Sciences; and they may have excellent civil knowledge to manage civil affairs, and may abound in skill to get money and advance their estates: and they have in matters of religion the light of nature, and the general grounds of knowledge of the principles in Scripture: yea they may razed of the good word of God, and the powers of the life to come: But yet they are justly taxed with ignorance, because they know no● God as a Father by the light of faith, nor whom he hath sent Christ jesus: and beside, they have no desire nor delight to know their own iniquities, or the way how to reform their own lives; they have no knowledge to do good. These things being thus resolved, there are diverse observations to be noted from hence. 1. That a true Convert must make conscience of inward sins, as well as outward: of defects as well as evil desires or lusts: as here of ignorance, as well as of wicked thoughts. The same God that saith, How long shall thy evil thoughts abide in thee? complains also of ignorance, as Esay 1.3. 2. That ignorance is no small sin: it is exceeding hateful to God: contrary to the doctrine of the Papists, that say, it is the mother of devotion. 3. That without reformation of ignorance, we cannot be truly turned to God; without knowledge the mind is not good: therefore to tear the veil is one part of God's work in our conversion, Prov. 19.3. Esay 25.8. 4. That ignorance is wanton, and full of lust, Eph. 4.18. 5. That the way to be rid of lusts is to be rid of ignorance. For saving knowledge keeps us from sin, jam. 3.17. A godly man sinneth not, because his seed abideth in him; knowledge is the sword of the Spirit, and here we may see the principal use we should put our knowledge to, viz. to cleanse our hearts of base thoughts and desires. 6. That we may live in places of great means for knowledge, and yet be grossly ignorant. For he writeth here to the Jews, who had the law, and the Prophets, and the Oracles of God, and the Priests, etc. 7. That all knowledge or learning without the knowledge of God's favour in Christ, and the way how to reform our own lives, is but gross darkness, and foolish ignorance, as was before explained. 8. That habitual lusts are a sure sign of ignorance, whatsoever knowledge men pretend. Lastly, it may be profitably here asked, Seeing there is ignorance even in the children of God after calling, Quest. what are the signs of unregenerate ignorance? Unregenerate ignorance may be discerned by diverse signs. Answ. 〈…〉 1. It hardens the heart, and works a continued evil disposition to sin with greediness, Eph. 4.11, 18. Now the ignorance in the godly may be where the heart is softened, and the overflowings of corruption stopped. 2. It hood winketh the soul in the main things needful to salvation: as the knowledge of a man's own iniquities, God in Christ, the forgiveness of a man's own sins, and generally all the things of God, 1 Cor. 2.14. For either wicked men perceive them not, or not spiritually, out of desire and care for them, without corrupt ends. A wicked man may discern spiritual things carnally, but not spiritually. 3. It hath never been in the furnace, I mean of mortification; it hath never been truly repent of: whereas the ignorance of the godly hath often been in the fire: it hath been often confessed, rended, mourned for, etc. 4. It will suffer no saving grace to neighbour by it; where ignorance hath not been repent of, there no fear of God, no holy contemplation, no uprightness, love of God, or his word, or his people, will dwell. Now the ignorance that is in God's children, is well neighboured with many holy graces that can dwell by it. And as these ignorances differ in nature and working, so they differ in imputation: For unto the godly there is a sacrifice for ignorance: God d●th not impute ignorance unto the godly: it shall be to them according to what they know, and not according to what they know not. And thus of ignorance, and so of the 14. verse. Verse 15. But as he which called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation. HItherto of the first branch of the description of God's image in us, as his children: viz. our conformity to God in holiness, and so the image of God in us is our endeavour to be like God in all things in holiness. There are three great considerations in this verse, 1. whom we must imitate, viz. him that hath called us. 2. In what we must imitate him, viz. in holiness, 3. how, viz in all manner of conversation. in general and from the coherence we must note, Of the 〈◊〉 of God's 〈◊〉. 1. That it is not enough that we approve ourselves to be God's children, that we avoid sin, but we must also be employed in doing good. Hence we are compared to trees, in which barrenness is as gr●at a fault, as ill fruit. 2. That the pattern of all holiness is God himself, or Christ, or rather God in Christ. For whither else should we go for example? If to the dumb creatures, they have not natures capable of holiness. If to Angels, they are invisible, and so we cannot behold them, and in Scripture little is recorded of them; and beside, we know many of them fell away. If to man, they are all fallen in Adam, and there is none that doth good, and good men have their both errors and sins. Therefore we may say, whom have we in heaven but God, Use. and there is none in earth with him. Use. Therefore we should labour, 1. To know God. 2. To observe the specialty of his praises, that are imitable both in his word and works. 3. We must carry ourselves with that humility and piety, that we may walk with God, else we cannot set him a● a pattern before us. 3. That there are two pictures as it were presented to the soul, and for both there is gre●t pleading for entertainment and liking: The one is the picture of sin, even of sins repent of, which are n●w varnished, and with many plausible motives commended by b●th the world and the devil, not without the good liking of the flesh. The other is the picture as it were of the most holy God, portrayed out in the Gospel, especially in the glory o● hi● holiness. Now here we are taught what to avoid and what to follow, a●d the rather, because here we are put in mind of the experience we have of God's goodness: for it is he that ha●● called us. Now of the former lusts, t●ere can be assigned no good that we ●ave gotten by them: The devil may lyingly tell us of some good to come, but we know, that for the time past, we got nothing but shame and sorrow by them. Thus of the general. As he that hath called you. The first thing i● whom we must imitate, a●d that is here expressed by 〈◊〉, to be he, that hath called us, viz. God; and the Lord doth of purp●●● 〈…〉 o● descriptions of himself for diverse reason's. 1. 〈…〉 our disability to conceive of God, as he is fully; and therefore he 〈◊〉 his knowledge into us by drops or sparkles as it were; so far is our nature swarved from the knowledge of God, that the doctrine o● God in the whole i● a doctrine too transcendent for us. 2. This God d●th to excite affection in us toward him, as taking no delight in a dull contemplation of him, and therefore by such periphrases he doth with some 〈◊〉 consideration either gore us (if it be a phrase of terror or suddenly 〈◊〉 with some divine sparkles, that like lightning force our att●●d●●●●. 3. The ●ord doth use such descriptions out of choice of 〈…〉 which is most pertinent to the question in hand: The Lord thr●ugh●ut the whole Scripture is every where respective of the names he giveth 〈◊〉: therein showing us, what care we should have in taking up the name or title of God. 4. It is a most forcible kind of speaking; for compendiously it importeth abundance of matter, usually more than the bare title itself would import: as here thi● phrase (He that called you) doth not only show, that it is God that is to be imitated, but it also gives an excellent reason why; taken from his free grace in calling us: and it expresseth also the manner of imitation, viz chief to follow God, as he is revealed in the Gospel in our calling, or when we come truly to see him in the state of grace. It is out of question, the Lord mentions our calling as one of the chiefest and excellentest benefits bestowed upon us, as that which should much stir us, & inflame, and hath great force to prevail upon us. In general from hence we may note, 1. That the consideration of our calling and election out of the world, should be put to this use, to fire us so much the more to holiness of life and conformity to God. 2. That he that hath true grace, is as much stirred with the consideration of his calling, as any one thing whatsoever ordinarily: It cannot but affect us to thi●ke in how sinful a case God found us, and how freely he loved us; how great m●rcy he called us unto, and how unexpected it was either for matter or m●anes▪ and how ready he was to forgive, and how he passed by others worthier and likelier than we, etc. 3. That of all the benefits bestowed upon us by God, the works of grace are the best. It is more that God hath called us, then that he hath given us treasures, or honour, or pleasure, or whatsoever of outward things; yea and every true Christian doth in his affections so account it. 4. That the works of grace in God do excel the works of nature. The Lord thinks himself that he hath done more for us, in that he called us, then that he made us of nothing. 5. That 〈…〉 of God it is sufficient (through God's acceptation) to 〈…〉, a● he reveals himself to our understanding in our calling, according 〈◊〉 the revelation of his grace in our conversion, so as we are wil●i●● 〈…〉 knowledge for so to conceive of God, as he that called 〈…〉 to acceptation. Thus of the general. 〈…〉 the Lord singles out this work of our calling to quicke● 〈…〉, it will not be much amisle to consider of it particularly, es 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it 〈◊〉 ●ere propounded. Four things m●y be here noted: What, Who, Whom, and When. What, or the w●rk itself, He called us. Who was the author of this calling, viz. He, a● God. Whom, or the persons called, you. When, or the time, hath. 〈…〉 may understand more distinctly what our ca●●●ng fr●m God 〈◊〉, it will not be amiss to consider, 1. 〈…〉 God calls us. 2. What our effectual calling is. 3. Why our conversion is termed by the name of calling. 4. How 〈◊〉 can know, that God calls me in particular, seeing he doth not name me. 5. Why did G●d call us. 6. To what he calls us. 7. The 〈◊〉. For the first: the ●●lling of God is either particular or general. The particular is to se●ve G●d in some set function of outward life, ●. How many 〈◊〉 God calls men. and so is the 〈…〉. The general calling is to the service of 〈…〉 with promise of eternal reward through the 〈…〉 Christ. This general calling is likewise of three sorts. 1. external. 2. Internal: or both 3. external and internal. 1. The external alone is called common and ineffectual: the 2. and 3. is called singular and effectual. 1. The outward calling is the work of God's grace in his word, offering Christ, and calling upon all sorts of men to reform their ways, and receive Christ, and yield obedience to God's holy will to their salvation, if they will obey. 2. The inward calling is the work of God's Spirit, effectually stirring up and persuading the Elect to hear, and obey, and receive Christ unto salvation. 3. The calling that is both inward and outward is the action of God both by his Word and Spirit, What our effectual: calling is. calling out his Elect by name particularly, and persuading them to separate from the world, and receive the covenant of God's grace in Christ, and to devote themselves to holiness of life; and this last is the calling here meant: and by this definition of it, the second thing is answered, viz. what our effectual calling is. Now for the third point: This marvellous thing wrought by God's wonderful mercy by his Word and Spirit, Why our conversion is termed our calling. is termed by the name of a calling, and that fitly for diverse reasons. 1. Because the means by which God worketh upon us, ordinarily is his Word, or the voice of his servants, calling upon us for amendment, etc. 2. Because through the mighty working of the Spirit of Christ, the voice of God's servants speaking out of the word, is directed to us in particular with such power and life, and our dead hearts are so revived, that the doctrine is, as if God did speak to us in particular, we receiving the words of the Minister, as the very voice or word of Christ: Thus the dead hear the voice of the Son of God, and live. 3. Because God would hereby note unto us the easiness of the work, he can do it with a word, as he made the world, and calleth up the generations of men, as the Prophet speaketh, so can he in an instant with a word convert a si●ner. He said, let there be light, and there was light: so if he say, let there be true grace, there is presently true grace. Quest. But how may a true calling be discerned, seeing wicked men may be affected by the word, and see, that it concerneth them? How a true ca●ling may be dis●●●●●●. Answ. It may be discerned by diverse effects that follow upon it, some immediately, others appear some longer time after in the exercise of godliness. The effects are, 1. An inward sight, and willing confession of our sin-guiltiness, joined with a detestation of all sin, and confusion in ourselves for our ways that are not good: so Christ came to call sinners, not the righteous. 2. A willing separation from the world, both inward in letting go the love of earthly things, even those most before beloved, and outward in forsaking the needless society with wicked men. This the definition imports. 3. An unfeigned purpose to forsake all sin, never to return to it again, desiring righteousness both imputed, and inherent with daily desires. 4. A love of God and his glory above all things. The called of God are described by that periphras●s, of such as love God, Rom. 8.28. 5. The exercise of daily and constant prayer: a spirit of prayer, joel 2.32. 6. teachableness, or willingness to be ruled by the word in all things, which may be gathered by the contrary, jer. 7.27. 7. The called of the Lord are such, as Isay 44.5. 8. The unfeigned hatred of Popery, and kingdom of Antichrist: this is made a sign in these last ages, Revel. 17.14. This is so fair a sign, that it is found in all the chosen of God. Now for the fifth thing, we must know, that this calling or choice doth not come from any preceding merits of ours, but from the only admirable free grace of God, as it appears, 2 Tim. 1.9. Rom. 9.12. Sixtly, God's wonderful mercy in calling us doth appear by the consideration of the things unto which we are called. We are called, What we are called to. 1. To his marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2.9. 2. To the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 1.9. 3. To liberty, and a wonderful free estate from the servitude of sin, Satan, the world, the ceremonies of Moses, etc. Gal. 5.13. 4. To the grace of Christ, Gal. 1.6. even to a holiness better than that in Adam, Rom. 1.7. 5. To an estate of immunity and free pardon, Rom. 5.31. 6. To all safety, Esay 41.1, 2, 3. Rom. 8.28. 7. To the glorious kingdom of Jesus Christ, 2 Thes. 2.14. 1 Thes. 2.12. 2 Pet. 1.3. and 1 Pet. 5.10. The consideration of this wonderful grace of God in calling us, may imply the misery of such as have not embraced Gods calling, as it is set out, Use. Prov. 1. Luke 14. with Mat. 22. Esay 50.2. & 61.4. jer. 7.13, 14, 15. & 35.17. Let such then as have the means, and are somewhat touched look to it seriously, that they turn to God with their whole hearts, lest, as Mat. 20.16. 2. It should inflame every one of us to make our calling sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. 3. We should stir up ourselves to live as may become the called of God, as these Scriptures show, 1 Pet. 2.9. etc. 3.9. 2 Tim. 6.11, 12. 1 Thes. 2. ●2. Eph. 4.1, 4. Gal. 5.13. as also the use of this consideration in this text shows. Lastly, considering our daily trespasses, let us still go to God as to a Father, and cry with humility, we are no more worthy to be called thy sons, etc. Thus of the first point, or what, viz. calling. The second is, who calleth u●: It is here said, He, that is, God. We must understand, that our calling is the work of the whole Trinity: for it is given to the Father, Gal. 1.6. to the Son, Rom. 1 2. 1 Pet. 5. 10. to the holy Ghost, 1 joh. 2.7. so that this He, is the G●d of all grace, the whole Trinity. There is a rule among Divines, that the works of God which are without are undivided. The are two sorts of works 〈◊〉 God, inward a●d outward: The inward are proper to each person, as to beget proper to the Father, to proceed to the holy Ghost, etc. Now the outward works, such as decrees before time, and Creation, Providence, Calling, etc. in time, are common to all three persons; not that every particular a●t is the act of all three persons, for that cannot be true; for only the Son was incarnate: But the meaning is, that in the general work, each worketh in his own order and nature: as in Redemption, the Father worketh by willing and sending: the Son by assuming our nature, and suffering, etc. the holy Ghost by applying and confirming. Now calling is one of the work● in common. The consideration of this, that it is God that calleth us, may 1. Comfort us in the assurance of his faithfulness, Uses. he calls us that is uncha●geable, 1 Thes. 5.24. 1 Cor. 1.8, 9 2. It should bind us the stronger to the care of a life answerable to his greatness that hath called us. You.] 1. Not all men: there is a restraint and limitation of the effectual calling: it is absurd to grant a calling out, and yet say it is universal. 2. This you) imports all sorts of men, though not every one of every sort, yet without exception of outward condition● Jews and Gentiles, Rom. 9 24, 25. bond and free, 1 Cor. 7. Hath.] Our vocation is past, it is no more to be renewed; we are justified, and sanctified daily, but not called: we can be but once borne in nature, nor can we be any more called, or regenerate in grace. Thus of the first point, viz. whom we must imitate, viz. God that called us. The second is, in what we must imitate him, viz. in holiness. Four sorts of holiness. Is holy.] There are four sorts of holiness: Independent and unlimited, viz. the holiness of God. 2. Independent and limited, viz. the holiness of Christ: for the holiness of his divine nature is independent, and the holiness of his humane nature is limited, for it is finite. 3. Dependant and unlimited, and such is the holiness of the Scriptures: Dependant it is, for it is of God: Unlimited it is, for it entreats of all kinds of holiness whatsoever. 4. Dependant and limited, and such is the holiness in man and Angels: it is the first kind of holiness is here meant. God holy three ways. There is a threefold holiness in God, or he is holy three ways. 1. By nature, being void of all corruption or change. 2. By administration, and so his holiness is his justice, in distributing rewards to the good, and punishment to the evil. 3. By conception, for the Lord doth conceive the Idea, or the patterns of the holiness of all the reasonable creatures. The Carpenter conceives first the frame of his house in his head, and then buildeth it according to the pattern: So doth God conceive first the holiness that is fit for the creature, and then works it in them. This Idea or pattern of holiness, or virtues in God, is either internal in the mind of God from eternity, or external in the word of God. Now the holiness of God that we are to imitate, is both that holiness which God hath conceived in the pattern expressed in the word, and also that which is in the nature of God, as it is described in the word. There is also a holiness of works in God which we must imitate: I mean of particular works, as in carriage toward enemies, Mat. 5. in mercy, Luk. 6. in love, Eph. 5.1. and thus as children we should imitate the holy nature, as it were of our heavenly Father. Now by the way we must know, that God is not holy by any legal holiness as men are: that is, his holiness stands: not in the observation of any law given by any other, but is himself the rule of all holiness: so as things are not first holy, and then God doth them; but God doth them, and therefore they are holy. Thus of the second thing. The third follows, viz. how we must imitate God in holiness, viz. in being holy in all manner of conversation. So be you holy in all manner of conversation. Doct. There are eight doctrines may be noted in these words. 1. That without holiness we cannot be accepted with God, we have no communion with him, nothing but holiness will serve the turn, Heb. 12.14. 1 joh. 1.6. 2. It must be holiness indeed, not the picture of it will serve the turn, nor counterfeit holiness, nor temporary holiness, nor civil honesty. 3. If Christians want holiness, the fault is in themselves; for he saith, be ye holy, implying, if they be not so, it is because they are careless, and will not labour for it; and great reason the blame should lie upon us, if we will still neglect sanctification. 1. Having such a great recompense of reward set before us. 2. Having so matchless and perfect a rule, and canon of holiness written in the word of God to direct us. 3. Having our natures by regeneration in part healed, and freedom of will in part restored; so as no●, if we be not holy, it is because we will not be holy. 4. Having such mighty helps, as are 1. The assistance and supply of the spirit of grace within us. Who helps to 〈◊〉. 2. Prayer, with a promise of granting whatsoever we ask. 3. Guides and spiritual Pastors to oversee and direct us. 4. A cloud of witnesses, even the examples of the godly of all sorts. 5. Such acceptation with God, if we be willing, and love to be his servants, Act. 10.36. But of this in the next point. 4. Here is employed, how infinitely kind God is in accepting our holy endeavours, if we desire to be holy in all our conversation, he will account it to be holy as he is holy; and yet alas it comes ten thousand degrees short of the holiness of God; yea far short of what it should be: yea, which is more, of what it might be in us. 5. The image of God is in conversation, as well as nature: we resemble God not only in the renovation of our nature, but in the renewed actions also: so than we bear God's image, 1. In nature. 2. In action or obedience. Of this later here. 6. A Christian should be especially careful of his outward conversation, even to show forth the light of good works and holy carriage before men. We should be exceeding careful to express holiness in conversing one with another. There are many motives. 12 Motives to holy conversation. 1. We are Gods witnesses, 2 Tim. 2.2. 2. 'tis a good profession, 2 Tim. 2.2. 3. There are many witnesses to observe us, 2 Tim. 2.2. 4. Carnal men are crooked and perverse, Phil. 2.16. 5. A holy conversation will silence foolish men, 1 Pet. 2.15. 6. It will bring much glory to our heavenly Father, Mat. 5. 7. It proves our justification, and foretells our salvation. 8. To walk upright is to walk safely, Prov. 9 'tis as it were to live in heaven, Phil. 3.20. 10. It will support us in wrongs & adversity, Act. 23.1.2 Cor. 1.12. 11. It will show our knowledge is not idle, 2 Pet. 1.8. 12. It furthers our reckoning, and provides us acceptation in the day of death and judgement, 2 Pet. 3.11. Rev. 14.13. 7. If we would be holy as God is holy, we must be holy in all conversation, that is, we must show respect to all the commandments of God; we must show a care of religion, as well as virtue: of godliness, as well as honesty: of mercy, as well as just dealing: to enemies, as well as friends: at home as well as abroad: toward inferiors as well as superiors: in prosperity as well as adversity: in all companies as well as one, etc. Mark it in the trial of ourselves: by this doctrine we may know infallibly, whether we be called, or bear the image of God or no: for if there be any one sin that we will not forsake, or any one commandment we are not desirous to obey, it will prove all is n●ught in us, Heb. 13.18. 8. Lastly, we must here further observe, that if we would have comfort that we bear the image of God's holiness, we must be careful of the manner of our conversation, as well as the matter. For though these words ● all manner may note the extent unto the matter of all holiness: yet there is no evident reason why a great part of the meaning of the holy Ghost, should not be restrained to the manner, as the word sounds. 〈…〉. Now there are diverse things in the manner of our conversation to be observed for the resembling of God's holiness. 1. The first is godly pureness; we must in our conversation show respect of God and godliness, and keep ourselves from the impurities of the times, and watch against sin in all our ways, 2 Cor. 1.12. 2. The second is simplicity, or holy harmlessness, as it is opposed to fraud, and fleshly wisdom, and shows itself in a plain and evident desire to do what God requires, though it be never so much scorned in the world, 2 Cor. 11.3. & 1.12. 3. The third is preciseness or circumspection, making conscience of lesser sins as well as greater, and avoiding the appearances and occasions of evils, as well as the evils themselves, Eph. 5.15. 4. Conversation in heaven, which is so to use the world, as to let our hearts still run upon God and his Kingdom, directing all our actions some way to further that end, Phil. 3.20. 5. Meekness of wisdom, which is showed by lowliness, and not being wise in ourselves, but doing good in a continued sense of our own vileness and unworthiness, to do any service to God or man, jam. 3.13. This is called a conversation with fear, 1 Pet. 3.2. & ver. 16. 6. Constancy, Phil. 1.27. 7. The affections of godliness, or well-doing, or zeal, Tit. 2.14. Verse 16. Because it is written, be ye holy as I am holy. THE first argument no enforce the exhortation ver. 13. is taken from the image of God in us: and this reason is propounded in the first words of ver. 14. and expounded in the two former verses and this, and that two ways: 1. By a description of the image of God in us, ver. 14, 15.2. By the proof in this verse. In this proof two things are to be observed: 1. Whence the proof is taken, As it is written. 2. What is alleged, viz. Be ye holy, as I am holy. The meaning is, that we stand bound to show regard of our conformity to God in holiness: for this was long since required in the written word of God, that we should be holy, as God is holy. And first then concerning the Scripture, from whence the proofs of doctrine are fetched. Here I consider, 1. Of the use of the Scriptures in general for proof of doctrine. 2. Of the Scripture of the Old testament from whence this proof is fetched. For the first: Proofs of doctrine are of three sorts. 1. From men as they are men. 2. From the senses. 3. From God. The first is not infallible: the second is infallible in some respects: the third is infallible simply & for ever. The testimonies of men work only opinion, as being but Arguments contengent and probable. The testimonies of the senses and of God work knowledge, or bring arguments necessary. Hence it is that the Prophets, and Christ, and the Apostles in their teaching amongst the people almost never use any testimonies of men in matters of religion; and when they do, it is chiefly for confutation of adversaries by their own writers. Now for the senses: they are internal, or external. Internal, and so there is a double testimony, 1. from the law of nature, 2. from the conscience. The external are seeing, hearing, tasting, etc. and the argument from them is from experience. The testimony of the senses is infallible in some respects, viz. as they are rightly ordered and guided. The testimony of God is either immediate, or mediate: God hath given an immediate testimony either by vision, or by voice. By vision either in in sleep, or in a certain ecstasy when men were awake: thus did he reveal his will often in the Old Testament; sometimes in the New, a● to Paul. By voice God testified either to particular persons, as when he gave answers to the Priest, as some think wearing his Ephod; or else by public voice, as when from heaven he said, Mat. 3. This is my well-beloved Son, hear him. The testimony God hath given by means is threefold. 1. By his Son. 2. By his servants the Prophets and Apostles by word of mouth. 3. By the Scriptures: and of this here. Now concerning the proof of doctrine in Scripture, we must observe: 1. That the testimony of God only is authentical. 2. That a divine testimony now adays is no where to be had, but in the Scripture. 3. The testimony of Scripture is sufficient for all things needful to salvation, 2 Tim. 3. 4. That we, both Ministers and people, should have recourse to the Scriptures for warrant for what we teach, believe, or do: For if Christ and the Apostles, men privileged from error, do yet for honour's sake allege the testimony of Scripture; then much more ought we to have recourse to what is written, seeing we can have no assurance that we err not, but as we are warranted by the Word. Thus of the first point. Now for the second point: Inasmuch as the proofs are taken out of the Old Testament, it shows the wonderful harmony and agreement between the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; and that the Old Testament is to be acknowledged of equal authority with the New. Hence it i●, that the quotations of authorities out of the Old Testament are so frequent: for there are above 260. places of the Old Testament cited in the New; so as there is almost no point of doctrine needful to salvation, but the harmony of the Old Testament and the New is expressed: yea hence it is, that there are very few books of the Old Testament, but they are cited in the New: amongst the historical books, I except judges, Ruth, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Hester: amongst the Prophets I except Obadiah and Nahum: amongst the dogmatic books I except Ecclesiastes and Canticles: else proofs are taken out of all the rest, and very frequent out of many of them, as the Psalms are cited 53 times, Genesis 42 times, Esay 46 times: and so I might note of the rest. Lastly, from the manner of propounding this authority or testimony out of the Word, we may note two things. 1. The great mercy of God afforded to us in these times, that have so many helps for knowledge: we see here in those days, they quoted neither Chapter●or ●or verse, and many times not the book; and therefore we should praise God, that have the Scriptures digested so easily, and our doctrine confirmed with such express quotations. 2. This shows what labour & knowledge the godly than had; they were so conversant in the Scriptures, that they could discern of a quotation, though the place were not cited. And thus of the fountain from whence this proof i● fetched. The matter alleged followeth. Be ye holy for I am holy. The drift is to show that it hath been anciently taught unto the people of God, that if they profeste themselves to be his children, they must imitate his holiness, and show themselves like unto God their heavenly Father. This sentence is chiefly found in the book of Leviticus, and is there often used, as Leu. 11.44. & 19.2. & 20.26. & 21.8. From hence diverse things may be observed. 1. That exact holiness hath been anciently required. This is a doctrine hath ever ●ounded in the Church, that we must be holy, yea so holy as we might in some mea●ure be like unto God, and express his image, Exod. 19.6. D●ut. 26 19 2. That holiness of life is indispensibly required of every child of God: for so this speech is used, Leu. 19.2. 3. That true holiness stretcheth itself to the care of lesser offences, as these places show, Leu. 11.44. & 20.26. therefore God will accept our service in lesser duties. 4. That we cannot have true holiness without some competent knowledge of the nature of God. Verse 17. And if you call him Father, which without respect of person judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your dwelling here in fear. HItherto of the first reason. The second reason to enforce the exhortation in the 13. verse, is here taken from the consideration of God's judgement: The time must certainly come, that we must appear before the Tribunal of God, & receive reward or punishment according to our works, and therefore it stands us upon with all care and fear to carry ourselves so reservedly and holily, as in that day we may have comfort and reward. In the words two things may be noted. 1. The proposition of the reason. 2. The inference or the conclusion of it; or, here is the doctrine and the use of it. The proposition of the doctrine is, He whom we call Father, or call upon as a Father, shall without respect of persons judge every man according to his works. The inference or use is, therefore we should pass the time of our dwelling here in fear. In the proposition concerning the last judgement, observe; 1. who shall be the Judge, viz. God the Father, whom we call upon. 2. How will he judge, viz. without respect of persons. 3. Whom he will judge, viz. every man. 4. For what they shall be judged, viz. according to their works. In the setting down of the first point, both matter and manner are to be observed: The matter is, that the same God and Father who is called upon by us, is the judge of the world: The manner o● expressing it, is conditionally, if you call him Father. The words in the original be both ways read: Some read, if you call him Father, and the meaning is not of prayer, but of profession, if you profess God to be your Father. Some read it, if you call on the Father, that is, if in prayer you go unto God the Father with your requests: so the King's Translators read it, and so I think it is most agreeable to the intent of the Apostle in this place. If you call on the Father.] Many things may be noted from these words with their coherence. 1. That the heart of man is not able to bear the contemplation of the last judgement; nor can we with comfort any way be fitted for it, ●ill we know, and by practice and experience do find that God is our Father. Use. The Use is, 1. for information: The reason why many are so troubled with the thought of the judgement to come, is the defect of assurance of God's love as a Father: these fears show weakness of faith, and if they reign constantly, show there is no assurance at all. 2 It should teach us by all means to labour about assurance, that we might with boldness and confidence go unto God, and cry Abba Father. 2. That he that is the Father of the Elect, will be the Judge of the world. Though it be hard for a pitiful man to be strict in punishing, yet with God his mercy and justice do not fight one against another. Use. The Use is to warn wicked men to take heed how they apply the promises and prerogatives of the godly to themselves: for God will certainly judge them according to their estate. 3. Constant prayer is a great means of comfort against the fear of judgement in this life, and against the hurt of it in the last day, Luke 21.34. The Use is, Use. to show us how we may remedy the fear of death and judgements: much prayer and calling on the Name of God will exceedingly avail. 4. That to call on God as a Father, will not serve turn, unless our practice answer our prayers, unless we pass the time of our sojourning in fear: it is not any pattering our of words will serve the turn, nor praying for custom's sake; it must be such a prayer as makes us afraid to sin before such a Father 〈◊〉 such a Judge. 5. Wh●n he saith, if we call, it imports, that many profess God to be their Father, who yet do not show it to be so by daily and constant calling upon his name. It is a great question, whether many that profess God and his truth, do indeed conscionably pray unto him; which should awaken us, and make us settle close to the practice of daily prayer. 6. It is a lawful prayer that is directed to one of the persons of the Trinity in the outward form of words: I mean, that though we should name only the Father, and not mention the Son, or holy Ghost, yet the prayer were lawful, so as 1. We do not exclude the other persons in our judgements and affections. 2. That we desire upon the present occasion to compel our hearts to a more special meditation of the glory of one of the persons, as the occasion of the matter requireth. But the main and principal doctrine is, that God, as he is our Father, Doct. shall be our Judge. If any ask, How then is Christ commonly said to be our Judge? Act. 17.30. Quest. I answer, that the last judgement being a work ad extra, is common to all the three Persons, and is so attributed in Scripture, but in different respects: Answ. for the authority of the last judgement is in the whole Trinity, but the execution of it is in the Son. This doctrine must needs be comfortable to the godly: who would fear the trial when his own Father is Judge, yea and lawgiver, and hath before promised infinite mercy, and is an everlasting Father, 〈◊〉 compassion never fails, (for so is God to us,) and hath given pledge, and seals, and earnest of assurance, that it shall go well? Thus of the person, who shall judge: The manner followeth. Without respect of persons.] The●e are 〈◊〉 down many admirable praises of the justice of these last Assizes; whereof this is one, that here shall be no respect of persons. It pleaseth God in so great mysteries as this is, not to set down all at once, but to distil some few memorable things, and those severally. both to excise diligence in the study of the Scriptures, and to imply the disability of our na 〈…〉 comprehend much at once of such dreadful things. Not to respect persons in judgement hath diverse things in it: It is to judge without 〈◊〉: ●t is to judge without care how the judged takes it: it is to judge without respect of their strength, or disgrace: it is to take no reward, 〈…〉 accept the persons of great men for their greatness, or riches sake: it is to be led with no colours, or vain pretences: it is to judge according to truth, and not according to opinion, or the common voice: and t●us much and much more is imported in this justice of the Lord at that day. The Use is, Use. 1. For humiliation and terror to wicked men: This should wonderfully pierce them ●o hear how they must speed at that day: their judgement shall not be to amend them, but to confound them: the same God that hath dealt with other men in justice, will judge them also: and this may increase the terror, that there will be no taking of rewards, nor can riches avail in the day of wrath, job 36.18, 19 unless it be to increase their judgement, jam. 5.1, 3. 2. For instruction: it may teach diverse things. 1. To chase out all evil conceits, and secret boilings of the heart against God, job. 34.19. 2. To humble ourselves now in the days of our flesh, and make our peace with God before this day come, Deut. 10.17. job 34.19, 32, 33. 3. To imitate this praise in God, not to know men after the flesh, or to judge of things according to outward appearance, or the opinion of the world, especially not to give titles to men, job 32.21. and especially Judges, and such as rule others should look to this, 2 Chron. 19.7. Col. 3.25. 4. To long to see that day: every body delights to be at the Assizes; and we see how men are pleased, and that wonderfully, when Princes do justice upon great persons; we gladly hearken after it, and continually talk of it: how then should we long to see this last and greatest judgement, the like to which never was in the world scarce any glimpse of it? 3. It may serve for singular consolation to all the godly, especially it may encourage the poor, and all inferiors to do their duties, since here they shall be assured of acceptation, and the oppressed shall here be righted, Act. 10.34. Col. 3.11. Eph. 6.9. Rom. 2.11. Of the last judgement, and the certainty of it. judgeth.] The manner of propounding the time is to be observed. There is a threefold judgement. 1. The first judgement was that executed upon Angels, and men fallen in the beginning of the world. 2. There is also a middle judgement, even that by which God in this life judgeth the righteous, and the wicked every day. 3. Now there is also the last judgement to be performed in the end of the world, and that is here meant; yet the Apostle well expresseth it in the present tense, to note, 1. The speediness of it, he will come to judgement wonderful quickly either by particular or general judgement, Phil. 4. jam. 5. 2. The suddenness of the judgement, he many times comes on a wonderful sudden, job 36.33. and at the last he will come as a thief in the ●ight, 1 Thes. 5.2. 3. But principally it noteth the certainty of it: it is as sure, as if it were now a doing: certainty I say, in freedom both from inconstancy and impediments. There are many things may assure us of the certainty of the last judgement. 1. The constant doctrine of it before the Law, jud. 15. under the ●aw by David, Psal. 50. Solomon, Eccles. 11.9. Dan. 7. Mal. 4. and many more: after the Law by Christ, Mat. 24. Paul, 2 Thes. 1. Peter, 2 Pet. 3. john Rev. 2●. 2. The types of it, which are so many pledges, do certainly though fearfully foretell it: such as were those dreadful executions done upon wicked men in all ages; as the drowning of the world: the burning of the Cities, Sodom. etc. the opening of the earth to swallow Corah, Dathan, and Abiram: the destruction of jerusalem, etc. yea he spared not the very Angels, jud. 6.2 Pet. 2.4. These stupendious works are monuments of a strange judgement to come. 3. The exact fulfilling of the signs, so many of them as belong to times past, and present, which were given as forerunners of that judgement: such as were 〈◊〉 Christ's, wars, the apostasy of the Church, the detection and falling of Antichrist, etc. 4. From the need of it: for in this world the godly are oppressed and not righted, and the wicked flourish and are not punished many times: therefore of necessity there must be a time wherein all these things must be set in order. 1. Let every man repent, Act. 17.30. Here is no trifling: Use. it will certainly be, and therefore repent, or perish. 2. Judge nothing before the time: let us not judge one another, but leave all judgement to God, 1 Cor. 4.4. 3. Let us not be impatient, or fret at the prosperity of the wicked, or be discouraged at the afflictions of the righteous: for there shall come a time wherein the godly shall have full reward and honour, and wicked men everlasting shame and pain. Every man.] The whole world must come to judgement, good and bad: we must all appear before the Tribunal seat of jesus Christ, Doct. 2 Cor. 5.10. not only all the godly, but all the wicked of all sorts, which will appear by a distribution. 1. The Pagans shall come to judgement, such as have sinned without the law, Rome 2. What sorts of wicked men shall s●eed ●ll at the last d●y. 2. The jews that crucified Christ, or still do deny him to be come in the flesh, Rome 2. 3. Papists, 2 Thes. 2. 4. Atheists, that mock at his coming, 2 Pet. 3.3. In the true Church. 1. Gross offenders, Mal. 3.7. Rev. 21. & 22. 2. Civil honest men, Mat. 5.19. 3. Rich and mighty men of the world: God will not accept the person of Princes, job 34.19. jam. 5.1, 3. 4. Hypocrites, Mat. 23. Psal. 5●. 16. 5. The unmerciful, Mat. 25. jam. 2.13. 6. Apostates, Heb. 10.27. 2 Pet. 2. 7. All that trouble the godly, 2 Thes. 1. Gal. 5. 1●. 8. Inordinate censurers, Rom. 2.1, 2.3. jam. 3.1. 9 All unruly persons that will not be ordered according to God's ordinances, Mat. 25. goats. 10. All that use scant measures, wicked balances, and false weights, Mat. ●. 10, 11. Yea, as I said before, all the godly must be judged: we must all appear. It is said, the godly shall not be judged, Ob●ect. Solut. Use. job. 3.18. & 6.54. They shall not be judged with the judgement of condemnation. The Use. Therefore every man should stir up his heart to a careful examination of himself, and make his account, and provide for his answer at that day: and the rather should we attend hereunto, because the most men are after an unspeakable manner forgetful of their latter end, and suffer themselves to be drowned in the cares of life, as if there were no time of cha●ging or reckoning. The fourth and last point is the cause of the judgement, imported in these words, according to their works. According to their works.] It shall be t● every man at that day according to his works: Doct. if his works be evil, he shall be damned: if his works be good, he shall be saved, 2 Cor. 5. 1●. Rom. 2. For the better understanding of this doctrine diverse questions and objections are to be resolved. It seems then faith shall not be inquired after? 1 Quest. Answ. It shall, yea and that chiefly, as appears in the 7. verse of this Chapter, and in many other Scriptures, which avouch, we are saved by faith: yea and works are mentioned to this end, because by them Christ shall evidently prove to the world the faith of his Elect: he will th●n show their faith by their works: yea faith is comprehended under the word works, as being indeed the noblest of all works, and that which most shineth in the life of a Christian: it is the chief obedience required in the Gospel, and the just live by their faith. 2 Ob●ect. But how can works be looked upon in the Elect, seeing they are not acknowledged as having merit in them? Can they be saved by their works? Sol. Works shall be inquired after in the godly, not as meritorious causes of their salvation: for the merit of heaven is only in Christ's works, which only are perfect. But works shall be examined and judged. 1. As the witnesses in that Assize, that give in evidence concerning their calling and faith. 2. As the conditions of God's promises, concerning reward in heaven, not for their merit, but of God's free grace, that will so crown them. Observe, that the Scripture no where saith, for their works, but according to their works. 3 Quest. But how can the works of men be numbered, they are so infinite? 〈◊〉 The books shall then be opened: viz. first the book of God's remembrance: in which are fast graven the deeds of all men, Rev. 20. Mal. 3.16. Secondly, the consciences of all men shall be extended to an exact view of all the works of their life past. 4 Quest. By what law shall men's works be examined, seeing the Pagans have not the Scriptures to guide them, and the faithful have not fulfilled the moral law in their own persons? Answ. The infidels shall be judged by the law of nature, Rom. 2. the wicked in the Church by the moral law, and the godly by the Go●p●ll. 5 Quest. Shall not wicked men be judged for their original sin, but only for their evil works? Answ. By works may be meant, 1. both the work of our fall in Adam, as well as 〈…〉 work. 2. This phrase, according to works, doth include all works, and yet not exclude the respect of other things besides works, a● faith in the godly, and original sin in the wicked. 3. Works are but the ●ruits of corruption of nature, and so synecdochically it is comprehended under them. 6 Quest. But shall no man be then judged for other men's works, as well as for their own? may not children be judged for their father's sins, or one man judged for the evil done by another, as the pharisees for the blood of Abel and Zachar●as? Answ. God as an absolute Monarch, and just governor may with temporal punishments chastise the posterity of wicked Parents, and to warn the world 〈…〉; but he cannot judge them to eternal damnation further than they be guilty of their father's sins, either by consent, assistance, or 〈…〉 the pharisees be sent to hell for Abel's blood, only to far as they were not warned by that example to avoid blood. To con 〈◊〉, no man shall suffer for another's works, further than he is some way 〈◊〉 of it. 7 Quest. But how can infants be judged according to their works? An●sw. We understand not clearly how the proceedings shall be with infants: it is evident, that corruption of nature can make even infants children of 〈…〉. Psal. 51. and the covenant of God with the faithful doth 〈◊〉 even their seed also. Besides, the Spirit of God doth supply external works, by internal sanctification in the elect infants. But how shall poor men do that are not able to do good works? 8 Quest. It is an error to think that there are no good works but giving of alms: Answ. For the obedience to God's law in any commandment is a good work; works of piety to God are good works, and so are the works of a particular calling. It is a good work to provide for a man's family; and so to deal justly with men is a good work. Besides, there are many works of mercy, which the poorest Christian may do, he may pray for others, or reprove, or comfort, or instruct, etc. The Uses may be collected out of the several Scriptures, where this doctrine is taught, as, Uses. 1. In job 7.2. We should long for that day, seeing it is the day of paying wages. 2. job 34.11, 14, 15, 19, 20, to 25. It should terrify the mightiest sinners, seeing God will not spare, but without respect of persons judge every man's works: and if a temporal judgement so affright all sorts, as is reported Ezech. 7.27. how much more should this last judgement? 3. Psal. 62. ult. We should daily think of this day of reckoning, and not suffer any doubt against it: For it will certainly be so. 4. Prov. 24.12. Two things are inferred: 1. That we should not faint in the day of adversity. 2. That without trifling we should do good, and show mercy when we have occasion. 5. The Prophet jeremy useth this doctrine as a means to stir up their hearts to a more awful fear, and admiration, and adoration of that God, whose eyes behold the ways of all men, and whose justice will reward according to their works. 6. Our Saviour Christ useth it to excite the care of saving our souls, and to work in us a contempt of life and this world, and to deny ourselves, and take up our cross and follow him, Mat. 16.27. 7. The Apostle Paul, Rom. 2.7. useth this doctrine, 1. To fright and terrify three sorts of men, viz. 1. Hypocrites, ver. 1, 2, 3. 2. Impenitent hardhearted sinners, ver. 4, 5. 3. Contentious and froward adversaries of well-doing, ver. 8. 2. To encourage the godly in all well-doing, ver. 9, 10. 8. In the 2 Cor. 5.10. it serveth to enforce, 1. Walking by faith, ver. 7. 2. Care to be accepted of God, ver. 9 3. Desire to be absent from the flesh, and present with the Lord, ver. 8. 4. Diligence in Ministers with all power to persuade with their hearers, ver. 11. 9 In the Eph. 6.8, 9 it is used, 1. To comfort servants. 2. To warn masters, ver. 9 So it is also Col. 3.24, 26. 10. In Rev. 22.11, 12. it is used to upbraid the pertinacy of wicked men in sin, and to encourage the godly in all perseverance in well-doing. 11. Lastly, you see, how the Apostle make a use of it: viz. that we should pass the time of our sojourning here in fear. And thus of the doctrine of the second reason. Pa●e the time of your sojourning here in fear. These word contain the inference, or use of the former doctrine: viz. it should imprint in us such a sense of our mortality, as should stir up in us a daily care, and fear in the spending of our time we are to live in the world. These words affirm faure things. 1. That we are but sojourners. 2. That we have but a time to sojourn. 3. That this time passeth. 4. That therefore we ought to spend the time in fear. Sojourners.] This word may be taken either literally, or mystically: if it be taken literally, it must be referred to the provincial Jews: so it may import two things. 1. That God's children in this life may be so driven from their native abodes, that they may be compelled to live in strange places. 2. That though the Lord suffer the Jewish Nation to be under a so●e dispersion for the time; yet the time will come when they shall be gathered home together in great glory, though now they are but sojourners. But it is rather to be taken mystically, and so it is to be referred to all the Elect, who in respect of their absence from their heavenly Canaan, are but sojourners at best in this world, Heb. 11. Psal. 39 There may be some difference put between a home-dweller, a stranger, and a sojourner. The dweller is perpetually resident, and is at home. The stranger stays but for a short time, and is from home. Now the sojourner differs from them both; for he hath some settled abode, but it is not at home as the dwellers is: nor is it for so short a time as the strangers is. Now if in this strict sense we should stand upon the words, then in this world dwellers are no men, strangers are wicked men, and sojourners are godly men. But it is evident, that this word sojourner is taken promiscuously for any abode, that is from home: for Luke 24.18. it is taken for a stranger in the strictest sense; and Act. 7.19. it is taken for a sojourner in the strictest sense. We are sojourners as the Israelites were in 〈◊〉. Many 〈◊〉 from thence. But usually it is a word that notes the condition of the godly, absent from their heavenly happiness; and imports an allusion to the childrenof Israel, living in Egypt, absent from Canaan: and so our Egypt is the world, our Canaan is heaven, our sojourning is our entertainment in this world. The world is like Egypt, and our entertainment like the children of Israel in Egypt: For 1. Pharaoh the Devil doth with all cruelties oppress the godly. 2. As Egypt was full of enchanters, so is the world. 3. As Egypt abounded with superstitions, so doth the world with ignorance, and all sorts of vain observations: ●ut the similitude will more appear in the use. Use. The consideration of this, that the godly are in this world, as Israel sojourning in Egypt, may afford both matter of Instruction and matter of Consolation. For Instruction it should teach us diverse duties. 1. Not to seek unto ourselves great things in this world, jer. 46. 2. To study to be quiet, and meddle with the world no more than we must needs. 3. To please ourselves or rest in no prosperity, but to expect alterati●●, never trusting the favour of the Egyptians, the men or this world. For th●y, will change. 4. To have recourse to the promises of a better life, and live by faith, and wait for the time of our changing. 5. Live separate from the conversation of worldly men, as Israel did in Goshen. 6. Endure much with patience, and commit all to God. Secondly, this similitude imports diverse consolations. 1. Christ our joseph, whom our fathers sold into Egypt, hath provided for us before we came into the world. 2. God hath promised to go down with us, and to sojourn with us there, Gen, 45.4. 3. Ever the more we are oppressed, the more we may grow; the godly lose nothing by their troubles, Exod. 1.8. 4. God is I am still, ever the same, howsoever the world use us, Exo. 3.14. 5. God can give us favour in the sight of the Egyptians, when and as often as he will, Exod. 3.22. 6. God hath promised, covenanted, yea sworn that he will bring us home, and take us to himself, & be our God; he will surely bring us up again. 7. God hath given us Moses and Aaron, even his two witnesses daily to comfort us with the glad tidings of his Gospel, even the good news of our departure hence. 8. The very time is appointed, and at the very selfsame time without fail we shall depart out of Egypt, Exod. 12. 9 God can and doth work many wonders for the proof of the love of his people, and his power to subdue the mightiest adversaries. 10. Our part we have in this world is the best part of the world; we dwell in Goshen in comparison of the servile estate of the rest of the Egyptians: we are free from many a misery lights upon them. And if Goshen be so good, what is Paradise? If there be some comfort sometimes on earth, oh how doth milk and honey flow in heaven? 11. In all our distresses our cries are heard to heaven, and God pities us with wonderful compassion. Exod. 2.23. & 3.7. Only this is our misery in this world, that many times if the very godly enjoy not the ministry of Moses and Aaron, they grow very secure, and are much infected with the manners of the world: And again, if they have them, and they tell the world God's message, if any trouble follow, they are too often ready to murmur, as if they had much hurt by the ministry of God's servants. Thus of the first point, namely that we are sojourners: The second follows. namely that there is a time of our sojourning here. Time] Duration, or the continuance of a thing is either infinite, or finite. The one is the continuance of God: the other of the creatures. job 10.5. ●he measure of the one is eternity absolutely considered: the measure of the other is time. Time may be considered in the means of it: either the means of effecting, or appointing, Gen. 1.14. which is the decree of God with all the means of execution of it: or else the means of declaring or numbering, which is the course of the Sun, and Moon: Psal. 31. our continuance on earth is not disposed by the course of the heavens, but by the decree and providence of God. Gal. 4.2. By time here is meant that space of continuance on earth, Acts 17.26. which God in his counsel hath set us, and is numbered by the motion of the Sun or Moon. job 24.1. This time we may number as it is past, but know it not as it is to come, A●●s 1.7. it being ordinarily hidden from the sons of men. Neither may we reckon of the time of man upon earth, as we do of the continuance of heaven and earth: job 14.1. for the time of man is wonderful short in comparison of many other creatures. 1 Cor. 7.29. This time also once set is unchangeable, we cannot pass it, job 14.5. The main doctrine is, Doct. that God hath unchangeably set us a time for our continuance here, known unto him, though unknown unto us. The Uses may be diverse. 1. It may comfort us against the inconveniences of our sojourning; Use. our time is set, we shall not always be from home, we shall short●y be gathered to our fathers, and the afflictions of this present condition are not worthy the joy and glory we shall enjoy for ever, Rom. 8.18. 2. This should the rather make us willing to have little to do with this world, but use it as if we used it not, 1 Cor. 7.29. 3. This should order us to a care of our preparation for death, and lessen in us the fear of dangers and adversaries, and make us resolve never to use ill means to save, or prolong, or shorten our lives; say with David, My times are in God's hands, Psal. 31. and with Christ, I will work to day, and to morrow, and the third day I shall, etc. The third thing is, that this time passeth; it runneth out; it is continually going away: and therefore the use should be, 1. To do good while we have time. Gal. 6.10. 2. To redeem the time passed ill spent by providing, by forecast for the more fruitful employment of the time to come: The more of this time past that hath been spent on sin, or the world, the more resolute we should be to be conscionable in the strict use of the time that yet we are to remain in the flesh, 1 Pet. 4.2, 3. Col. 4.5. 3. Especially we should be careful, that we discern and use the opportunities of grace, the accepted times, the days of our salvation, they may pass, and never return again, 2 Cor. 6.1. Mat. 16.3. 4. Since the godly are sojourners here but for a time, and this time passeth too; let us entertain them as the Princes of God, and make all possible use of their fellowship in the best things: for they will be gone, they will not abide with us long. In fear] This word expresseth how we should spend the time of our sojourning, viz. with all carefulness, and due respect. But that we may reach the meaning of this fear, we must know that there is a worldly fear, a servile fear, and a godly fear. There is also a vain fear, as in the melancholy, of things that are not. The worldly fear is about things of the world, as reproaches, losses, dangers, adversaries, etc. this is a wicked fear, and the godly are commanded not to fear the fear of the wicked. Esay 8. A servile fear is chiefly in spiritual things, called the spirit of bondage: such was the immoderate fear of the law, or justice of God; such is also that fear of transgression, where G●d hath given no law. The god●y fear i●●ither restrained unto our respects of God only, and so it is a part of his inward worship: or el●e it is that fear, which is required all parts of holy life, and so it i● taken here. It may not be denied but that this fear may be referred in part to wicked men: the Apostle warning them to be afraid, lest this day come upon them before they have repent of their sinne●, and so they fall into God's eternal wrath. Wick●d men have go●d cause to ●eare: for the threatenings of God are against them: the wrath of God hangs over their heads; sin lieth at the door; their own conscience will witness against them; the devil is ready to devour them; death may fall 〈◊〉 upon them, and then they must bear the open and eternal shame and confusion of all th●ir works: but I will restra●e the discourse to the godly fear. Of a conversation with 〈◊〉. The flare then here required, is that reverence, humility, lowliness, tenderness, modesty, and carefulness, that should in all our ways. Thus we should fear the presence of God, Psal. 16. the name of God, Deut. 28▪ 58. the Ministers of God, 2 Cor. 7 5. the displeasure of God, Psal. 90.11. Thus we should show fear, when we spea●e of the mysteries of godliness, 1 Pet. 3.16. thu● we should be afraid to offend the godly, 1 Cor. 10. or be infected by the wicked; or that others should ruin themselves, when we might help them, jud. 23. we should fear to provoke wicked men: we should fear lest we neglect the precious promises offered unto us, Heb. 4.1. we should be jealous of others, fearing lest they should fall from the simplicity in Christ Jesus, 2 Cor. 11.3. we should fear the corruption of our own nature, and make conscience of the least evil, 2 Cor. 7.11. we should live in fear, lest the day of Christ should come upon us before we be prepared; we should also show this fear in all our service of God, Psal. 2.11. In these and many other ways we should show our fear in our conversation. The wives also should fear their husbands, Eph. 5.33. and servants their masters, 1 Pet. 2.18. To have our conversation in fear excludes carnal mirth, and jollity, and carelessness in our ways, and unreverentnesse in our carriage towards God or amongst men. This fear was eminent in Paul, 1 Cor. 2.3. and this is required, 2 Cor. 7.1. The Use may be, Use. 1. For great reproof, 1. Of the universal fearlessness that abides in all sorts of men, never regarding the terror of the Lord, nor thinking upon this fearful judgement of Christ. How do men cast off fear, and dare restrain prayer, and all holy duties, and plunge themselves into all sorts of sins with all stupidity and carelessness▪ 2. Of the great neglect of this virtue even in the godly; there is not that awful, humble, reverend, respective carriage that should be; the hearts and faces of men are every where wanting in this fear: oh this conversation with fear, where is it to be found almost? Where is this fear in the people towards their Ministers? in the wife to her husband? in the servants to their masters? 2. For instruction: Let us from hence be informed in this duty, and for hereafter never have our hearts and carriages polluted, perfecting our holiness in fear, and abstaining from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, showing in all places a fear to offend God, or dally with sin; in all things mistrusting the corruption of our nature, 2 Cor. 7.1. Phil. 2. Rom. 11.20. 3. Such as have attained unto this fear, should be wonderful thankful to God, and careful to preserve so excellent a grace: it wins them a wonderful deal of respect both from God and men, 2 Cor. 7.15. 1 Pet. 3.2. Psal. 90.11. Besides▪ of all other these are likely to hold out, jer. 32.40. and are sure to find comfort in the day of Christ. And thus of the second reason. Verse 18. Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, a● silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by the tradition of your fathers, etc. THese words contain the third Argument for the enforcing of the exhortation laid down in the 13. verse, and it is taken from the consideration of our redemption by Christ: we are bought out of a miserable servitude by the blood shedding of Jesus Christ, and therefore being redeemed we ought to do two things. 1. To be careful of the reformation of our vain conversation. 2. To place all our faith and hope in God. Now because he would the more drive in the power of this Argument, he lays down diverse specialties and important reasons, why we should be moved with this Argument from our redemption. 1. Because all the precious things in the world could never have delivered us, in the beginning of ver. 18. 2. Because our deliverance from our vain conversation was one of the principal ends of our redemption, and therefore if we should not be stirred up to the care of a holy life, we should be as if we had never been redeemed, in the latter end of ver. 18. 3. Because our redemption was effected by so matchless a price, viz. the passion of Christ, which was increased in that it was a suffering even to effusion of blood, and in that it was a suffering of a person of wonderful parity of nature, ver. 19 4. Because our redemption was a thing before the world was made, ordained in God's eternal counsel, ver. 20. 5. Because we that now believe in Christ, have more honour done us in our redemption, than all the Fathers in the old Church had: for the manifesting of our redemption was an honour done to us that live in the times after the Law, both if we respect the incarnation of Christ, who was exhibited now, and not before; and also the publication of our deliverance by Christ already borne in the flesh in the preaching of the Gospel. 6. Because the certainty of Christ's victory, and our purchase was in special manner confirmed of God, and that two ways. 1. By raising him from the dead, to show, that no adversaries could hold him down. 2. By exalting him to so great glory in heaven, which shows he had fully pacified God's anger, and accomplished the merit of our redemption, and this was done, that our faith and hope might be in God, ver. 21. So that all these words commend unto us the Argument taken from our redemption in Christ, and serve to compel us to the perfecting of our hope, and the ordering of our conversation. In the unfolding of this reason, we may perceive that here are diverse great things concerning our redemption to be entreated of, as 1. What would not redeem us, viz. not corruptible things. 2. From what we are redeemed: viz. from our vain conversation. 3. By what price we are bought: viz. the precious blood of jesus Christ, etc. 4. The antiquity of this project concerning our redemption by Christ: viz. before ●ver the world was. 5. The time of manifesting it to the world: viz. in those times. 6. The persons that have profit by it: viz. you that believe in God by him. 7. The ratification of the assurance of it, viz. the raising of him from the dead, and his glory in heaven. 8. The end of it, viz. that we might have faith and hope in God. Before I break open these particulars, two things may be noted: 1. The coherence with the former reason: 2. The Apostles insinuation, or communication, as they call it in Rhetoric. For he doth not barely relate the Argument, but to win advantage in their affection, he tells them, they know this doctrine concerning our redemption, implying that it were a vile shame to be ignorant of the doctrine of redemption, and importing that he was persuaded that they had informed themselves in some good sufficiency of knowledge herein, and therefore they might not neglect his exhortation, that might be proved by such a known reason. For as much.] This word notes a dependence with the doctrine of the former reason, and shows that these reasons are linked in a chain; you cannot pull the one, but you draw the other also. And from hence we may note, 1. The sacred combination of holy truth in the mysteries of religion, they hang all as in one chain●, and 〈…〉 as in one body; there is a wonderful agreement amongst them; they point one to another: whereas in the writings of men by reason of their imperfection, they are oftentimes discording, not from other men, but from themselves also: their assertions sound, as if they were afraid one of another, or ready to fight one against another. 2. That the right knowledge of Christ's first coming to redeem us, serves generally to inflame our hearts to a desire after, and care of his second coming to judge us: For by his first coming, 1. We know he hath satisfied for our sins, and therefore need not fear the sentence of condemnation, or God's anger. 2. We know how dearly he paid for our sins, and therefore we should for ever hate sin. 3. We know that he cannot but do us honour then, since for our sakes he himself was judged on earth, and did shed his own blood for us. 4. We know that at that day we shall be fully redeemed, and receive all the inheritance prepared for us. What shall I say, if this his first coming were so full of love, pity, care, grace, and profit for us: how then should we long for his second coming, when he shall give himself not for us, but to us for our eternal delight and happiness? The Use may be for trial of the truth of our faith in his first coming; Use. if we can stir us up with care and cheerfulness to provide for his second coming, than we do effectually believe it; else it is very doubtful whether we do indeed know Christ crucified. Thus of the coherence: the insinuation follows. Ye know. From hence four things may be noted. 1. That we may be profitably put in mind of the things we know: yea we need to be put in mind of them, for thereby we may know things the better and more fully: but especially we need it for the use of knowledge. This is true in rebuses for sin, in consolations in affliction, in directions for our lives, and as here in the doctrine of the mysteries of our religion: they and we know the doctrine of redemption perhaps, but the powerful use of that doctrine we are altogether wanting in: beside, what we know; we know but in part. The Use is for great reproof of those vain persons, Use. that neglect hearing, reading, admonition, etc. upon pretence they know it already: if that were true, yet this doctrine shows we need to be put in mind even in the things we know: yea wise men will receive commandments, yea and rebukes too, Prov. 9 It is a discreet & commendable charity sometimes the better to persuade, and win affection, to insinuate the praises of others, as here the Apostle; so did Paul to Agrippa, Act. 26.3. It is certain, that by nature we are pleased highly with others opinions of our knowledge; and chose, the a●pe●sion or ignorance is wonderful hateful: there be some sins that vex us more than others to have them imputed, as lying, and divers others: so ignorance: the devil knew this well in Eves case, the intimation of ignorance made her ruin herself and her posterity; and so doth the devil still. What makes many go to hell for want of direction how to be saved? even this, they will not have their ignorance seen. What makes many leap from the cradle of religion to the throne of censure, so as to think themselves fit to judge whole Nations, when troops of learned men are extremely toiled with advising? Is it not this opinion of knowledge? Now as the devil useth it for hurt, so may the godly make advantage of the weakness of our natures herein, the better to direct us to good. 3. Of all doctrines we must be sure to know the doctrine of our redemption: for this is the most fundamental doctrine of all others. It is impossible to be saved without the knowledge of this. 2. Of all doctrines this is most clearly taught in Scripture. 3. Of all doctrines, we have most need of this against the discomforts of temptations, infirmities, afflictions, and death itself. 4. This most exalts the glory of God's grace and mercy, and all others are in a manner built upon this. 5. Lastly, this hath exceeding great force to persuade us to holiness of life: for it both shows us to whom we belong, and what reason we have to obey him; and withal implies how vile we are in ourselves. Use. First, so labour for knowledge herein, that thou mistrust thy own nature, and the policy of the devil: even the slower thou findest thy disposition to it, the more strive after it: let not the devil rob thee of this knowledge above all other. We are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold. In these words is contained the first principal point, namely, the invalidity of all earthly things to redeem us: they contain the disabling of the riches of this world: and as the words lie, two things are said against the treasures of this world. First, that we are not redeemed by them. Secondly, that they are corruptible things. That they cannot redeem the soul of man is evident, 1. By proof, Psal. 49.6, 7. 2. By experience, we see wicked men abound in these things, and yet go to hell, Psal. 17. ult. & 73.12. Eccles. 9.11. 3. This may appear by a distribution of the parts of redemption: for they cannot appease God's anger, Prov. 11.4. they cannot restrain the devil's power: they cannot buy us a righteousness answerable to that the law requires: they cannot be a ransom to keep the soul from hell, job 29.9, 19, 20. they cannot cover our imperfect work●: they cannot buy us a better nature, but rather choke the word of God, Mat. 13. and make men careless of repentance, and conceited of themselves and wilful to entertain sin, Prov. 28.11. Hosea 12.8. and drown men in noisome lusts, 1 Tim. 6.9. yea how hard is it for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven? Mat. 19 Lastly, they cannot make us immortal, jam. 1.10, 11. Thus it is clear, they cannot redeem us. For the second, they are corruptible: This is manifest; Solomon saith, they have wings, Prov. ●7. they vanish, subject to violence or vanity, Mat. 6.13. yea many times they go away with an ill loose, it may be the ruin of the owners, job 20.18. Eccles. 5. jer. 17.11. nor can they go with their owners when death comes, Psal. 49.17. Use. The Use may be, 1. For information: It should raise the price of true grace, and all the means thereof: we should labour to be affectionately persuaded, that grace and the means thereof is better than all gold, Psal. 37 16. to 23. jer. 17▪ 11, 22. Prov. 19.1. & 22.1. Psal▪ 19.14. grace 〈◊〉 called the unsearchable riches of Christ, Eph. 3.9. yea grace with reproach is better than all treasures with honour, Heb. 11.26. 2. ●t may inform us concerning the woeful estate of rich men, especially wicked rich men, that have nothing to trust unto but their wealth. Alas, alas, could they but think of death, oh how should they tremble! let them remember, that at the day of Christ many a rich man shall howl, and wish the very 〈◊〉 to cover 〈◊〉, and yet cannot escape, Rev. 6. the very rust of their riches, which proved their corruptibleness, shall witness against them, I ●●. 5.1. they should think often of that parable, Luke 12.15, 20, 21. and that other Luke 16. of Dives in hell: yea in this life th●u mayst be in honour, and yet be but like a beast that perisheth, Psal. 49. especially they are to be bewailed, if they trust in their riches, and rejoice in them, and boast of them, job 31.24, 25. and will be as vain as their ancestors, Psal. 49.12, 13. 3. If outward things in their lawful use be so base, what are they in their sinful use, either of getting, or spending? 4. How excellent then is the Lord Jesus that did redeem us, when all these could not and how worthy to be beloved? 2. For instruction: 1. To rich men, therefore never to trust more in uncertain riches, 1 Tim. 6.17. Psal. 62.10. 2. Not to despise poor Christians, and admire wicked rich men, jam. 2.5, 4. 3. Let not the rich man glory in his riches, though he be a godly man, jer. 9.24. 4. Let us rather strive to be like green olive trees in God's house, Psal. 52.7, 8. Quest. But what shall we do with riches, are they good for nothing? Answ. 1. Make friends with them, Luke 16. 2. Buy the means of grace with them, Prov. 17.16. 3. Be rich in good works, 1 Tim. 6.19, 20. 4. Eat and drink and rejoice, Eccl. 2.24. 5. It may teach the godly the willinger both to want gold and silver, and to practise all the duties of abnegation, and the contempt of them. Thus of the first point: The second is, from what we are redeemed, viz. From your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. The thing from which we are redeemed, is our own conversation, amplified by the quality, it is vain, and by the cause of it, viz. the tradition of our fathers. First of redemption from our conversation in general, if any ask, Quest. From what we are redeemed in Christ? if I answer fully, I must say from six things. 1. From the displeasure of God: Answ. We are redeemed from six things. the passion of Christ being a full expiation for all our sins that angered God, 1 job. 2.2. 2. From condemnation, unto which we were justly sentenced; this is a fruit of the former expiation also, Rom. 8.1. 3. From the power of Satan, who as a jailor and executioner of vengeance had possession of us, Heb. 2.14. 4. From the rigour of the moral law: For Christ having made redemption for the transgressions of the former Testament, he hath obtained for us new conditions by virtue of the New Testament ratified by his blood, Heb. 6.8. Rom. 6. 5. From the present evil world, even from the judgements might have fallen upon us for our sins, and from the bondage under the course of this world, and from all the enchantments with which we were bewitched, Gal. 1. ●. 6. Lastly, we are redeemed from our vain conversation, even from the power of our own corruption, and the practice of a body of sins. This last is here mentioned either by a synecdoche, by one part meaning the whole, or else to note, that till we be freed from the power of sin in our conversation, we can never actually attain the comfort of any of the former, as were easy to prove in the particulars. Thus in general. In particular I consider of two things. First, of the vanity of our conversation, from which we are redeemed. Secondly, of the cause of it, here said to be the tradition of the fathers; and in the explication of the first I consider of three things. 1. What the vanity of our conversation is. 2. I note diverse doctrines to be thence observed. 3. I resolve certain questions, and then make uses of all together. For the first: the conversation of unregenerate persons may be said to be vain in diverse respects. Our conversation is vain in diverse respects, as we are unregenerate. 1. Because continuing in such an estate, they fail of the happiness unto which man was created, and so they are as if they were created in vain, Psal. 89.48. 2. Because in their sinful courses they cannot attain their own ends, but are always deceived of their expectation, job 33.27. Psal. 31.7. Psal. 127.1. 3. Because of their transitory condition, they are daily wearing away, Psal. 144.4. 4. Because unregenerate men seldom or never attain that equal condition, that might give them a sufficiency without extremes: they are either too rich or too poor; and this is vanity and lies, Prov. 30.8. Divers sins in respect of which men's conversations are said to be vain. 5. Because all earthly things are vain, Ecclesiast. every where. 6. There are diverse special sins in the life of man, for which his conversation may be said to be vain, (and this I think is here intended) as 1. To worship images is a vanity, 2 King. 17.15. Zach. 10.2. Deut. 32. 21. jer. 8.19. & 10.18. 2. Lip-service is a vanity, Mat. 15. In vain do ye worship me, etc. compared with Esay 18.13. 3. Hypocrisy in carriage is vanity, jam. 1.26. 4. To trust in man, or vain helps, Psal. 62.9. Esay 30.7. 5. The care of life, Psal. 39.6. 6. conceitedness and boasting is a vanity, job 11.11. 2 Pet. 2.18. 7. Opposing of the godly, or disgracing them is vain. Psal. 4.2. 8. The multiplying of devises and projects in the mind is vanity, Psal. 94.11. and such are the fruitless thoughts of the mind, Eph 4.17. 9 Flattering and double-dealing is vanity, Psal. 12.2. & 41.7. 10. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is vanity, tossed to and fro of them that seek death, Prov. 2●. 6. 11. The service of the lusts of the flesh is vanity, Eph. 2.3. hence debauched men are said to be vain men, 2 Chron. 13.7. 12. The excess in seeking the unprofitable pleasures of the world, and delights of life, jon. 2.8. Psal. 119.37. Eccles. 11. ult. Psal. 24.4. The observations are: 1. That all men by nature are vain men; such is the depravation of nature in all mankind, Psal. 39 & 62.9. 2. That there needs no more to make a man miserable on earth, then to be guilty of a vain conversation. It is an extreme wretchedness to spend our time in the vanity of conversation: it is called a sore sickness in itself; and beside, so long as we continue in that condition, we have no part of the redemption by Christ. 3. It is the greatest happiness on earth to get rid of the guilt and power of our vain conversation: This is a main part of our redemption by Christ, and chiefly intended. 1. Quest. Is there not vanity in the conversation of the godly themselves? Answ. There is: for even in them there are vain thoughts, distractions in God's service; sometimes delight in vain things: always too much love of earthly things, too much liking of their own ways, hidden hypocrisy, pride, and such like. 2 Quest. But how then can men be said to be redeemed from their vanity, or vain conversation, seeing there is vanity still in them? Answ. There are five degrees of our redemption from our vain conversation. 1. The first is the promise of it in the word. Five degrees of redemption from a vain conversation. 2. The second is the purchase of it by paying the price. 3. The third is the imputation of it. God justifying the sinner in Christ. 4. The fourth is the ●●cboation of it by the renewing of our natures in part. 5. The fifth is the consummation of it in heaven. Four of the degrees are passed upon the godly, only the fifth remains. 3. Quest. But by what signs may a man know his own redemption from his vain conversation? Answ. Our redemption from our sinful and vain conversation may be discerned: Seven signs of our redemption from a vain conversation. 1. By our putting off the deceivable lusts of the inward man, even by our throwing of them out of service, & denying the old vanities of our thoughts and desires, Eph. 4.22. 1 Pet. 1.12, 13. Psal. 24.4. 2. By our vexation at the vain and wicked conversation of other men, 1 Pet. 2.7, 8. Psal. 31 7. & 26.4. 3. By our contempt of the world, and desire after a better life, Phil. 3. 18, 20. 4. By our sorting ourselves with such as fight against the corruptions of the world, Phil. 1.27. 5. By our desire in all things to live honestly, Heb. 13.18. 6. By our good works, either of piety or mercy, jam. 3.13. 7. By our meekness of wisdom in the best things we do, La●. 3.13. 1 Pet. 3.16. Seeing the freedom of a vain conversation is one chief past and end of our redemption, there may be diverse Uses made of it. Uses. 1. It should quicken us to a care of a sober conversation: since this 〈◊〉, what manner of persons ought we to be in all godliness, and holy conversation? yea we should strive to be examples to others in conversation, 1 T●●.▪ 4.12. especially we should labour to live without rebuke, 1 〈◊〉 12. 2. If shows the misery of all such as yet abide under the power of a vain conversation: for thereby it is apparent, they have as yet no part in the virtue of the death and resurrection of Christ, Eph. 2.3. especially of such as draw iniquity with cords of vanity, Esay 5.18. 3. It should in special awaken the godly to watch over their ways for the suppressing of vanities: it is a foul sight to see men professing the love of God, and hope of a better life, to grow va●●●; and be taken up again with the delights in foolish vanities, such as are strange apparel, deliciousness of fare, abundance of pleasures, lightness of carriage, etc. job 31.5. 4. For singular comfort: if we feel the delights in foolish vanities to be gone, and the power of our former 〈◊〉 to be beaten down for hereby we may know infallibly that we are in Christ, and redeemed by him. Thus of the quality of our conversation, the cause followeth. Received by the tradition of the father● There are amongst the rest six ways by which sin comes into the life of man, and is charged upon him. 1. By imputation, and so we are guilty of Adam's sin in paradise. Six ways by which sin is derived upon man. 2. By propagation, and so we receive the original corruption of our natures, Psal. 51. 3. By imitation of the sins of others. 4. By consenting to the sins of others. 5. By inventing sin ourselves, Eccles. 7 ult. 6. By tradition, that is, by direction, and 〈…〉, by word of mo●th: This is the way 〈◊〉 meant 〈…〉. By father's here he meaneth their very fathers of their flesh, their natural Parents, both those that were next unto them, and those more removed from them, as ancestors, and other kindred in the flesh. The 〈◊〉 is, that one great cause by which the life of man is infected, is the corrupt counsel, direction, and tradition of Parents according to the flesh, Ezech. 20.4, 18. Amos 2.4. Zach. 1.4. Esay 14.21. jer. 9.14. Gal 1.13, 14. Two things would be here explicated: 1. what corruption men receive by tradition from their Parents. 2. how it comes to pass, they should be so bad by such traditions. For the first: Divers sorts of evils have broken into the life of man by the tradition of fathers, How many ways children are infected by the tradition of their fathers. as 1. Gross errors in opinion. 2. Divers superstitions in their life, as were the traditions of the pharisees, Mat. 15. and so for the Papists, as the observation of diverse fasts, etc. 3. Children learn diverse sins only, or chiefly from their Parents: as these sins should be put off, (Eph. 4.22. to the end) viz. lying, frowardness, corrupt communication, bitterness, etc. from whence have children them but from the tradition of Parents? Do not Parents first train them to revenge, pride, cursing, swearing, & c? Hence also come diverse vain words, either in the use of God's titles, or in nicknames, and reproaches of others. Whence are the sins in every calling, but from imitation of Parents? 4. What is the reason, why many will not be drawn into any other care of a religious life, either in respect of the service of God, or other reformation, but only because they saw their fathers take another course? Whence are all those objections cast in the way of all the parts of sincerity and rege 〈◊〉 of life, but from the tradition of their parents? Whence comes neglect of the service of God at Church, or in the family, but from this fountain in many? For the second: If any ask why the tradition of Parents should be so infectious? Quest. Answ. I answer, 1. Because they are cast into the natures of the children in the youngest years, and so are the more infection, because they were first seasoned with them. 2. Because of the affection children bear to their Parents, and their opinion of their sufficiency. A child naturally thinks his Parents are the best creatures in the world, at least for them to be guided by. 3. Because they are continually conversant with them, and so see no other, or no better precepts or examples. 4. Because most Parents are not careful enough to bring them up in the nurture and instruction of the Lord. Use. Seven rules for Parents in ordering their children. The Use may be for Instruction both to Parents and children. 1. Parents should be humbled under the consideration of the misery they bring upon their children, both by propagation, and tradition, especially they should be careful by all means to prevent this hurt in their children: and to this 〈◊〉▪ 1. They should for over abhor the teaching of their children such pride, lying, swearing, etc. as doth corrupt them. 2. They should chose instill good precepts into them, and the rather, because what good they are at first seasoned withal by their parents, will more stick by them. 3. They should 〈◊〉 lead them to the Word of God, and betimes exalt the glory and 〈◊〉 of it in them; that they may be informed, that from thence all perfect rules are to be fetched. 4. They should enure them to good company. 5. They should give them good example themselves, and set before them the best example of others. 6. They should betimes correct those buds of sin, which spring out of the propagated sin. 7. Lastly, they should carefully set up the worship of God in the family, that from their cradles they may see the practice of piety. 2. Children should also learn from hence, 1. Not to rest wholly upon the tradition of Parents, and to know it is not a sufficient rule to warrant their actions: their Parents said or did so, and therefore they must say or do so too. It is no dishonour to Parents, that their children should know they are not absolute: it is a glory God the Father hath reserved unto himself; especially if thy Parents have been given to idolatry, or superstition, thou must cleanse thy heart from all that dross thou hast any way received from them, Gal. 1.13. jer. 8.19. & 10.8. 2. What good is commended especially of the good fathers, those we should embrace, and the rather for their sakes. There are three sorts of Fathers we should observe with great respects. 1. The holy Fathers mentioned in Scripture, we should study their praises and precepts. 2. The glorious Fathers and Martyrs that have been in former ages, those especially that either were before Antichrist his time, or in his time did rise up against their idolatry and superstitions. 3. Our own particular, godly, and religious ancestors, and parents according to the flesh. If God have given thee godly Parents, thou should●● rejoice, and with all affection make thy gain of their holy examples, and counsels, accounting it a singular mercy of God to give thee such to guide thee, as carry so much nearness and affection to thee. 3. Shall not this evidently confute their gross folly, that so much urge the tradition of the Fathers? 4. Are men so zealous for the tradition of their fathers of the flesh: and shall not we be much more zealous for the traditions of God himself delivered in his word? and the rather, because we are bound to love God above all the fathers or mothers of the world: and beside, his counsels are all perfect, there can be no defect in them; and further, no parents can afford us such acceptation, or reward for obedience. Hitherto of the second point, viz. from what we are redeemed. Now follows the third, viz. how we were redeemed. Verse 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb undefiled and without spot. GReat is the wonder of God's works of nature in the making of this huge ●rame of heaven and earth of nothing, and in the providence about all creatures, especially in diverse things more eminent in those works. But of all the works of God, the works of grace, even the great work of man's redemption is beyond all comparison wonderful, that he should set his love upon such forlorn wretches, as men in their corruption are, and that he should provide for them such an excellent happiness. But above all, the means by which he doth this, is infinitely beyond the reach of all the judgements and affections of all creatures: and this is it which is most effectually comprehended in this verse: That he should effect this redemption by his own Son, such a Son, so richly qualified, with such a price as the very blood of his Son, with such a strict account of him, that his nature and works for man must not have a spot or blemish in them: oh how should we be swallowed up with admiration, and cry out, God yea how should we be vexed at the vile dulness and deadness of our hearts, that cannot be more affected with those indelible ravishments? How justly might we perish for ever, that have no more mind to seek after such a Redeemer, and cleave unto that God and Father of mercies, that hath found out such a way of redemption for us? But that the nature and use of this great point may be urged yet more fully, I consider of the particulars in this verse concerning the means of our redemption: For here are two things to be noted: 1. By whom we were redeemed. 2. How we were redeemed. 1. In respect of his passion: by his precious blood. 2. In respect of his obedience: by his righteousness. 1. Of nature: A lamb without blemish. 2. Of action: A lamb without spot. Christ] This word is a collective: it imports not only the person, but also the office of the Messias. For Christ is not God alone, or man alone, but God and man united in one person: for it is a word always used of the person, sustaining both natures. Nor doth it rest there, but it signifies his anointing of God, as the word signifieth, and so that he hath accomplished all that was signified by the anointings in the law, and so he was in substance all, that the anointing of Prophets, Priests, and Kings could signify: and so summarily it puts us in mind of the excellencies of our Saviour in person and office above all things in the world. So than if you ask, By whom man was redeemed? The Apostle by saying by Christ doth as it were particularly tell you, that we are redeemed by him, 1. Th●● from all eternity was the begotten Son of God. 2. That in time was conceived so miraculously by the over-shadowing of the holy Ghost, and borne of a Virgin (a most transcendent wonder,) made a true man, and this h●●●ne nature of ours was taken into the subsistence upon the person of his divine nature, so as he was now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ a God and a man, Rom. 9.5. 3. That in both these united natures by an unspeakable mission from God the Father, he did undertake that marvellous office of mediation between God and man, wherein he took it upon him to unite us to God, and God to us for ever. This is our Saviour, and this is he alone that claims the glory of this work: he alone trod the winepress of God's wrath; he alone is our Saviour, and there is no other, Act. 4. Esay 64. 1 Cor. 1.30. there is no 〈◊〉 in heaven and earth by which we can be saved, but only by his. Uses. The Uses follow. 1. We may here observe the wonderful wisdom and mercy of God in the choice of our Redeemer: for this is he that was fore-ordained of God: by him we are restored, by whom we were created: by him we partake of God's love, that was the Son of his love: in him we obtain the adoption of 〈◊〉, that was himself the only begotten Son and heir of God by 〈◊〉, that God and man might be one in covenant. This one is made God and man in person. 2. For instruction we may learn diverse duties. 1. To bless God for our Saviour Christ, as the foundation of all our happiness. Shall 〈…〉 talk of his righteousness all the day? Shall not everlasting joy be upon our heads▪ Psal. 103.1, 2. & 71.23. Esay 35.10. 1 Cor. 30, 31. Eph. 1.6, 7. 2. To seek redemption in him both from the guilt of our sins, Rom. 3. 24, 25, Esay 44.22. and from the power of them, and from the punishment of them, Psal. 1 30.7. job 19.25. Psal. 34.19. etc. Esay 63.16. & 50.2. Psal. 31.7. & 55.18. Host 13.14. 3. Therefore we must serve him in holiness, and righteousness all our days, Luke 1.68, 74. Esay 59.20. Tit. 2.14. 4. Let us follow the example of his humility, and let him that would be great amongst us, be the servant of all, Mat. 20.28. Coherence. 5. Honour the redeemed of Jesus Christ, and ever say, what one Nation is like to Christ's people? By his blood.] Hitherto of the person by whom we were redeemed: now follows the manner. We were redeemed, 1. by the passion of Christ: 2. by the obedience of Christ; and well are they joined together: for the justice of God required both, and it hath ever been the nature of the Devil, and the world to pour out floods of tribulation after innocency, especially in the eminent: As it was with Christ, so it is with all his members, who are conformed unto him both in sufferings and obedience: and as any are more innocent, so is their passion the greater: but let that pass. The first point here intended is, that the Holy Ghost would have us to know, and knowing to be deeply affected with it, that we were ransomed by blood, yea by the blood of jesus Christ, God and man. For the explication of this point, four things briefly would be considered. 1. That it is. 2. What it is. 3. Why it is. 4. How it is. 1. The first: that our ransom was to be paid in blood, was foretold continually from the very fall by sacrifices in blood, and is proved by express Scriptures, Heb. 9.13, 14. Act. 20.28. 2. For the second: The blood of Christ is diversely taken: sometimes sacramentally, and so the wine in the Sacrament is his blood, Mat. 26. sometimes mystically, and so the blood of the Martyrs is the blood of Christ, and so they are said to fulfil the rest of the passion of Christ: sometimes imputatively, and so the Saints have their robes made white in the blood of the Lamb, Revel. 7.14. but most an end properly for his natural blood, and so it is taken here. For no Saints nor blood of Martyrs can make atonement for our sins: But by his blood (He) synecdochically means all his passion, even all that he suffered of the malediction of the law, as the surety for our sins. 3. For the third: If any ask, Quest. why Christ in suffering endured this kind of suffering? I answer, 1. Expiation for sin was a way universally conceived of to be fittest done in blood. Answ. Why Christ shed his blood. 2. Hereby he fulfilled both the Scriptures of the Prophets, and the types went before of him. 3. It was not only for example, but also for the sanctification of the like sufferings in the Martyrs of all ages. 4. It was one of the curses of the law. 5. It was his good pleasure hereby to show his matchless love to us. If we ask, why this part of the passion of Christ is so much stood upon, Quest. and so often remembered? I answer, Answ. Why the blood of Christ of all other things in his passion is most urged. 1. To show the extremity of Christ's humiliation. 2. To show the full accomplishment of all types. 3. To confirm our faith in the assurance of the completeness of our ransom. 4. To settle our hearts with more affection to him. 4. For the fourth: Christ shed his blood for us many times: As first in his Circumcision, as the first fruits, and pledge of the rest. 2. In his sweat in the garden. 3. When he was crowned with thorns and whipped. 4. When he was nailed on the Crosse. 5. When his side was pierced with a spear: The last is chiefly intended. The Use may be diverse. Use. 1. It may inform us of our extreme misery by nature: men must think upon it, their native condition is most servile, else there had not needed such a ransom by such blood. 2. It may import the horrible misery of wicked impenitent sinners, when they shall fall into God's hands: If Christ being but a surety for others suffered such extreme things, oh what mercy can wicked men expect? The very dolours of Christ should teach them, how miserable their case shall be. 3. To consider, that Christ hath bought us to himself by his blood, should compel our affections to resolve more unchangeably, and unfeignedly to devote ourselves to his service that paid so dear for us. Shall we not live to him in all sincerity, that was fain to shed his blood, before he could redeem us to himself, as a peculiar people? If any thing will do it, this should kindle the zeal of good works in us. 4. It may comfort us many ways. 1. It shows that Christ wonderfully loves us. 2. That the satisfaction of our debt is fully made. 3. That his intercession daily for us must prevail, since his blood cries in heaven for us, and speaks better things than did the blood of Abel. 4. That our nourishment to eternal life shall be surely effected, because he hath given himself as bread, and his blood as drink for us. 5. It should teach us patience in all our afflictions, or combats with sin, seeing we have not resisted unto blood, as the author and finisher of our faith did, Heb. 12.3, 4. Precious blood.] O● the preciousness of the blood of Chr●●t. The blood of Christ is commended for the marvellous preciousness of it, which may appear beside the express affirmations of Scripture: 1. By the continual view of the slain sacrifices. 2. By the amazement of the creatures, when it was shed: The Sun eclipsed, the veil of the Temple rend, the rockstorne, the earth trembling, etc. 3. By the admirable effects of it: it appeased God's anger. Rom. 3.25. it purchased the Church, Acts 20. 28. which all the gold and silver could not do: it ratified the covenant, therefore called the blood of the covenant, Luke 22.20. Heb. 9.18. it is our drink indeed, john 6. it makes a holy consanguinity between jew and Gentile, they are all allied in the blood of Christ, Eph. 2.13. it overcomes the Devil, Rev. 12. it saves us from the destroying Angels, Heb. 11.18. it makes intercession for sins after calling continually in heaven, Heb. 12.24. it purgeth the conscience from dead works, Heb. 9.14. and it opens the holy of holies▪ and gives an entrance into the kingdom of heaven, Heb. 10.19. Quest. But whence comes this preciousness into the blood of Christ? Answ. I answer; many ways, 1. Because it was shed willingly, joh. 10. What mak●s the blood of Christ so precious. 2. Because it was the blood of an innocent man; but especially because of the dignity of his person: it was the blood of him that was God as well as man, Acts 20.28. and therefore must needs be of infinite merit, and virtue. Use. Is the blood of Christ so precious? 1. Then let us for ever exalt that riches of grace in God, that spared not the blood of his own Son, that he might not destroy us, Ephes. 1.7. Revel. 1.5. 2. Then let us for ever detest merits of our own works, seeing the price is of such infinite value, and sufficiency, Rom. 3.25. Coherence. 3. ●t should then augment the confirmation of our faith in our redemption against all the temptations of Satan, or rebellion of our own hearts, or oppositions of the world, Rom. 5.9. 4. If shows, how careful we should be of ourselves, that were bought at so precious a rate, Mat. ●6. 5. Let 〈◊〉 all then take heed of sinning against the blood of Christ (for if it be thus precious, it must needs diffuse a horrible guilt upon such as offend against it: if Abel's blood cried so, what will Christ's blood do? etc.) as they do, 1. That swear by it. 2. That commit the sin against the Holy Ghost. 3. That trust to their own merits. 4. That receive the Sacrament unworthily, 1 Cor. 11. As a lamb without blemish and spot. Hitherto of his passion. Now follows his obedience, or innocency both of na●●re and action, and both as they commend the excellency of him, that suffered for us: His innocency is set out by comparison of a spotless lamb, in which words it is God's purpose to lift up our hearts to an apprehension of a wonderful purity in Christ, as he is our surety and Saviour. The main observation is, that God would have us to know affectionately the wonderful holiness of Christ, as he is our Mediator and Redeemer: it is one chief thing we should be informed in. Hence the sacrifices still shadowed him out by the similitude of a spotless lamb, and therefore he is called the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, Rev. 13.8. and the Apostles for urging this point may well be called the Apostles of the Lamb, Rev. 21.24. john calls him the Lamb of God, joh. 1.29, 36. Christ may be called a Lamb: Christ like a lamb in six things. 1. For harmlessness. 2. For patience and silence in affliction, Esay 53.7. jer. 11.19. 3. For price and value: for rareness and high account: it seems lambs were of special account, Gen. 33.19. & 21.28, 30. 4. For infirmities: he took the infirmities were miserable, but not those were damnable. 5. For meekness and humility. 6. For sacrifice: The lambs in the ceremonial law what they signified in Christ. He was the substance of all that was signified by the typical lambs: he was the substance of the paschal lamb, of the lamb for daily sacrifice, for the peace-offrings, for the trespasse-offrings, for the purification of women, and of the lepers, and the lamb for the first fruits, and for the trespasse-off●ing of the Nazarites, and for the free will offerings, or vows; and the lamb for the sabbaths, and new moons, and the feast of trumpets; and the lamb for the day of humiliation, and for the feast of tabernacles; the lamb for the Priests, and the Princes, and the people. It is by the sprinkling of his blood we scape the destroying Angels: It is for his sake, that God is every day pleased in his propitiation for our sins: He is our daily sacrifice, that we must still offer to God for ourselves: It is he we must offer to God for our trespasses, and no gifts we can bring to God will be acceptable without him: In him we are freed from the corruption of our natures, and from the leprosy of actual transgressions: In him we have the confirmation of all our outward blessings: The Priests, and Princes, as well as the people must ascribe all their reconciliation to him: There are no persons so devoted to religion, but they must acknowledge their needs of Christ; nor can our best actions or times be accepted without him. Whereas it is said, he was without spot or blemish, the Holy Ghost means to avouch, that he was most holy both in nature and life, there could not be a spot found in his actions, nor any the least blemish in his disposition. And it was needful Christ should be so pure: 1. Because else his passion could not be accepted. 2. Because he must become a righteousness to many. Quest. If any ask how he could be so, seeing he came of Adam, and had his infirmities both of body and mind? Answ. I answer, that he came of Adam, but not by Adam, that is, not by carnal propagation, but was conceived by the holy Ghost, and so original sin stopped: and for his infirmities, I said before, he received such infirmities, as the Fathers call miserable, that is, such as were punishments, not sins; but not such as were damnable, as all sinful infirmities are. Uses. The Uses follow. 1. We should inform ourselves by often meditation of this wonderful righteousness in Christ, beholding by our medication the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. 2. For instruction many things may be urged. 1. We should give honour to the lamb that sitteth upon the throne, whose praises fill both heaven and earth, Rev. 5.7. etc. 2. We should daily send this lamb to the ruler of the earth, daily present him to God for us, Esay 16.1. 3. These praises of Christ should convert us to his image: this very doctrine converted the Eunuch, Act. 8.31. we should imitate the praises of Christ, hereby imported, as these places show, Rev. 14.1. to 6. 4. Let us for his testimony resist the gates of hell, by believing in him, and love not our lives unto the death for his sake, Rev. 12.11. 3. For consolation: Shall we not sing the song of Moses, and the song of the lamb? Rev. 15.3. Oh how happy are his servants! Revel. 22. What should dismay us, if we know we are contracted to this lamb of God, and shall enjoy eternal fellowship with him, and in the mean while to be clothed with the white linen of ●● righteousness, Rev. 19.7, 8. 4. Woe unto them that will not rest upon him for righteousness; the smoke of their torment shall ascend for evermore, Rev. 14.10, 11. Verse 20, 21. 20. Which was ordained before the foundation of the world, but was declared in the last times for your sakes, 21. Which by his means do believe in God that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. HItherto of the means by which we were redeemed: The antiquity of the project concerning our redemption follows. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world. The drift is to show that we have reason to be wonderfully affected with the manner of our redemption, because it was from all eternity projected by God. Two things may be here noted in the words. 1. The fore-ordination of Christ. 2. The time of it, before the foundation of the world. Who ●●●●ly was fore-ordained. This word leads us beyond time into the secret and eternal counsel of God, giving us a glimpse of God's eternal statutes, especially concerning the eternal happiness of the Elect by Christ. All Scripture entreats either of God or his works. The works of God are either internal, or external. The internal are likewise eternal before time: The external are in time. Of God the Scriptures draw us a perfect image, as the weakness of man can be capable of it. Of the works of God external, and in time, the Scripture likewise plentifully discourseth, as far as is needful to salvation. Of the works of God internal there is also some little glimpse given in Scripture, not so much to satisfy the curiosity of men's minds, as to ravish the hearts of the godly with incitations, that might the better guide them to contentment in their happy estate: yet there is but little, because men should not be led aside from attending the present means of their everlasting happiness, and because as yet the nature of man is not capable of so glorious revelations. The works of God before time, are either personal or essential. The personal works are such works ad intra as pass from the three persons in the Trinity one to other incommunicably, as the begetting of the Son, the proceeding of the holy Ghost. The essential works are such as all the three persons do join in without division, and these are those eternal statutes or decrees, the making of those unsearchable laws concerning the disposing of the Kingdom of God in time, in the erecting and ordering of the world. God, as a wise Carpenter, before he build resolves upon the plot in his head: and as a wise King before he enters into the administration of the Kingdom, resolves upon the laws, by which to govern it. These statutes have in Scripture four singular praises. 1. They are in respect of us unsearchable: far beyond the reach of any mortal brain, Rom. 11. 2. They are marvellous glorious for the wonderful majesty, and mercy, and justice of them: such as to look in at them, but through a chincke, as it were, ravisheth the Apostle into that exclamation, depths● etc. Rom. 11. 3. They are unchangeable like the laws of the M●der and Persians, so as they never lose a jot of their force, till they come ●or the last period, Rom. 8.30. 4. They are eternal, as here is said, before the foundation of the world: so Eph. 1.5. Mat. 25.34. The Lord hath drawn these statutes in four books, God's four statute▪ books. each containing a several draught of them. 1. The first is the book of nature: He hath iugraven certain ordinances unchangeable in the creatures, by viewing which impressions man might be made without excuse. 2. The second is the book of conscience: The Lord in the hearts of the Elect causing an impression of immortal truths, wherein he declares his will, so far as may concern the salvation of that particular Elect of God. 3. The third is the book of Scripture, in which he hath drawn a most exact draught of his laws and will, for so much as may concern the salvation of all or any of Gods Elect. 4. Now the fourth and most absolute book of statutes, is that book of life, wherein from all eternity God hath enrowled the nature and ends of all things: and there are also many other things besides the salvation of the Elect, Psal. 139.16. a special part of which is the Lamb's book of life, Revel. 21.27. Now unto this book doth this word fore-ordained lead us. The word in the Original is properly foreseen: Now there are three kinds of foresight. 1. First, that bare knowledge of things, and this reacheth to all things that ever shall be. 2. Secondly, that knowledge of approbation, God knowing man above others with his special favour: this reacheth only to the Elect. 3. Now there is a third kind of knowledge or foreknowledge, when God is said to know things, as a Judge doth in giving sentence: Hence Plebiscitum was an ordinance made by the commons; and so when the Judge had sentenced a cause, he was said to have known the cause. In this last sense the word is here taken, and therefore well rendered fore-ordained: to note such a foresight, as had a determination and statute in it. The decrees of God are by some Divines distinguished by the names of Providence and Predestination: Providence they would have contain all that order that the Lord took from all eternity concerning all things in the world whatsoever; so as there is nothing but is liable to God's decree. Now Predestination comprehends only those decrees that concern the reasonable creatures, and especially those that concern the Election of some of them. Three sorts of the Elect. There is a threefold Election, or the Elect may be cast into three ranks. 1. There is the Election of man unto salvation. 2. There is the Election of Angels unto confirmation in their estates. 3. There is the Election of Christ unto the Mediatorship, and headship over Angels and men: Of this he means here, and the decree concerning the Election of Christ is the most illustrious of all the rest, and concerns the execution of the most glorious work that ever was to be in the world. The sum than is, that the Lord in his book of eternal statutes hath recorded, and determined concerning this course of saving man by the mediation of his Son. Christ is fore-ordained in respect of his office of Mediatorship, not simply in respect of his person, as God: for so he is not the person predestinated, but with the Father and holy Ghost it is he that doth predestinate 〈◊〉 s he was to show himself God made man, as Mediator between God and man, so he was subject to that ordinance. Use. Quest. Now what use may be made of this, that we here find, that God is so careful to make all sure concerning our redemption in Christ? Answ. First, it may serve for consolation, we need never doubt but God will accomplish all his goodness to us in his Son, seeing he hath bound himself, and Christ to it by his everlasting decrees: it is an ordinance must never be changed: we see God after all this time acknowledgeth it in this text, to be believed to the world's end. Secondly, it may serve for instruction. 1. Shall we not be ashamed of our negligence, that have not with all diligence laboured to make our calling and election sure, when we see God so careful to make all sure? 2. Shall we not ever willingly be subject to God's statutes and laws, when we see Christ himself subject himself to God's ordinances, and that from all eternity? 3. Shall we not long for those times, when those eternal statutes shall be opened, and Gods counsels displayed to our infinite joy? Thirdly, it may inform us, concerning Gods wonderful hatred of sin: in that from eternity he cannot look upon the Elect, but as they are in Christ. Fourthly, seeing it is certainly decreed concerning the gathering of men's souls by the 〈◊〉 of Christ: it should teach Ministers with all readiness and patience to preach the Gospel in the places where they come, as knowing that such as are ordained of God shall be gathered even so many in these places, as belong to the election of God, Act. 13 48. Verily.] This doctrine of 〈…〉 is ●●tered with a kind of mild asseveration: the reasons of which asseveration are these. 1. Because the most men will hardly believe any such thing: men by nature are wonderful apt to object against the doctrine of God's decrees, and therefore he urgeth it with an asseveration. 2. Because of the excellency of this decree above all the rest: this was a golden statu●e, the most amiable ordinance that ever was, that God should from everlasting resolve to send his own Son to redeem us. 3. This asseveration is to work the greater assurance of faith in the Elect: they should never doubt God's love to them in Christ: for ver●ly Christ was preordained, etc. Before the foundation of the world. This phrase is used in diverse senses in Scripture. 1. Sometimes the foundation of the earth is taken for the peopling of the earth, since the foundation of the world, that is, since the peopling of it, Exod. 9.18. 2. Sometimes for justice and judgement in the earth, the foundations of the earth were moved, that is, all went to wrack in matters of justice, Psal. 82.5. But usually it is taken for the creation of the world, especially in respect of the support of this great frame of heaven and earth. The foundation of the world is that admirable work of God, erecting this huge frame of heaven and earth, and supporting it by his almighty power: so that before the foundation of the world, is, before the world was set up. But why doth he rather say, Quest. before the foundation of the world, then before the world was? It may be for two reasons. Answ. First, to raise up our thoughts to the contemplation of the wonderfulness of the founding of heaven and earth, for the rareness of the wisdom of God, and the cunning he showed in this admirable frame, Prov. 3.39. for the unsearchableness, jer. 31.37. for the sureness and durableness of it, Psal. 78.69. for the absoluteness and independence of God's power in framing all this, job. 38.4, 5▪ for the suddenness of it, it being all done with a word, and for that all this was made of nothing, and that this great earth, the foundation of all the rest, should itself lie in the waters, Psal. 24.2. and indeed the whole borne up only by the power of Christ without means, Heb. 1.3. Secondly, this phrase may be of purpose used for the likeness of the state of the Church to the world, and the promise of God for the upholding of it: He that made the world of nothing, raised a Church to himself of that which was worse than nothing: yea all that is said before of the world may assure us of so much, and much more in the execution of God's counsels in Christ for the Church, Psa. 78.79. The doctrines are, 1. That the world had a beginning, it had a foundation, Doct. it was not eternal. 2. That we ought to be deeply affected with the admi●ablenesse of the making and upholding of the world. But who can tell that there was s●●h a wonderfulness in the creation of the world? Quest. 1. Scripture doth tel● it, Heb. 11.3. Answ. 2. Christ was by when it was done, Prov. 8.29. 3. The Angels of heaven saw the whole when it was done, and were by at the doing of a great deal, and were rapt with admiration at the wisdom and power of God, job 38.4, 5, 6. 4. Lastly, the frame itself, as it 〈◊〉 ●●ands, speaks evidently for the wonder of the workmanship. But what use may be made of the wonderfulness of God's workmanship herein? 1. We should disce●●, and mark, and acknowledge the power and wisdom of God herein, and by our often thoughts raise up our hearts to the often meditation of it, Psal. 104 1. to 9 Shall the Angel's shout with joy, and shall we be so dull? job 38.6. 2. It shows the eternity of God, and his sovereignty and power to dispose and alter all things at his will, Psal. 102.26. & 89.11. 3. It intimates to us many consolations. 1. That God can easily prolong the life of his servants, that could give and uphold the being of so huge a frame, Psal. 102.26. 2. That God himself is wonderful firm, and unchangeable to all generations, and faithful in his word, that can give such a stable being to heaven and earth, Psal. 119.90, 89. Esay 40.21. & 48.13. & 51.13, 16. 3. That if the world have such a sure foundation, then much more the Church, Esay 14.32. For if the foundation of the world be so glorious, oh how glorious is the foundation of Zion? If he have made such an excellent house for his people to dwell in, it shows he loves them much, and means to provide for them for continuance, Prov. 20.26 but especially, how precious are the foundations of the new Jerusalem? Rev. 21. 4. This intimates the fearful power of God, in the execution of his judgements upon wicked men, Amos 9.5. Zach. 12.1, 2. Deut. 32.22. 2 Sam. 22.8. Doct. 3. The project concerning our eternal salvation by Christ, was before the world conceived in God, Eph. 1.4. Psal. 90.1. jer. 31.3. The Uses are diverse. Uses. 1. Therefore let us admire the matchless love of God, that not only loved us first, but loved us before the world was. 2. Let our love to God taste of the knowledge of this doctrine, since we began not so soon as he, let our ways, and purposes, and desires be to extend our affections towards God to the end; yea and beyond all end also. 3. Let it comfort us in all adversity to think of this everlasting love of God, Esay 40. 4. Lastly, doth not thi● evidently confute merit of works? It was for no desert in us, for we were loved before we had done either good or evil, Rom. 9 And thus of the fourth point. But was manifest in the last times for you. The fifth thing is the manifestation of this great work of our redemption, amplified by the time of it, viz. in these last days: and comprehended in the manifestation of Christ. Christ manifested five ways. Christ is manifested five ways. 1. For the faithful. 2. To the faithful. 3. In the faithful. 4. By the faithful. 5. With the faithful. ●. He was manifested for them, in that he did undertake for the merit of their redemption. 2. He is manifested to them in the preaching of the Gospel, revealing Christ and him crucified before them. 3. He is manifested in them, when in respect of true grace, his image is form in them▪ thus God 〈◊〉 his Son in Paul, Gal. 1. 16. 4. He is manifested by them, when with their obedience they show forth the virtues of Christ, and resemble his holiness of carriage. 5. And he is manifested with them, in that eternal fellowship of glory in the kingdom of heaven▪ It is the first kind of manifestation which is here meant. Now Christ was manifested for them, 1. on earth, 2. in heaven. On earth he was manifested, 1. In his incarnation, when he showed himself in our nature: thus was accomplished that great mystery of godliness; God manifested in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3.16. 2. In his passion: for so he was that true brazen serpent, joh. 3. 3. In his ascension, showing himself in triumph, leading captivity captive, and giving gifts unto men, Eph. 4. In heaven he is manifested for us, 1. By session. 2. By intercession. By session: for so he was declared wonderfully, as head of the Church, when being set at the right hand of God, all power was given him both in heaven and earth: And by intercession he daily appeareth before God for us. In this manifestation Christ hath turned himself into all forms for us: for he hath been manifested for us as a servant to do our work: as a surety to pay our debts: as a sacrifice to expiate for our sins: as a treasurer to supply all our wants: as a Prophet to instruct us: as an Advocate to plead our cause: and as a King to subdue our enemies, and rule over us. The points of doctrine from hence to be observed are these. Doct. 1. That God may conceive a wonderful love to his people, and have a glorious plot for their good, and yet not manifest it of a long time. Coherence shows this. The Use should be in all distresses public or private, Use. for the Church where we live, or for our own particular, to live by faith, and not mistrust, or murmur, or limit God, as if he had forgotten the cause of his people: little knowest thou the thoughts of God concerning thy good, and therefore we should check our own hearts, as David did, and say, Why art thou so sad, oh my soul? etc. Secondly, if God once do manifest his love to thee, oh than know thy happiness, and rejoice in thy portion: how rich is that goodness the Lord shows thee, when in prayer, or the word, he declareth hid and mighty things in his answers, jer. 33.3. 2. When God manifests Christ he discovers his greatest treasure, the utmost of all God's benefits: for Christ is unsearchable riches, and ●● is he in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed. The Use is, That therefore seeing God accounts the manifesting of hi● Son for us to be such a matter, Use. we should hence admire and praise this goodness of God, that sent his own Son into the world for our sakes, and nou● in heaven honours, and hears him for our sakes, and in our behalf; especially this should quicken us unto the study of that sacred knowledge of Christ and his Kingdom, and we should willingly serve so mighty and divine a Saviour. 3. That it is no comfort to know that Christ is manifested, till we know he is manifested for us: it is ill trusting to the knowledge of Christ's incarnation: we must seek by all possible prayer and supplication, that he may be acknowledged as a Saviour for us. 4. The knowledge of Christ's manifestation for us, should be a point that should move and stir affection in the heart of every believer, and therefore it is to that end in this place urged. But what should I do, might some one say, Quest. to show that my heart is affected towards my Saviour in this point of his manifestation either on earth, or in heaven for me? We must show our affection herein four ways. Answ. 1. By believing in him without any doubting, seeing in respect of the obedience of the law, the discharge of our debt, the conquest of our enemies, the advocation in our causes, etc. he hath so fully manifested himself. 2. By manifesting ourselves without fear, or delay for his sake, we should put ourselves out into the open profession of his truth with all boldness; but yet so, as we learn by his example, how to manifest ourselves that is to say, 1. In the fullness of time, that is, after good advice and sound deliberation: too hasty profession oftentimes doth great hurt. 2. With resolution to endure all sorts of reproaches, or what else in the labour or opposition might befall us, though we should be accounted as he was, Esay 53. Heb. 12.3. 3. With all integrity, being careful to show forth his virtue, and not to blemish our profession with any spotted conversation, especially expressing our imitation of his humility, and dovelike harmlessness, and respect of God's law, and contempt of the world. 4. With all constancy even unto the death, that we may receive the crown of life. 3. By manifesting ourselves to be ready to do any service to his servants. 4. By longing for the time of his last and full manifestation in his appearing at the last day. Thus of the fifth point concerning our redemption. The sixth is, who are redeemed, viz. such as by Christ do believe in God: for you who by him do believe in God, verse 21. For you.] Doct. 1. The main doctrine is twofold: 1. That believers only have benefit by Christ: for them was redemption intended: for them Christ shed his blood: for them he was made a sacrifice: for them he was manifested both by incarnation, and the preaching of the Gospel, and by intercession in heaven, joh. 17.9, 19 Heb. 11.6. Uses. The Use is, 1. For instruction: Be sure thou have faith whatsoever thou want, 2 Cor. 13.5. thou perishest else for ever. Ob. If I have all faith, yet I may perish, 1 Cor. 13.3. Sol. All faith to do miracles, not to lay hold on Christ. 2. It is all faith without love; and lovest thou not Gods children? 2. For cons●●●ation to the godly, to whom God hath given this precious faith: it is to be truly rich, to be rich in faith: it makes the poorest beggar equal with the highest Monarch, jam. 2.5. because it procures privileges better than that of Princes: it entitles them to a birth better than that of the so●● of men, joh. 1.12, 13. and for honour, they have favour with the Highest, that can do more for them then all the Kings of the earth, joh. 3.16. and for alliance, it makes them a kin to all the Saints: and for contentment, it fills them with joy unspeakable and glorious, 1 Pet. 1.9. and for victory, it makes them more than conquerors, Rom. ●. and for riches, they have all the treasures of Christ; and for possessions, they have an immortal inheritance, especially their glory shall appear in the day of Christ, 2 Thes 1.10. 3. It should quicken the godly to a care to repair and establish themselves in the faith, and to this end to pray, as 2 Thes 1.11. 4. It shows the miserable estate of diverse men in the very visible Church. There are three sorts of Christians. For I meddle not with Pagans, or Antichristians. 1. The first is of Christians in name, such as are so only in appearance, or profession, or the account of man. 2. The second is Christians in sign, that is, such as are so only by baptism, that have only received the outward badge of Christianity. 3. The third i● such as are so indeed, and such only are they that believe in God, and that by a lively saith in Christ Jesus. 2. Doctrine i●, that every one that doth believe is redeemed, john 3.16. Heb. 10.39. Use. The Use is, First for comfort to the abject, God accepts not persons; it matters not what money, means, clothes, diet thou hast, only if thou believest, be of good comfort. Ob. The devils believe, and yet are not happy. Sol. They believe that Christ is, but they believe not in Christ: they trust not in him, or they believe that he is their Judge, but not their Saviour. Ob. But diverse in job. 2. believed, and yet Christ trusted them not. Sol. They believed his doctrine, but they trusted not on his merits: they had historical, but not justifying faith. Ob. But those that received the word with joy believed, and yet fell away, Mat. 13. Sol. They had a temporary faith, but not a saving faith; they could neversuffer for his sake, nor were they ever new creatures to desire to be rid of all sin, nor did that joy arise from a particular application. The second Use is, not to have the glorious faith of Christ in respect of persons, jam. 2.1, 2. etc. Thus of the general: Now in particular concerning faith, five things may be here noted. 1. The subject of faith: viz. you that are begotten again. Of five things concerning faith. 2. The object of faith: viz. God. 3. The nature of faith: viz. to believe in God. 4. The cause of faith: viz. Christ, by him you believe, etc. 5. The time of the exercise of faith: Do believe. For the first: when he saith, for you, he meaneth such, as he had described before verse 3. so that the doctrine is, that faith is seated only in the hearts of regenerate men, only in the godly: It is called the faith of Gods Elect. Tit. 1.1. and their hearts are purified tha● have faith, Act. 15.9. they are turned from darkness to light, Act. 26.28. 1. This doctrine shows us a way how to try our faith, whether we have faith or no, namely, by the trial of our regeneration: as 1. If our hearts be purified, Act. 5.9. that is, if we have been humbled for secret and inward sins, so as the filthiness of them is abated, and washed away. 2. If we have overcome the respect of profits, and pleasures of the world, so as we can use them as if we used them not, 1 joh. 5.4. 3. If we love our kindred in grace best, Gal. 5.6. 1 joh. 3.14. 4. If we find the new gifts of the spirit, for faith always dwelleth amongst them, Gal. 5.22. 2. This doctrine shows again the true Christians prerogative: God hath dealt better with him then with other men: It is no matter if God have not given them so much money, or means, or credit, or health, as they; it is enough God have given them faith. 3. It should awaken wicked men in the midst of all their pleasures and riches: if they miss faith, it should tame their jollity, if they consider that they must perish: for all those things, what hope or comfort can they have, when God shall take away their souls? Ob. But might some of these say, It seems the Lord puts a difference, and shuts out men from faith, and keeps them without it. Sol. 1. The condemnation of the unbeliever is of himself, john 3.20. 2. The Lord commands all to believe, even every creature, Mar. 16. 1 joh. 3.23. 3 He sends the Word to offer grace to all, the proclamation is general, and no man excepted that hath desires after God, Esay 55.1. 4. We see of every condition of men God retains some to mercy, and that shows he takes no pleasure in thy death, and that he would have all men be saved. Yea 5. the Lord doth beseech men to be reconciled, 2 Cor. 5.20. For the second: The object of faith is God. God is the object of faith, not generally in his nature, but particularly in his mercies and promises of grace, in his word of truth, the Gospel's. When I say God is the object of faith, I mean he is that which faith both looks upon, 〈◊〉 relies upon. Faith is alive, when it beholds God's face in Christ. It thinks of God, it admires God, it longs for God, it trusts only upon God, it carries us unto God, it is employed for God, it is contented with God, it desires no more but God. Ob. But what reason hath man to believe in God? For God is terrible in his nature, he abhors sin, and revengeth it with all severity, it is he that will judge men for sin, yea it is he that woundeth the very particular sinner, etc. Sol. Yet faith carries men unto God, because of his own commandment, that men should believe, because of the gracious promises he hath made to believers: because of the experience of as miserable sinners as he, have believed, and were not disappointed: because faith stills God's displeasure, and makes the Lord put on the bowels of tender kindness; yea here appears the wonder of faith, that though it know that it is Gods own hand that fighteth against sin, yet it will run only to God to heal them again, Hosea 6.1. Ob. But must we not believe in Christ, as well as in God? Sol. If by this title of God we understand the essence of God, than CHRIST is included: for we believe in the promises of the whole Trinity, and so in Christ, who is the second person. But if by God we mean the first person in the Trinity, and the holy Ghost, than it is spoken to our capacity, the more fitly to express the means of our reconciliation, which is by the mediation of Christ the middle person of the Trinity: so that the word God doth not exclude Christ from being the object of our faith with the Father; but it includes, that Christ is more than the object, for he is a means of our acceptance with the Father, etc. Use. The Use is twofold. 1. Here again we may take occasion to try our faith: If thy faith be a true faith, thou mayst know it by the object of it, if it set thy thoughts and affections on God, if thou canst say as David, Psal. 73.25. then certainly thou hast faith, and so chose. 2. Is God the object of faith? then be of good comfort, he will never deny his promise, Tit. 1.2. He is able to keep what thou committest to him, 2 Tim. 1.12. He is an Ocean able every way to fill thee with all sufficiency and happiness. The third thing follows, viz. the nature of faith, which is to believe in God. To believe, is more than to understand, conjecture, hope, remember, or affect: It is to do all that with affiance, assent, or persuasion, and that is more plain i● we note the phrase of speech in God; for we may be said to believe four ways: 1. To believe that God is. 2. To believe God. 3. To believe of God. 4. To believe in God: for this latter doth import a casting of ourselves upon God. There are also four things distinctly in faith. 1. The understanding of the Doctrine of the promise of grace. 2. The second is the ●●●ent unto the tender of grace signified. 1. By earnest desire after the happiness revealed in the Gospel. 2. By a willing base estimation of all earthly things, in comparison of the excellent knowledge of God's love in Christ. 3. The third is the relying upon God, or the resting of the heart upon the truth of God's promises, as having found the chief good, in which we will trust, and beyond which we desire no more: All this is imported in this phrase, if we note it. 4. The fourth is the resolution to acknowledge and avouch this confidence in God both by our cleaving to God's promises in all estates, and by our profession of the doctrine of God's free grace herein. The Use is a gain for trial: If the Lord have enlightened thee to see the doctrine of his grace in Christ: if he have gotten thy consent to his truth, Use. especially if he have won thy affections, so as thou canst with love, and joy, and affiance take his word, and rest in his love to thee, as persuaded of his mercies toward thee, and that thou canst also vow thyself to the profession of it: assuredly thou dost believe. 2. This doctrine confutes the Papists, and carnal Protestants, that think faith is no more than to believe the story of Christ, and to hope well for the rest, whereas to believe in God doth evidently import more then to believe that God is, and to believe God to say true. The opinion of those that think, that to believe that Christ is the Son of God is enough to salvation, hath more charity than authority in it: Many places of Scripture prove we must believe that Christ is the Son of God, and it is a charectiristicall difference between the true Church, and diverse false assemblies: but yet the Scripture shows, we must believe more than that, or else we may perish: For the condition, joh. 3.16. is not to believe that he is the Son of God, but to believe in him, which is to receive and apply him, john 1.12. 4. The fourth thing is the cause of faith: By him. It is by Christ that we believe in God, and that for diverse reasons. Doct. 1. As he is the expiatory cause of God's favour to us: For did not he satisfy for on● sins, we had no reason to believe that God should regard us: Our faith is in his blood, Rom. 3.15. 2. As by his intercession he covers the weakness of our faith, and appears before God for us. 3. As he is the giver and worker of our faith, Eph. 2.8, 10. 4. As he is Protector of our faith, and preserves it, Heb. 12.3. he is called the author, and finisher of our faith. 5. As he crownes our faith, it is he that gives power to every believer to become the son of God, joh. 1.12. It is he that gives them eternal life, joh. 17.2, 3. The Use is first for confutation of merit, not only of works but of faith, we nei●her could obey the law, nor yet believe the Gospel of ourselves, Use. Eph. 2.8. therefore there is no boasting of ourselves. 2. It should teach us to keep our faith with all diligence, and to continue grounded, and established in it, seeing it is a treasure Christ hath entrusted us withal. 3. Thirdly, if we find any sickness or weakness in our faith at any time, run to Jesus Christ for succour, he that is the author of it, will be the finisher of it also. The last thing is the time: Do believe. It is to be observed, that he speaks of faith in the present time, which imports diverse things. 1. That there was a time wherein they did not believe. 2. That a Christian hath continual use of his faith; the just live by faith, Habac. 2.4. 1. He cannot go into God's presence without it. 2. He cannot hear the word without it, Heb. 4.2. 2 Tim. 3.15. 3. He cannot use well his calling, but must live by faith, Mat. 6. 4. He cannot bear afflictions without faith, 1 Pet. 1.7. 3. That there is no time, wherein a Christian believeth not, this must be understood thus. 1. There is a twofold man; the old man and the new man: In respect of the new man, he always believes; for faith is the life of the new man, Gal. 2.20. 2. That a distinction must be made between the act of faith, and the habit of it: the habit can never be lost, the act may cease. 3. We must distinguish between faith, and the Concomitants of faith: Actual joy, & peace in believing may be intermitted, but not belief itself. 4. Distinguish between faith sick, and faith found: Faith sometimes in spiritual diseases may have a Lethargy, a palsy, a swoon, a trance, etc. and so for the present is, but not discerned. Use. The Use is therefore. 1. First, for consolation to such, as are afflicted under the want of sense of faith: it doth not follow, thou hast not faith, because thou feelest it not, because there is no time, wherein thou believest not. Quest. But what should one do for comfort, when the sense of faith is gone? Answ. First look to time past, think of the times wherein thou didst stand, and rejoice in the grace of God. 2. Look upon the present fruits of faith, and by that thou mayest discern that faith hath roots, though they be under ground: those fruits are: 1. An unfeigned desire to forsake all sin. 2. Grief, because we have not faith, as we would have it. 3. Love of such as fear God, even the meanest of them. 4. The hatred of such, as by following foolish vanities, forsake their own mercy. 5. Grief for the evil of our best works, though never so secret, joined with the abhorring of ourselves, so as we are confounded for our sins, which seem to us to be as so many abominations, Ezech. 36. 6. By the desire of God's favour above all things. 3. Pray to God to help thy unbelief, and make thee sound in the faith. instead of froward complain, that thou hast not faith, go to God and make thy humble moans unto him, and he will hear thy tears, and give thee faith. For it is his gift, and he will be fought unto, Psal. 143. the whole, & 142.3.7. 4. Know that this will be but for a short time: Faith will revive, and be found unto praise and glory, 1 Pet. 1.6, 7. Psal 30.6. David said in his haste, he was cast out of God's sight: yet he found, that God even then heard the voice of 〈◊〉. cry, Psal. 31.22. Secondly, this should teach us to look 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 he came at any time might find us so doing. Now that we might attain unto this daily use of our faith, diverse rules must be observed. 7. Rules for the 〈◊〉 use of t●th. 1. We must be more afraid of doubts and cavils against our faith, making conscience of unbelief, to avoid it as a grievous sin, 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 we should be more careful to attend upon the careful 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 means: For it is certain, the love of the means is strong like death. 6. If we find we have offended God, let us not go long without humiliation, but quickly run and confess 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 business, to be employed in well-doing, in our general or particular calling, 1 Cor. 15.18. Hitherto of the sixth point. Who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory. These words contain the seventh motive in the doctrine of redemption, namely, the ratification of it. God himself was pleased after an admirable manner to ratify the work of our redemption, and therefore it should much work upon us for holiness of life. Now God ratified it two ways. First, by raising Christ from the dead. Secondly, by giving him glory in heaven. 1. Of the resurrection of Christ from the dead, diverse things may be here noted. 1. That Christ was amongst the dead: this may show the hatefulness of sin, when Christ became a surety for it, it divided his soul from his body, and chased him down among the dead. Hath Christ been among the dead? then let us believe him in all the comforts he hath taught us against death. For he speaks by experience, Use. we may trust what he says; for he hath been there himself. 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 himself for us? how is it meet he should reap of the travails of his soul. 2. That Christ was raised from the dead. Therefore it is not impossible for dead men to rise, Use. we see the proof 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. Doct. 1. Use. Therefore it is wonderful evident that our debt is paid, in that the creditor came himself, and set open the prison door, and released our surety; especially in the time of distress, we should know, that God doth not require our debts at our hands. For he hath hereby acknowledged full 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 he will return speedily to our succour, and put to the proof of his greatest power, rather than abandon those whom he loves. 4. That the resurrection of Christ is a great wonder, Doct. 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, Use. that scoff 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 glorify us also before men and Angels by mising our bodies also from the grave, Rom. 8.11. 1 Thes. 4.14. Doct. 5. God looks we should be specially affected with his glory in this great work of raising Christ from the dead. Use. The Use is, Therefore let us be humbled before the Lord for the deadness of our spirits, and slowness of our hearts, and beg of him pardon, and the renting of the cursed veil of ignorance, that lets us from beholding the great glory of God herein. Doct. 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 coming 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 shows, that he is fully pleased with him, and that Christ hath perfectly paid our ransom. Quest. What glory did God give unto Christ upon his death for us? Answ. Great and greatly to be praised, and admired: For The glory given to Christ after his resurrection showed in 8. things. 1. He assigned him all the honour of a triumph is his ascension, when ●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. Heir of all things, Heb. 1.3. 4. judged of the world, Act. 17.30. 4. He assigned him his own best house to dwell in, and that with equal honour with himself at his right hand in heaven. 5. He bestowed all the Elect upon him, joh. 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 undertook to make them his footstool, Psal. 110.1. Use. 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 go unto God, trusting in his mediation: for God can deny him nothing, yea his glory is our glory. The crown is set upon our head, when Christ is exalted; and therefore being his members, we should rejoice, as if it had been done to us, and the rather, when he appears we shall appear 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 souls, which is urged from the example of Christ, Heb. 12.3, 4. 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. Rom. 8.17. That your faith and hope might be in God. In these words the eighth point is contained, viz. the end of our redemption, viz. that our faith and hope might be in God, that is, that knowing our debts to be paid in Christ, and God to be well pleased in him, we might for ever rely upon God for present favour, and future salvation. Faith and hope are not all one. Difference between faith and hope. Faith looks upon Christ exhibited and made present in his ordinances: Hope looks upon Christ hereafter more fully to be revealed. Faith believeth the promises to be true: Hope expecteth performance. Faith believeth eternal life is given us: and Hope waiteth when it will be revealed. Faith is the mother of Hope, and Hope is the nurse of Faith. Faith takes notice of present prerogatives: and Hope chiefly looks to things to come. The doctrines that may be observed from hence are diverse: Though we do truly believe, Doct. 1. yet we do need to be often stirred up to faith and hope still: For 1. We believe but in part. 2. We need faith all our life long. 3. We are hard of belief in ourselves. 4. There is nothing the devil more opposeth. 5. There is nothing God or Christ more desireth, as the coherence shows. 6. Nothing more glorifieth our profession, and daunteth our adversaries, than an unmovableness of hope. 7. Nothing more provides for us: A Christian could live by his faith, if he had nothing else. The Uses also are diverse: Use. for therefore 1. We should stir up one another, and be examples one to another in believing, and receive the exhortation one from another. 2. Especially every one of us should be careful to increase in faith, and provide to believe in God at all times. Quest. But what must we do, that we may do so? Divers questions and doubts resolved. Answ. 1. Desire the sincere milk of the word, 1 Pet. 2.2. 2. Be frequent in the use of the Sacraments. 3. Pray to God to increase thy faith, Luke 17.5. 4. Practise holiness, and be diligent about those graces mentioned 2 Pet. 1.10 in the coherence. Quest. But how can we believe still? For 1. We have not always means to accomplish the good we desire. Answ. Do as Abraham did, Rom. 4.10. believe the promise above hope. Quest. 2. God himself sometimes fights against us. Answ. Say with job, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him, job 1.3▪ Quest. 3. But our crosses are desperate. Answ. Yet say as David did, Psal. 23.4. Though I walk in the shadow of death, yet, etc. Quest. 4. But we have sinned. Answ. Christ hath prayed that thy faith might not fail, Luke 22.32. Quest. 5. But our faith is so weak, we fear we cannot believe still. Answ. There are comforts for that in these places, Esay 42.3. 2 Cor. 12.9. and God hath received the weak in faith, Rom. 14.1, 3. Quest. 6. But I have so many hindrances, and have so many things to pass through. Sol. Yet be persuaded, as Rom. 8.38. and say with Paul, Through Christ I can do all things, Phil. 4.13. 3. All this ado about faith and hope, should make us careful to inform ourselves of the things by which faith is assaulted, that when such things befall us, we may be armed against them. Now besides such things by which faith is assaulted, intimated before, Ten things that assault faith, against which we should be armed. there are many things without us (to omit our own doubts, and Satan's tentations within us) that have assaulted and tried faith. 1. False doctrines. 2. Contentions in the Teachers of the Church. 3. Treachery of brethren. 4. Prosperity of the wicked, and impu●ity of wickedness. 5. The small number of believers. 6. The deformity and oppression of the Church. 7. The falling away of many from the faith. 8. The delay of God's promises. 9 The tokens of God's wrath. 10. The scoffs of mockers. 4. Lastly, hence we may gather a reproof to ourselves for our marvellous neglect in faith and hope: how might the Lord justly have left us for ever, as a people without Christ, and without hope in the world? Doct. 2. Use. There is one faith and hope in all God's servants, Your faith, Eph. 4.5. The use is therefore to love one another, seeing we have all one faith, one I say in respect of the Author, means, object and end. 2. It should comfort poor Christians: whatsoever difference God hath put otherwise, yet they have the same faith that Abraham, David, the Martyrs, or any had. Doct. 3. Here is employed, that all faith and hope in other things besides God is vain. Hope in the wedge of gold is vain. The Hypocrites hope in credit is vain. Trust in the arm of flesh is vain, etc. And the truth is, a Christian is never perfectly well, till he can place his faith and hope only in God. It is good for him sometimes to be stripped of all other things, that he may put his confidence in God. Verse 22: Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, to the unfeigned love of the brethren, so that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. THE fourth reason to enforce the exhortation in the 13. verse, is contained in these words, and is taken from that relation, and respect we bear unto the godly, & it is in effect this: By repentance and holiness we are all made brethren, and in repentance and reformation of our lives, one main thing we aim at, is the advancement of our happiness, and holiness in the love of the brethren, whom we prefer before all people in the world, and resolve to rest in the contentment of their communion: and therefore we ought so to resist the impediments within us, or without us, and to order our lives with such holy sobriety, and so to stir up our hearts in the hope of the happiness to come, that we may in all purity of nature and life, and earnestness of affections cleae unto them in this world, as the only people we shall live withal in the world to come. There are two things in this verse. 1. A proposition of doctrine. 2. and an exhortation by way of Use. The proposition is this: Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth by the spirit unto unsained love of the brethren, or brotherly love: The Use is, therefore see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. Use. The proposition properly and in itself concerns sanctification, which is here described in five things. 1. The nature of it, imported in that metaphorical term, purified. 2. The subject of it: their souls. 3. The form of it: in obeying the truth. 4. The cause of it, which is twofold: 1. The principal, the Spirit of God. 2, The cause in some respect is themselves: ye have purified. 5. The end is brotherly love, amplified by the special property of it, viz. unfeigned. Before I enter upon the particulars, in general and for the coherence diverse things may be noted. The Coherence is double, 1. both with the verses immediately before: 2. and with the 13. verse, upon which it depends, as the reason of it. 1. From coherence with the verses next before, we may note, that God expects love to the brethren at our hands, as well as faith in Christ: As we are joined to God by faith, so he stands upon it to have us joined one to another by love: nay it is certain, true faith will work this love: He cannot believe in God, that loves not the godly. 2. From coherence with the 13. verse, we may note, that an affectionate love to the godly is a strong inducement to holiness of life, and therefore used here as a reason to enforce it. 3. chose, unless we look to those three things in the 13. verse, we cannot love the brethren as we ought to do. For 1. Unless we gird up the loins of our minds, such as our self-love, concupiscence, anger, etc. we shall be unfit for society with the godly. 2. Again, unless we be sober in the use of the delights and profits of the world, our affections will be stolen away from the godly. 3. And thirdly, unless our hope carry us steadfastly to the contemplation of the glory to be revealed upon the godly in the day of Christ, they will in their present condition seem to us many times of all men most miserable. 4. A Christian should look to his heart and ways, if not for his own sake, yet for his respect to the godly, to whom he hath joined himself, that he neither shame them, nor grieve them. Now he may shame them, and dishonour the profession three ways. 1. By sluggishness in his profession. 2. By inordinate living. 3. By doubting and despair. These three stand opposed to the three things in the 13. verse. 5. That God is not only careful, we should love one another, but he stands upon the manner and measure of it, as the whole verse shows, and therefore we should look to two things, that our affections grow neither 1. cold, 2. nor corrupt. There are four things do usually abate affection to the godly. 1. Self-love and pride, when men grow into great thoughts only of themselves. 2. Discord and vain janglings. 3. Worldliness. 4. Too much viewing of the infirmities, reproaches, or miseries of the godly: and thus affection grows cold. It is corrupt three ways. 1. When we love the godly for carnal ends. 2. When it is fruitless: it is fellowship, but not in the Gospel. 3. When we respect persons. Purified.] The term is a metaphor borrowed either from the Goldsmith, or the Physician, or else from the ceremonial law. The Goldsmith purifieth his metal, so doth God his chosen ones: The Physician purgeth his distressed patients, so doth God distressed sinners: seldom is there any found conversion, but there is some purgation taken; even some sound practice of mortification, which pains the spirit, and throws out forcibly the filthy matter lies in the soul. But I think the term is chiefly borrowed from the Ceremonial law, and so shows us, that in the effecting of sanctification is wrought that which was signified in those Legal purifyings, either of women after childbirth, or especially of the Leper after the healing of his leprosy. It is true, that seldom or never is there a birth of saving grace, but there follows it a flux of mortification, a vehement casting out of natural impurities, and there must be also a purifying of the soul: But I take the term to be most fitly borrowed from the cleansing of the Leper, for that most nearly expresseth the state of our souls both in nature and grace. A large explication of the ceremonies about the cleansing of the Leper, as it concerns the sanctification of the sinner. And so diverse things may be here noted: some employed, some expressed in those ancient shadows. The things employed are, 1. That by nature we are all of us polluted in ourselves, and so polluted, as we have reason to do as the Leper, Levit. 13.44. and cry unclean, unclean. 2. That the infection of sin is such, that it will infect the very house we dwell in, and the garments we wear, even all the creatures we use, so as all things are to us impure, Leu. 13. Tit. 1.13. 3. That in our native condition we are out of the camp, even strangers from the commonwealth of Israel, even when we profess ourselves members of it, Num. 5.2, 3. Eph. 2.11. The things expressed in the state of our souls in respect of sanctification, are lively shadowed out in the ceremonies of purifying, mentioned Leu. 34. 4. to 33. which howsoever they contain more than the precise respect of this Text calls for; yet for the more full explication of the ceremonies of cleansing, I handle them as they are set down in order. Now before we enter upon the particular explication of the Text, we must understand, 1. That the ceremonial law did make two distinct things in sanctification: 1. Healing. 2. Cleansing: for first the Leper was healed, then cleansed. Now this word here used doth express only the likeness of the cleansing of the Leper: there is such a difference to be put in our sanctification: For first our hearts are turned to God, and then we fall upon diverse exercises of faith and repentance, by which we settle our own hearts in the assurance of our conversion. The ceremony shadowed out the first of these degrees: the Leper was clean, when after his confession of uncleanness, his leprosy stayed and spread no further, and did not fret inward: So are we truly turned to God, in that moment, when under the sense of our own vileness, we so judge ourselves, that our hearts begin to cease from evil, and sin loseth his dominion, and that it doth not prevail over our hearts, but groweth less and less: but yet though this be done in a moment many times, yet there is a great deal more to be done, before we can have comfort in our conversion, or be sound cleansed, and settled in our consciences before God. 2. We must know, that sanctification shadowed out by that cleansing, is taken in the largest sense, even for all that righteousness that is conferred upon us either in justification, or sanctification, as it is strictly taken. 3. That in the business of sanctification none of the Lords people healed of their leprosy, should trust only upon their own judgements, but seek all direction and help they can from their faithful and able Teachers: There was nothing done in the law, but the Priests said and did all, as it were, whether it were in discerning the disease, or the healing of it, or in judging of the state of the Leper, they took the testimony of the Priest in all things; yea when one would have thought they might have done all by the same rules of discerning. The cleansing or purifying of the leprosy was either more slight, or more exact. In some leprosies it was but to wash, and so be clean, Leu. 13.53, 54, 55. to note, that repentance in some, and from some sins is far more easy then in others. The more exact cleansing is distinguished into the actions of three several days. 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 several days noted the different degrees in the sanctification of the sinner. In the first day's work we may consider, 1. what the Priest doth, ver. 8. 2. what the Leper to be cleansed was to do, 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 clean birds, cedar wood, byssop, and scarlet. 1. The two live birds did signify the twofold estate of Christ: his suffering estate, and his triumphing estate, as will appear more plainly after. 2. And Christ is shadowed out in the likeness of birds first, then of lambs after, and then of a bullock 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 form as it were: afterward God revealeth his Son in him more and more manifestly. 3. The cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet, might signify the graces of Christ, with which he was to enrich and sanctify 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 always green, according to the several seasons of God's providence: and Love was signified by the scarlet, the double die whereof might note our double love to God and men, all sanctified and inflamed in the blood shedding of Jesus Christ. 4. The sum of all then in the signification of the things prepared, is, that we need two things for our cleansing: 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 cleansed alone: to signify that there must be a particular application of Christ, and sanctification with the graces of Christ in every believer, or else it will not serve the turn, that there is a Saviour provided for the Church in general; which is further shadowed out in the particular taking of the birds for this use, and gathering of the cedar wood, and hyssop, 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 show God's willingness 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 business of purifying the soul: and it might also encourage the fearful, for God is not only contented that they rest upon Christ, but shows himself to be discontented, if they do not seek unto Christ, when they find need of him. Thus of the things to be prepared, the application or use of them follows in the three next verses. VERSE 5. Use. 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 sin; and that in the conversion of a sinner, the only thing the soul of man looks upon is Christ slain for sin. 2. This bird is to be killed by commandment, to note, that Christ was by special appointment from the Father set apart unto death. 3. This bird was to be killed over running water: This running water was a sign either of the Gospel, or of the grace of sanctification: The blood falling into the water either did signify that the Gospel of Christ crucified should be preached all over the world; or else it noted, that the blood of Christ should then only be effectual to the sinner, when the fountain of grace was opened, and both blood 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 seems was to signify the same mystery, 1 john 5. 4. It is the more comfortable also, that by the running water is signified the continual flowing of the fountain of grace died in the blood and merits of Christ in the heart of a sinner. 5. This water was to be in an earthen vessel, to note, 1. That God did measure unto every Christian according to his proportion, Rom. 12.6. 2. That the Ministers of the Gospel should have the power of dividing this treasure unto men, and that God would glorify himself 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 joining of both these together shows that we cannot be saved by Christ without the grace of Christ. It is to no purpose to think of Christ, without care to receive his graces also. 4. All these must be dipped in the blood of the bird that was slain 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 access unto grace, or acceptation for any grace in us, though received from him. 3. That by the Gospel 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 be a particular application of Christ to the believer. 2. Imputation: For this sprinkling is the work of God, imputing Christ, and his passion, and holiness to the believer. 3. Valuation of the worth of the least drop of Christ's 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 do not so fully discern our interest in Christ. 5. Strong consolation: For if we can by faith lay hold but upon a drop of Christ's blood, it sufficeth if we discern but sprinkling, though we are far from pouring out, it is sufficient. 2. When he adds, from his leprosy, it is to assure us this comfort, that in the justification of a sinner, God stands not upon the greatness, or soulness of the sin, Ezek. 36.26. Zach. 13.1. 3. Where he saith seven times, it was to note 1. The perfection of our justification in respect of God; it was done seven times, that is, perfectly. 2. The imperfection of our application; we have need to have our pardon sealed seven times, or with seven seals, God must tell us it often over and over. 4. Where he faith, and shall pronounce him clean, it notes 1. That Justification evidently hath two parts: 1. The imputation of Christ's righteousness: 2. The forgiveness, or acquitting of the sinner, here called his pronouncing him to be clean. 2. That if God and his Minister do speak comfortably unto us, we need not care for all the world beside. 3. How easy it is for God to justify a sinner: It is but to say, he is clean, or to bid him be so. The word of the Lord made the heaven, and the earth, and the same word of God makes sinners clean. 5. The letting of the living bird loose notes the losing of Christ from the bonds of death, and the grave, and from all that obligation, in which as our surety he stood tied to God: secondly, that t●ll the sinner be justified, Christ stands bound, though he have died for us. 6. The birds flying into the open field, might signify, 1. That the justification of one sinner may be the ratification of the hope of all penitent sinners. 2. That the righteousness of Christ is revealed publicly from heaven in the show and offer of it to the whole Church. VERSE 8. Hitherto of what the Priest was to do. Now followeth, what the person to be cleansed was to do. What he was to do, concerned either his 1. cleansing or his 2. returning into the camp. First of his cleansing. 1. Where he saith, he that is to be cleansed, note two things: 1. That he is not called a leper any more, but described by a Periphrasis, to note that when we have confessed our sins, and purposed to return, and God hath comforted us somewhat in Christ, though yet we have not finished our assurance, or sanctification, yet we are no more accounted lepers: God doth not call us any more by the name of our transgression: This may comfort the object. 2. Lest we should grow too secure, he saith he is still to be cleansed, though he have been sprinkled, till he have finished his sanctification, that is, till he have taken a sure course for reformation. 2. That beside sprinkling with blood, we must be washed in water, that is, besides our justification we must be sanctified, and besides the necessity of sanctification, here are diverse things to be observed: as 1. That we must of ourselves labour our reformation, He shall wash. 2. That without voluntary sorrow we can hardly have comfort of true sanctification. 3. That sorrow without reformation will not serve the turn: It must be washing, that we may be clean. There is a great deal of water and washing in worldly sorrow, but it makes nothing clean, Esay 1.16. 4. That true sanctification is total: He must wash himself, the washing must go as far as the leprosy. 5. That true sanctification makes a man repent of all the occasions of sin, and fearful of every thing that might infect him: This is signified by washing his clothes. 6. That the penitent hath an extreme quarrel to his evil thoughts, which for number he accounts as the hair of his head, and for sincerity he would ●aine be rid of all the wickedness is in his heart: So the Leper did shave off all his hair. 3. Hi● returning to the camp may note, 1. That the Church of God on earth is like a Camp: 1. For uncertainty of outward condition: They move up and down like an Army. 2. Yet there was providence in the seeming confusion of their estate: for they rise not, but when the cloud rose and went before them, and besides the Ark went with them: God leads his people, and his holy presence departs not from them. 3. That the estate of the Church is a militant estate: they are in a continual warfare. 4. The Church is like an Army lying in holy beauty, Psal. 110.3. That men justified and sanctified, have right to the Communion of Saints, and aught to be so acknowledged, notwithstanding their former leprous evils. 4. His tarrying abroad out of his tent seven days, might note 1. The publication and sound trial of the repentance of the sinner, and the great notice is taken of the conversion of a sinner: There is nothing but looking on the Leper for seven days. As any are more holy, so they are more glad at the conversion of a sinner: so the Angels in heaven. 2. That contempt of the world, and the kill of the cares of life, are usually wrought when there is a sound conversion to God: The Leper cleansed hath no great mind to go to his tent. Yea it notes, that we ought to lay aside the trouble of earthly things, till our hearts be well settled in our sanctification and justification. Note, that when he doth go home, it is but a Tent: The best condition of a child of God in outward things, is but like a Tent, quickly set up, and quickly taken down, more for necessity, then for delight or glory. VERSE 9 Hitherto of the works of the first day. Now in this verse is set down what he must do on the seventh day, which was to shave his hair, and wash his clothes, and so to be clean. Quest. But what might this repetition import? For these things were done before. Answ. It noted, that mortification must be renewed, and that we must even long after our first conversion, be truly humbled for our evil thoughts, and grieved for that corruption of nature, that still sweats out of us, and be very fearful and watchful against the occasion of evil. Yea it imports, that after calling, there may arise new thoughts of evil in the mind, as this hair grows though it were shaved seven days before, and that there may be corruption left behind, that though we have done much in mortification, the leprosy may be in the clothes, though they have been washed, etc. Yea we may note here, that the more a sinner is exercised in mortification, the more he searcheth out his corruptions: Now he shaveth off the hair of his beard and eyebrows. Note also, that such is the success of mortification sometimes, that for the present it seems to cleanse the soul of all corruption, that there dares not stir as it were one evil thought, or passion, or lust; I say for a time: for like the hair they will grow again. Quest. But what is meant, that he saith, he shall be clean? Did not the Priest pronounce him clean before? Answ. Two things may be intended hereby: 1. That though God's Ministers do comfort and acquit penitent sinners, yet many times till they be more exercised in mortification, they will hardly be persuaded of their own conversion. 2. That our every days corruptions even after first repentance, do make us unclean of ourselves, and therefore by renewing our repentance, we must be made clean again: There are some seeds or roots of leprosy yet behind in us: though we be cleansed truly, yet we are not cleansed fully. VERSE 10. Hitherto of the works of the first and seventh day. The works of the 8. day concern either all ordinary persons to be cleansed; or else a proviso for such as are poor. The ordinary course is set down from ver. 10. to 21. For the poor. ver. 21. to 32. In the first consider, 1. The things to be provided by the person to be cleansed, ver. 10. 2. The employment of them by the Priest, ver. 11. to 21. The things to be provided for are either sacrifices, or oil. The sacrifices are either for sin offerings, or meat offerings. The things provided for the sin offerings were two: 1. The lamb without blemish. 2. And one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish. The meat offering was three tenth deals of fine flower mingled with oil. 1. These things were types of Christ, both as our sacrifice, and as our nourishment, for both we receive and should look for in Christ. 2. The coherence imports, that we must first be settled 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 seek to be assured of our justification, as well as to be reform in our sanctification. 3. The lambs without blemish, did shadow out the innocency of Christ, 1 Pet. 1.19. and so shows here, the spots of our leprosy are taken away even by the unspotted sacrifice of Christ. 4. The lambs were three, because of the three sorts of sacrifice mentioned afterwards, viz. The trespass offering, the sin offering, & the burnt offering: which three sorts of sacrifices signified a threefold application of Christ, viz. for trespass●s against men: for sins against God in particular: and for all sins in general known and unknown, noted in the burnt offerings. 5. In that he, and not the Priest must provide these sacrifices, it shows, that every sinner must be saved by his own faith: It will not help him that he is in favour with the Priest, etc. He must provide his lambs, etc. himself. 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 he was ground for us, between the upper and the neither millstone of God's wrath, and as he was bolted out for us in the Gospel: all which shows, 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 only cut down, and threshed out of the ear and husk, as they were in the death of their bodies: but he was ground in the ●ill of God● wrath in his souls. 3. That God's best provision is for his own people, he seedeth them with the finest flower, and will provide, that Christ shall give as much nourishment to their souls, as the finest flower can to the body. 7. Oil signifies gladness, Psal. 45.5. the mingling of the sacrifice with oil noted the comfort Christians received, that lay hold upon Christ for nourishment. 8. The cog of oil that stood by, promised, that God had provided abundance of joys 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 cleansing are mentioned in the former verse: The use or employment of them by the Priest follows in this verse, and the rest to ver. ●●. and this use had two things: 1. Their presentation to God in the general. 2. Their immolation and application in particular. In the Presentation consider, 1. Who presents them, viz. the Priest that makes them clean. 2. What he presents, viz. the man, and those things. 3. To whom, viz. before the Lord. 4. Where, viz. at the door 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 ministry of the Gospel, Rom. 15. 3. By himself, as he hath the spirit of intercession, and doth commend himself 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 clean? 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 do sacrifice, and save their hearers, 1 Tim. 4. ult. 2. The things presented are, the man that is to be made clean, and the things provided for cleansing: which signified, 1. That Christ and his Word do present none to God, but such as will be sanctified, and healed of their leprosy. 2. Not our persons only, but all the means of our holiness must be presented to God: They need the intercession of Christ, and our own prayers, etc. 3. Those things were to be presented to the Lord, to signify 1. That we did acknowledge him, as the fountain of all holiness and happiness. 2. That we did henceforth resign ourselves unto the Lord, as a living sacrifice, Rom. 12.1. 4. In that all this must be done at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation, it did teach them, 1. That the place most infallibly to find God in, was the assembly of his people in the sanctuary, Leu. 16.11. 2. That in the practice of publi●e duties, we are most effectually joined to God, and find most help from Christ and his presence, that we are indeed that we are at the door 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 follows, and so it concerns either 1. The trespass offering, to ver. 19 2. The sin offering, ver. 19 3. The burnt offering, ver. 20. The trespass offering must be considered, 1. In the waving of it before the Lord, ver. 12. 2. In the kill of it in the holy place, ver. 13. 3. In the sprinkling of it, ver. 14. to 19 In general we may note, that there needs an offering for trespasses, even for those casual wrongs we do either against God or man, that we need the sacrifice of Christ for them; we need to go to God to forgive us our trespasses through Christ. 2. The waving of them before the Lord might signify, 1. The extreme usage of Christ in suffering for our sins. 2. The waving of Christ in the preaching of the Gospel, he being diversely shaked to and fro in the diverse manners of propounding of Christ in the Gospel. 3. The moving of the lips of the sinner in his confession and prayer before God. 4. It might note the trembling of the Christian when he comes first unto God, and the various conflicts in his soul with which he is shaken, and yet Christ is accepted as an offering for them before the Lord for all their fear, and doubtings, and toss of temptations; for the Christian holds his sacrifice in his hands for all his fears. 3. The pint of oil that was to be waved, also may note, 1. That there is abundance of joys will follow care, and conscience in faith, and repentance for trespasses. 2. That before we can get abundance of joy, it must be waved before the Lord, that is, Christ must beg it for us in heaven, and preach it often to us in earth, we must hear joy and gladness. 3. It may perhaps note that marvellous fear and sorrow of heart for sin, which a Christian feels when he is most joyed by the holy Ghost: He rejoiceth with trembling, Psal. 2.11. VERSE 13. The kill of the lamb follows, amplified by the place, and the person to whom it belonged, and the worth of it. Four things were here signified: 1. That Christ must be killed for us, and in his death is our sacrifice. 2. That the place where, being the holy place, notes, 1. That Christ was slain only by and for the Elect. 2. That Christ crucified is taught and known only in the Church. 3. In that the Priest must have all the offerings, is noted, 1. That Christ only can make an atonement. 2. That the honour of our sanctification belongs to the Ministers. 4. In that it was most holy, is noted, that this way of holiness in Christ, is an absolute way as ever was devised. VERSE 14. The sprinkling followeth, and is twofold: 1. Of the blood, ver. 14. 2. Of oil, ver. 15. to 19 1. The sprinkling of blood noted the work of God and the Gospel, applying CHRIST'S blood to the distressed sinner. 2. The sprinkling of the ear, hand, and toe, noted, that our hearing of the Word (the principal means) is sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ, so as our unworthiness shall be no bar to our success in the means. Secondly, that our practice likewise is sanctified in the blood of Christ. Thirdly, that our progress also, and perseverance depends upon the merit and virtue of Christ's passion: and these are the three things Christ undertakes for the penitent sinner. VERSE 15, 16, 17, 18. The sprinkling of oil follows: where note, 1. Who doth it, viz. the Priest. 2. How he doth it, He poureth into his left hand, and dippeth his finger. 3. How many ways he doth it. 4. Where he doth it. 5. Wh●t he doth with the remainder. 1. The Priests sprinkling of the oil noted, that Christ and his Ministers are the chief fountain of our joy. 2. The wariness of the Priest in the manner shows, that God would have his consolations warily propounded unto men. 3. He was to sprinkle both before the Lord, and upon the party. 1. The sprinkling before the Lord, noted the joys of God's presence, and that he is privy to all the comforts befall us. 2. In that it was done many times, is noted, 1. The perfection of the joys God hath prepared, etc. 2. Our imperfection in believing it. 3. The sprinkling upon the party noted the particular interest of the penitent in the joys of Christ. 4. The sprinkling of the ear, thumb, and toe, assured comfort in hearing, practice, and perseverance; and in that it must be put upon the blood of the trespass offering, it signified, that we cannot have true joy but in the sacrifice of Christ, and the application thereof: It is all merited in his death, and to be applied by P●ith. 5. The remainder was to be poured out upon the head of the person, which might note either, 1. The fullness of joy which Christ our head hath in heaven; the same with ours, saving in the measure. 2. That our consolations are given us, that we might comfort others, by the running down of our, etc. 3. That we were abundantly consecrated unto God, and anointed as Priests, Kings, and Prophets unto the Lord, and shall have everlasting joy in our callings, Esay 35. ult. So that, that joy upon their heads was shadowed by this type. Quest. But why joy upon their heads? Answ. Though the seat of joy be the heart, yet the cause of joy is in the head, and that is the understanding of our happy estate in Christ. Where he adds, that the Priest shall make an atonement for him, we must understand it thus, that the Priest hereby shall ratify the atonement 〈◊〉 in the sacrifice of Christ, etc. These joys shall abundantly settle his heart in the assurance of God's favou● in Christ: and so it notes, that usually Gods servants have not that settled persuasion of their happiness in reconciliation with God, until they have had abundance of experience of the joys of the holy Ghost in the knowledge of their calling in Jesus Christ. VERSE 19, 20. Quest. Now that the 〈◊〉 i● satisfied in God's goodness and favour, what is more to be done? Answ. There must be yet a sin offering, and a burnt offering: For after he hath taken a course for outward sins, by which he trespassed against God and man, he returns and finds a marvellous deal of dross in his nature, and of secret corruptions that hang upon him daily: and therefore now he needs a new application of the sacrifice of Christ to comfort him against his sins that hang on so fast, though he be freed from gross sins, or outward trespasses, that men take notice of. The repetition of his cleansing from his uncleanness, imports, that for sins after calling a child of God is afresh humbled with a loathing of his impurities of heart, as he was at his first setting out: his daily corruptions and frailties make him seem wonderful unclean in his own eyes, and therefore he seeks a new atonement. Now when he adds, And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering, it was to signify, either 1. That God in this life after long conflicts doth at length reveal Jesus Christ in a great measure, so as the Christian is fully satisfied in the application of all the merits of Jesus Christ, as knowing his discharge from all his sins in him. 2. That at our death Christ's sacrifice shall fully free us from all the guilt and stain of sin. The repetition, that the Priest must offer all these offerings, shows we need still both Christ's intercession in heaven, and the ministry of Christ's servants to preach him crucified, while we live in the world. The meat offering annexed to the burnt offering, shows, either that Christians grow marvellously in this life, after they have full assurance of their pardon for all sins; or else that Christ will be their eternal food in heaven. The meat offering must be upon the Altar, to signify that we can have no hope of nourishment, but from the merit and virtue of the sacrifice of Christ, as all means are sanctified by it. VERSE 21. to 32. Hitherto of the sacrifice for the richer sort: Now follows 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 Christ's sacrifice no man can be justified, be he 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 endeavour is accepted for the deed: for the poor is excused, if he provide a sacrifice according to his labour of his hand. 5. That if we through carelessness neglect the means 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 cleansing the Leper. And thus of the nature of this work of sanctification: The subject follows. Your souls.] Your souls: It is true, that by the soul synecdochically he meaneth the whole man: for he that is truly sanctified, is sanctified in soul, in body, and spirit. 1 Thes. 5.23. The medicine is applied, and goeth as far as the disease, and Christ d●ed as well for the body as the soul, and both must be purged before we can enter into the Kingdom of heaven, and therefore we are charged to abstain from all filthiness 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 soul is named, as that which God chiefly stands upon, though he require and worketh both: for the holiness of the heart is that he calls for to have given him, jer. 4.18. and we do perform the most immediate worship by our spirits, joh. 4.24. and the sanctity of the heart is the fountain of all the outward holiness; as the impurity of the heart is the cause of the outward impurities of life. Besides, the soul is the seat of all holy graces, that are saving graces; they dwell there, though their employment must sometimes be without: and further, the sanctification of the soul is characteristical, for that is the holiness that distinguisheth between the godly, and the wicked. This then is the observation, that the chief seat of true grace and holiness is in the soul of man. The Use is diverse. Use. 1. For Information: From hence it is manifest, 1. That they are grossly deceived, that think inward inordination of thoughts and affections are no great faults: whereas the infection of the soul is most dangerous, because it is the fountain of all the rest, and is more usually committed, and more hardly cured, Psal. 78.8. ● & 66.18. & 95. etc. 2. That God looks not at the outward appearance of men, he asks not what houses, clothes, fare, friends, etc. they have, but what grace they have in their hearts; Rev. 2.22. jam. 4.8. yea it is certain, that outward reformation will not here serve the turn; Hypocrites, that make so much ado about washing the outside, are deceived in their reckoning, God will not be deluded with painted sepulchers, he knows what is within; and the civil honest man is in the same case. 3. That true grace may be, where there is not an outward show 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 unclean which God hath purified, 1 Cor. 4.5. 4. That it is a grievous sin to infect the souls of men by example, counsel, provocation, corrupt opinions, etc. They that would poison the bodies of men were worthy punishments in all men's judgements: how much more they that wilfully poison many souls? 5. There is no need of any purgation after this life: for God takes an order to purify the souls of his people even in this world. Secondly, for Instruction: 1. Therefore this should strongly persuade with us to seek inward holiness. If there be so much ado in the world to get clean and clear faces, what should our care be to have clean souls, seeing God looks at that? Psal. 7.9. God searcheth the heart and reins. The chiefest thing we can get for our souls, is the purifying of them, jerem. 44.14. what profiteth it to win the whole world, if thou lose thy soul for the foulness of it? and it is certain, no beauty of the face can allure a man so much, as the cleanness of the heart doth allure Christ. But this inward holiness chiefly consists, 1. In casting out the vices of the soul: evil thoughts, ignorance, pride, inordinate affections, stubbornness of will and humour, with whatsoever dross, hypocrisy, security, malice, etc. 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, zeal, love of God, softness of heart, affections of worship, etc. Heb. 13.9. 2 Cor. 4.6. Rom. 5.5. 3. In the exercise of these in the daily co●rse of our lives: look to thy heart, when thou dost any work to God. ●. In the reformation of the heart, we must look 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 sins of the soul 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 souls, though they abound with infirmities, and the world speak evil of them: it should comfort us against the many aspersions of men, Psal. 17. 4. etc. though it be true, as Prov. 20.9. yet God accepts of the desire, etc. Rom. 8.27. Quest. But how know I, whether I have the true grace of Christ in my soul? Answ. By this text thou mayst know it by three things. 1. If thou seek inward purity as well as outward. 2. If thou find an alteration in every faculty of thy soul. 3. If thou be like unto God, that hast most care of what shall become of thy soul, and art most careful of means for thy soul. Quest. But what shall one do to get a clean heart? Answ. 1. Examine your hearts, as Psal. 4.4. for the heart is deceitful, 8. Things to be done to get a clean heart. jer. 17.9. etc. 2. Pray to God to create a new heart in thee. 3. Attend upon the means, that are powerful to cleanse the heart; our hearts are washed by the Word, Eph. 5.25. Psal. 119.9. the law in their hearts, Psal. 37. & 119.80. 4. Keep still in God's presence, walk before him, thou darest not then come in thy uncleanness. 5. Avoid the beginnings of pollution, dally not with sin. 6. Inform thyself throughly of the vanity of all the things unto which thou art likely to be tempted. 7. Come not near unclean persons, 2 Cor. 6.18. 8. Get the assurance of faith, Act. 15.9 Heb. 10.22. Promises to such as labour for a clean heart, Mat. 5.7. ●say 1.16, 20. 2 Pet. 1.3. Prov. 22.11. Psal. 24.4. & 125.5. Rom. 8.34, 38. Hitherto of the subject of sanctification. The manner of exercising, or expressing this purification follows. In obeying the truth. Four things must be considered: 1. What is truth. 2. What it is to obey the truth. 3. How their hearts are said to be purified in obeying the truth. 4. The observations and uses which may be here gathered. 1. Truth is taken diversely in Scripture: 1. What truth is. Sometimes it signifieth the verity of our words, as opposed to lying. 2. Sometimes faithfulness in performing of promises; and so mercy and truth are given both to God and men. 3. Sometimes for uprightness, as opposed to hypocrisy, and so it is to do a thing with all our hearts, 1 Sam. 12.24. 4. Sometimes for the substance of a ceremony, I●h. 1.17. 5. Sometimes for Christ, joh. 14.6. 6. Sometimes for the word of God, and so here. The word of God is called the truth, joh. 17. ●1. Ps. 119.142. 1. because it agrees with the eternal pattern of Gods will: 2. because there is no error nor falsehood in it: 3. because it shows us a true way for the infallible attaining of blessedness: 4. because it effects truth and uprightness in us. What it is to obey truth. 2. Now to obey the truth, is to conform and subject ourselves in practice and works unto the will of God revealed in his word. How our hearts are purified in obeying the truth. 3. The heart of man is said to be purified in obeying the truth, inasmuch as there is an inward obedience to the truth required in the hearts of men: as 1. the obedience of the Gospel in believing: this is called the obedience of faith. When a man from his heart doth assent to, and rely upon the promise of God in Christ; thus to believe, is to obey. 2. In the practice of all outward duties, there is required the inward purity of the heart, and the exercise of the grace of God's Spirit, without which all men's works are impure. Besides, by the outward obedience of the truth, men show that their souls are purified. There are four things may be observed from hence: 1. That the word of God must be the rule of all our actions: as we were begotten by the word of truth, jam. 1.18. so we must live by it, Gal. 1. 16. Psal. 119. This is that light to our feet, and lantern to our paths. Use. The Use is for instruction: Therefore first we should study this truth, and buy it, Prov. 23.23. 2. We should pray to God to direct us in this truth, Psal. 25.5. & 43.3. and never to take it out of our mouths and lives, Psal. 119.43. Yea hereby we may show ourselves to be truly sanctified, if we stick to the word of God, as our only guide, as these places show▪ Esay 26.2. Psal. 26.3. & 119.30. 2 Cor. 13.8. and let us therefore come to the truth, to know whether our works are wrought in God or no, joh. 3.21. And therefore woe unto them that are destitute of the truth, both in respect of the means without, and in respect of knowledge within: these sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. Finally, here we see our liberty: we are bound to obey nothing but the truth. 2. That there can be no true sanctification without obedience, God stands precisely upon obedience, and practise. It is not knowing the truth, or praising the truth, or hearing the truth, or speaking the truth, or thinking the truth, or purposing the truth, will serve the turn, 1 Sam. 15.22. joh. ●. ●. 1 joh. 1.6, 8. Use. This should serve mightily to urge us to practise to be doers of the word, Mat. 7. jam. 1.22. etc. to follow the truth, and to express the power of it. Without this obedience we can never prove ourselves to be truly sanctified; and therefore let us that have the means, take heed we examine ourselves, how we grow in the practice of it. How miserable then is the state of such as only give God good words, Mat. 7. and such as resist the truth, 2 Tim. 3.8. and such as blaspheme the way of truth, 2 Pet. 2.2. and such as fall away from the truth, 2 Tim. 2.18. Heb. 10.26 Oh who hath bewitched men, that they should not obey unto the truth, Gal. 3.1. ●. That we must exercise the inward purity of the heart, in all the parts of outward obedience. In all good duties we must look to the obedience of the heart. The heart must add diverse things to the manner of our obedience. From the heart must flow judgement, attention, care, and affections of all sorts. This is true of all duties both to God and man. Use. The Use is therefore to teach us to set our hearts to work when we go about well-doing, and to look to the inside, as well as the outside. 4. The indefinite propounding shows, that our obedience must be without limitation: for we must obey. 1. A● all times, Psal. 106.1. Gal. 5.7. 2. To all truths, both of Law and Gospel, of piety and righteousness, inward and outward, etc. 3. In all places, absent as well as present: in all companies, as well as one: at home, as well as abroad: before inferiors, as well as superiors. 4. All persons must obey, learned, unlearned, rich, poor, high, low, etc. This serves notably for the ransacking of hypocrites, Use. and unmasking them: for here we may note diverse things, wherein they may be evidently taken tardy: For either 1. They obey not at all, they practise not, but only give good words. 8 Things for the discovery of hypocrites. 2. Or they obey but in show: It is not true obedience, that will leave the trial o● God's truth. 3. Or they obey not out of conscience of the word of God, but only for fashion sake, or other carnal ends, not for the truth's sake. 4. Or their obedience is not from the heart, for either it is constrained, and not ready and voluntary, or they do not employ the heart in the good work, they do: The affections of godliness they want. 5. Or they obey not the Gospel in seeking assurance of God's favour, though they practise some things of the Law. 6. Or they obey but for a fit, Host 6.5. Demas returns to the world. 7. Or they obey but in some things: Herod will not obey the seventh Commandment: They will not cross their profits, lusts, credit, etc. 8. Or they will obey but in some places and companies. Quest. Now if any godly person should be dismayed, and ask, How might I know whether my obedience be right or no, seeing I cannot have true grace else? Answ. I might answer out of other Scriptures, that a child of God may know his obedience is right, by two things: 1. Because God hears his prayers, joh. 9.39. Psal. 66.18. How men may know their obedience be right or no. 2. Because thou hast hired thyself by covenant to do God's works, as a servant of righteousness, and thou dost work as a servant every day, Rom. 6. But I answer out of this text: Thou mayst know thy obedience i● right, because thou hast these four things: 1. Thou makest the truth thy guide, and dost obey for the truth's sake, and comest to the light, as joh. 3.21. 2. Thy obedience is from thy heart, and with thy heart: it is inward, as well as outward. 3. Thy obedience is in all things: 1. Though it be against thy profit, etc. Heb. 11.8. 2. In the least commandments. 4. Thy obedience is in all places: 1. As well absent as present, Phil. 2.12. 2. Before the wicked as well as the godly. 3. Before the meanest Christian, as well as the greatest. Through the spirit. Our sanctification was first wrought by the Spirit of God, Doct. In 8 things the Spirit worketh our obedience. and it is of the assistance of the Spirit, that we do perform obedience to the truth of God: For 1. It is the Spirit that quickens us, and raiseth us, in the first resurrection, joh. 3.5. 2. It is the Spirit that leads us into the truth, ●●d enlightens us, joh. 14. 3. It is the spirit that sets us at liberty from the bondage of corruption we have lived in, 2 Cor. 3.17. and kills the deeds of the flesh, Rom. 10.11. 4. It is the Spirit that makes us mourn when we fail of obedience, Zach. 12.12. 5. It is the Spirit that sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts, by which we are inflamed with desire to obey, Rom. 5.5. It baptizeth us with fire, Mat. 3. 6. It is the Spirit that makes us find a relish and sweetness in spiritual things, Rom. 8. 7. It is the Spirit that worketh in us the particular graces that adorn our obedience, Gal. 5.22. yea by the Spirit the Lord works our works for us: it causeth us to obey, Ezech. 36. Esay 26. Psal. 90. 8. It is the Spirit that shows us the recompense of reward to encourage us to obey, 1 Cor. 2.10. Use. The Use is, 1. For information: for hereby it is evident, 1. That the godly have God's Spirit, Rom. 8.9. 2. That there can be no absolute freewill in man, seeing it is not by his own power that he doth obey Gods will. 3. That the holiness a Christian hath in this life, is of singular worth. We use to esteem the work by the workman: And if we admire them that can make us fair houses, clothes, faces, etc. how much more should we admire the workmanship of the Spirit of grace, that purifies and makes our soul's fair? It is a better piece of workmanship, then is showed in making of the world. 2. It should teach us, 1. To be more careful of sinning, seeing we shall thereby vex, or grieve, or tempt the Spirit of God in us, yea and deface his workmanship. 2. To stir up ourselves to undertake the work of godliness, seeing we have the Spirit to assist us, which is a Spirit of power, 2 Tim. 1.7. Unto the unfeigned love of the brethren. One chief end of our sanctification, is, that we might ever after live with all holy love together: God hath purified us to this end, that we might love the godly above all others after we are converted: That which is chiefly to be done of us, is the duty of brotherly love. In these words three things are to be observed: 1. That the godly are brothers. 2. That we must love the godly above all others, and that we were converted to that end. Our chiefest fruit after conversion, is to show our love to them. 3. That God cannot abide feigning in this love. 1. For the first, the godly are brethren, Col. 1.2. 1 Tim. 6.2. Mat. 23.8. borne of the same womb, 1 Pet. 1.23. adopted of the same Father, Eph. 4.5. brought up in the same family, Eph. 3.17. estated in the same inheritance, Rom. 8.17. written amongst the living in the same City with the writing of the same house of Israel, Esay 4.3. executing the same office of Prophets and Priests to God, Rev. 1.7. Use. 1. The Use is, first for information: We see the godly, though despised in the world, yet are people of a great kindred: The meanest Christian hath as good friends as the greatest Potentate; Grace works as it were a consanguinity with all the Saints. 2. For instruction: and it should teach us diverse things, to do, and avoid: Are the godly thy brethren? Then 1. Live familiarly with them, visit them, be not a stranger unto them, Act. 15.36. 2. Do what thou dost faithfully for them, joh. 3.5. 3. Defend one another by words and works, ye are brethren: let not a godly man be wronged, if thou canst help it. 4. Supply their wants with a brotherly affection, jam. 1.15. 1. joh. 3.17 The things we must avoid: 1. We must take heed of contention, Gen. 13. and this contention is either 1. Public suits, 1 Cor. 6. 2. Private quarrels or discords. Ob. But they do me wrong. Sol. 1. Admonish them of it, Mat. 18.18. L●v. 19.17. 2. Be not unadvisedly angry, Mat. 5.22. 3. If they repent, forgive them even seventy times, Mat. 18.21. and be quickly reconciled, Mat. ●. 23, 24. 2. Call no man Rabbi, or father on earth, M●●. 23.8, 9 The Angels refuse it, Rev. 19.10. & 22.9. 3. Speak not evil one of another, Rom. 14.10. jam. 5.9. & 4.11. It is the devil's property to accuse the brethren, Rev. 12.10. 4. Be not ashamed of them, for Christ is not ashamed to own them as brethren, Heb. 2.10. 5. Have them not in respect of persons; The poor are brethren as well as the rich, jam. 2. Though they be in tribulation, yet they be companions in God's kingdom as well as we, Rev. 1.9. 6. Lastly, Superiors, Magistrates, Ministers, Masters of families, must take heed of tyranny and contempt, for they rule their brethren. The godly must be loved above all others: Doct. this is a main end of our sanctification, Rom. 13.8. Col. 3.14. Eph. 4.16. 1 joh. 3. 11● & 4.21. The Use is, first for reproof of worlds of people, Use. that neglect this love of the godly, which should be as the life of their lives, yea contemn them, yea and reproach them: they love none worse than the godly. Quest. But how shall I know who are godly? Answ. Thou mayst know them, How we may know who are godly. 1. By their innocency: they bear their father's image. 2. By their love to God's house, and the Word. 3. By their language, 1 joh. 4.5. ● 4. By the opposition of the world. Quest. What good should I get by them? Answ. 1. By sorting with them thou wilt be protected from many judgements, The good men may get by conversing with the godly. which else would fall on thee: Sodom had been spared for ten righteous: Potiphars house is blessed for joseph; so Laban's house for jacob. 2. Thou mayst learn their ways. 3. Thou mayst come to acquaintance with the Father, by living amongst the children: thou mayst get to know God by living amongst the godly. Quest. But what if they do neglect the love of the godly? Answ. Thereby they shall discover their own misery, as these places show, 1 ●oh. 2.11. & 13, 14▪ 15. & 4.8.10. Quest. But what should be the cause multitudes of people have no more mind of society and affectionate conversation with the godly? Answ. There are diverse causes of it. Why the most men have no mind to converse with the godly. 1. Worldliness. 2. A natural hatred of goodness: as in Cain●, 1 joh. 3.13. 3. A love of darkness and shunning of the light, because their deeds are evil, joh. 3.21. very profaneness and love of sin: Men will not forsake their corruptions, and therefore seek such company, as they may nourish their corruptions in. 4. Ignorance of their privileges both in earth and heaven: For if those were known, they would appear the only excellent ones. 2. The second Use is for instruction; It should teach and persuade with all that 〈◊〉 God to give him his end he aims at, and to show our love to them by society with them, by defending them, and by well-doing to the uttermost of our power. 3. It is comfortable in diverse respects: For 1. This very duty of loving the godly doth much commend us to God: It is a sign it is the main thing God's aim is at, and it affords us many benefits. For it shows, 1. We are translated from death to life, 1 joh. 3.14. 2. Hereby we know, 1. That we are of the truth, 1 joh. 3.19. 2. That we are borne of God, 1 joh. 4. 3. That God dwelleth in us, 1 joh. 4.11. 3. All we do shall be fully rewarded, Mat. 11.41. 4. And it may give us boldness in the day of judgement, 1 joh. 4.17. 2. It may comfort all the godly in this, that God provided, that every body should love them and encourage them: He gives a charge to that end, and therefore it implies, that he himself will love them with all tenderness and constancy of love. Unfeigned. Doct. Our love must be without hypocrisy, Rom. 12.10. 1 joh 3.18. Use. The Use is therefore for instruction, to teach us to avoid all dissimulation and feigning. ● Signs of unfeigned love. Quest. How may I know whether my love be unfeigned? Answ. Divers ways. 1. If I be as willing to do them good, as to proffer it, 1 joh. 3.18. or seem to be willing. 2. If we seek not our own things, Phil. 2.3. but can love them against profit, credit, etc. 3. If we love all as well as some; the meanest as well as the greatest: all Saints, Eph. 1.15. 4. If I can go to God for them in secret. 5. If I can love them constantly. 6. If I can reprove, as well as flatter, or praise. 7. If I can propose them as patterns to follow. 8. If my sorting with them make me more holy and humble. 9 In general, If I do to them as I would be done by. 2. It serves for reproof of all feigning dissimulation, especially in our carriage towards the godly by lying, levity, flattery, complementing, hypocrisy, despite, envy, malice, scorns, censure, and backbitings. 3. ● astly, cannot God abide feigning amongst men? how much more doth he abhor it, when we counter●et with him? as hypocrisy is hateful any where, so much more in God's service: for hypocrites are reckoned as a kind of sinners shall never escape, Mat. 25. Hitherto of the Proposition: The Exhortation or Use follows in the last word. See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. This contains the Apostles charge for the performance of brotherly love; where note, 1. the matter of the charge, see that ye love one another: 2. the manner how it is to be done, with a pure heart, and fervently. See that▪ etc.] This word see to it, hath two things in it; the one expressed, the other employed: 1. That which is expressed, is the necessity of brotherly love; it is a thing must be looked unto. 2. That which is employed, is the difficulty of it, the●● be many impediments, if we look not to it. For the first: it is not arbitrary, whether we will carry ourselves lovingly, and brotherly, and show it by the fruits of love; it is not any special goodness, or courtesy in us more than God calls for. For it is strictly enjoined, and we must see to it. It is a special Commandment, that God and Christ hath given us, joh. 13. & 1 joh. 4.21. which I observe for two Uses. 1. First, it should much excite us to strive and labour in the works of love, Use. seeing God hath given a special charge about them. 1. A servant that hath many things to do, if he be specially charged to look to one thing, is used in that one to show a singular diligence: sure it is, God will take well, what we do in this duty faithfully, and chose will judge us for it, if we be negligent herein. Secondly, this would be noted, to restrain that beholdingness, which many stand too much upon. For as it is said in the Proverbs, The borrower is servant to the lender: so it falleth out often in other cases, that men look for extraordinary observance, and subjection of those, to whom they have showed their love by any works of it, whereas they should remember, that they have done but their duty, as being specially urged by God's precept hereunto. Now for the second observation: This word see to it, imports, that if men do not look to it, there will be many impediments to hinder them from this brotherly love, especially from the purity and fervency of it. For either Ignorance will blind them, or Envy will corrupt them, The impediments of brotherly love. or Pride and inequality of place and gifts will swell them, or Infirmity will dull them, or Forgetfulness will disappoint them, or Objections and excuses will deceive them, or Trespasses will alienate them, or the scorns of the world will sunder them: Note, this caveat given by the Apostle, should quicken us to be sure, we look about us, that the Devil do not be witch us, and by his methods in any of those eight ways, or any other hinder us, from the comfort & reward of welldoing in obeying God in this especial charge. Thus of the matter, to which he exhorts: The manner follows, 1. With pure hearts: 2. Fervently. With pure hearts. We must love one another with pure hearts: Of purity of heart both as it respects God and man. The heart is in Scripture accounted pure, not only when it is void of all corruption; but when it is upright and sincere: and this the purity of the heart respecteth either God or man: In respect of God, there be four things, which make the heart pure in God's acceptation through the intercession of Christ. 1. The first is Faith. 2. The second is the desire of purity. 3. The third is the battle against inward sins. 4. And the fourth is, a spirit without guile, a heart without hypocrisy: But of this purity he entreats not here. The purity of heart, that concerns men hath three things in it, or there are three things required in our affections towards others, whom we ought to love, and with whom we converse, in which we should show the purity of our hearts. 1. The first is, the respect of holiness: In our love one to another we should chiefly aim at holiness, and the furtherance one of another in the best things: Our fellowship should be in the Gospel, Phil. 1.5. and we should exhort one another to good works, Heb. 10.25. we should cleave to that which is good, and abhor evil, Rom. 12.10. 2. The second is, the respect of chastity, we should take heed of worldly lusts, and all impurity of heart or life that way: we must mortify inordinate affections, and the evil concupiscence, Col. 3.5. and avoid all those works of darkness, such as are chambering and wantonness etc. Rom. 13.13. avoiding both the matter, and appearance of evil, 1 Thes. 5.22. 1 Pet. 2.12. 3. The third is, the respect of truth and plainness of heart: the heart is pure when it is without dissembling, & so we must love one another indeed, as well as in show, 1 john 3.18. and for right ends: For Gods] glory, and the grace of God in them, and for their good, and not serve our, own turns only. How we may know that our hearts are pure towards others. We may know that our hearts and affections are pure, 1. If we rejoice not in iniquity, but in the truth, 1 Cor. 13. 2. If we make conscience of lesser sins, and the very appearance of evil to avoid them. 3. If we love purity in others, and admire, commend, and defend it in them. 4. If daily we seek a pure heart of God in secret, judging ourselves for what dross we find in our natures. 5. If we seek not our own things, Phil. 2.4. 6. If we cannot bear sin in any. 7. If our conversing with them make us grow more in holiness and grace, 1 Thes. 3.12, 13. etc. What we must do to get and increase purity of heart. And therefore we should both try ourselves, and strive daily more and more after this uprightness and purity of our hearts, that God requires of us: and to this end we should, 1. Pray daily to God to create clean hearts in us. 2. We should avoid society with impure persons. 3. We should take heed of idleness, and fruitless mispending of the time. For the heart gathers impurity with very emptiness. 4. We should often think of that rule, Do as thou wouldst have others do to thee. 5. Converse much with the pure. For with the pure thou wilt be pure, and with the froward thou wilt learn frowardness. 6. Acknowledge your sins one to another: This wonderfully fenceth the heart against impurity in conversation, and excites a pure love one to another with much honour and delight. This greatly convinceth and reproveth such as have taken upon them a profession of love to others, but it is for corrupt ends: their hearts are not pure, nor are they stirred up with desire after the godly, further than lust, or their own carnal ends give hope to their projects. Fervently.] God in the second place requires a fervent love, he stands much upon it, and therefore he requires elsewhere, that above all things we should put on ferv●●● love: God is not contented with it, that we do not hate one another, but we must love one another; nor is he contented with a cold love, but would have it fervent, a burning ardent, inflamed affection. Quest. But how may the ferventness of our love be discerned, if it be aright? Answ. If thy love be a fervent love, How the ferventness of love may be discerned. 7. Signs. 1. Thou dost account it the greatest felicity on earth to enjoy God's favour, and the delightful fellowship of the Saints, Psal 16. ●. 2. Thou mayest discern it by the longings, and inflamed desires after the godly, such as were in Paul. 3. Thou canst cover a multitude of sins, thou levest as God loves, 1 Pet 4.8. 4. It is diligent: thou showest it by the pains and labour of love. 5. It is speedy: it seeks no delays, it fa●●h not go, and come again to ●●●row. 6. Thou dost greatly lament thy absence from the godly, as a bitter cross. 7. Thou dost as Paul did in some measure, thou dost daily and heartily pray for them, and give thanks without 〈◊〉, as he shows in the most of his Epist●es: standing before God often the heart doth take fire from thence, which warns the heart afterwards. Quest. What is the cause this fervent love is so rarely found amongst men? Answ. There are diverse causes in diverse sorts of men: As 1. Unregeneracy: Nine causes of want of fervent love. We must know that no man can love his brother with this love, but he that is borne of God, 1 joh. 4.7. without repentance, and the true love of God, this love is never had. 2. Prejudice in others: The names of the godly are so buried under the disgrace of the world, that this keeps off many from declaring their love to them, though sometimes they have motions of good affections. 3. The love of wicked persons. 4. In others the cause is hatred of the good, malice like Cain, 1 joh. 3. 11. they can love any but the Saints. 5. Security in prosperity: Many, when they be sick, acknowledge the way of God, and send for the Ministers, and good people: but when they are well they start back like a bow. 6. conceitedness and a high opinion of themselves. 7. Neglect of society with the godly. 8. Worldliness. 9 suspiciousness. Quest. But what must be done, What must be done that our love might be fervent. that we might be abundant in love one towards another; and that it might be more general in the places where we live? Answ. First, let the wicked turn from his wickedness; we may not return to them, they must return to us: what peace, or love, while their whoredoms, drunkenness, etc. testify to their faces? We may love them with a general love, as God's creatures; but with a fervent love we may not; nor may we converse freely with them, as multitudes of places of Scripture show. Secondly, to nourish affection amongst the godly, we must remember these rules. 1. Remember much and often God's love to us in Christ, 1 joh. 4.9, 10, 11. Eph. 5.1, 2. 2. Think much of the commandment of God, and his acceptation, Eph. 5.1, 2. 3. Meditate often of our dwelling together in heaven, jam. 2.5. 1 Pet. 4.8. else purblind, 2 Pet. 1.7. 4. Converse much together, have fellowship in the Gospel. 5. Consider the promises made hereunto, Eph. 4.15, 16. 2 Pet. 1.9, 10, 11. Phil. 2.1. Esay 19 Verse 23. Being borne anew, not of mortal seed, but of immortal by the word of God, which liveth and endureth for ever. IN these words the Apostle entreats of the immortality of the soul of man. Now there is a double immortality of the soul: For sometimes immortality signifieth an everlasting continuance of man without ending, dying, or ceasing to be; and so the souls of the wicked are immortal. Sometimes it signifieth an everlasting happy being, from which a man cannot fall, and so the godly are immortal, and so their immortality differs from that of Adam also: for he was immortal, that is, such as might have continued happy for ever, and might also not continue. The first kind of immortality begins at birth: the second at new birth, of which he entreats here. These words must be considered in their coherence, and in themselves: In the coherence both with the 13. verse, and with the former. As they depend upon the 13. verse, they are a fifth reason, why we should regard those three things, viz. because our souls are immortal. For if we sound consider of it, it evidently follows, 1. That therefore we should gird up the loins of our minds, and get established our celestial cogitations and resolutions, as such as still mind an eternal being, and therefore will strive against all impediments, which might hold us down. 2. That therefore we should be wonderful temperate in the use of earthly things, seeing these serve not unto immortality. 3. That therefore we should with all industry make sure all those evidences of hope, concerning the grace to be brought unto us in the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now as these words depend upon the former verse, they confirm us in the love of the brethren: we should therefore love them fervently and purely, because we are borne together as heirs of the same hope, and must live together for ever in another world: Look not upon the godly according to their birth, but according to their new birth: nor according to their present condition, but according to the happiness they are born to, and the fellowship thou shalt have with them in another world. The words of themselves entreat of immortality two ways: First, in respect of the fountain: Secondly, in respect of the means of it▪ The fountain of immortality is the new birth: The means is set down negatively and affirmatively. Negatively, it is not corruptible seed: Affirmatively, it is the incorruptible seed: which is expounded to be by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever. Borne again.] Being turned unto God by true faith and repentance: A metaphorical tearse. We are borne again four ways: 1. Sacramentally, by Baptism. 2. Spiritually, by the Word. 3. Corporally, in the Resurrection. 4. Eternally, in our Glorification. Quest. But why is our repentance likened to a new birth? Answ. To distinguish true repentance, from that which is false and feigned: for it imports five differences. 〈…〉 new birth. Wh●●●●. differences between true repentance and false. 1. That in true repentance there is an utter disclaiming of all happiness in a natural life, or what doth, or can belong unto it. 2. That in true repentance, there is a total change in the whole nature of man: He hath grace in every part; a new mind, and a new heart, a new memory, and a new conscience, a new language, and a new carriage both to God and man: for birth is the producing of all essential parts of man. 3. That in true repentance, there is the pain of contrition, a broken spirit, the throws and pains of travail, there is true godly sorrow and grief in the birth of grace. 4. That there is in true repentance, a daily hunger and thirst after the sincere mild of the Word, 1 Pet. 2.2. 5. That in the things of God's Kingdom there is new life, and sense, and feeling, and motion. Secondly, to show the privilege of the penitent: For it signifies he gets more by his new birth, than any child in nature can do by pleading his birthright: For if in repentance we be borne unto God, than it shows, 1. That we have received power to be the sons of God, joh. 1.2. 2. That with our adoption we enjoy the privileges of sons. 1. The favour of God, as a father. 2. The care of God to main●a●eus, Mat. 6.33. 3. The pardon of God in saving us from condemnation, Rom. 8.1. 4. The portion of God, even the inheritance which God gives as a Father, which is spoken of Rom. 8.17. Gal. 4.7. The Use should be twofold: 1. That we try ourselves carefully in the business of our repentance by the former signs: Use. and secondly, that we comfort ourselves in the privileges of our new birth, rejoicing in our portion, and the favour of our heavenly Father. And thus of the reason of the phrase. Concerning the new birth here we have occasion to consider of 2. things. 1. That it is needful often to be remembered of the doctrine of regeneration: Why it is needful to be often put in mind of our new birth. the Apostle having spoken of it before, falls upon it here again. There is great need that men should be put in mind of it often for diverse respects. 1. Because of the extreme necessity of it, and the unspeakable danger if it be neglected, joh. 3.5. Gal. 6.15. 2 Cor. 5.17. Luke 13.5. 2. Because of the dignity of it: It is a second creation of as great fame and wonder, as the making of the world: therefore Christ is called the beginning of the creation of God, Rev. 3.14. 3. Because of the marvellous impediments with which men are hindered from the effectual endeavour after it, such as are 1. Extremity of blindness: The lets of the new birth. A Ruler in Israel knows not what it is, unless it be to go into his mother's womb again. This is still the case of the most. 2. Evil opinions about it: as 1. That it needs it not: God made them, and therefore will save them: yet as joh. 3.5. 2. That Baptism did it; yet but a seal, Rom. 4.11. 3. That a civil life is it: yet as Mat. 5.20. 4. That the purpose of it hereafter will serve. 3. Forgetfulness: the doctrine runs out, Heb. 2.1. the heart is so weak and impotent in keeping alive the sparks of resolution, and remorse, and desire. 4. Prejudice that lieth in the minds of many in respects of the reproaches lie upon such as teach it, or practise it. It could not be, but we should be more respected in this doctrine, were it not that many of you have strange opinions of us, the truth of which you seek not to be resolved in. 5. A dumb devil: many have throws and give over: will not propound their doubts, nor seek directions. 6. The marvellous pleading of the world, sin, and Satan, that they might not be cast out or forsaken; especially the unspeakable methods of Satan. 7. The lethargy of the soul, which appears in such as cannot leave sin, that is hateful, hurtful to themselves, even gross sins, as we see. 4. Because it may be a means of conversion to such as are not yet converted: The opening of the doctrine may open a way unto Christ into their hearts. Who knows what, and when God will work? And it is certain, the work is done more easily and successfully, when we go about it while the doctrine is fresh in our memories. 5. Because of the excellent use of it, both 1. For consolation: for this doctrine comforts, 1. Against the fiery darts of the devil, Eph. 6. that is, the temptations of unbelief. 2. Against present affliction, when we consider what we are borne to. 3. Against the scorns of the world: we are borne, not of bloods but (which is better) of the blood of Christ, joh. 1.12. 2. For Instruction: for the remembrance of our new birth quickens us to a care to live as becomes our new birth, which is the true reason why it is mentioned here. Use. The Use is first, 1. First for Ministers, to bend the whole course of their ministry hitherto: what do we profit them, if we gain them not to God? Yea hereby the glory of many Ministers is to be judged, He is the excellentest teacher, that can convert most to God. Here God will be free. 2. For all sorts of men, as 1. For all godly men, 1. If they be strong, to build themselves up in the contentment of their birth. 2. If they be weak, to look to the establishing of their hearts in the assurance of it. 2. For unregenerate men: it should awaken them to a care to shake off their lamentable security, procrastination, prejudice, silence, sinfulness, or what else hinders them from this glorious work. To this end, Think of death, and the threatenings and anger of God seriously. Judge thyself for thy sins. Pray with David for a clean heart: beg a new heart, Ezech. 36. Parable. Get out of ill company. Be warned to fly from the wrath to come. Neglect not so great salvation. Be not deceived, Gal. 6.7. 1 Cor. 6.9. Take heed lest God leave you with the very discourse of regeneration. What shall it profit to be borne of great blood, etc. if thy soul perish for ever? I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God, save your souls, that you perish not in the condemnation of the world. Consider God would not have you die, etc. The second thing that may be noted from hence, is, that our blessed immortality begins at our new birth: for by the Gospel God brings immortality to life and light, 2 Tim. 1.10. and by the Spirit of Christ we are then quickened, Eph. 2.1, 4. being by nature dead in respect of true immortality: For from this moment of time Christ lives in us, Gal. 2.20. we are alive to God, though we be dead to the world. Use 1. The Use should be, first to put us in mind of the marvellous power and glory of the Gospel, that brings this life & light unto us, 2 Tim. 1.10. 2. We should be comforted against all our fears, and doubts, and against all the afflictions or temptations of our natural life: for immortality is begun in us already. Those divine sparks are so kindled, as they shall never be quenched: God hath kindled the light of heaven in us: This is very eternal life we have here on earth, joh. 17.3. God hath made us immortal creatures already; for though we have not yet attained to the full degree of the shining brightness of our immortal happiness, yet from degree to degree we shall proceed, till we be like the a●●ient of days. Immortality may be distinguished into four degrees or states. Four degrees of immortality. 1. The first i● the life of the infant in grace, and then we live as babes; two things being eminent companions of that estate, viz. weakness and crying, that is, many frailties, and much grief for sin and wants. 2. The second is the life of young men in grace, 1 joh. 2.14. Heb. 5.13. and here two things are eminent: 1. affections, and 2. strength, or might, or power of gifts. 3. The third is the life of them of ripe age, or of fathers in grace, 1 joh. 2. 14. Heb. 5.13. Here likewise two things more shine: 1. greatness of judgement, or experience. 2. an habitual conquest over all sorts of sins, so as the very taste of them, or temptations to them are enseebled, and more seldom: These three are on earth. 4. The fourth estate is that wherein we shall be like the ancient of days, even God himself in the perfection of all gifts, and possession of all happiness. Lastly, this doctrine may show the miserable estate of all such as will not be informed by the Gospel: They fail of immortality, and must die in their sins; for if they be not borne again, they perish for ever. Thus much of the fountain of new birth: The manner follows, considered 1. negatively, 2. affirmatively. Not of corruptible seed. Two things are here imported concerning the natural birth and propagation of all men: The first is, that our natural birth doth not advance our immortality and everlasting happiness: we hold not our happiness by any title from our carnal birth, Mat. 3. Rom. 9 We are not borne heirs of heaven. In our birth we receive the beginning of natural life from the seed of our natural parents, but not of eternal life. The second is, that this natural seed is corruptible; we so live, that we must die; we cannot hold out even in that estate; for men will die, and they come of men that have died, H●b. 9 job 10. Ps. 89. and therefore the Use should be, Use. 1. To abate the great thoughts that arise in great persons about the nobleness of their birth. 2. We should all be thereby the more quickened to the care of new birth. 3. Therefore we should look for death, and prepare for it, and patiently bear the infirmities accompany our mortal bodies, till the time of our change come. 4. Impenitent sinners should awake to live righteously, seeing their perfections must come all to an end: they cannot long abide in the greatest glory of the world they can attain to. 5. Here is a manifest difference between the children of the two adam's: the children of the first Adam are borne corruptible, the children of Christ are borne incorruptible. 6. Lastly, here is a singular consolation to the godly about their perseverance: They are confirmed, as the Angels of heaven; they cannot fall away, they are not borne of corruptible seed. Thus of the manner, negatively considered. In the affirmative observe two things: 1. what the means is; 2. and by what it is. Or thus: The means is seed, described by the properties▪ It is incorruptible; and by the cause, or instrument of generation, viz. the word of God. Seed] To omit the usual acceptation of the word seed: It is taken in Scripture in a restrained sense many ways: Sometimes for Christ; He is that seed, in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed: Sometimes for the godly; The children of the promise are the ●eed, Rom. 9.8. Sometimes for the body of man within the grave, which is cast into the earth as seed, in the day of burial, 1 Cor. 15.43. Sometimes spiritual things in general, 1 Cor. 9.11. Sometimes the fruits of righteousness or mercy, james 3.18. 2 Cor. 9.6. So there is sowing to the Spirit, Gal. 6.7, 8. Sometimes for the word of God, Mat. 10.13. Sometimes for saving graces, conceived in the hearts of the godly, and so I take it here. And thus grace is like seed, either that is sowed in the field, or in the womb. If it be taken in the first sense, than the seed is grace, the sour 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 means of nursing are preaching and the Sacraments. Saving grace is likened to seed in the womb, because first it is form by an admirable coition of the Word and Spirit in the heart of man, causing unspeakable delight in the soul: Secondly, because the gifts of grace do thrive and grow up in the godly from small beginnings, though at the first but as a grain of mustard seed, yet after it is once conceived, it will grow marvellously and speedily. This doctrine may serve for a threefold use: Use. 1. It may comfort, and that diverse ways. 1. Because it imports a marriage of the soul with Christ. It is God that gave the soul in marriage with Christ: a great preferment. 2. Because thou art cured of barrenness, and therefore rejoice, oh thou soul that wast barren, Christ hath made thee a mother of many children. 3. It may comfort thee against the weakness of thy gifts, and the grace received: though thy faith, joy, feeling, etc. 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 truly borne again: for if thou have felt that sweet delight when the Word and Spirit of God did join with thy soul, this delight is an infallible sign of thy regeneration, and that Christ is form in thee. Ob. But the temporary faith feeleth joy. The difference between true 〈◊〉 and temporary joys. Ans. There is great difference between 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 soul 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 ●once●tion. Or thirdly, if it did abide for a time, yet it increaseth not as the fruit of the womb doth: the godly grow in grace. 2. It may serve to teach us, 1. highly to prise the graces of the soul; they are the divine seed of Christ in us; Christ in the same is form in us: The light, love, desires, joys, humility, etc. in the heart, have the true picture of Christ upon them. 2. To be careful 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 reproof of the whorish affections of all wicked men, that shutting the doors of their hearts against Christ, suffer the devil and concupiscence to engender in them, and to fill the soul with multitudes of bastardly births of sin, jam. 1.14. Incorruptible.] The grace begotten in the hearts of the godly is incorruptible, and so it is in diverse respects. 1. In respect of the matter of them. For this grace consists of innocency and in●●r●uption: so meekness 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 fair fruit that will grow up to eternal life. This may serve for consolation and instruction: for consolation many ways. 1. This shows, that every godly person is an excellent one, they are immortal creatures; they have divin● sparkles in them: How dare wicked men despise them, when God hath thus honoured them. His God, King, Crown, Inheritance, gifts are all immortal. 2. They may conceive comfortable hope, Esay 4.6. that God will be careful to preserve, and bless his own work, God's blessing shall be upon thy seed, and his Spirit will refresh thy buds: 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 immortal, thou mayst triumph over death, as 1 Cor. 15.54. Art thou an immortal one, take heed of discontentment: This was the first s●one, even the devil's sin. This may comfort thee in thy perseverance to the end, the seed is immortal, 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 perform their service no doubt to the spirits of the godly. That thou canst not fall from grace these Scriptures may establish thee. 1 joh. 5.9. Mat. 12.20. Esay 65.22, 23. jer. 23.4. 1 Cor. 1.8, 9 1 Pet. 1.5. 2 Tim. 1.12. joh. 13.1. jer. 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 jesus Christ in incorruption, Eph. 6.24. and be careful to avoid all the enticements of sin and Satan, by which their hearts might be corrupted: they should walk in the spirit, Rom. 8.1. And keep themselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, desiring to know no other happiness, than Christ and him crucified. And wicked men should take notice of it, that corruption cannot inherit incorruption, and unless they repent of their sins, and set their hearts upon the word of Christ, they can never be made immortal. Hitherto of the property of the seed: the instruments of the generation of it follow: viz. the word of God, which is f●rther praised, 1. For the Author of it: 2. For the vigour 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 effectualness of the Apostles speech concerning the word: He doth not mention it, but with a lively praise of it, and that he doth not casually do, but with a great deal of reason: For it is exceeding needful to have the praises of the word often, and lively expressed. For it may be a means to heal that contempt of the Word, that usually reigns in the most. Besides, the praise of it may lift up our hearts to consider the greatness of God's mercy in bestowing his word upon us. The word he gave to jacob was a greater gift than he bestowed upon all the world beside. And the praises of the word do also raise up in the godly sparkles of appetite after it, and delight in it, and care to have recourse unto it in all estates. It quickens to a continued diligence in exercising themselves in it: and therefore we should study the continual praises of it, and pray God also that he would give his Ministers a door of utterance to set out the glory of those mysteries contained in it, Col. 4.3. and besides it should much humble us for our marvellous neglect both in faith and obedience, especially if any way we have caused the word of God to be blasphemed by our indiscretion or sin: we cannot worse vex God, then by neglecting, or despising, or dishonouring his word, Tit. 2.5. and chose God is wonderfully pleased with us, if he may find his word to be had in honour, and respect with us; and therefore such as love the word heartily, have great cause to comfort themselves. For they are dear to God and Christ ever for that reason, as these places show, joh. 14.23. & 17.6. 1 joh. 2.5. Revel. 3.10. The particular doctrine may be raised either from the coherence, or from the words in themselves. From the coherence we may note, that the Word is the only ordinary instrument outwardly for the begetting of the seed of true grace in us, jam. 1.18. Rom. 10.14. etc. Use. The Uses are diverse. 1. For first this may inform us concerning the distinct offices of the word and Sacraments: The Word begets grace: the Sacraments confirm it: the beginning of grace we have from the Word: the strengthening and nourishing of grace from the Sacraments. 2. This may inform us, how much we are bound to God for his Word, and how much we are beholding to the ministry of the Word, 1 Tim. 5.17. spiritual things are hereby ministered unto us: Hereby we are begot again to God, we had perished for ever without the Word. 3. This may inform us concerning the woeful estate of all such congregations, or particular persons, as live without the Word of God in the life and the power of it: they sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. There is neither womb to bear thee, nor breasts to give thee suck. Oh the depth of the judgements of God upon millions of wretched men! Oh the sore famine of the Word: and this distress is the more miserable, because people are less sensible of it! Oh if men would think, without grace I cannot be saved, without the Word I cannot have grace, and therefore what shall it profit me to win the whole world, if I lose my own soul by living in places where I cannot hear the voice of Christ! Note, that the Spirit of God as the internal efficient is not mentioned: of purpose it is lest out to compel in us a care of the outward means, in which we are sure to find the Spirit working. Ministers should therefore speak it boldly, and pray that God would open their pouches to speak of these mysteries, as becomes the mysteries of God and Christ, Phil. 1.14. Col. 4.2. Hence we may know also how to judge of those that consent not to the wholesome words of God. See 1 Tim. 6.3, 4. In themselves the words afford us three doctrines: 1. The Word is of God; and it is of God as the Author of it. For man wrote it by the inspiration of the holy Ghost, 2 Pet. 1. ult. and men preach it now by the commandment of the everlasting God▪ Tit. 1.3. And it is of God that disposeth of the due times of publishing it, Tit. 1.3. and God is the subject of it. For the Word principally entreats of God, his nature, and his works: All the success also of the Word it depends upon God. Use. 8 Thin●s to be observed if w● will hear th● word as the w●rd o● God. There are diverse Uses may be made hereof. 1. It should set us on longing after God's word to hear God speak, or write to us: we see men long to read, or hear the speeches of the King, much more of GOD the King of Kings. 2. It should teach us to hear the word, as the word of God, and not of men, 2 Thes. 2.13. that is, 1. Reverently, as if the Lord himself spoke to us from heaven. 2. Without ascribing to men the praise and glory is due to God, we should glorify the word, Act. 13.48. 3. Not daring to let it run out, lest God require it, Heb. 2.2. If the Angels keep them, how much more we? Rev. 22.9. 4. With confident assurance trusting upon it infallibly, 2 Pet. 1.19. 5. With subjection of our reasons, and conscience to it, nothing but the word hath this sovereignty. 6. Without adding or detracting, Rev. 22.18, 19 7. With passion or wickedness, jam. 1.18. etc. 8. With all possible care to practise it, jam. 1.18. 3. We may be assured it will have effect: it cannot be bound, no malice of men can hinder the will of God, 2 Tim. 2.9. 4. Therefore let not men despise it for the Minister's sake: It is of God, and that will appear when the dust which we have shaken off our feet, shall witness against the world that receives us not, Mat. 10.24. Which liveth. This which may be referred to either seed, or God, or the Word; but that in the original the word for seed is not of the same gender, and the testimony of Esay in the next verse quoted shows, it must be referred to the word. The word lives in God: How the word may be said to live. It is a fountain issuing out of the spring of God's knowledge and will: It lives in Christ the personal word of the Father: The word of life is attributed to Christ, 1 joh. 1.1. to the Scriptures, Phil. 2.15. It lives also in the heart of a Christian, who conceives by virtue of the seed cast in by the word: It lives by effect as it makes us live, and so it doth in diverse respects: both in respect of our natural life, and in respect of eternal life. In respect of natural life: First, Man liveth not by bread, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, Deut. 8.3. and the creatures are sanctified by the word of God and prayer, 1 Tim. 4.4, 5. Secondly, because the word upholds the godly in their afflictions: David saith, he● had long since perished in his afflictions, but for the word: and our Saviour Christ prays, that God would keep his by his word, joh. 17.14, 15, 16, 17. Now for spiritual life: The word lives by effect, in that it enlives us three ways: For first it quickens us in regeneration, so in this verse. 2. It sanctifies us to live holily, joh. 17.17. 3. It preserves us in the most deadly spiritual assaults, in which else we might perish, 1 joh. 2.14. The word may also be said to live, because it is lively, Heb. 4.12. It may be said to live, because of the sure performance of that which God promiseth, though the promise were made many ages since, and because the efficacy of the Scriptures abideth still, they are as lively now, as in David● time, or in Christ's time. There may be many Uses made hereof. First, it should teach us diverse things. Use. 1. If we desire the kingdom of God should come, pray that the word of the Lord may run, and have a free passage: for it will wor● mightily in gathering souls to the kingdom of God, 2 Thes. 3.1. 2. Would we have life put into us? Let us come to the word, it liveth by effect: If any thing in this world will either direct or comfort us, it is the word. 3. Look to thy heart for uprightness: make conscience of thy ways: harbour no secret sins: For the word is lively in operation, and is a discerns of the very thoughts, and intents of the hear●, Heb. 4.13. If thou wouldst have the fruit of the lips to be peace, walk uprightly. 4. Such as profess love to the word, should hold forth this word of life, and make it appear in their conversation that it is a living word. Quest. But how should we show the life of the word in our conversation? Answ. Many ways. 1. By practising it: Six ways to show the life of the word in our conversation. It seems but a dead letter till thou put it in practice. For there is the life of hearing. 2. By living without rebuke: Then thou showest effectually, that the word hath a lively power ever thee, if it can make thee unrebukeable, Phil. 1.15, 16. 3. By the unmovableness of thy conversation in all estates: There is life in godliness, when a man hath learned to be content with that he hath. 4. By thy affectionateness and cheerfulness in the manner of doing holy duties. 5. By the depending upon it, as upon the life of thy life, Psal. 119. 6. Lastly, by thy confidence in believing all that is written in the word. And thus for instruction. Secondly, this may serve for humiliation. 1. To such as hear not the word at all: they sit in darkness, they want the very life of their lives, that that should be the very joy of their hearts. 2. To such as hear it, but feel no life in it: If the word of God have no life in it, woe unto thee, if the book be sealed to thee, when it is open to others; fear lest the god of this world hath blinded thee, that thou mightest perish: search thy soul; there is abundance of soul stuff in thee, if the word cannot quicken thee. 3. To such as find some kind of life in the word, and put it out by the cares of life: Mat. 13. such as by covetousness or voluptuous living extinguish that remorse was bred in them, and so make the word an instrument of death, inasmuch as such remorses or quickenings serve but to leave them without excuse. 4. To all hypocrites: For here they must know that which they have often found, if they hear much, that they cannot be hid: though they may deceive men, yet God and his Word will find them out, the shame of their secrets of corruption shall be discovered: this word of God will ransack them, and give them a very glimpse of the judgement to come, Heb. 4.13. 5. This may in special smite dreaming, and careless Preachers, that do the work of the Lord negligently: such must know, their work shall never prosper; for it is the word of God in the life of it, that gathers souls to God; a dead, dull kind of preaching the word, will never do it. Besides, they dishonour the word, as if it had no life in it, whereas the fault is in their dull and dreaming kind of handling of it. Thirdly, this may inform us. 1. That the word is not a dead letter, as many think of it, and have blasphemously reported. 2. That it is the Gospel, (that is, that part of the word, that settles the conscience in the assurance of God's love in Christ) that is the principallest treasure in the scripture: For the Law is a kill letter, and the ministry of it, the ministration of death. 3. That it is never likely, that powerful preaching and sincere practice shall have any long peace in the world: For this life of the word makes such a stir where it comes, that wicked men will not be quiet, but ever hate the godly for this very reason, as experience shows, joh. 17.14 etc. 4. That the wits of men, and the wisdoms of men's words and conceits are not necessary unto the unfolding of the word: for the word is a lively word in itself, it needs not the conceits of men's brains to quicken it, 1 Cor. 2.1, 4, 13. Fourthly, this may be a great comfort to all the godly that love the word: they may have sure recourse to it: it is as full of life now, as it was many hundred years ago: it shall abide for ever: it is as mighty now to cast down strong holds of sin, or Satan, as ever: It is as able to refresh them in all afflictions, as ever: It will quicken them in all their dumps and distresses: It lives and will live for ever. And abideth for ever. Of these words in the end of the 24. verse, where they are repeated again: and thus much of the fifth reason, etc. VERSE 24, 25. 24. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is as the flower of grass: the grass withereth, and the flower falleth away: 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever, and this is the word which is preached among you. THese words contain the sixth and last reason for the enforcing of the exhortation in the 13. verse, and it is taken chiefly from the mortality of the body; where his drift is to set before us the marvellous vanity and brevity, and transitoriness of the natural life and condition of all men: amplified by the eternity of those spiritual effects, which are wrought by the word of God preached, that so we might be induced with the more sincerity and earnestness to deny the world, and to provide an infallible assurance of hope, in the grace to be brought in the day of Christ; and so it impliedly shows, that the reason why the most men are so entangled with all sorts of impediments, and why men so greedily, and excessively seek the profits and pleasures of this world, and why men are so slenderly furnished with arguments of sound hope of a better life: I say the reason of all this is, the forgetfulness of our mortality, and our transitory estate in this world. The words in themselves contain a lively description of our transitory and mortal condition in this world, amplified by the commendation of the word of God, by which we are borne again, and fitted for a better world: The vanity of man is set down verse 24. the eternity of the word verse 25. The vanity of man is both propounded, and repeated: propounded in these words, All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass: repeated in these words, the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. The proposition concerns either the persons of men, or the condition of men. For their persons, all flesh is grass. For their condition, the glory of man is as the flower of grass; and so the proposition shows, that he is mortal. The repetition shows, how he is so: His body withereth as grass, 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 mortal, and immortal: mortal, as he is borne of his Parents: immortal, as he is borne of God: mortal, in respect of his natural life, and immortal in respect of his spiritual life: mortal in respect of his flesh, and spiritual in respect of his soul. 2. That the consideration of the mortality of our bodies will quicken man unto a care of the immortality of his soul. But I pass from these. All flesh is grass. The words of the proposition are all plain, Doct. taken in their proper signification, save that by flesh is meant 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 grass. 2. The extent of the affirmation, when he saith all flesh is grass. 3. The consideration of the time, when he saith in the present time, It is grass, not it shall be. For the first: the word rendered grass is translated sometimes the blade of wheat, as Mat. 13.26. sometimes hay, as 1 Cor. 3.12. but most usually grass, 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 God's Elect, that they are like grass, viz. for their growing, and flourishing in grace and happiness, as Esay 44 4. Psal. 72.16. Rev. 9.4. but usually in scripture it is taken to signify the misery of all men by nature: And so it notes especially the frail condition of man in this life, he is like grass, because as the grass 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 grass in many respects, but this is that the Holy Ghost chiefly aims at. So then the first doctrine is, that a man by nature is like grass for the brevity of his life, and the suddenness many times of his death. Use. The Uses are diverse. First, for reproof of three sorts of men. 1. Of all those that mind only the things of the flesh; why do men so study for the provision of the flesh? can men remember that their flesh is as grass, and yet seek great things for this life only? let all men know, that they that sow to the flesh, shall certainly of the flesh reap corruption. 2. Of such as place their trust and hopes in man: for this reason, he is cursed, that maketh flesh his arm, seeing all flesh is grass. 3. It reproves diverse of God's children too for their too much fear of the rage of wicked men. The Apostle, when he said, we wrestle not with flesh and blood, meant to show, that we should not be so much distressed for that kind of combat, as teaching, that it were better to wrestle with ten adversaries, than with one temptation, but most plainly, Esay 51.12. Secondly, there is matter of consolation too, and that diverse ways. For first, though our flesh be as grass, yet that hinders not God's love to us: for he clotheth the very grass of the field, Mat. 6. 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 pity us; he knows our frailty, and therefore will not deal rigorously with us, as these places show, Ps. 103.13. & 90.6. & 78.39. Esay 40. etc. Thirdly, the mortality of the flesh should occasion us to rejoyce● in the immortality of our spirit, and to be glad at heart, that we are borne again, not of the bloods of mortal men, but by the will and word of the immortal God, joh. 1.12. that so we may be comforted against the sense of the decays of our bodies by remembering that we have a building made of God without hands, 2 Cor. 5.1. 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 been pleased to resolve with himself to take the care of us, and our posterity after us, because he knows we cannot continue always with our children: for so the Prophet David assures the godly, that though their flesh be but as the grass, yet God will establish his mercy to them, that are left behind them; the Lord will deal righteously with their children's children, Ps. 100L. 15, 18. Thirdly, we should all therefore learn to crucify the bootless lusts of the flesh, and to compel ourselves so to think of saving our spirits in the day of Christ, Gal. 5.24. as to forbear to entangle ourselves with the cares of life; seeing it is all in vain, we must dye, and go hence, and that suddenly, and shortly ●especially we should provide that Christ may live in us by faith, Gal. 1.10. that so we may be provided to continue when our flesh will fail us: yea thirdly, seeing in this world it will never be better with our bodies, therefore we should reach our flesh, Psal. 16▪ 10. that great lesson of resting in hope: even we should learn to wa●● for the resurrection, when even our flesh shall be made spiritual, and this corruption shall put on incorruption. Thus of the affirmation itself: Now the extent of i● is in the second place to be considered▪ viz. that all flesh is grass. All flesh. Not only the flesh of beasts of the field, and souls of the air, but even the flesh of man is grass, and amongst men there is no difference: The flesh of Princes is as mortal, as well as the flesh of peasants: the most mighty helpers must stoop to the power of death. There is a great deal of difference in grass, a thousand forms in one meadow, or pasture; yet all alike in this, that they must wither. The outward difference of men's places in the world makes no difference in death: Prov. Psal. 49. The rich and the poor both meet together in the grave, as dies the beggar, so dies the King: Riches will not ransom from death, no price can be a redemption from the grave: Healthful bodies are as grass as well as sickly bodies: such as abound in the helps of physic must dye, as well as they that are destitute of all means to preserve life: The strongest must stoop to death, as well as the weakest; the longest livers must dye at last, as well as the creature but of a day's continuance. If men then should live 900. years 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 grass, Esay 40.7. yea the flesh of the son of God had no privilege from death, he was put to death in respect of the flesh, 1 Pet. 3.21. Therefore this may serve first for singular reproof of that unspeakable beastliness that is in wicked men, that will not be moved with the contemplation of the ruin of the whole world: oh the unutterable Lethargy of these men's hearts, that will not consider their latter end, when so unchangeable a decree is pressed upon all men, that at their appointed time, they must once die! This very doctrine may show the horrible effect of sin in the hearts of men, that can extinguish a consideration so universally obvious to every man's sense; oh ye brutish amongst the people, when will ye understand? Ps. 92.6, 7. Secondly, this may inform us that multitude is no prerogative: multitude cannot protect men against the stroke of God and death; Though hand join in hand, yet sin cannot be unpunished: It is as easy for God to smite all flesh, as any flesh: It is as easy for him to destroy the whole world, as to destroy one man. All flesh is grass: If the scythe can with few strokes move down thousands of forms of grass; how much more easy is it for God with the scythe of his judgements to cut down multitudes of men? And beside, that may inform us, that the doctrine of death must be sounded in the ears of all men; there is no man but this doctrine belongs to him, and therefore woe unto him, if he make no good use of it: yea so necessary is this doctrine, that the Ministers of the Gospel are commanded not to write it only, but to speak it; nor that only, but to cry it out with all possible both affection, and power of enforcement, Cry, all flesh is grass●, Esay 40.6. Thirdly, this may teach. 1. Rich men in special to lay this to heart: For God hath given them this doctrine to humble them, and to teach them not to glory in their wealth, but if they have gotten grace let them rejoice, that God hath provided better things than the things of this life for them: They are more happy, that God hath made them low by giving them a sight of their sins, and so to be humbled for them, then that he made them great in the world: for their flesh is but grass, and all that glory must vanish, as will be showed afterwards. The Use is urged, jam. 1.10, 11. Ps. 49. 2. Strong men, to whom God hath given helps of nature, or art: Use thy strength, but rejoice not in it: Use thy Physic, but trust not upon it: For, for all that thou must dye; there is no art nor remedy, against death. 3. All men, and so we should all learn two things especially. 1. To put our trust in God, which liveth for ever, since all men must perish, and we cannot continue here, it is the best relying upon God, and his favour, and help, who liveth ever to perform his promise, and to provide for his servants: thus David useth this consideration, Ps. 102.12, 13. 2. To be patient, when we feel the walls of our earthly house begin to moulder down, when we feel death beginning like a moth to feed upon us, we should be patient, seeing it is not only unavoidable, but that it is the case of all men, as well as ours. Thus of the extent of the affirmation. The time follows. Is grass. This mortality may be said to be so presently. It is so in diverse respects: 1. It is so ●n the cause, which is sin; the cause of death is in us already, it hath infected our very bones. 2. It is so in the sentence; the doom is already gone out upon all flesh: It is appointed, that all men shall once die. The very sentence uttered in Paradise of dying the death, stands still unrevoked in respect of our flesh. 3. It is so in experience: all flesh is dead, never any scaped. 4. It is so in respect of disposition to death; we are all but dying men, death hath taken hold of us, and doth every day feed upon us insensibly: To live, is but to lie a dying. The disposition to death is inflicted upon all men; for all tend to death. 5. Lastly, it may be said all flesh is grass for certainty, that is, we shall as certainly vanish hereafter, as if it were now presently done. Use. The use should be the more to enforce upon us the care of providing for a change, since death is so many ways made fast unto us; and withal it may serve to confute the vain hope of long life here, seeing we are all but as so many dead men; here to day, and to morrow cast into the grave: and we should also learn hence to be continually thinking of death: must we not do the work that is present to us? why death is before thine eyes, why then dost thou not the thing of the day in the day? It is thy every days work to die, to learn to die, seeing we die daily. Hitherto of that branch of the proposition that concerns the body of man●no● followeth the vanity of man's condition in this world. The glory of man is as the flower of grass. jer. 9.24. P●al. 49. Dan. 2.37. Phil. 2.3. 1 Thes. 2.6. ● Cor. 11 18. Esay 8.7. Here first the s●●se of the words is to be considered: By the glory of man he meaneth whatsoever it is in outward things which man glorieth in; any thing that man rejoiceth in, admireth, praiseth, seeketh as an ornament, or happiness to himself, such as are riches, strength, honour, high places, and command over others, beauty, praise of men, excellency of natural gifts, noble birth, calling, multitude of attendants, and such like. By man he meaneth here the natural man, or the outward man, for of the spiritual man it is not true, because he glorieth in that shall never fade, nor be taken away from him. Now this glory is compared to the flower of grass for transitoriness, because it will fade and fall away, as the repetition showeth, and that speedily too, as the uses of this similitude in diverse scriptures show, as will afterwards more appear. Doct. The doctrine than is, that all the outward glory of man in this world is exceeding vain, and so it may appear for six causes, or considerations, for I omit many other reasons. Man's glory vain for six reasons. First, for the most part these things so much desired, cannot be had, or not as they are desired, and therefore their glory is vain, because they are sought in vain. Eccles. 5. 2. If they be obtained, yet the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with bearing of them, they cannot fill the heart of man. 3. Many times it falls alike in these things to the fool and to the wise, both in having them, and in losing them, and this is a miserable vanity and vexation of spirit. 4. The glory that is placed in these things, is liable to be interrupted with a thousand crosses: either they expire the vanity, or are taken away by violence. 5. If they could make us happy, yet death will not let us enjoy them: many men spend their days in getting these things, and then in learning how to put them to their delightfullest use, and then (when to possess them might seem a happiness) they die. 6. Lastly, that which is now our glory, will not be remembered when we are gone, as we care not for the glory of those that are past: It is a poor praise to say of a man when he is gone, he was a rich man, a strong man, a noble man, etc. and yet even this also will be forgotten. The holy Ghost in diverse Scriptures points at diverse uses of this doctrine, and first for instruction it should teach us diverse duties: 1. Not to trust upon these outward things, if God give them, not glory in them, nor boast of them, Psal. 49.4. to 15. jer. 9.24. yea if God give us to taste some sweetness in them, yet be not too confident, for the comforts of man's heart wither like grass, Psal. 102.5.4. jam. 1.10, 11. 2. Not to contend for precedency in these things, nor to strive that our glory should exceed the glory of others; for God many times ends the quarrel with his judgements, and stains their glory on all sides, as Zach. 12.7. 3. Not to fear wicked men, when they are made rich, or grow great, and when their glory is increased. For their glory will not last, when they die, they carry nothing with them: their glory cannot descend after them, Psal. 49.15, 16, 18. and therefore we should never envy their prosperity, for the same reason, as Psal. 37.1, 2. 4. Not to know any man after the flesh, nor to measure man's happiness by the possession, or want of this glory, 2. Cor. 5. 5. If thou possess these outward things, do good to thyself, eat, and drink, and let thy heart rejoice, and deny not contentment to thy heart through vain care, or bootless fears, Psal. 49.18. Eccles. 8. 6. It should teach men faithfulness in their particular calling. For seeing these things last but a while we should take heed to our charge, whilst God leaves them to our disposing or using, so Pro. 27.23, 25, 26. Heb. 13.5, 6. 7. If God give thee but a little, yet be content, it is no great restraint to have the abundance of such transitory things withheld, see Pro. 27.23, 25. Heb. 13.5, 6. 8. It should teach us then to inquire after true glory, that may enrich the spiritual man, seeing this glory of the outward man is so transitory: now here is a great and profitable question to be propounded, and resolved, and seriously to be received, and practised. Quest. What are those things, wherein true glory lieth, and in the profession of which, we possess true glory, seeing all those things be not worth the seeking after? Answ. For answer hereunto, if we follow this word glory through the scriptures, we shall find it lighting down, and setting upon diverse particular distinct excellencies worthy the utmost labour of all men to study them, What is man's true glory. and seek after the fruition of them. This glory is either in this world, or the world to come: In this world, if we mark the scriptures quoted, we shall find diverse things to be man's true glory, as 1. Christ is the King of glory, the fountain of all true glory, Ps. 24. and he is unto us the foundation of all our hope of glory, Col. 1.27. 2. The spirit of adoption is the spirit of glory, and of God, and if this rest upon us we cannot be miserable, 1. Pet. 4.14. 3. Our souls are our glory, and if we provide for them, we provide richly for ourselves; so are our souls called, Ps. 16.8. & 30.13. Gen. 49.6. Esay 5.14. 4. The means, and signs, and pledges of God's presence, and our communion with him are our glory: Thus the Ark was called the glory, Rom. 9.5. and thus plain and powerful preaching is accounted glory, 1 Cor. 2.7. & 2 Cor. 3.9, 10: and thus our godly teachers are the glory of our lives, 2 Cor. 2.14. 5. The favour of God and the assurance of his mercy is our glory, an incomparable treasure, Psal. 90.14, 16, 17. 6. Faith is a man's glory, and will be so acknowledged in the day of Christ, jam. 2.1. 1 Pet. 1.7. 7. True grace and the gifts that resemble Christ, the virtues of Jesus Christ, even these are our glory, 2 Pet. 1.3. Esay 1.5. and thus wisdom is durable riches, Prov. 8.18. 8. A free estate in the profession of the Gospel, and serving of God, 1 Cor. 9.15. 9 The testimony of a good conscience, 2 Cor. 1.12. In one word, God is our glory, Esay 6.19. Ps. 3.4. Thus we see what is our glory in this life, and unto those things we must aspire: The Lord give us understanding to lay these things to our hearts. Now because these things are not fully possessed in this life, therefore our greatest glory is in the world to come, Rom. 5.2. Col. 3.4. 9 Seeing all the glory of man is as the flower of grass in this world; therefore we should think the oftener of death, and pray to God to teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom, Ps. 90.6, 12. Io● 14.1, 2. 10. Lastly, we should all be persuaded to subscribe easily and willingly to the tried doctrine of Solomon, that hath written a book of purpose to record his experiences concerning the vanity of all those earthly things; such was his Ecclesiastes. Oh that we could believe it without trying conclusions, and further engaging ourselves to these base and fading things! And thus of the Uses for instruction. Secondly, we may hence be informed, concerning the misery of wicked men. For since they have no glory in another world, and their glory in this world is so transitory and vain, it may evidently prove, that their distress is extremely great, and their misery the more, that they cannot understand the baseness of their own condition: This very similitude of grass, and the flower of grass is used in diverse scriptures to this end: as Psal. 91.7, 8. & 49.20. joh 8.12, 13. Ps. 129.6. & 37.36. Especially, how woeful is the estate of those men, that glory in their sins, that have no better felicity in their desires, but that which is properly their shame. For if their estate be vain, that have no other happiness, then in the riches, and honours, and pleasures of life: oh how woeful is the case of these men, that glory in their shame, their end is damnation, as their God is their belly? oh woe unto them, they have rewarded evil unto their own souls, Phil. 3.18, 19 Esay 28.1, 4. Thus of the proposition: The repetition or exposition of it follows. The grass withereth. The repetition importeth generally three things. First, the certainty of our vanity, and mortality, we must flee away hence: all outward gloss and glory will decay: what man liveth, and shall not see death? It is appointed by a decree irrevocable, that all men shall once dye; there can be no redemption for our lives, death passeth upon all men. Secondly, the necessity of the doctrine, when God saith a thing over again, it shows us, that that point must be known, we must take notice of it: it is a doctrine cannot be miss in the Church: no work of God will well go forward without it. He must cry aloud, that all flesh is grass: God lo●g● 〈◊〉 it were to have this doctrine take in our hearts: He knows a great part of the hardship of godliness were over, if this were sound digested: oh that they were wise, and would consider their latter end: men would apply their hearts to wisdom, if they had once learned to number their days. Thirdly, it imports, that God finds us wonderful dull of hearing▪ and forgetful, and careless of this doctrine, and that naturally we are wonderful impo●●nt in these considerations: The Lord doth reproach us as it were for negligence, that a plain point should need to be repeated: And therefore we should examine ourselves seriously herein, and not vex God with our unteachableness in this point. Oh how might God be displeased with us, if he should call us to account herein! have we not heard, have we not seen from the beginning, that all flesh is grass? yea hath not God heard our attestations? we shake our heads, we confess it is true: we are sometimes comforted, and conceive some weak resolutions to think better of it, and provide for death: when God hath us here in the Church, as it were in his school, we seem as if we had learned this lesson perfectly, and yet miserable wretches, (that the most of us are) we go home and forget all, as if we had never been taught it: nay is it not needful for the most of us to be taught again the same doctrine, which the very last Sabbath we heard of this argument? oh who is effectually persuaded amongst us indeed to lay it to his heart? doth not this repetion smite us all? certainly, if we be not warned, death may come before we are aware, and surprise us, when we shall not have time to learn to die. There are many incoveniences come from this forgetting of the doctrine of our latter end, and suffering it to run out. 1. men's sins cleave fast unto them, their filthiness is in their skirts, The inconveniences men bring upon themselves by forgetting death. because they remember not their latter end, Lam. 1.9. men live securely, while they keep out the thought of death. 2. This brings many miseries upon men. For when God cannot prevail by doctrine, he will set upon us by judgement, and then we may come down wonderfully, Deut. 32.29, 30. where●s we might avoid our distresses by thinking of death voluntarily. 3. We keep our spirits void of true magnanimity, we can never tell our strength, till we know, whether we can die, or no: one would chase a thousand, one I say of these, that will consider of their latter end, Deut. 32.30. 4. We can never tell whether our knowledge be right or no, till we have tried it with thoughts of death: they are a people without understanding, that consider not their latter end, Deut. 32.28, 29. 5. Our hearts will grow harder and harder, if we put out these remorses wrought in us concerning death: as ●ron is harder, the oftener it is heated and cooled. 6. We keep ourselves without those joys would come of the frequent contemplation of the glory of heaven: we dare not think of heaven, because we would avoid the thought of death. 7. We give wonderful advantage to the temptations of life. 8. We keep ourselves without the comfort of one excellent sign of our salvation, viz: the love of the appearance of Christ; we pray not that God's kingdom may come, we desire not to be dissolved; we dare not say with the Church, Come Lord jesus, come quickly: we are loath to pray God to teach us to number our days: for these things which have been the excellent praises of the Saints, we suffer not to be found in us. 9 Lastly, (as I touched it before) death may come suddenly, and then what case are we in, that suffer the thoughts of death thus to go out, and be lost in us, so as they produce no sound effect of preparation in us? But what must we do that we might bring ourselves to a more serious consideration of our mortality & vanity, how may this fault in us be helped? Quest. Go to God by prayer to form this in thee, Answ. strive with God by importuning his assistance in teaching thee to number thy days: it is God's work, we see the Israelites sentenced to death, yet could not mind it, and therefore Moses makes that prayer, Ps. 90.12. 2. It is an excellent help to enure ourselves to die daily, to try how we could die by the most effectual supposition of our present death compelling ourselves to put the case, what if I should now die? 3. The thought of death would not be so put off, if we had got a sound assurance of our salvation, and of the remission of our sins: it is want of assurance that makes many so afraid of dying. And thus in general. In particular, these words of the repetition afford us some observations, that are common to both: some special to each, in which they differ one from another. The observations that are common to both are these: 1. That men both in their bodies and glory will decay, man continueth not in one stay, if you look either upon his person, or his estate. 2. That man in both decayeth speedily, he is of few days in his body, and full of trouble in his estate, he cometh up like a flower, and fleeth away as a shadow, joh 14. 1, 2. it shall be accomplished before his time, that is, before the time he fancieth to himself, joh 15.33. The glory of may shall flee away as a bird; from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception, Hosh. 9.11. 3. That man decays insensibly, he goes away by degrees, both in his body and honour, he declineth like a shadow, and is consumed as it were by the moth. 4. That man would come to this decay even without violence, as the grass and flowers perish, though they were never cut down. 5. That when man is decayed either in body or estate, he grows extremely base & vile, he is but as a little stubble, or as a rotten leaf or flower. And all this should the more force upon man the care to provide for immortality, and not to glory in or trust upon his outward condition; especially it should make every one of us afraid of procrastination, death doth not always give warning, nor can we always foresee our ruin, or loss of outward things. And thus of what is common to both. Now in special we may note: 1. That the text acknowledgeth more stability in the body of man, than in his glory. For the flower falleth off, or fadeth immediately after the spring usually, whereas the stalk is green long after, and therefore it shows the vanity of such men, as so greedily pursue the getting of outward things, that they have not their own bodies in estimation, nor allow themselves the fit use of the things they possess, Eccl. 6.2. 2. That the bodies of men do not utterly perish, as doth the glory of men. For the flower falleth off, whereas the grass only withereth, the root 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 root, and when the spring of the last resurrection comes, it will revive again, 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 fail, and that speedily: First, it is all stained and durtied already with man's sins; Esay 21.9. and also the Lord usually sets himself so to stain 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 knows how suddenly 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 down the glorious beauty of many great men, as it were with a temp●●● of ●aile (their afflictions coming in as thick as hail) and a destroying ●●orms as a flood of mighty & unresistable waters overflowing, so doth the Lord cast them down to the earth, and tread their glory in the dust: yea and many times turn their great glory into surpassing shame, Esay 28.2. Ps. 7.5. Host 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 only, and the things thereof: yea in the Church of God the faith of Christians is wonderfully deformed, and disgraced by such cares: while men profess they believe in Christ for a better condition, their practice continually proclaims the flesh still for the idol of their hearts; therefore it is needful, 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 be informed, what better things to settle their hearts upon, else it will never persuade with them to leave the love of the flesh, and this present life, if no better happiness be set before them. This therefore is intended in this verse, briefly to tell men, upon what they might spend their time better, than in the cares of the flesh. The question than is: Quest. since nothing in man's flesh or outward estate is worth the care and labour of attendance, what then is the chief thing in this life to be sought after? If we mark the direct Antithesis to the former verse, Answ. it should have been thus: Man's flesh is grass, etc. but man's spirit endureth for ever, and so the soul of man should have been the main thing his heart should have been set upon: But thus there had been great danger of mistaking still; for God would have the body saved, as well as the soul, and the holiness of the body as well as the soul thought of: and beside, the soul naturally is as corrupt as the flesh, and it is no more safe to follow the lusts of the soul, than 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 soul: therefore the scripture leadeth man clean out of himself, 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 main object of our cares, and service in this life? Ans. I answer, that it is diversely resolved in diverse scriptures: In Ps. 102. 11, 12. it is thus: Man fadeth, and withereth like grass, but the Lord endureth for ever, and so that place shows 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 days of man are as grass, and as the flower of the field flourisheth: but the love and kindness of the Lord endureth for ever to them that fear him: where we are guided to know in particular, what in God we should most seek, and that is the assurance of God's 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 cleanseth and sanctifieth the souls of men. So that then the chief doctrine of this verse is, Doct. that in this life we should especially set our hearts upon the word of God, that should be our main 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, joh. 17. By the word we have communion and fellowship with God, and Christ on earth, joh. 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 ways: It is the light to our feet, and lantern to our paths. Ps. 119. yea it is the word that maintains 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 mean 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 win 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 learn to glorify the word, Act. 13. 48. to receive it with all meekness, jam. 1.21. to hunger and thirst after it, as our appointed food: to embrace it, press to it, and never be ashamed of it, Ps. 119. 2●. esteeming it above all riches, Ps. 119.14, 72, 110. exercising our ourselves in it day and night; redeeming some time constantly to be employed in it; labouring most for the food that perisheth not, joh. 6.27. Amos 8. 12. being resolved to deny our reasons, profits, pleasures, credits, and carnal friends, and all for the words sake, Mark 10.2. Thus in general. In particular two things may be noted in this verse. First, the praise of the word for the continuance, it abideth for ever. Secondly, the explication of the kind, viz: this is true of the word, which we preach unto you. The first thing then is, that the word abideth for ever, which other scriptures with like plainness avouch, Ps. ● 17.2. Mat. 5. & 24. Two things would be explained: 1. how the word abideth for ever. 2. of what word of God this is true. For the first, the word of God abides for ever in diverse respects. 1 In the Archetipe of it in God, the plotforme in the mind of God; though all Bibles were destroyed, yet the word of God could not, because the original draught of it is in God himself. 2. In the very writings of the word, it shall last for ever, that is, till time be no more: If all the power on earth should make war against the very paper of the scriptures, they cannot destroy it, but the word of God written will be to be had still. It is easier to destroy heaven and earth, than to destroy the Bible. 3. In the sense of it, all that is said in scripture shall be performed: the counsel of the Lord shall stand, not a word of God's promises, or threatenings shall fail, Psal. 33.11, 12. 4. It abideth for ever in the hearts of the godly, the impressions made in the minds of the godly are indelible, every godly man hath the substance of Theology in his own heart, which seed will abide in him, 1 joh. 3. 5. Lastly, it abideth for ever, joh. ●. 31. etc. as it makes us abide for ever, and so it abideth in the gifts of the mind wrought by it: in the life of grace quickened by it, and in the fruits of righteousness, to which it persuaded men, Rom. 11. The gifts of God are without repentance, and the word begets an immortal seed in us, and the fruits of the faithful will remain, and their righteousness for ever, Ps. 111. 3. 1 Pet. 2.3. joh. 15.16. 1 Cor. 3.14. 1 Cor. 13. ult. 2. Now for the second: It is true of every word of God, of every jott or tittle of it, that it abideth for ever: The Law and the Gospel: by the law I mean the moral law: for the ceremonial law lasted but for the Jewish eternity, which was, till Christ repaired the world, and made all things new. Use. The Use may be First, for information, and so in five things. 1. Concerning the vanity of all outward things, the perfection of them doth come to an end, but of God's word there is no end, Psal. 119. 2. Concerning the estate of hypocrites, and such whose righteousness is but as the morning dew, Hosh. 6.5. this shows they have not received the power of the word, in that it doth not abide in them. 3. Concerning the misery of all wicked men, heaven and earth shall pass away before one tittle of the curses and woes denounced against them shall fail, or be unaccomplished; yea it will remain to judge them at the last day, joh. 7. 4. Concerning the morality of the Sabbath: For since this is one of the ten words of God's law, even this word of the Lord must abide for ever, else more than a tittle of it should fail before heaven and earth fail. 5. Concerning the madness of two sorts of men. 1. Such as account all diligence in preaching, reading, and hearing to be foolishness, 1 Cor. 1.18. 2. Such as are scorners, and jest at the threatenings of scripture, and say with them in the Prophet, let the word of the Lord come, that we may see it, Ezech. Secondly, for instruction: and so it should teach us all to add to ●ur cares and desires after the word, as that which will do us good another day, since in the lasting profit of it, it will endure above all things else, and therefore is better than all treasures: yea to get this perpetuity of good, we should not think much to be at any labour or cost for it: and the rather seeing it is such a sufficient portion or heritage. Lastly, this is comfortable to the godly diverse ways. 1. Against their unbelief, when they are in distress, especially of spirit, they think the word of God was wonderful comfortable to David, and such like, but they cannot believe it should be so to them: this doctrine assures them, that the word of the Lord endureth through all ages, and is as able to save their souls, and sanctify, and comfort them as ever it was. 2. Against the weakness of their memories: The word will abide for ever, some seeds of holy truth will never be lost, and the spirit will lead them to all truth, and bring the sayings of the word to their mind, when they shall have need. 3 Against the scorns of the world, though men deride their counsel in making the Lord and his word their refuge, yet they may be well pleased in themselves, and resolve with the Psalmist, still in God to praise his word. For the profit of it will last to them, when riches, and honour, and pleasures fade like the flower of the grass to wicked men. 4. Against their fear of falling away. For the word of God in effect abideth for ever, and it makes them abide for ever. This is the word, which is preached unto you. These words explain the sense of the former, and direct men's minds to that use of the word, which is most proper and powerful to effect immortality in us, and so there is a threefold limitation. 1. That the word of God doth then chiefly beget in us eternal graces, and abiding fruits, when it is preached to us: The intent of the Apostle is to exalt preaching, not to deny efficacy to the translation, or reading of the word, but to show that then it is most lively, when it is in preaching fitted and applied to us: and this may both instruct us what to do, and inform us what to think. It should teach us especially two things: the one is to depend upon hearing, as the especial means, by which our souls may live for ever: Hear and your souls shall live, Esay 55.4. 2. and it should also settle us in the resolution to hear: if this be so, let him that heareth, hear, Ezech. 3.7. It may likewise inform us in two things: 1. of the misery of all such as have not the benefit of the word preached, how do their souls perish for ever? 2. of the honour God doth to his poor servants the Ministers of the word, when he tre●●● about eternal life, he sends the people to their Ministers, as if he would tell 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 gospel, or publishing of the glad tidings in and through Jesus Christ: the word may signify to preach happily, or to preach well, or to preach glad tidings, or the gospel. It is certain it is a great happiness to a people, when they get faithful 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 usual sense. It is the preaching of the gospel, that is thus glorious in effect. For the law is the ministration of death, 2 Cor. 3. and this should both teach Ministers to study to preach the gospel, (which to do requires exceeding great labour, and judgement) and beside, 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 feel the sweetness of the gospel, they should glorify God, and receive their teachers as the Angels 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 general it may be extended to the faithful Ministers, that are over the godly in any place. It is true, that there is great difference between 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 err, 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 we give the scriptures never so fair terms, if we love not the preaching of the word, we cannot live for ever, and there is a secret deceit in men's hearts, they think they must honour God's word, but they are not bound to think any thing highly of their Ministers preaching, especially if they have any quarrel 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. Again, others think, if we had such preaching as was in the days of Christ, and the Apostles, or as others have in other places, we could then do that is required of us: still mark 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 no●: Or if for want of life and power in application in thy teacher, thy soul do not prosper, then why livest thou in places, where thou canst not stoop ●● this to say, this is the word which is preached to me? Why are not men 〈◊〉 ●●●●full to provide a place, where their souls may live well, as where 〈◊〉 ●●●ies may live well? I mean this of such as live in a free estate. 4. Lastly, this (to you) notes, that the word is never powerful, but when we ●●ply it to ourselves, 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● 〈◊〉 work. FINIS. A COMMENTARY: OR, SERMONS UPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF the first Epistle of Saint PETER: WHEREIN 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 ISLEWORTH in MIDDLESEX. London Printed for George Latham. MDCXXXVI. TO THE HONOURABLE KNIGHT, SIR HORATIO VERE, General of the English Forces in the Low-Countries; and to his most worthy Lady, the Lady MARY VERE, all happiness that a poor widow may, in their behalf, pray for at the Throne of Grace. My much honoured Lord and Lady: AS that special duty which I myself 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. Peter's Epistle, bindeth me (who am left his sole Executrix, to see his Will every way performed) to set out this first of his works, published since his death, under your Honourable Names. It pleased you to take into your Family a child of his body: be further pleased (I pray you) to take into your Patronage this child of his soul; which, as an Orphan, yea, as a Posthumus, in all humility is presented unto you. You manifested more than ordinary kindness to my husband while he lived; we and ours have oft tasted of the sweetness of your bounty: so that I should deserve to be accounted most ingrateful, if I should bury so many favours in oblivion, or neglect to provoke others to love and good works, by proposal of your example. Accept, I beseech you, this poor acknowledgement of thanks; which is most due, first, to that primary Fountain of all goodness, Almighty God, for keeping your Lordship safe in your late employment in the Palatinate, and for freeing your Ladyship from those fears whereunto you could not but be subject, by reason of his long absence; and for giving you both, a mutual and comfortable fruition one of another: And next, to yourselves, for all those kindnesses, which, while my husband lived, you did to him and his, and since his death you continue to do to such as he hath left behind 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 renewal of my suit, that you would cast your eyes upon this Work of him who much honoured you in his life time; and is, after his decease, offered to you by Your humble Oratrix, ELIZABETH BYFIELD. To the Christian Reader. MAny and great are the means which the Lord hath been pleased, since this latter Spring of the Gospel (begun above an hundred years ago) to afford unto his Church, for opening of the mysteries of the Gospel 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 kind, is not small. We 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 years, to take more than ordinary pains in the work of the Lord. He had a singular gift in diving into the depth of those points which he undertook to handle. As the many other Treatises which in his life time be published, do verify as much; so, in particular, this Commentary here commended unto thee. In it thou shalt find, besides the Grammatical exposition, Logical resolution, and Theological observations, many divine points copiously handled by way of Common place; which hath made the book to arise unto that bigness that it hath. In this manner of handling the holy Scriptures, he hath not gone alone. Many of the main Pillars of the reformed Churches have beaten out a path before him; as, Martin Bucer, Peter Martyr, Musculus, Zanchius, Lavater, Perkins, and sundry others, The large volume of Peter Martyrs Common places, was gathered out of his Commentaries on the holy Scriptures. The Church of God hath reaped much good by such copious and distinct handling of heads of Divinity. Their labours therefore, who take pains therein, are not to be concealed from the Church. If it had pleased the Lord to have continued the life, liberty and ability of this his Servant longer unto his Church, he had (questionless) gone on further in this course which he so well began: and so might we have had by his pains as complete a Commentary on the two Epistles of Saint Peter, as we have upon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Colossians, published by this Author. But seeing it seemed good to the divine Providence here to put a stop to the pains of this his industrious servant, we must rest content with what he hath done, and expect the pains of s●me other to go on in the finishing of that which he hath so well begun. I suppose it would be a great wrong to deceive God's Church of these good beginnings, because the whole Epistle is not fully finished. If a Sermon on one verse be thought meet to be published, as daily we see such Sermons to be published, why may not much rather many Sermons on many verses and chapters together be published? That what was done by the Author in his life time, may be the better accepted, care hath been had to note the heads of points in the margin, and to add an Alphabetical index in the latter end, that by the help of it, you may the more readily find out such points as you most desire to read. If the Author be of force to commend a Work the more, this Work may receive no small commendation from the Author of it: for, he was a man of a profound judgement, strong memory, sharp wit, quick invention, and unwearied industry. He was in his Ministry very powerful, and that unto all turns, as we speak. When he had to do with tender and troubled consciences, he was a Barnabas, a son of comfort: but when he had to do with impudent and obstinate sinners, he could make his face hard and strong, and show himself like a Boanarges, the son of thunder. Grave, sober, and temperate he was in his carriage; and yet, with his entire familiar friend, he could be modestly pleasant. God gave him a great measure of patience; and he had in his very body that which tried his patience: for, it appears, that he carried a torturing stone in his bladder fifteen years together, and upward. I have heard it credibly reported, that fifteen years before his death, he was by a skilful Chirurgeon searched; and that, upon that search, there was a stone found to be in his bladder: whereupon he used such means as were prescribed to him for his ease, and found such help thereby, as he thought, that either the Chirurgeon which searched him, was deceived; or that the means which he used, had dissolved the stone. But time, which manifesteth all things, showed, that neither his Chirurgeon was deceived, nor yet his stone dissolved: for, it continued to grow bigger and bigger, till at length it came to be of an incredible greatness. After his death he was opened, and the stone taken out; and being weighed, found to be 33. ounces and more in weight; and in measure about the edge, fifteen inches and a half; about the length, above 13. inches; about the breadth, almost thirteen inches: it was of a solid substance; to look upon like to a flint. There are many eye witnesses besides myself, who can justify the truth hereof. A wonderful work of God it was, that he should be able to carry such a stone in his bladder, and withal to do the things which he did. He was a close student, witness the many Treatises which time after time he published in print. H●e was also a diligent Preacher; for, constantly he preached twice on the Lords Days: and in Summer, when many of the Gentry and City came to his Parish at Isleworth, and dwelled there, he spent an hour on Wednesday, and another on Friday, week after week, in expounding the Scripture in his Church: very seldom was he hindered by the forementioned stone in his bladder. This course ●ee kept till about five weeks before his death; when the pain came so violently upon him, as it wasted his vital vigour, yet did it no way weaken his faith: but, as the outward perished; so was the inward man renewed in him. He earnestly prayed, that the extremity of the pain might not make him utter or do any thing unbeseeming his vocation and profession: but withal, he advised his friends to consider, that he was but as other men; and thereupon to judge charitably of his carriage in that case. Many heavenly meditations issued from him in that time of his visitation, unto the last period thereof. Quietly, meekly, and patiently be endured; till that surest Chirurgeon of all, Death, had eased him of all his pain. In his soul he ever liveth: and in his name he will continue to live so long as the Church enjoyeth his Works, more lasting than Marble Monuments. Now, O blessed Saviour and Head of thy Church, as thou transplantest some of thy Plants out of thy Nursery, the Church militant; plant others, we beseech thee, in their rooms, that thy Church may never be unfurnished of able, painful, faithful, and powerful Ministers. WILLIAM GOUGE. AN EXPOSITION OF THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE FIRST EPIstle general of PETER. 1 PET. 2.1, 2, 3. 1. Wherefore laying aside all maliciousness, and all guile, and dissimulation, and envy, and evil speakings: 2. As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the word; that ye may grow thereby; 3. If so be ye have tasted, that the Lord is bountiful. FRom the thirteenth verse of the 1. Chapter, The coherence to the eighth verse of the third Chapter is contained matter of exhortation: and the exhortation is either general, or special: The general exhortation concerns all men. chap. 1.13. to chap. 2.13. The special exhortation concerns only some men, as subjects, servants, wives, husbands, from Chap. 2.13. to Chap. 3.8. The general exhortation stands of two parts. First the one concerns the matter of holiness: Secondly, and the other the means of holiness. of the matter of holiness in the latter part of the former Chapter. In these words and those that follow to the thirteenth verse, is contained an exhortation to the right use of the means, by which we might grow up in all holiness, and acceptation with God. In the exhortation two things must be distinguished: first, The Analysis of the first part of this chapter. the substance of the exhortation, secondly the conclusion of it. The substance is contained from verse the first to the eleventh; the conclusion in the eleventh and twelfth verses. For the first there are two things, in which if we be rightly ordered, it cannot be, but we must grow wonderfully in grace and holiness: first, The one is the word: secondly, The other is Christ. To a right order of ourselves in respect of the word, he exhorts, verses 1, 2, 3. To a right order of ourselves in respect of Christ, he exhorts, ver. 4. to 11. The part of the exhortation, that concerns the word, hath three things. First, what we must avoid, we must lay aside Malice, Guile, hypocrisy, etc. Secondly, what we must do, we must desire the word, as the child doth the breast: thirdly, Why so; where diverse reasons are imported. First, we are babes: Secondly, we are but as new born babes: Thirdly, the word is sincere milk: Fourthly, it will make us grow: five, have we not already tasted of the sweetness of it? verse the third. That part of the exhortation that concerns Christ, hath likewise three things in it, which I will here but touch: First, what we must do, ver. 4. Secondly, how we must do it: ver. 5. Thirdly, why so: vi●. for two reasons. First, the one taken from the testimony of Scripture, which is alleged ver. the sixth, and expounded ver. 7, 8. Secondly, the other taken from the consideration of our prerogatives we enjoy in Christ, which are set down, first, positively, ver. 9 Secondly, and comparatively ver. 10. And this is the briefeorder of the whole first part of this Chapter. The first thing then in the exhortation is about the word: and therein the first thing is about the things, which must be avoided, if we would profit by the word: of which in the first verse. 5. Things to be avoided, if we would profit by the word. THere are five things we should lay aside and be sure we be free from, when we come into God's presence to hear his word, or to be exercised in it: viz. Malice, Guile, Hypocrisy, Envy, and Evil speaking. Two things distinctly must be considered in verse first, the sins to be avoided: viz. those five before named. Secondly, the manner of avoiding them, imported in the metaphorical tear me laying aside. In general diverse things may be noted. General observations. The benefit of brief catalogues of sins, or duties, or graces. First, that it is exceeding profitable to gather special catalogues of our sins which we should avoid, to single out such sins as we would specially strive against, and do more specially hurt us, and hinder good things from us: I mean not of all sins, so much as of special certain choice evils that yet remain in greatest force in us. We may observe a great wisdom of the holy Ghost in many places of Scripture, drawing such catalogues according to the state of the people to whom they are given: and so it were of excellent use, if we did gather catalogues of the duties which especially concern us, or of the graces we would strive most to excel in, to the intent to keep them daily in our minds and memories, striving to force in us the special holiness required in them. It were exceeding useful to observe in several Scriptures, how the holy Ghost singles out choice directions according to the diverse states of the people whom they concern. Secondly, the Minister ought to inform his flock concerning the particular and special faults that hinder the work of his Ministry where he lives, and accordingly to set himself against those sins. It is not enough to reprove sin, but there is a great deal of discretion and judgement to be expressed in applying himself to the diseases of that people. Thirdly, the Apostle doth not name here all the sins that hinder the word: but he imports, that in the most places these five sins here named do much reign, and usually do marvellously let the course of the word: they are the five most usual sins in the auditories of Christians. Fourthly, it would be considered, how these sins do hinder the word. These sins do hinder the word many ways. How many ways the sins ●ere mentioned do hinder the word. 1. These sins make wicked men many times to set themselves against the word, and to strive to suppress the liberty of the word. 2. These sins hinder the word, in that they hinder many times other men from the love of the word. The word is not glorified, yea, it is evil spoken of, and why? Do not many men and women say they like not this going to Sermons, & c? for, they see, that such persons can live in malice and deceit and envy ●●e another, etc. 3. These si●●es hinder the Ministers from discerning the work of their Ministry in their hearers. Paul cannot see or judge, that the Corinthians are any more than carnal, or at the best but babes in Christ, because there was so much envy and strife, and division among them, 1 Cor. 3. verse 1, 2, 3. 4. These sin's cause God many times to take the word from men. When the Jews grew so untoward and envious at the Gentiles, and to have such ill tongues in their heads toward their Teachers, what follows? but that the Lord should turn the labour of his servants from them, and employ it among the Gentiles, Acts 13. etc. 5. These sins hinder the word, because they hinder the persons in whom they are, from a right disposition to, or use of the word. Any of these sins are like poison lying at the stomach, that infects all the food which comes there. And therefore for these reasons, and many more which might be alleged, we should bring a general resolution to make conscience of our ways; and to avoid these, and all, and each of these sins. The first then of these sins is Malice. The original word is diversely accepted. Of Malice. Acceptation of the word. For sometimes it signifies misery, or grief for affliction; and so it is used to signify the evil of the day, Mat. 6. ult. Sometimes it is rendered naughtiness, or wickedness in general, and so it importeth vile crimes, or notorious offences, and so it is taken james 1.21. Acts 2.22. In this sense it may be tak●n here: For it is certain, that if men be guilty of wickedness, and come in the love of any sin, the word is poisoned in them: especially whoredom and wine take away men's hearts from the word. Host 4. Lastly, it is rendered in diverse places, malice: as 1 Cor. 5.8. Col. 3.8. and so it is here. Malice then is the first sin we should be careful to avoid: Malice, in short, is anger inveterate; It is an inward hatred, or grudge harboured in the heart against others, and it may be known by diverse signs: As, 1. When a man bears a constant base estimation of another, Signs of malice. and inwardly loathes him. 2. When a man hath frequent desires of the hurt of others, and longs for ability or opportunity of revenge. 3. By inflation: when a man caries himself so proudly, and arrogantly, as he would have it appear, that he despiseth others. 4. By the habitual backbiting, judging and censuring of others. 5. When a man resolves not to forgive a wrong done him: By these and the like signs may men try themselves, whether they be guilty of malice, or no. Now, there are many reasons, why this sin should be wonderfully hated, and shunned; Reasons against malice. why we should carry a constant malice against the sin of Malice. First, if we respect the causes of this evil. For malice comes, From the causes. first from an ill nature; it cannot be in a good nature: secondly, It comes from the devil the first deviser of this abominable poison: thirdly, it comes from anger, as the next usual immediate cause. The infirmities, or wrongs of others may be the occasions, but they cannot be the causes of malic●. Now we should be ashamed to father any of the former three evils. Secondly, if we respect the effects of malice: and that either in ourselves, From the effects. 1. In us. or in God. In ourselves, malice will work, first, a conformity to the nature of the devil. For it was used to be noted, that to be angry was humane, but to persevere in anger (which is this malice,) was devilish: Secondly, It will plead forcibly man's unregeneration. Malice is noted as a mark of the unregenerate man: Tit. 3.3. 1 john 2.9. Thirdly, If we have any gifts, it is certain, malice is like leaven, it will sour them, and spoil the praise, and acceptation of them: 1 Cor. 5.8. Fourthly, it hinders prayer and the word. That it hinders prayer, is proved, james 4.1, 2, 3. That it hinders the word, this text proves. Fiftly, it brings a man many times to wonderful shame, and by a just Providence of God to open foils and disgraces. Prov. 25.8. & 16.26. And many times they fall unto the pit they digged for others. Prov. 26.27. A malicious person knows not, what shall become of himself. 1 john 2.11. 2. In God. Now the effects which the malice of man after a sort produceth in God are first to make him to hate us wonderfully: he accounts the malicious person, as a murderer, not respecting only what he doth, but what he would do: 1 john 3.11. Secondly, he will never forgive a man his sins because he doth not forgive his brother: Mat. 6.14. Thirdly, the judgements of God are pulled down upon him: God may make the malicious, as the grass on the house top, whereof the mower filleth not his hand, nor they that go by, say, we bless you in the name of the Lord: yea, let men look to it, left they be cast into prison and never come out, till they have paid the utmost farthing. The use may be, Uses. First, for humiliation to all such, as find this vile poison in themselves: they are in a miserable case, and extremely and dangerously diseased; especially, Aggravations of malice. if men be guilty of the aggravation of malice: Malice is evil in any, and in any measure, and toward any: but it is extremely evil, first, when men put on a resolution not to amend, but confirm themselves in their malicious courses, and will not be entreated or persuaded to peace and love: Secondly, when men suffer their malice to carry them into suits, and quarrels, and open contentions. Thirdly, when men malice the godly, and such as fear God, and love the truth. 1 joh 3.15. Fourthly, when they malice their friends and familiars, the men of their peace. To hate them that love us is abominable, so is that domestical hatred between brethren: Prov. 18.19. and between Man and Wife, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants. Fiftly, when men hate those that reprove their sins: Amos 5.10. as some do their Ministers. Sixtly, to hide hatred with dissembling lips, and to lay up deceit in his heart: Prov. 26.24, 25. and 10.28. Seventhly, to sow discord among brethren: this is one of the six things God hates, Prov. 6.19. Eighthly, to conceive malice against whole states of men, to hate whole Churches and Assemblies that profess the Name of Christ, this is the devilish malice of Heretics and Schismatics: Note. and the beginning of these loathe must be looked to in such as yet have not proceeded so far as to a separation. If to hate one man be so ill, what is this offence of base estimation, inward loathing, and distempered censuring of the Churches of Christ? Ninthly and lastly, it is one monstrous aggravations of malice, for a man to rejoice in it, boast of it, account it his honour to contend, and overcome in contending, to triumph in malice. Secondly, for instruction: and so we should all learn all remedies and directions to avoid malice. These remedies either concern malice in ourselves, Remedies for malice. or malice in others: For both, we need rules to direct us. Now for avoiding malice in ourselves, these rules are of excellent use. First, Watch thine own heart, for pride, and envy, and passion: For from hence flows all contention and hatred: 1. In ourselves. Prov. 13.10. Secondly, avoid three sorts of men, and thou mayst be free from malice. The first is the tale-bearer. Where no wood is, the fire goeth out: and where there is ●o tale-bearer, strife ceaseth. Prov. 26.20. The second is the scorner: for, cast out the scorner, and contention ceaseth. Prov. ●2. 10. The third is the contentious 〈◊〉, the froward person, the man of imaginations, he that is apt upon every trifle to snuff, and contest. For as coals are to burning coals, so is a contentious man to kindle strife: Prov. 26.21. Thirdly, dost thou mislike any thing in thy brother? go to him, Note. and reprove him plainly, never hate him in thy heart, but tell him of it plainly. Many times a godly reproof, cures both the reprover, and the reproved. Fourthly, will not all this help? then go in secret, and humble thyself before God for that vileness, that cleaves to thy heart: Many prayers and confessions before God, will make a great alteration in thy soul, it will purge out this leaven wonderfully. Fiftly, Meditation of two things in Christ: his Passion, and his second coming In his Passion, consider a man infinitely just, suffering for the unjust, and from the unjust: Never so much innocency, never so great wrongs, never worse enemies; yet see, he can forgive even upon the Cross, when they took his life from him. In his second coming, consider first, that then there will be an end of all wrongs, thou shalt never be molested more. Secondly, that an exquisite revenge shall then be executed upon all that do thee wrong, if they repent not. Thirdly, a retribution shall be given to thee in glory for all the indignities thou hast patiently endured in this world. And thus of malice in thyself. For malice in others, it must be considered two ways: First, 2. In others. how thou must do to cause it to cease, when it is conceived already: Secondly, how thou mayst avoid it still, if thou live free from it. For the first, if any body hate thee, observe these rules: 1. Render not evil for evil to any man, at any time: Rom. 12.17. 2. If thou have any way done wrong, seek to be reconciled: Mat. 5. 3. If the contention be secret, complain to no body, but go and debate the matter with thy neighbour himself, and discover not thy secret to any other: Prov. 25.4. 4. Be courteous and patient, and tender hearted, and ready to do any good to them, speaking no evil of them without a calling: Rom. 12.17. Ephes. 4.3. Tit. 7.2. To keep thee from other men's malice observe these rules. First, keep thee from other men's strife: meddle not with the strife, that belongs not to thee: Prov. 26.17. Secondly, Wrong no man, but follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and toward all men: 1 Thess. 5.14. Thirdly, strive to show all meekness, and softness to all men: Tit. 3.2. james 3.13, 17. Guile. Of Guile. The acceptation of the word. ] The second sin to be avoided is Guile. The word here rendered Guile is diversely accepted in scripture. Sometime it is taken in good sense, and so there is a justifiable Guile: so Paul caught the Corinthians by craft, he won them by his discretion and godly policy. 2 Cor. 12.6. So, Samuel by a godly policy; giving it out that he came to sacrifice, did safely perform his chief business of anointing David. 1 Sam. 16. and so did Paul deal cunningly, when in the broil he cried out he was a Pharisee. But most usually this word is taken in ill sense, and so sometimes it is all one with hypocrisy: as Host 11.12. Psal. 17.2. But so it is not taken here by all likelihood, because hypocrisies are mentioned in the next words: sometimes it signifieth fraud and falsehood in opinions: either in the matter, when the doctrine is strange and false: and so the false Apostles were deceitful workmen, when they put in that for good stuff, which was counterfeit and devilish, 2 Cor. 11.13. Or when good doctrine is handled corruptly & deceitfully for wicked ends, 2 Cor. 42.1. The. 2.3. Sometimes it signifieth deceit in words, and so flattery is Guile, Psal. 12.2, 3. And lying is Guile, Mich. 6.12. Zeph. 3.13. And so is all false testimony. Sometimes it signifieth deceit in works; and so false weights and balances, and all fradulent dealing, and cozenage in buying and selling is Guile, Mich. 6.10, 11. So there is Guile in Tything, Mal. 1. ult. And so all lying in wait to seek occasion against others, and all subtle dealing to oppress others, is Guile: Psal. 105. 2 Cor. 11.12, 13. Mat. 26.4. Mar. 14.1. and such Guile was in them that would make a man sin in the word. Isay 29. Bribery also is Guile, job 15. ult. Object. Now if any ask me why this sin should be avoided in them that desire to profit by the word: Solut. Why Guile is to be avoided. I answer, it is to be avoided as it is a sin that much dishonours God and the profession of godliness: It is a ●●amefull offence in any that would seem to love the word; but more particularly the sins of deceit are a great impediment in hearing the word: For, first the guile of false opinions and strange doctri●e is like a poison to the sincere milk of the word, and to be eschewed of all that follow the Truth. Ephes. 4.14, 15. Heb: 13.7. Secondly, a heart accustomed to deceit and subtlety, cannot be a plain and honest heart: and, without a plain, honest, and good heart, men can never receive with any fruitfulness the seed of eternal life. Luke 8. Thirdly, he that is false to men, will never be true to God, he that will lie to men, will lie to God: Also he that is not faithful with men, will compass God about with deceit, Host 11.12. He will never be faithful in the true treasure, that is unjust in outward things. Luke 16. Fourthly, it is a sin that God in a special manner hates, Psal. 5.7. Fiftly, the sins of deceit usually attend upon some Idol in the hearts of men, which hath such command over the deceitful person, that he cannot attend to the word of God, or not have leisure to practise it; he is so mastered by this particular corruption, jer. 9 Vse●. The use of this may be threefold. For humiliation to all deceitful persons, that use lying, fraud, subtlety and guileful dealing in their trades and callings, and course of dealing, and conversation with men; they shall never prosper in spiritual things. The Ordinances of God are blasted to them: The misery of deceitful persons. Moreover, there are two considerations which should wonderfully affright such as are accustomed to lying and deceit. First, it is certain they are wicked men, and have not the fear of God before their eyes: they are the children of the Devil, and enemies of Righteousness; as these places fearfully show, Psal. 36.1, 3. & 10.7. Rom. 3.13. & 1.29. Acts 13.10. Secondly, the curse of God is upon them; God will weigh them in the balance, job. 31.5. They are an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 11.1. & 20.23. The Lord will surely visit, and his soul will be avenged on such persons, jer. 8.26, 27, 29. They shall be destroyed, Psal. 52.4. They shall not love 〈◊〉 half their days, Psal. 55. ult. The ●g●●ava●ons of the sin of d●●●it. 1. The manner of deceiving. And as this is terrible to all deceivers, so especially to such as are guilty of the aggravations of the sin. As, 1. When de●eit is covered with smooth words, and a flattering style, jer. 9.8 Prov. 26.24. etc. 2. When men delight in it, and take a contemplative kind of pleasure in their guileful projects; as the voluptuous person doth in his lust: When ●ens bel●●●● prepare deceit; job. 15. ult. not their heads but their bellies, Psal. ●●. 2. 4. 3. When men make a trade of it, give their tongues to evil, and will frame deceit. Psal. ●0. 19. Bend their tongues to lies, and teach their tongues to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity, Jer. 9.5. 4. When men think all time spent about God's service too long; they would have the Sabbaths over, that they might practise deceit. Amos 8.5. 5. When men swear deceitfully: Psal. 24.4. 6. When men boast of it: Psal. 52.1, 3. And as deceit is aggravated by the manner, 2. The persons upon whom it is practised. so may it be by the persons upon whom it is practised: & so it is an aggravation to deceive one's neighbour and ones brother Jer. 9.5. and so it is to deceive the harmless, and quiet of the Land, Psal. 35.20. And as by the persons, so by the time: 3. The time. It is an aggravation when men imagine deceit (as the Prophet David saith) all the day long: Psal. 38.12. Now, if the former terrors belong to deceitful persons in the general, how much more to them that are guilty of deceit with all these or any of these aggravations. Some one might here say, we feel the sweetness of it: Object. 1. we grow rich by it; and we see many men in the world waxen great by the same courses: and if we should not lie and deceive, we might give over our trades, Solut. etc. For answer hereunto, let all such know, that though it be true, O● the misery of such as 〈◊〉 by d●●●●●. that some men are waxed great & rich by such courses, yea, though they be fat and shine, yet the Lord will visit them, & his soul will be avenged upon them Jer. 5.28, 29. For, wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished, Prov. 13.11. and the tabernacles of bribery and deceit shall be desolate, Mic. 6. 10. to the 16. All such as conceive with guile (by that time they have reckoned their months aright, though they grow never so big) shall bring forth nothing but wind and vanity, Job 15. ult. What shall be given thee, or what shall be done unto thee, O thou lying and deceitful tongue? thou shalt be smitten with some strange and strong hand of God, as with the arrows of the mighty: so as thy stroke shall be incurable and deadly, and thy destruction shall be as with the coals of I●niper, that is, both fierce in respect of thyself, and pleasing in respect of others. For, men are wonderfully well pleased, Note. when they observe that ill gotten goods do not prosper. This hand of God smells like the burning of Juniper. Some others might say, we are servants, and we must lie, Object. 2. and defraud others to satisfy our masters. The Prophet Zephany reports, Solut. that the Lord will punish all those very servants that fill their master's houses with violence and deceit; Servants must not use lying and deceit to please th●● mast●●s. the servants (I say) as well as their masters. But might some others say, my courses are so secret, that my deceit shall never be found out. Let such m●n learn that the Lord found out this sin in Ephraim, Object. 3. Host 11. and will punish it, though Ephraim said he was grown rich, Solut. and in all his labours they should find none iniquity in him, that were sin. Of 〈◊〉 c●● 〈◊〉. He thought himself sure enough for being discovered: and therefore he would contest vehemently, and cry out upon such dishonesty in men, as to use false words and weights: beside, it is worthy to be observed, that God many times doth not only discover these secret fraudulent courses, but discovers them openly; so as their wickedness is showed before the whole congregation, Prov. 26.26. But others may say, in others things am I just, Object. 4. and beside I am forward in religion: and therefore this offence is not so great. Shall I account thee pure, saith the Lord, with wicked balances? Solut. Mic. 6.12. as if he would say, all the shows of religion in the world will not serve the turn, if sins of deceit reign in a man's dealing. Use. 2. And therefore the consideration of all this should in the second place instruct us, and that three ways: First, to look to our own carriage; and as we desire to live long, and to see good days, to refrain our tongues from evil, and our lips that they speak no guile; in all our dealing to detest lying and deceit, Psal. 34.13. and so to live, as we may be always ready to put ourselves upon jobs trial, job 31.4, 5. Secondly, to lay to heart the consideration of the horrible inundations of deceit, that hath over-flowed all states and callings of men: and so it should work in us both lamentation and supplication before the Lord. For lamentation, we may take up all the old complaints of the Prophets: Our times have reached to the measure of iniquity then reproved; The iniquity of the time. or rather, men now overpasse the deeds of those wicked men: wickedness is in the midst of us: deceit and guile depart not from our streets. Psal. 55.11. Treasures of wickedness are in the house of the wicked, wicked balances, the bag of deceitful weights and scant measures (which are an abomination to the Lord, and for which he threateneth vengeance) every where to be found, Mic. 6.10, 11. Men lay wa●t, as they that set snares: they let traps to catch, not beasts or fowl, but men. As a cage is full of birds, so are men's houses full of deceit and deceivers. It is now the usual course for men to wax great and rich withal, jer. 5.26, 27. yea, this sin so spreadeth, that we may truly say, From the least of them to the greatest of them they are given to deceit, and will deal falsely, Jer. ●. 13. Every brother will supplant, and every neighbour will walk with lies and slanders. They will deceive one another, and not speak the truth. A man can dwell no where, but his habitation is in the midst of deceit: and therefore certainly God hath a resolution to stretch out his hand still by public judgements. How can it be, but God must visit and be avenged for these great abominations? What should be else do, but melt his people in the common furnace of great judgements for such common sins? jer. 9.3. to 10. And as it should teach us lamentation, so it should teach us supplication too; even to go to God: and that in two respects. First, to implore his help and mercy for the Church: that he would be pleased to spare his people, and keep them from the infection of these vile sins; and if it may stand with his good pleasure, to work a repentance in men's hearts that are guilty of these crimes: and withal to beseech him for ourselves, to keep us, that we fall not into the hands of deceivers (for, as it is a sin to deceive, so is it a misery to be deceived, Psal. 12.1, 2, etc.) and to give us wisdom to beware of men, Jer. 9.4. Mat. 10.17. and to deliver us from the men of deceit, Psal. 43.1. Thirdly, it should teach us (seeing the world is so full of guile, & that it is so hateful a sin) therefore to honour and esteem such as we find to be true hearted; Plain men with jacob, without tricks and subtlety, and true Israelites with Nathaniel, in whose hearts and mouths is no guile: We should I say love them, delight in them, and stick to them, never to forsake them, but to account them the very ornaments of the world, and great lights in this great and general darkness, and to account ourselves wonderful rich and happy in their fellowship and friendship. Use 3. Against equivocation. Thirdly, this prohibition of Guile may inform us, and by intimation show us the hatefulness of the doctrine of the Papists, and practise in the point of aquivocation, contrary to the express Scripture; that forbids all lying and deceiving of others, and commands us to speak truth, and that every one (Priest and people) and that so his neighbour: how much more to the Magistrate? Ephes. 4.25. And job showeth that we ought not to talk deceitfully, no not for God, to speak for him what is not right, job 13.7. Use 4. Lastly, this may be implicitly a singular and secret consolation to honest and upright hearted men, that hate this hateful sin of Guile: that speak the truth in their hearts, and make conscience of their words, I mean those true Nathaniels of whom Christ speaks: And for the better imprinting of this use, I will show you two things. First, the signs and marks of a man without Guile, even of a true Israelite. Secondly, the encouragement and comforts that belong to such men, etc. For the first, a true Nathaniel hath these praises and especial marks: 1. He shuns Guile in his spirit as well as in his words or works: The signs of a man without guile. Psal. 32.2. What he accounts vile to speak, he accounts vile to think. 2. His praise is of God, and not of men: Rom. 2.26. He more strives to do good, then to get credit and applause; and if God accept him, he cares not though all the world deride him. 3. When he confesseth his fault to God, he will not hide his sin, but confesseth all his sins; that is, all sorts of sins, and his sin without extenuation, or excuse, Psal. 32.2, 5. 4. If he offend, it is of ignorance, and he will not receive doctrine of trust; and if he be showed the truth, he quietly yields, and gives glory to God, john 1.46, 47, 48. 5. He is a plain man, and speaks the truth in his heart: What he saith, he saith without fraud or dissembling, he saith it from his heart; his heart and his words agree; he hateth lying, and all deceit: Psal. 15.2. Zeph. 3.13. though he might gain never so much, yet will he practise no untruth▪ 6. He is a constant man, just of his word, he will perform his promise, though it be to his own hindrance Psal. 15.4. He will not deny the truth though it be to his extreme danger. Such men as these have many encouragements to hold on their courses. Encouragements to such men. It was a chief praise of Christ, that he was without Guile: 1 Pet. 2.7. and so was it in the Martyrs and Saints, Rev. 14.15. It is one of the signs and marks of God's household servants, Psal. 15.2. Of a true Convert. Zeph. 3.13. These men are faithful with the Saints, and rule with God. Host 11. 12. Such as these will abide the Balance (to be weighed) and God will acknowledge their integrity: job 31.5. The wealth of these men gotten by labour and just dealing, shall increase, when riches gotten by vanity shall diminish. Prov. 13.11. And those lips of Truth shall be established for ever, when lying tongues shall be but for a moment, Prov. 12.19. And thus much of Guile. Only before I pass further, Note, that he says all malice and all Guile. it is worthy the noting that he says of these two first sins, that all Malice, and all Guile must be laid aside: which imports; that howsoever some other infirmities be in the godly, yet they should be found far from all Malice and Guile; not a jot of either of them should be found in them: Malice must be in them in no kind, nor in no measure; neither secret nor open Malice, neither grudge nor desire of revenge, neither at home nor abroad, neither in civil things, nor in matters of Religion, neither in any of the aggravations, nor in the least drop of it: And the like may be said of Guile. It were a shameful thing that any kind of Guile should be found in a Christian, in any of his dealings, at any time, with any sort of men, or in any measure. For if but a drop of Malice or Guile be left in us, it may break out again, and our hearts prove like a festered sore. Malice is like leaven, a little of it will sour the whole lump. It is like Poison, a drop may spoil us. It is like a coal of fire within, it wants nothing but the devil to blow it, and then into what a flame may it kindle? And therefore we should all look to our hearts, to see that we be free from Malice; and look to our ways, that we be guilty of no kind of Guile: Such as are reconciled, should note this point to see to it, that they keep not the least drop of the poisonful grudge in their hearts. It is not enough that they say daily, they will forgive, or can receive the Sacrament. For if they cannot respect them with a free heart, without reservation, they are still infected with the disease of Malice. Hypocrisy.] The third sin to be avoided is Hypocrisy. Concerning Hypocrisy I propound two things to be considered. First, how many ways men commit Hypocrisy: Secondly, what reasons there are to dissuade us from Hypocrisy. How many ways men commit Hypocrisy. For the first, the Scriptures discover many ways of the practice of Hypocrisy: In the 23. of Matthew our Saviour notes eight ways of being guilty of Hypocrisy. 1. To say and not do: ver. 3. 2. To require much of others, and plead for great things to be done by others, and not at all do it ourselves, as we prescribe it to others, ver. 4. 3. To do what we do to be seen of men, ver. 5. This is at large opened, Mat. 6.1. to the middle of the chapter. 4. To affect greatness in the respects and entertainments of others, ver. 6. to 12. 5. To do duties of Religion of purpose to hide some soul sin. ver. 14. 6. To be curious and strict in small matters, and neglect the greater duties, ver. 23, 24. 7. To be careful to avoid outward faults, and to make no conscience of the inward foulness of the heart, ver. 25, 27. 8. To commend and magnify the godly absent, or of former ages; and to hate and abuse the godly present, and of our own times, verse 29. to 36. There are diverse other Hypocritical practices noted in other Scripture: As, 9 To serve God outwardly, and yet our hearts to be carried away with vile distractions, Esay 28.13. This is a chief Hypocrisy to be avoided, in such as come to the word. 10. To pray only in the time of sickness or danger, when we are forced to it, and to show no love of prayer or delight in God, in time of prosperity or deliverance, job 27.8, 9 11. To judge others severely for smaller faults, and to be guilty themselves of greater crimes, Mat. 7.5. 12. To be just overmuch; I mean, to make sins where God makes none, Luke 13.15. 13. To be convinced in his own conscience, and yet not confess it, nor yield, though they know the truth, Luke 12.56, 57 etc. Thus of the diverse ways of Hypocrisy. 〈…〉 There are many reasons to declare the hatefulness of this sin of Hypocrisy: I will instance only in the reasons from the effects. 〈…〉 The effects of Hypocrisy are either, first to others: Or secondly to the Hypocrite himself. First, to others the Hypocrite is a continual snare: He walks in a net that converseth with an Hypocrite, job 34.30. Secondly, to himself the effects of Hypocrisy in the Hypocrite, are both privative and positive. The privative effects which the Scripture instanceth in, are chiefly three. The first is, that the Hypocrite loseth all his service of God; In vain do Hypocrites worship God, Mat. 15. Secondly, he infecteth all his gifts and praises: Hypocrisy is like leaven, Luke 12.1. It soureth all gifts and graces; a little of it will mar all his praises and gifts whatsoever for the acceptation and use of them. Thirdly, he loseth all reward of his good works, Mat. 6.1. An hypocrite may do good works, though he never doth them well; and for the good he doth, may have his reward with men, but this is all; for, from God he shall have no reward. The Positive effects of hypocrisy, may be referred to two heads: For some effects may fail upon him; and some effects must and will befall him. The effects that may follow his hypocrisy are three: What may befall him. For first he is apt to be seduced by evil Spirits, and the doctrine of Devils: An hypocrite is in the greatest danger of most men to be seduced into vile opinions, 1 Tim. 4.1, 2. Secondly, he may fall into a spirit of slumber: his conscience may be ●●ared with ●n hot iron. Thirdly, he may fall into most wo●ull terrors: such a fearfulness may surprise the hypocrite, that God may be to him as devouring fire, and as everlasting burnings, Esay 33.14. Job. 18. 14. The effects that will certainly fall upon the hypocrite, What will befall ●hem are these which follow: 1 Judgement in his own conscience. He goes about as a condemned man: for, he is always condemned in himself. 2. The discovery of all his villainy: for there is nothing had in his intents and dealings, but all shall be laid open, Luke 12.1.2. 3. The miscarrying of his hope. The hope of the hypocrite shall perish, Job 8.11. to 16. and that with these aggravations: that his hope will perish, first easily; secondly speedily; thirdly unrecoverably. Easily; for God can destroy his hope as easily, as the maid can sweep down the house of the spider with her besom: Speedily; for it will wither while it seems rooted, and is yet green before any other herb: yea, though it grow up, yet it is like grass on the house top. Vnrecoverably; for his hopes being but as the house of the spider, they will be dashed down for ever; and though he would lean to his house, and take hold of it, yet his hopes shall perish for ever: and when this day comes, his hopes shall be as the giving up of the ghost. 4. Strange punishments in his death and condemnation. And therefore when our Saviour Christ would express a special terror in the plagues of especial sinners, he saith, they shall have their portion with hypocrites and workers of iniquity, Mat. 24. and the last verse. Job 27.8. And these effects will appear the more terrible, if we consider, that the Scriptures take off all the objections of hypocrites; to show that they be left naked to the fury of God: for all this will come upon them; Though they be many in number, job 15.34. Though they be rich, The objections of hypocrites removed job 27.8. Though they triumph in all jollity now, job 20.5. Though they be young, or widows, or fatherless, Esay 9.17. Though they cry at their later end, job 27.9. Though they do many good deeds, Mat. 6. Though their wickedness be yet hidden, Luke 12.1, 2. The use may be first for information; secondly for instruction; Uses. and thirdly for consolation. First for information: For information. and so it may show us, First, what to think of the great shows of holiness and mortification made in the Church of Rome. Their fastings, and their prohibition of marriage, vows of chastity, and wilful poverty, have a show of wisdom and piety, in not sparing the flesh: but the holy Ghost tells us, that all this is but hypocrisy, 2 Tim. 4.1, 2, 3, 4. Col. 2. ult. 2. How miserable the estate of multitudes of our own people is, by these signs we may perceive, that the plague is wonderfully spread in Israel. Note. There are whole congregations of Hypocrites, that is of men that say and do not, that come near to God with their lips, and their heart is far from him, that seldom or never pray but when they be sick; that regard not the inward soulness of their hearts, so their lives be either civil, or evil but in secret, job 15.34. Esay 9.17. For instruction Secondly for instruction; and so it should teach us all to beware of this leaven of Hypocrisy, Luke 12.11. and if we would be thought to have the true Wisdom from above, then let us show it by our fruits, that they may be without Hypocrisy, Jam 3.17. And for the better enforcing of this use, I will put you in mind of two things: First the sorts of hypocrisy you are most in danger of: Secondly the remedies or preservatives against hypocrisy. The sorts of Hypocrisy we are most in danger of. The sorts are chiefly these. 1. The distraction in God's worship, which is a most woeful fault, a●d most common: This was it was showed before that so angered God, Esay 28.13. 2. Secondly the omission of private worship, I mean to make a show of Religion and the love of God, and yet neglect reading of the Scriptures, prayers, conference and secret communion with God: This as was showed will provoke God to stop his ear at our cry, because we do not pray at all times. Iob●7 ●7. 8, 9 3. Neglect of mortification of inward sins, and secret faults; taking liberty, so it be but sin in the heart or in secret. This will undo thee for ever, if thou look not to it in time. 4. Affectation of praise and credit with men, to do our works to be seen of men. Now there are diverse rules to be observed, if we would not be poisoned with the reign of hypocrisy. Preservatives against Hypocrisy. 1. Keep thyself in God's presence; forget not God; remember always that his eyes are upon thee: Thus David set the Lord always before him, Psal. 16.8. And this God commandeth Abraham to do, if he will be upright, Gen. 17.1. 2. Thou must pray much and often to God to create a right Spirit in thee: For by nature we have all double and hypocritical hearts, Psalm 51. ●0. 3. Keep thy heart with all diligence, watching daily and resisting distractions, wavering thoughts and forgetfulness. And to this end, mortify the first beginnings of this sin in thy heart, mourn for it as soon as thou discernest it, and judge thyself seriously before God. james 4.8. Matt. 23.26. 4. In all matters of well doing be as secret as may be, Mat. 6. both in Mercy, Prayer, Fasting, Reading and the like. 5. Be watchful over thy own ways, and see to this point, that thou be as careful of all duties of godliness in prosperity as in adversity, in health as in sickness, job 27.9, 10. 6. Converse with such as in whom thou discernest true Spirits without Guile, and shun the company of open and known hypocrites. 7. Be not rash, and easy to condemn other men for hypocrites, only because they cross thy opinions, Note. or humours, or will, or practise. It is often observed, that rash censurers, that usually lash others as hypocrites, fall at length into some vile kind of hypocrisy themselves. Object. Solut. But may we not call an hypocrite an hypocrite? About censuring other men for Hypocrisy. Hypocrites are not all of one sort. Some are close hypocrites: some are open. The open hypocrite thou mayst show thy dislike of his courses, and avoid him: But the close hypocrite thou canst not discern, or not certainly; and if thou follow thine own conjectures, thou mayst sometimes condemn a dear child of God, and approve a detestable hypocrite. But how may the open hypocrite be discerned? Quest. By diverse signs. Answ. First, by an ordinary and usual affectation of the praise of men, How an open hypocrite may be discerned. in doing good duties. When a man constantly sets himself out to the show, it is an apparent mark of a false heart. Mark that I say an usual affectation. Secondly, if a man make a show of the means of godliness, or liking the means of godliness, or of the persons that are godly; and yet it be manifest that he hates to be reform, lives in known gross faults, and being rebuked by the word, or servants of God, will not reform, but carrieth a grudge at the parties that laboured his reformation: This is an evident mark of an hypocrite. Now to judge these is no offence. Thirdly, it is a sign of an hypocrite, when a man will be godly, and restrained, and zealous in some companies, and in other company take liberty for gross profaneness. Lastly, he that will be rid of hypocrisy, must look to himself, to keep himself free from the causes of it, and take heed that he be not bewitched in those things that have bred hypocrisy in other men. What is it can make a man an hypocrite? Object. First, sometimes fear will do it: as in time of trouble or persecution, Solut. men, to avoid dangers, will play the hypocrites, Luke 12.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. What makes an hypocrite. Secondly, sometimes desire to get credit, and to be well thought on (especially when it is mixed with envy at the respects of others) drives some men headlong into hypocritical courses, Mat. 6. Thirdly, sometimes men are emboldened unto hypocrisy, by a secret persuasion, that Christ will defer his coming, and they shall not of a long time be brought to account. Mat. 24.48, 50. Fourthly, men fall into hypocrisy for gain, to hide their wicked and deceitful courses: So the pharisees, Mat. 23.14. so 1 Tim. 4.2, 7. Fiftly, forgetfulness of God is a great cause of hypocrisy, and the reign of it in many hearts, job 8.13. Sixtly, Lust, and some vile wickedness, drives many men and women into hypocrisy, 2 Tim. 3. These things we must take heed of, and preserve ourselves from them, if ever we would not be wretched hypocrites before God. Thirdly, Use 3. here is also consolation to all the godly whom God hath kept upright, and free from this damned vice (I mean from the reign of it: for, there is no man but hath some dregs of hypocrisy in him.) But how may a man know that he is not a hypocrite? Quest. By many signs. Answ. First, when a man had rather be good, then seem so. Secondly, when a man makes God his secret place, How a man may know that he is not an hypocrite. strives and desires secrecy to worship God, Mat. 6. Thirdly, when a man loves no sin, but would fain be rid of every sin, and so hath respect to all God's commandments. Fourthly, when a man confesseth his hypocrisy, and mourns for it, and strives against it. Fiftly, when a man accuseth himself for it to others whose respects he most desires. Sixtly, when a man keeps his heart close to the substance of godliness, and labours to be built up without distraction in the main things needful for his salvation, and is not carried to spend his time most about unnecessary or impertinent cares or studies, 1 Tim. 4.2, 7, 8. Seventhly, when a man is as careful to serve God in prosperity, as well as adversity, job 27.9. Eightly, when a man delights in the Almighty, and loves all the means by which he findeth any communion with God, job 29.9. Ninthly, when a man, from the hatred of hypocrisy, is stirred up against hypocrites, cannot abide them, nor will converse with them, job 17. ver. 8. Lastly, job comforts himself, that he was no hypocrite, by three arguments. 1. He would trust in God, though he did slay him. 2. He would reprove his ways in God's sight. 3. He sought God's presence, and set himself always before him: none of which an hypocrite could do, job 13.15, 16. Thus much of Hypocrisy. Envy.] The fourth sin to be avoided is Envy. Envy is nothing else but a vexation or inward displeasure conceived at the good of another: viz. either another's credit, gifts, preferment, profit, success, or the like. This sin, though in the world it be little thought of, yet in itself i● a most fearful vice; and should be so accounted of by Christians, for many reasons. First, if we consider the subject persons in whom it usually is. It is found most in natural men, The hatefulness of the 〈◊〉 of envy. Tit. 3.3. yea, in silly men, Job 5.2, This was the sin of Cain, Gen. 4. yea, of the devil himself. The main sin of the devil was the envy of man's happiness. It reigned in the devilish Gentiles Rom. 1.29. Secondly, if we consider the cause of it, it is for the most part the daughter of pride, Gal. 5.26▪ sometimes of covetousness, Prov. 28.22, and often of some egregious vile transgression, such as in Rom. 1.29. but ever it is the filthy fruit of the flesh, Gal. 5.25. Thirdly, if we consider the vile effects of it, which are many: for, 1. It hath done many mischiefs, for which it is infamous. It sold joseph into Egypt, Gen. ●7. and which should ever make it abhorred of us, it killed the Son of God, Mat. 27.8. 2. It deforms our natures: it makes a man suspicious, malicious, contentious: it makes us to provoke, backbite, and practise evil against our neighbours. It is ill for our sight: for the envious man hath always an evil eye, and a cast down countenance with Cain also many times. 3. It begins even death and hell, while a man is alive. It kills the silly one, Job 5.2. It destroyeth the contentment of his life, and burns him with a kind of fire unquenchable. It feeds upon the envious man, like the moth or worm by degrees: and it hasteneth mischief in the envious man, because it makes the person envied more glorious; and beside, it is a vice that driveth a man from among men, in respect of comfortable society: for it was long since advised, Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, Prov. 23.6. and no man by his good will, if he can be free, will converse with such as he perceives to be envious. F●urthly, this place manifestly imports, that it is a notable hindrance to the profi● of the word, and so no doubt it is to prayer and all piety, as evidently it is a let of charity; unless it be that men in hypocrisy to disgrace others, will for envy do some good: as they preached Christ for envy in the Apostles time, Phil. 1.15. Uses. The use should be threefold. First, for instruction, to teach us to follow the advice here given, in putting away Envy, and cleansing our hearts of it: and to this end think much of the reasons against it, and withal remember by confession and godly sorrow to cleanse thy heart carefully of it. For those things help wonderfully in the putting of it away. Secondly, this may serve for great reproof of many that profess the fear of God, who daily shame themselves by discovering this vice in themselves. This was it the Apostle complained of in the Corinthians; and showed, that it is a vice which not only holds down a Christian from growing, but it makes him look like a carnal man, 1 Cor. 3.3. Thirdly, for consolation, if we find ourselves freed from this vice. Signs of a man free from envy. And we may know that we are not envious, 1. If we love the good things in others, and can rejoice in their prosperity, and mourn for their miseries. 2. If we be vile in our own eyes, and lowly minded. 3. If we enjoy contentation in our own estate, and are well pleased to be that which God will have us to be. 4. If in giving honour we can heartily go one before another. Thus much of Envy. Evil speaking.] This is the fifth sin to be avoided. If we would profit by God's word, we must look to our own words, etc. Evil speaking generally taken, comprehends all the faults of the tongue in speaking: and so it is true, that a man can never be sound profited by the word till he makes conscience of evil words as well as evil works. But I think it is taken more restrainedly hear. There are many kinds of evil speaking that are to be avoided. Lying is evil speaking: and it is true, that he who is false to man, will never be true to God. But I think Lying is not here meant. Flattering is evil speaking: for he that praiseth his friend with a loud voice, it shall be counted to him as a curse. It is a curse to be troubled with a flatterer: and it is a kind of cursed speaking to flatter. But I think this is not meant here neither. But I think the sins here meant are Backbiting, judging, slandering, and complaining one of another, and all bitterness of speech between man and man. These hinder charity, and provoke God, and let the growth of piety in the hearts and lives of men. And therefore these kinds of evil speaking should be detested of Christians, and altogether laid aside. These sins as they are hateful in themselves, and in the least degree, or in any kind: so evil speaking is made more vile in the aggravations of it. The aggravation of evil speaking. It is evil to speak evil any way, or of any: But it is much more vile, First, when we speak evil of the absent, that cannot defend themselves: Backbiting is a hateful degree of evil speaking, 2 Cor. 12.10. Psalm 140.11. Secondly, when we speak evil of such, as God hath humbled, or afflicted: Leu. 19.14. Obad. 12. Prov. 16.28. Thirdly, when we shall speak evil of such as are in authority, Eccl. 10. ult. Jud. 8. Leu. 19 Fourthly, when we speak evil of the godly, especially before the wicked, or for things indifferent, or without cause: james 4.9. Rom. 14. Psal. 31. 18. or for lesser failings: Mat. 7.1, 2. but especially their good conversation: 1 Pet. 3.16. Fiftly, when we speak evil of our professed friends: Psal. 5.6.13. Lament. 1.2. Sixtly, when we speak evil of God's messengers, taxing their persons: as their carriage, especially when they labour, and take pains, watching over us for our good: jer. 26.8, 9 & 18.28. Amos 5.10. 2 Cor. 3.6.16. 1 Tim. 4.10. jer. ●5. 10. 1 Cor. 4.3, 5. Seventhly, when we speak evil of father and mother, or such as are nearly knit unto us: so it is also monstrous uncomely to see the wife speak evil of the husband, or chose: Prov. 20.20. Leu. 20.9. Mich. 7.6. Eighthly, when we speak evil of godliness, even of the good way of God, calling sweet sour, and good evil, Esay 5.20. scorning the Lord's day, and deriding sanctification, and reformation of life, 1 Cor. 15.32, 33. Acts 19.9. especially when we do it out of an inward hatred of holy duties: Let such take heed of despighting the Spirit of grace, Heb. 10.29. Ninthly, when men speak evil of God himself: as doth the swearer, and for-swearer, the murmurer, and such as reason Atheistically, against the nature, counsels, or providence of God: Comm. 3 Psal. 73.9. And as evil speaking may be aggravated by the persons against whom: so may it be by the manner: For if it be evil to speak evil in any fashion, than it is much more evil, First, to rail: 1 Cor. 6.10. mouth full of cursing: Psalm, 10.7. Rom. 3.14. Secondly, to complain in all places for slight occasions, or trespasses. Thirdly, to hide hatred with lying lips: Psal. 62.4. Prov. 10.18. Psal. 41.6. Fourthly, to go about to carry tales, and slanders, Leu. 19 Fiftly, to speak evil of others, when we are guilty of the same offences ourselves, or greater, Rom. 2.1, 2, 3. Mat. 7.1, 3. Sixtly, to reveals secrets, this is slander: Prov. 11.13. Neither are men free from this vice, or guilt, when they are whisperers, and do it secretly, and as many do, with charge that they speak not of it again, yet themselves in the very next company will tell it out again: 2 Cor. 12.20. Nor when they join with their evil speaking the acknowledgement of their praises of whom they speak. For many times their [but] tends too a greater defamation, and by praising them they only save themselves from blame, and intent thereby to enforce their defamation the more. Nor is it an extenuation, when they revile their inferiors: For, Masters must not threaten their servants, Ephes. 6.9. nor parents must not provoke their children to wrath, Ephes. 6.4. nor husbands be bitter to their wives, Col. 3.9. Nor great men may Lord it over their poor tenants, or people: Prov. 13.8. Nor men that excel in gifts, be masterly in their words to their inferiors in gifts: james 3.1. Nor when men revile being reviled: For this is also prohibited unto Christians, 1 Pet. 3.9. Reason's to dissuade from Evil speaking. There are also many reasons, why we should put away evil speaking. First, from commandment. Men are straight charged by God to refrain their tongues from evil: Psal. 34. and not to speak evil one of another: James 4.9. to speak evil of no man: Tit. 3.1. nor to render reviling for reviling: 1 Pet. 3.9. we must bless and not curse: Rom. 12.14. Secondly, from the consideration of our own persons, and estates in Christ. We are called to blessing and are the heirs of blessing: and therefore it is monstrous uncomely for us, that are free borne, to use such servile and base language 1 Pet. 3.9. Thirdly, from example. Michael the Archangel, when he contended with the devil, durst ●●t bring against him any railing accusation: jude 9 The Apostle showeth their practice herein blesse● Cor. 4.12. When Shemei cursed David, and called him a Son of belial, and a bloody man, he said: Let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, curse David, It may be the Lord will look upon my affliction, and the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day, Thus he bore it, though he continued cursing, and cast stones, and dust at him: 2. Sam. 16.8.10.11.12. 13. But above all we should learn this of our Saviour Christ, In whom was found no guile in his mouth, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him, that judgeth righteously: 1. Pet. 2.23. Fourthly, from the causes of it. Bitter speaking comes from a bitter root of a cursed disposition in our natures: Heb 12.14.15. It proceeds sometimes from envy at the good of others, sometimes from malice and secret grudge, sometimes from guile and fraudulent purposes, sometimes from Hypocrisy also: For, he that is much in judging other men, Note. is seldom without great store of hypocrisy in his heart. Well therefore is this sin put last in the Catalogue, as that, which may be engendered of any of the former. Fiftly, from the effects; Effects I say both of restraining it, and committing it. If we did restrain judging, reviling, backbiting, and all bitterness, How happy would our lives be; How comfortable would our conversation be? We should live long and see good days: Psal. 34.12. Besides: it is a wonderful praise of the gifts of God, and sign of a large measure of grace, to avoid evil speaking: He is a perfect man, that sinneth not in these customary sins of the tongue, James, 3.2. and it is always, a man's Honour to cease from strife, Prov. 20 ●2. The effects of committing it are many and fowl: and that both to others, and to themselves. First, to others, and so first it grives the spirit of God, by which we are sealed to the day of redemption For, a bitter spirit is a wonderful cross to that meek spirit of Christ Jesus. Eph. 3.31. Secondly, it is a singular injury to men, at whom we cast our bitter words. For we trouble their peace and work much disquietness: and beside, when men contend by evil words, it can hardly be avoided, but many will be desiled, yea many besides themselves as they are severably inclined to either party, Heb. 12.14.15. Thirdly, and it is certain in God's account, and in men's too, thou wert as good shoot arrows at them, as bitter words, and run them in with swords, or cut them with sharp razors, as mangle their names and credits, with thy censures, or slanders, or reproaches. Secondly, to themselves. They bring much hurt to themselves, that accustom themselves to ill language in any of these kinds. For, they make themselves guilty of a world of wickedness. james 3.9. First, they wrong the law of God. For he that judgeth his brother, condemneth the Law: James. 4.9. Secondly, they transgress against the lawgiver, whose proper office is to judge the ways of all men. james 4.10. Thirdly, they discover also their own folly and weakness. For, it is a man's honour to cease from strife, but every fool will be meddling: Prov. 20. ●. Fourthly, they shame the profession of Religion. For, this is thank worthy if a man suffer evil for well doing. 1. Pet. 2.19. But what a shame is it, when thou sufferest as a busy body in other men's matters: 1. Pet. 4.15. Fiftly, besides it is certain, Evil words corrupt good manners: thou losest so much of thy honesty, and piety, as thou admittest of evil in thy tongue: 1. Cor. 15.33. And if you bite and devour one another, take heed you be not consumed one of another: Gal. 5.15. And if thou judge, thou shalt be judged. He that is given much to censuring, seldom or never escapes great censures himself: Matth. 7. Sixtly, Besides, also, these courses will increase unto greater condemnation: God may be provoked to take thee in hand, and thou mayest be in danger to be plagued for it for ever in Hell, jam. 3.1. Seventhly, and if this evil vice grow in thee, thou art fit to be cast out of the Communion of Saints: men are charged to avoid thee, and not to eat with thee▪ 1. Cor. 5.11. And though that censure be not executed by the Church always, yet God many times makes such persons so loathsome, that every body avoids them as much as they can. Eighthly, further, this very effect here mentioned should persuade much with us. It is a sin that greatly hindereth the profit of the word: bitter-tongued persons never grow much in religion. For, it is required, that we should receive the word with meekness, and lay aside all supers●uity of maliciousness; such as this evil speaking in these kinds is, lamb. 1.21. Lastly, as m●n love cursing, so it shall come unto them: and as they love not blessing, so it shall be far from them, Psal. 109.17. The use should be both for Humiliation, and for Instruction. First, for Humiliation. It may greatly abase many Christians that are extremely guilty of this sin. How hath this wickedness prevailed in many places! The way of peace few men have known: there is almost no meekness, but lying and flattering, and censuring, and railing, and slandering, and reproach upon reproach, and backbiting every where: Yea, what are the families of the most, but as so many kennels of Curs, such snarling, and biting, and provoking one another? Husband's bitter to their Wives; Wives contentions like a continual dropping; Masters threatening their Servants, and Servants answering again and cursing their Masters. How are the lives of the most destitute of contentment, and their states of prosperity, even by reason of this sin? But, let all that fear God, learn from henceforth to make more conscience of their words, and refrain their lips from evil. Quest. But what should a man do to keep himself free from this vice, or that this fountain of evil speaking may be dried up? Rules against evil speaking. Ans. He that would restrain himself from being guilty of backbiting, judging, reviling, or any kind of evil speaking, must observe such rules as these. First, He must learn to speak well to God, and of godliness: if we did study that holy language of speaking to God by prayer, we would be easily fitted for the government of our tongues toward men: we speak ill to men, because we pray but ill to God. Secondly, he must lay this rule upon himself, and watch to the performance of it, he must study to be quiet, and meddle with his own business, and not meddle with the strife that belongs not to him; resolving, that he will never suffer, as a busy body in other men's matters. 1. Thes. 4. 1. Pet. 4.15. Thirdly, he must keep a Catalogue of his own faults continually in his mind: when we are so apt to task others, it is because we forget our own wickedness. Fourthly, his words must be few: for, in a multitude of words there cannot want sin, and usually this sin is never absent. Fiftly, he must not allow himself liberty to think evil. A suspicious person will speak evil. Sixtly, he must pray to God to set a watch before the doors of his lips. Seventhly, he must avoid vain and provoking company. It may be observed often, that when men get into idle company (which perhaps they like not) the very compliment of discoursing extracteth evil speaking to fill up the time; especially, he must avoid the company of censurers: for, their ill language, though at first disliked, is insensibly learned. Eighthly, he must especially strive to get meekness, and to be soft, and show his meekness to all men. Tit, 3.1.2. Ninthly, if he have this way offended, then let him follow that counsel, Let his own words grieve him, Psal. 56.5; that this, let him humble himself seriously for it before God by hearty repentance: this sin is seldom mended, because it is seldom repent of. Quest. But what should I do to avoid evil speaking in others? Ans. First, live honestly and without offence: What we should do to avoid evil speaking in others. and then though men be never so crooked and perverse, yet either they will be silent, or in the day of God's visitation they will glorify God, Phil. 2.15. 1. Pet. 2. verse 13. Secondly, if men will yet revile, learn of David and Christ, and the godly, to be patient, and not revile again, but rather bless them, 1. Pet. 3.5. and 2.23. 1. Cor. 4.12. Thirdly, if men be still unreasonable and absurd, betake thyself to prayer: and then either God will turn their hearts, or quiet thine, Psal. 104.2.3.4. Fourthly, thou must not give thy heart to all that men say; but be sometimes as a deaf man that hears not, and as a dumb man in whose mouth are no words of reproof, Eccles. 7.23.24. Psalm. 38.13.14. Fiftly, if yet thou be pursued, then remember this comfort, The curse that is causeless shall not come, Prov. 26.2. and though they curse, yet God will bless, Psal. 109.28. God will turn their cursing into a blessing, and he will curse them that curse thee, Numb. 24.9. and if thy reproaches be for the cause of religion and righteousness, blessed art thou that art accounted worthy to suffer for it: For, Great is thy reward in heaven, Mat. 5.11. Acts 5.41. thou hast cause to rejoice in such contumelies, 2. Cor. 12.10. Hitherto of the catalogue of sins to be avoided. The manner here follows to be considered of: and that may be noted from the word Laying aside, and from the manner of the expressing the sins. Out of all, there are briefly five things may be noted. 5. General doctrines. First, that by nature we are all inclined to and clogged with these sins: for, that the word layed-aside imports. For, it shows, that by nature they hang upon us. Tit. 3.3: which should teach us to watch our hearts against these sins, seeing they are so natural to us; and to pursue the reformation of them with so much the more constancy and diligence, by how much it is the more hard to shake off what is natural to us. Secondly, it should teach us to forbear intemperate words and carriage toward others, in whom we discern these sins so far, as they are infirmities: but rather we should be soft, and show all meekness to all men; considering, that we ourselves also were infected with the same faults. Secondly, that the natural man is daily guilty of these sins, and useth them as if they were necessary to his well-being. He cannot be without them: he wears them as his garments, or betakes himself to them as to his weapons: he thinks he is adorned by them. This is imported by the metaphor: He thinks, if he did not ease himself by hypocrisy, the service of God would destroy his contentment. If he did not use guile, he should never thrive. If he did not use violent speeches, he should be despised: and so of the rest. This may serve to put a difference betwixt the wicked and the godly in the guiltiness of these sins: for, Note. a godly man may by frailty be tainted with some of these; but then he doth not account them necessary, or place contentment in them, or daily fall into them; he dislikes them, and would fain be rid of them: whereas the wicked think their lives naked without them. Thirdly, that true grace and respect of the word of God must put off and banish all these things. He that would have comfort in his conversion, or bring sound affections to the word, must take a course to mend these faults, Eph. 4. 22. Col. 3.8. This should be for great reproof of such Christians as shame their profession of godliness by not shaking off these faults; and beside, greatly darken the comfort of their calling, by walking so carnally herein, 1. Cor. 3.1.2.3. Fourthly, for the manner, how these sins are to be avoided in special: Here are divers things to be noted. The metaphor imports, that we must lay these things aside, as the Porter lays aside his heavy burden; or as the Rebel lays aside his Arms and weapons; or as the weary Pilgrim lays aside his foul and troublesome long garments; or as the captive Maid, when she was to be married, laid aside the garments of her captivity, Deut. 21.13. Now we thus lay them aside chiefly two ways. First, by confessing them, and mourning for them, Heb. 12. Secondly, by renouncing and forsaking the practice of them: but then we must further note, that they must be so laid aside, as they be never taken up again. We must not lay them aside as we ordinarily do our garments, to wear them again the next day or the next week. Besides, it is here to be observed, that these sins are not rooted out in a moment. A Christian is long laying them aside. He doth speak of the present endeavour: It must be an every-days work, to judge ourselves for them, and resist them, till the power of them be broken. Lastly, we may hence note, that we should give over the practice, but not the remembrance of our former sins. For he saith, laying-aside; not burying them, or renting to pieces, or the like phrase, which might import the utter forgetting of them. To remember our fau●tinesse in these things, will keep us humble, and make us more innocent and free from them, and more compassionate over others. Fiftly, note the extent in setting down the sins to be avoided: whence observe two things. 1. First, that he saith all malice, all guile, and all evil speaking; to note, that a Christian should not bear with himself in the least measure of failing in any of these: For a little of this leaven will sour the whole lump, and a small root of any of these will grow up to a great deal of trouble and infection. 2. Secondly, In that he saith Hypocrisies, and Envies in the plural number, and so evil ●peakings: To note, that we should search our hearts so, as not to tolerate in ourselves any kind of these evils. It is not enough to be free from some kinds of Hypocrisy, but we must be free from all: and our sincerity shows itself herein, that seeing we cannot be wholly rid of hypocrisy, yet we will hate it, and strive against every part and kind of it. Verse 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. Hitherto of the things to be avoided. NOw follows the second thing, and that is, what we must do, that we may profit by the word, namely that we must get tender and constant affections to the word, if we would ever grow by it in knowledge and grace: and this is set out metaphorically by the comparison of appetite and desire in new borne babes unto milk. The meaning is, that Christians, that would profit, must be like children in their affections to the word: they must love it, and long for it, and delight in it, and have their hearts set upon it, as affectionately, as children do naturally thirst after the breast: This is a point of singular use, and such, as all of us ought to take notice of, to get our hearts rightly framed, and firmed herein. The disease of the most hearers lieth in the defect of this: and the happiness of such, as do thrive apace in godliness, is to be ascribed to this affectionate love of the word. There be three things about these desires for matter of observation, must be distinctly noted: The first concerns the necessity of this desire: The second, the utility: And the third, the true nature of this holy desire. For the first: It is evident from hence, that all that come to the word, It is indispensably required, that they come with appetite: men must bring affection, and desire after the word, if they would ever grow by it. If we would ever drink freely of the water of life, we must be such as thirst after it. Revel. 21.6. If we would have God to feed with milk and wine, we must be such, as have a true thirst after it. Isaiah. 55.1. If we would not have all success blasted in us, we must take heed of loathing the means, that is, despising prophecy: 1. Thes. 5.21. For the second: It is likewise evident from hence, that though we have many wants, and ignorances, and weaknesses, yet if we have affection to the word, we shall never be destitute of some happy success in the use of it. The former places assure God's blessing and confirm it, that God will not be wanting to any, that hath this appetite: It is all that God stands upon. Every one that thirsteth may come, and buy and eat, and drink abundantly: Isaiah. ●5. 1.2.3. Let us be careful of the condition: to desire the word, as the child doth the milk; and God will not fail to give the success, we shall grow by it. Now for the third point. It is here to be carefully noted what kind of desire of the word is that, to which this promise is annexed: The true desire after the word hath chiefly four distinct things in it. First, Estimation of the word above all other outward things. When we can account it a great blessedness to be chosen of God to this privilege to approach unto him in the courts of his house. Psal. 65.4. Psal. 119.127.128. When we can say with David, Oh how amiable are thy tabernacles, and think it better to be a doorkeeper in God's house, then to dwell in the tents of wickedness Psal. 84.1.10. When we esteem the directions and comforts of God's word above Gold and silver: Psal. 119.127. and with Paul account all things but loss in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ, which may be here had. Philip 3.9. Secondly, Longing and appetite after it, as true and certain, as the very appetite of a child is to the breast: this is expressed by the similitudes of panting, thirsting, and watching after the word in diverse Scriptures: and when this longing is more vehement, it is set out by the passion of fainting for it, and of the breaking of the soul for it: Psal. 42.1. & 84.2. & 119.20.40. & 131. Thirdly, Satisfaction and contentment, when we speed well in the word: as the child is quieted, and sleepeth in the rest and virtue of the milk it hath received: David saith, his soul was satisfied as with marrow: Psal. 63.1.5. and is granted of all the godly and chosen ones, Psa, 65.4. When it is sweet like honey to our taste, Psa. 119.103. Fourthly, Constancy, and the renewing of affection. A child's appetite is renewed every day, though it seem to be full for the present, and such is the true desire of the godly. It is not a desire for a fit, but is renewed daily, as the appetite to our appointed food is, job. 23. He that hath this desire may be found daily waiting at the gates of wisdom: Prov. 8.34. Vs● 1. The use of all may be chiefly threefold: For, For trial. First it may serve for trial: we should every one examine ourselves, whether we have this true desire after the word, or no. For, if we find this, we are sure to prosper: and if we find it not, we are nothing but starvelings in matter of godliness, Question. But how may we know, whether we have this estimation, longing after, and constant affection to the word? Answ. It may be known diverse ways, especially if our affections be grown to any good ripeness, How we may disteyne our desire, and affection after the word. and tenderness, in the measure of them: For it may be evidently discerned. First, If we seek the blessing of the word of God, as a chief happiness, we would desire of him in his special mercy to give it unto us. Psa. 119.68, 132, 144, 155. and so by the constancy of prayer we may also discern the constancy of our appetite. Secondly, if we can be diligent and content to take any pains, or be at any cost, that we may be provided of this food that perisheth not. john 6.27. Thirdly, if we can hoard and hide up the word in our hearts, as worldly men would do their treasures, Psal. 119.11. ●oying in it as much, as in all riches, Psal. 119.14.162. especially, if we can batten and wax fat by the contentments of it; as carnal men do, when they live at hearts ease. Psalm 119.70. Fourthly, if it will still our crying, that is, if it will comfort us, and quiet our hearts in all distresses: Psal. 119.50, 143, 92. so as nothing shall offend us. verse 16●. Fiftly, If we make haste and come willingly at the time of assembling: Psa. 110.3. But especially, if we make haste, and not delay in practising, what we learn thence: Psal. 119.60. Sixtly, if we be thankful to God, and abound in the free will offerings of our mouths for the good we get by the word: Psal. 119. 7, 108.164, 171. Seaventhly, if we can be truly grieved, and say with David, Sorrow takes hold on us, because the wicked keep not God's law, 119.159. Eighthly, If we delight to talk of God's word, and to speak of his wondrous works discovered in his word. Psal 119.27, 172, etc. These things and the like are in them that have their affections tender, and striving in them: Now whereas many of God's children may have true desire to the word, Note. and yet not find evidently some of these signs: therefore I will give other signs of true affection to the word, though there be not always such delight in it, as they desire. The lesser measure of true appetite to the word may be discerned by some of these signs that follow. First, it is a sign that we do heartily love the word, when we can from our heart's love and bless them, that do love the word, accounting them happy for their very love to the word. Psal. 119.1.12. Other signs of true desire. Secondly, it is a sign of desire after the word, when we can stick to the word, and the constant frequenting of it, notwithstanding the scorns and shame of the world: Psal. 119.31.46, 141. It is a sure testimony of our love to the Gospel, when we can forsake father and mother, brother and sister, house and land for the Gospel's sake: Mark 10.29. Thirdly, It is a sign of love to the word, and of desire after it, when we can mourn for the famine of the word, as a bitter cross. Psal. 42.3.4. Fourthly, Yea, when men have the word, and yet find not comfort in it, it is a sign of their true affection when they long for those comforts with heaviness of heart, and account themselves in an uncomfortable distress, yea bitter distress, till the Lord return to them in his person in the power of the means. Psal. 119.82, 83, 123, 131. Fiftly, It is a sign we love the word, when such as fear God are glad of us: it is a sign, that the Godly do discern appetite in us, though we do not, when they are tenderly affected toward us. Psal. 119▪ 74. Sixtly, We may know our affection to the word, by our willingness to be ruled by it: if we can make the word our Counsellor, it is sure we do delight in it, whatsoever we conceive of ourselves. Psal. 119 24. Lastly, to strive against our dulness constantly, and to pray to be quickened, is a good sign, that we have some desire to the word. One may love God's precepts, and yet need to be quickened. Psal. 119.159. Use 2. Secondly, this doctrine of desire, and appetite after the word, may much humble the most of us; some being altogether void of all desire after it, more than for fashion sake: and the better sort have their appetites either dull, or decayed. Quest. Whence comes it that people have no more affection to the word, or that men are so cloyed with the word? Ans. The lets of appetite and affection to the word may be considered two ways: Impediments to true desires: external. First, as they are without us. Secondly, as they are within us. Without us, the cause of want of affection is sometimes in the Minister: sometimes in the Devil: sometimes in the company men sort withal: and sometimes in God himself. 1. In Ministers there are two things, which marvellously hinder the admiration, and desire after the word. The first is, the manner of their teaching, when they teach unskilfully, deceitfully, vaingloriously, negligently, or coldly. When there is not a majesty, and purity, and life in the teacher, it is no wonder if there be no affection in the people. 2. Cor. 4, 2. 1. Thessa. 2. 2, 3, 4, 6, 8. 1. Cor. 2.4. 2. Tim. 2, 15. The second is their ill lives. What made the people in Elies' time so loath the service of God, but the wicked lives of Hophn● and Phineas. 1. Sam. 3. Ministers must teach by example as well as by doctrine, if they will not be despised. 1 Tim 4, 12. 2. The Devil, that god of this world, doth mightily labour in this point to keep men from affecting the Gospel. If he cannot hinder men from hearing, than his next work is by all possible endeavours to blind their minds, and mar their tastes, that they may not perceive nor regard the glorious things of God in Christ: 2. Cor▪ 4.4. 3. Evil company is a wonderful impediment, it causeth perpetually hardness of heart, and carelessness: it keeps the hearts of the wicked men in a continual habitual deadness, and the best men seldom light into profane company but they get some degree of dulness, and deadness of affections by it. Prov. 9.6. Psal. 119.115. 4. God himself being provoked by man's extreme wilfulness in sinning, gives them over to a spirit of slumber, and curseth their very blessings; yea, restraineth sometimes the very gifts of his servants, that so he may execute his judgements upon a rebellious people. The Lord hideth his statutes from them, and withholding his spirit, keeps back the life of the word in their hearts. Esay 6.10. Yea many times to scourge the unthankfulness, and unprofitableness, of his own people, he doth for a time hide his testimonies from them. Psal. 119.19. Thus much of the lets without us. The internal lets must be considered. First, in the wicked. Secondly, in the godly. The cause of this heartlessenesse, and want of affection in the wicked, is, Inward 〈◊〉 wicked m●n. First, their ignorance, they know not either the word, or the worth of the word, or their own need of it. Secondly, their profaneness and irreligiousness: they live without God, or without Christ in the world, they make no conscience of their ways. They forget their later end: they mind not the good of their souls, but only earthly things: they never tasted of the bountifulness of the Lord, but were altogether corrupt, and strangers from the life of God, only greedy in sinning. Thirdly, Atheism: there is in the hearts of all wicked men in some degree abominable conceits concerning God and his word▪ They either doubt, whether the Scriptures be the true word of God: or else they are strongly carried to resolve, there is no profit in the knowledge of God's ways, or in serving the Almighty. job. 21.14. Malac. 3.15. Fourthly, Cares of life: The love of the profits, or pleasures of this life, cheak the word, and the power of it, as is apparent by these places. Matth. 13. Luke 14. Psal. 119.36, 37, etc. Fiftly, In some either whoredom or wine: for these two sins together, or either of them take away men's hearts, they are void of all due consideration, and of all affection to God's word: They are senseless creatures. Hosh. 4. Thus of the chief lets of the wicked. The lets of affection in the godly are diverse. 〈◊〉 of affection in the godly. First, Sometimes it is their worldliness, their too much minding and plodding about the things of this life, or their excessive burdening of their heads about their calling; they have too much to do, or they have too much care; care I say, that is, distrustful and c●rking care. Psal. 119.36. Secondly, Sometimes it is want of comfortable fellowship in the Gospel. Affection, that is alone, is seldom constant in the same degree. There is much quickening and comfort and incitation in a constant, and tender, and profitable society with such as love the word, Psalm. 119. verse 63. Thirdly, Sometimes it is some secret sin that gets too much dominion over them. As affection may stand with mere frailties and infirmities: So, on the other sid●, if any sin once get head, and men yield to it, and agree to obey it, their affections to the word presently dye within them, Psal. 119.133. Yea, if this sin be but in the thoughts, and be yielded to and delighted in, and that constantly they seek the pleasure of contemplative wickedness, and do not resist it by praying against it, even vain thoughts may dead the affections, and poison them, Psal. 119.113. Fourthly, sometimes it is neglect of mortification: the s●ule will gather abundance of humours, as well as the body: and therefore Christians should not go too long, especially if they ●eele a kind of fullness to grow upon them, but take a purge, that is, seriously and secretly set time apart to humble themselves before God, purging out their most secretest corruptions with all hearty confession before God. Fiftly, sometimes it is want of practice or want of an orderly disposing of their ways in godliness. If they rest only in hearing, their affections cannot last long sincere: and, beside, the most Christian's burden their own hearts for very want of order, and that they go not distinctly about the works of godliness, but rake together a great heap of doctrine which they know not what to do withal. Psal. 50. ult. Sixtly, sometimes again it is occasioned by inordinate feeding: when Christians begin to affect novelties, and seek to themselves a heap of teachers, they scape not long without fullness, and the fits of loathing. 2. Tim. 4.3. Seaventhly, sometimes very idleness is the hindrance. The want of a particular calling to employ themselves in the six days, breeds a general kind of weariness and satiety; which extends the heart of it, not only to the times of private duties in the working days, but to the very Sabbath also. They cannot work at God's work with any great delight, that had no more mind to their own work. Eighthly, sometimes it is neglect of preparation and prayer, before we come to the word. Ninthly, sometimes it is a violent kind of ignorance and unbelief, when a Christian knows not this right to the word, and will not be persuaded of the fatherly love and presence of God in his ordinance. If Preachers must say, I have believed, therefore I will speak: so must Hearers say, I have believed, therefore I will hear. They should know, that they are welcome to Christ, and may eat and drink Cant. 5.1. And that their heritage lieth in the word. Psal. 119. Tenthly, sometimes it is a very disease in the body; as, melancholy, or some other: which doth so oppress the heart, that it doth not take delight in any thing. But of this more in the next Use. Lastly, any of the sins mentioned in the former verse, will hinder affection: Malice, Hypocrisy, or Envy, or any of the rest. Use 3. The third use may be for instruction, to teach us to strive for affection to the word, and to provide to order ourselves, so as we be not wanting in the direction of the Apostle: and so two sorts are to be taught, that is, such as want appetite; and such as have it, that they may keep it aright. Quest. What must such do as find either want of appetite, or decay of it? Ans. Such as would get sound affections to the word, must do six things. First, they must refrain their feet from every evil way. It is impossible to get sound affections, without sound reformation of life, Psalm. 119. Means to get true desires ●o the word Secondly, they must pray for it: they must beseech the Lord to quicken them, Psal. 119.37. and to enlarge their hearts, verse 32. especially to give them understanding, verse 34. and to open their eyes to see the wonderful things of his law. verse 18. Thirdly, they must choose an effectual Ministry to live under it, such as is executed with power and demonstration to the conscience, 2. Cor. 4.2. Fourthly, they must remember the Lords day: and that they do, when they empty their heads and hearts of all cares of life which might choke the word; diligently doing their own works on the six days, and finishing them, that they may be free for the Lords work on the Lord's day. The cares of life choke the word, Matthew 13. Fiftly, they must converse much, if it be possible, with affectionate Christians. For, as iron sharpeneth iron: so doth the exemplary affection of the tender-hearted whet on the dull spirits of others. Sixtly, they must purge often: they must be frequent in the duties of humiliation, by solemn fasting, and prayer, and sound confession; striving, when they feel fullness to grow upon them, to disturden their hearts, and to quicken their spirits more forcibly to the love of God's name and word. Quest. But what must such do as have gotten some affections to the word, that they neither lose them, not be unprofitable in them? Ans. They must look to divers things. Rules for the preserving of good desires. First, they must hate vain thoughts, take heed of those secret vanities of imagination, and that delightful contemplation of evil in the mind, Psalm. 119. 113. Secondly, they must try all things, and keep that which is good; they must hear with judgement, and make special account of such parcels of doctrine as do most fit their particular needs; labouring by all means, that such truths run not out, 1. Thess. 5.21. Thirdly, they must take heed of itching ears. For, where men's desires are still carried after new men, they are in great danger of fullness, or of declining; and, which is worse, of being carried about with divers doctrines, and at length to be a prey to deceitful mockers. Fourthly, they must preserve by all means the fear and trembling at God's presence, and humiliation of mind. For, so long as we can dread the presence of God in his ordinances, we are in no danger of losing our love to the word, Psalm. 119.120. Lastly, in Esay 55.1, 2, 3. we may note divers things that God requires in such as have the same thirst. 1. They must come to means. 2. They must buy and bargain with God by prayer and vows. 3. They must eat, that is, they must apply it to themselves. 4. They must be instructed against merit in themselves, and bring faith to believe success, though they deserve it not▪ they must buy without money. 5. They must hearken diligently. 6. They must eat that which is good: that is, they must apply effectually that doctrine they feel to have life in it. 7. Their souls must delight in fatness: that is, they must be specially thankful and cheerful, when God doth enlive his promises, and sweeten his words to their tastes. 8. They must, after all this, incline their ear, and come to God: they must make conscience to strive against dulness and distractions, and seek God in his word still, or else their affections may decay: and then if they do this, they shall live and enjoy the sure mercie● of David by a perpetual covenant. Rules for such as be afflicted with melancholy. Quest. But what shall such godly persons as are afflicted with melancholy do in this case of affections? Ans. They must attend these things. First, they must be persuaded to see the disease in the body which extends the oppression of it to the very affections. Secondly, they must remember times that are past, and judge of their estate by what it was before. Thirdly, they may be infallibly assured, that they are in a right way, because they desire to live uprightly, and to forsake the corruptions that are in the world. Fourthly, they must know, that it is a greater glory in faith to believe now, when they feel not, then to believe when the heart abounded with joy. Fiftly, they may judge of their affection to the word by their preparation before they come, and by their only liking of such as love the word, and by their constant frequenting of it, and by their sorrow for their dulness, and unprofitableness. Hitherto of the duty, to which he exhorteth: the motives follow, The Motives. and they are some: First, ye are new borne babes: Secondly, the word is sincere milk: Thirdly, ye may thereby grow: Fourthly, ye have tasted the sweetness of the bounty of God in his word already. The first reason tells what they are: the second, what the word is: the third, what they shall be: the fourth, what the word hath been. As new borne babes.] These words are taken in divers senses. For properly they signify infants, while they are tender and unweaned from the breast: Sometimes they signify unable men, and such as have no fitness for their callings: so Isay. 3.4. Sometimes they signify such as be weak in saith and in the gifts of the spirit, whether they be newly regenerated or lying in sin. 1. Cor. 3.1. Heb. 5.13. and so it is taken here. And so the words are a reason to induce them to an affectionate desire after the word, in as much as they are so weak, they can no better live without the word, than the child in nature can live without milk. Divers things may be from hence noted. First, that grace is wrought in Christians by degrees, Christ is revealed in us by four degrees. First, as a child or little babe new form and borne: Secondly, as a young man in more strength, and vigour, and comeliness, and activeness: Thirdly, as a father, or old man settled with long experience: these three are in this life, and mentioned 1. job. 2.14. Now the fourth is, when Christ shall appear in us as the Ancient of days, like God himself in a marvellous glorious resemblance of the holiness, and properties of God: And this shall be in another world. The use should be both for thankfulness, if Christ be form in us to any degree, and to in●i●e our industry in all the means appointed of God, seeing we receive gifts by degrees, and not all at once. Secondly, that true grace may stand with many weaknesses. A child doth truly live, and yet it is very ignorant, and infirm, and wayward, and fit for little or no employment: such may Christians be for a time, such were the very disciples of Christ for a time: such were the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 3.1. and the Hebrews, Heb. 5●. 3. The use should be to restrain censuring of others, because of their infirmities, to have no grace at all: Whereas we should rather bear with them, and believe all things, Rom. 15.2. 1. Cor. 13.5. And beside, those that are distressed in mind should comfort them-selves with this, they may be full of weaknesses, and very unprofitable, and yet have the true life of Christ in them. Thirdly, that the most Christians are but new borne babes, infants in grace, not only such as are newly converted, but such as have spent a longer time in the profession of godliness: the Apostle here takes it for granted, that all they to whom he writes were little better, or stronger: and so it is usual in all times and places. Question. How comes it to pass, that the most Christians live still but as weak ones and babes in Christ; especially why thrive they not according to the time of their age in Christ. Answer. In nature a child gets out of his childhood, as his years grow upon him, but in religion and grace it is not so: It is not time brings any of necessity out of the cradle of Religion. The causes why the most are but babes in religion. Now the cause why the most are but babes, and that after a long time, may be such or some of these. First, some as soon as they are borne, are destitute of the breast, have no nurse, are taken away from their means, and deprived of the powerful preaching of the word, which did beget them unto God: this comes to pass sometimes by the violence of others, or by the afflicting hand of God upon their bodies, or sometime by their own carelessness, that for worldly respects remove to places where they have not the means to build them up. Secondly some are infected with some bitter root of passion, or envy, or malice, which was left behind in their repentance, not fully subdued, and this holds them so down, that they cannot thrive, but are stocked in godliness; that after many years, they show little bigger or better, than they were in knowledge or grace: 1. Cor. 3. 1.2.3. 1. Pet. 2.1.2 Eph. 4.15.16. ●. Pet. 3. 7. Thirdly, others at their first setting out are entangled with doubtful disputations, and carried about with odd opinions, or strange doctrines, and so ensnared with controversies about words, or things of less value; that misplacing their zeal, and misled in their knowledge, they thrive little or nothing in the main substance of godliness, but need be taught the very principles, Rom. 14.1. Heb. 13.7. 2. Pet. 3.17. Especially when they be apt to receive Scandal, and admit offence: such were the believing jews the most of them. Fourthly, some are merely held back by their worldliness, they relapse to such excessive cares of life, and so devour up their time about earthly things, that they cannot profit not prosper in better things. Fiftly, many thrive not, or not sensibly, being hindered by the ill company, which either voluntarily or necessarily they are plunged into, and chiefly for want of fellowship in the Gospel with such as might be patterns to them in knowledge, and the practice of faith, and piety. Sixtly, spiritual laziness and idleness is the cause why many grow not. They will take no pains: but after they have repent, and believed in some measure, Heb. 5.13. and be gotten a little whole of the wounds they were diseased withal in their conversion, they fall into a kind of security, and rest in the outward and formal use of the means, and neglect many precious things, which from day to day they are moved and counselled to by the word, and spirit of God: and this disease is the worse, when it is joined with spiritual pride, and that vile conceitedness, which is seen to come daily in many. Seventhly, some Christians after calling are ensnared, and deceived by the methods of Satan, and so live in some secret sin against their own knowledge In favour of which they forbear the hearty regard, and use of God's ordinances, and so dangerously expose themselves to the reign of hypocrisy. These are wonderfully stocked, and grow worse and not better. These are the reasons why Christians thrive not: and who also is it whose case some one of these seven is not? Let us every one examine ourselves: for a thousand to one we are kept back by some one of these. Note. It were singular wisdom to note which it is, and to strive to amend that we may not be such starvelings in godliness still. The point than is clear, that most Christians are but as new borne babes. Now what use should we make of it. First, It may serve to humble many of us, that have had time enough, and abundance of meane● and helps to have been like teachers, and yet have even now need to be taught the principles again. To us belongs justly that reproof in the fifth to the Hebrews. 13. Secondly, many duties must be urged upon us, if we grant ourselves to be but as new borne babes. For, 1. We must therefore be teachable and tractable, obeying them that have the oversight of us, bearing their words of admonition, and loving them with a singular love. Special duties of such as be but new borne babes. 2. We must therefore be the more willing to bear the chastizements of God, that father of our spirits. For if we have had the fathers of our flesh, which in our young years have corrected and that often for our profit, to subdue the faults in us, which that age did breed, and sometimes, when they corrected for their own pleasures, more than for our profit: How much more should we subject ourselves to the corrections of God, that find in us, being but babes, so much perverseness, so much negligence, such head strong passions, such frequent disohebience: and the rather, because he never corrects us for his pleasure only, but for our profit, that he might make us more holy and more fruitful, and more meek, as the Apostle shows, Hebrews 12. 3. We must therefore stick more affectionately, and constantly to the word, and suffer our souls to be daily fed with this sincere milk of the word; without which it is no more possible for us to grow in grace then a weak child can do in nature without milk and food. 4. Yea the consideration of our estate, that we are but children, should beget in us a desire to express those praises spiritually, which that infant estate in nature doth resemble. For, 1. Children in nature are without malice, Special praises in children by nature to be expressed by us. they may fall out one with another, but they carry no malice, they are quickly friends again: so should we much more. 1. Cor. 14.20. 2. Children live without care, they are never troubled for what they shall eat, or what they shall put on for the time to come: so should we do, as our Saviour Christ shows. Matth. 6. 3. Children are not lifted up with pride for the great things they are borne unto; nor doth the child of a Prince scorn the fellowship of the child of a beggar, but can play with him, and make himself equal to him: so should it be with us, we should be void of great thoughts of heart, and not be lifted up in ourselves, or despise others; but make ourselves equal to them of the lower sort, especially seeing there is no difference in our birth. They are borne again by the same immortal seed that we are, which our Saviour Christ is peremptory in. Matth. 18.3. Thus much of the third point. 4. A fourth thing may be here noted, and that concerns the privilege of weak Christians, viz. that they are esteemed of God, and not deprived of his favour and care for them because they are weak. 1. Parents love their little children, as well as their elder children: Privileges of weak Christians. so doth God. 2. Parents provide means to bring up their little children, so doth God: they shall have sincere milk to make them grow. 3. Parents provide such as shall tend their children, and little ones: so doth God, he hath committed them to the charge of Christ, so as the least grace in them shall be preserved, though it were but like a bruised reed, or the smoking week of a candle. Matth. 11. 4. Parents bear with the natural weakness of their children, without lessening their fondness to them: so doth God with infinite indulgence. Psalm 103. 5. Parents will not endure it to let them be wronged, or hurt, and much more woe shall be unto them, that offend one of God's little ones, Mat. 18. 6. Parents provide portions and inheritances for their little children: so doth God acknowledge them for his heirs, yea heirs with Christ his eldest son. Rom. 8. 17. A fifth point that may be noted from hence, is, that only converted christians can desire the sincere milk of the word with true affection: wicked men can no more affectionately desire the word, than a dead child or no child can do the breast. Quest. But, have wicked men no desire after the word? How far wicked men may desire after the word. Answ. They may have: but only it is for the most part in two cases. First, when they desire to hear the word only for men's wits or eloquence, or the like carnal ends: and so they desire not the sincere milk of the word. Secondly, in the case of a temporary faith; where the delight and desire after the word is not constant, like the appetite of a child to the breast: for, they will fall away in the time of temptation; and all their desires prove but as the morning dew. Desire the sincere milk of the word.] Hitherto of the first reason taken from the consideration of their present estate, and need of the word. The second reason is taken from the consideration of the nature of the word which they should desire. It is sincere, pure: there is no deceit, no mixture in it. And it is milk: it is wonderful apt for nourishment. There are two things then here said of the word in praise of it: First, that it is milk; secondly, that it is sincere. Milk.] This is a metaphor. Sometimes by milk is meant a man that is godly cast into affliction; by which, God strains all the moats of corruption from him, while his heart is poured out like milk with grief and fear. Thus job saith of himself, God had strained him out like milk, job 10. ve●. 10. Sometimes by milk is meant the rudiments of religion, the principles, and grounds of Catechism: and so it differeth from strong meat: so it is taken, Heb. 5.12. 1. Cor. 3.2. Sometimes it signifieth the word of God in general, which is given to the Church for nourishment of their souls to eternal life: and so it is taken here; as, in Esay 55.1. the word is called both milk, and wine, and water; and, in other places, honey. It is honey, for the sweetness of it. It is wine, for the power it hath, to revive and refresh the spirit of man, and make his heart glad. It is water, for cooling and quenching of his spiritual thirst: and it is milk for nourishment. It doth more for nursing up man's soul, than the milk of the breast can for the bodies of infants. The consideration whereof should work in us the desire to which the Apostle here exhorteth: and withal we should bring with us faith to believe, that God● word shall turn to our nourishment. Shall we trust nature for the goodness of milk? and shall we not trust God for the efficacy of his word, when he tells us it will nourish like milk? And the rather should we make our recourse with gladness to the word, because it is so cheap a food: we may buy this milk without money: that is, without merits: only, if we will hear▪ our souls shall live. Esay 55.2.4; yea, let us for ever be thankful to God for his word, in this respect. Was it so great a blessing, that God brought the Israelites to a land that flowed with milk and honey, for their bodies? for the greatness of which blessing, God doth so often put them in mind of it: Note. How great then is the marvellous goodness of God, that hath made us to live in these times of the Gospel, when the Land flows with this spiritual milk and honey! Let us labour to be thankful, and bring forth fruits worthy the bounty of God; left the Lord send the men of the East to dwell in these palaces, and to eat our milk, and we be cast out, as it was said in the Letter, Ezech. 25.4. Oh that we could see our happiness in these days of salvation! this is that milk of the Gentiles prophesied of, which we enjoy, and suck now from the breasts of Kings, living under Christian Magistrates that command the preaching of this sincere word of God, Esay 60.16. Sincere.] The word may besaid to be sincere in two respects. First, in itself: secondly, in effect: in itself it is sincere, because it is without error, without sin, and there is no deceit in it at all. Prov. 8.7.8. Psalm 19.8.9. And because it hath no composition in it, but is the very pure word of God, as it came from God himself at first: there is not a word in it, but it was written by men inspired immediately by the holy Ghost, 2. Pet. 1. ult. And as it is in itself, so it is by effect. It makes men sincere, It makes crooked things strait. It purgeth out hypocrisy and all leaven out of the minds and hearts of men; it both teacheth and worketh in the godly a spirit without guile, Psalm 19.8.9. The Use may be both for instruction and reproof. For instruction both to the people and to Ministers. To the people: and so men should here learn, First, to love the word, and long after it for this very reason, because it is so pure and sincere, so void of harm or danger: so did David, Psalm 119.146. Secondly, when we find our nature's crooked and corrupt, and deceitful, and tending to hypocrisy, we should bring our hearts to the word to be mended. For, this you see is a property of the word, it will make men sincere, Psal. 19 8 9 and 119. john 17. 20. and as any men have more betaken themselves to the word, the more sincere, they have always grown. Thirdly, to receive the word with full assurance: we may trust upon it: it cannot deceive us: what we find for comfort or directions in Scripture, we may build upon it. Never man was disappointed of his expectation, that trusted upon the word of God: but in God they have ever praised his word, 2. Pet. 1.20. Psal. 56.10. and 10.1. Fourthly, as the Ministry of God's servants doth more declare the sincerity of the word, so we should be more in love with it: we should like prayer, preaching; I mean, not witless and unlearned preaching, but such preaching as maketh demonstration to the conscience, out of the pure word of God, in things that concern the good of the souls of men, and the glory of God: the word doth ever profit men most, when it is most sincere, that men only speak the words of God. Fiftly, to stick to the word of God, without going to the right hand or the left: there can be no sin but what is condemned in the word: nor can there be duty not commanded therein: nor can there be matter of faith not propounded therein. Oh how happy were we if we could stick to the old foundation, even the sincere word of God, and not add nor diminish▪ the hatefulness of departing from the word on the left hand, is in most places discovered. But Oh the deceitfulness of men's hearts; and the wretched proneness of men to sin, by finding out many inventions! Men run out, and that very fast on the right hand: we have new opinions and strange fancies coined every day. Little do the better sort of people (many of them) think of traditions on the right hand: their faith is led into bondage, when they can yield no better reason, than it is such a man's judgement, or else he thinketh so himself: or the reasons brought are urged without any demonstration from the word of God, and Scripture. Happy, Note. above the most Churches under heaven, were this nation, if this point were understood and carefully observed, if we could stick to our first grounds in parting from the Church of Rome; viz. to admit no opinions, nor charge our conscience with more obligations, but out of the word of God. Ministers also may learn from hence, what and how to preach: that is the best preaching which is eminent for two things: First, that tends to beget sincerity, clearness of judgement, distinct evidence of assurance, and strict holiness of life in the hearers; Secondly, that shines in the native lustre of the word, in itself without mixture, when men know no matter, no style, no wisdom comparable to that which may be had in the word. This also may serve for reproof. First, of such Ministers as preach not sincerely: and such are they that preach for corrupt ends, though they preach true doctrine, Phil. 1. 17. and they that preach obscurely and carelessly, and strive not to set out the glory of the truths they propound; and they that are like lewd Vintners, which mix the word with the error of their own brains, or with the traditions of men, or with a manifest strife to bring in man's wisdom to God's word; more desiring to show their own wits and learning, than the glory of the scriptures. 2. Cor. 4. 2. and 1. Cor. 1. 17. and 2.4.5.13. 2. Of the people, for that great wan● of appetite to God's pure word, and the plain preaching of it. Thus of the second reason: the third is taken from the effect, and the profit, which will follow: viz. they shall grow thereby. That ye may grow thereby.] This point of the growth of a Christian is of singular use, and meet to be fully and particularly opened: and therefore I will observe five things concerning it more especially. First, that we ought to grow in grace. Secondly, in what things we should labour to grow and abound. Thirdly, what are the rules to be observed, that we might grow. Fourthly, the signs of growth. Fiftly, the uses of the whole. First, for the first: Christians are bound not only to get grace, but they must labour to increase in the gifts they have received: it is not enough to begin the work of God, but we must labour to abound in it, and increase in well doing, we must go on, and finish the measure of the work required of us: these places evidently prove, that God looks for growth at our hands. 2. Pet. 3.18.1 Cor. 15.58.1. Thessa. 4.1 Prov. 4.18.1 Cor. 14.12. Secondly, for the second: before I number particulars, I might tell you of diverse kinds of growth, Divers kinds of growth. or increase in the kingdom of Christ. Christ himself is said to increase, joh. 3.10. The word is said to grow, Act. 6. and in other places: and Christians are said to grow: and so either first jointly in the mystical body, Ephes. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19 or secondly, severally every one by himself. Christ was said to increase not only in stature and the declaration of his gifts, Luke 2. 40: but also in the glory of his kingdom, and the advancing of his dominion amongst men. The word grew, when the number▪ of faithful labourers was increased, and when the light of the truth was more glorified, & received by the people. Christians are said to grow chiefly in two respects. First, in the number of believers, when there are daily added to the church: Secondly, in the power and practice of their gifts, and this last is here intended: the word rendered Thereby, might be read either in him: or in it, or, as it is, thereby. In him, that is in Christ: In it, that is in the word: or thereby, that is by the word. this last is intended here in all probability: Now then to the point; there are certain things wherein a Christian should strive to grow: it is true we should grow in every good gift and work, but if we mark the Scriptures, these things in particular are especially to be laboured after as being things that do wonderfully honour God, and credit the Gospel, and bring a singular increase of happiness to a Christian man's life, and it is wonderful profitable to keep a Catalogue of these particulars still before us, that we may every day be put in mind of what we should especially labour after. These are the things than we should distinctly labour to grow in. First, we should labour to grow in wisdom: In what graces christians aught especially to grow. God's people should appear to be a wise people above all the people of the earth. Christ grew in wisdom: Luke 2.40. Now wisdom hath two things in it. First, knowledge: and secondly, discretion. In both these we should grow: For knowledge, the word of God should dwell plenteously in us. Col. 3. 16. and we should increase in the knowledge of God, Col. 1.10. and for discretion, we should abound in knowledge; yea and saith the Apostle in all judgement too. Phili. 1.10. Secondly, we should grow in faith: that, which is lacking to our faith, must be made up: 1. Thess. 3.10. and we should still be praying with the Apostles, Lord increase our faith, Luke 17.5. 2. Thess. 1.11. Now there be two things distinctly, which we should grow in about faith: viz First, assurance; and secondly, the exercise of it. For assurance, we should hereunto give all diligence, that we might get the full assurance of faith and hope to the end: we should never be quiet till it be established, and rooted, and sound grounded in our particular assurance of God's favour in Jesus Christ, and our own eternal salvation: Heb. 6.11. Col. 2.6, 7. And for the exercise of faith: we should strive to learn every day to live by faith: in all the occasions of our life; spending the remainder of our lives in the faith of the Son of God, holding fast our confidence, and not withdrawing ourselves. Heb. 10. Gal. 2.20. yea we should strive to be examples one to another in our faith in God. 1. Tim. 4.12. Thirdly, we should abound in love one to another, and towards all men: this the Apostle prays earnestly for, Philip. 1.10. 1. Thes. 3.12. Philip. 2.13. and this we should show by all diligence, in preserving peace and unity amongst ourselves: so as there should be but one heart and mind amongst us; to this end bearing, and forbearing, Ephes' 4 3.4. and supporting one another, we should grow also in the tenderness and heartiness of our affections one after another, longing one for another, and delighting one in another, yea our love should grow even in seeking to enlarge our acquaintance with such as fear God, but especially in the labour of our love to do good to such as fear God should we grow, etc. Fourthly, we should grow in mercy, and that both in the bowels of pity, and in the abundance of the fruits of mercy, Col. 3.12.2 Cor. 8.2. 7. and 9.11. james 3.18. Fiftly, we should grow in patience, and meekness, and lowliness of mind. Patience should have his perfect work and it wonderfully would become us, if we could increase in the image of Jesus Christ for meekness and lowliness: to be free from passions and pride, oh, how it would adorn us! It is that one grace Christ so much urgeth upon us, and was most eminent in himself, Matth. 11.29. james 1.4. Sixtly, We should grow in prayer, and the gifts that concern our communion with God, we should labour to be mighty and powerful in prayer, able to wrestle with God himself, and overcome him, as jacob did: and to this end we should pray always, and learn to pray all manner of prayers in all things, making our requests known to God with supplication, especially we should strive to abound in thanksgiving to God, in all things giving thanks: this is the greatest honour we can do to God. 1. Thessa. 5.18.19. Philip. 4.7. Psal. 50.23. Col. 1.11. Ephes. 6.18.2 Cor. 4.15. Seventhly, we should grow in the contempt of the world, and the lesser estimation of the things of this life, we should strive more and more to express a mortified conversation, using the world, as if we used it not, setting out affections on the things that are above, and having our conversation in heaven, confessing ourselves to be strangers and pilgrims, and with all eagerness embracing the praises of a better life, Hebrews 11.13. Philip. 3.20. in nothing being careful. Philip. 4.6. hastening to the coming of Jesus Christ. 2. Pet. 3.11. Eighthly, We should exceedingly strive to grow in the holy, and reverend use of God's ordinances, striving to come with more fear, and sense of the glorious presence of God. This is a wonderful hard lesson, and little heeded of the most. Oh that we could get it, to serve the Lord with fear, and to rejoice, but yet with trembling! Oh blessed is the man, that can fear always, and work out his salvation with fear and trembling. Ninthly, there is another gift we should grow in, and it is marvellously necessary, and comely, and yet extremely neglected, and that is utterance, of which the Apostle makes mention in his short Catalogue. 2. Cor. 8.7. Utterance (I say) to be able to speak one to another with profit and power in ●he things of the kingdom of God. This is an admirable grace: and such as attain it and grow in it, how precious are they amongst the Saints! Tenthly, in that, 2. Cor. 8.7. You may see two other things we should increase in. The one is, in all diligence: we should more and more every day cast about, how we might take more pains to do good, and be more profitable to others: and for our own souls, we should increase our pains. Eleventhly, the other grace we should grow in, there mentioned, is the love to our teachers: as God abounds towards us in the profit of their pain●, so we should grow in affection to them, till we get that singular love of them, which the Apostle speaketh of. 1. Thes. 5. Twelfthly now there is one thing more, which being added, would make us wonderful complete Christians, glorious shining lights in the world, that hold forth the life and power of the word, in the midst of crooked and perverse multitudes of men; and that is contentation: Oh the gain of godliness if we were settled and contented with that we have, and could learn of the Apostle in all estates to be content! To have the skill to want, and to abound, and yet by Christ to do all things: this would finish the glory of the whole frame of godliness, and be like a crown to all other gifts and graces. 1. Tim. 6.6.7. Philip. 4.11.12.18. Rules to help our growth. Now for the third point, namely, the rules to be observed, that we may grow. They may be referred to these heads: First, we must be diligent and conversant in searching the writings of the Prophets and Apostles, in the ●ame of Jesus Christ, as the chief cornerstone, and then the promise is, that our hearts shall be so sweetened, and seasoned with these divine knowledges, that God himself shall be with us, and dwell in our hearts as a holy temple, and we grow more and more in acquaintance with God, Eph. 2.20.21. Secondly, we must bring so much sincerity to the grace of Christ, and the use of the means, as to resolve to seek growth in all things, as well as one, setting our hearts wholly upon the kingdom of God; we must not go about godliness with a divided heart, we must grow up in all things, or else in none: we shall not prosper, if we be false-hearted in any part of God's service, Eph. 2.15. Thirdly, we must in all things depend upon God, and seek to him by daily prayers for a blessing upon our desires, and the means, and our endeavours. For else Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, but it is God that must give the increase, 1. Cor. 3.6. Fourthly, we must be careful to employ the gifts we have, and to practice, as fast as we hear. For to him, that hath for use, shall be given: but from him, that hath gifts, and will not use them, shall be taken away that which he hath, Matth. 13.11. Fiftly, we must get an humble heart, and preserve in us the sense of our own vileness, and a lowly mind, and conceit of ourselves, accusing our every-days evil ways before the Lord. For God's promise is to give more grace to the humble. james 4.7. Sixtly, it is a great occasion of increase, when a man doth God's work, with as much cheerfulness as he can. God loveth a cheerful giver, and will make all grace abound to them, that strive to live to be his servants. 2. Cor. 9.7.8. Seaventhly, You must pray, that your masters, or if you will, Ministers may have their hearts enlarged, and made fat, and that they may come unto you and convert you with abundance of the blessings of the Gospel. For if there be famine, or scarcity, and barrenness in God's House, you will not thrive well at home, Rom. 15. 29. Eighthly, we must take heed of all such things as hinder our growth, as namely: 1. Hypocrisy, Impediments of growth. when men advance a profession of Religion only for carnal ends, and seek more the praise of men then of God. These men's hearts will be fearfully blasted, 2. Errors in opinion of strange doctrines. 2. Pet. 3.17.18. Hebrews 13. etc. 3. Spiritual pride. 2. Cor. 12.6.7. For God gives grace to the humble. james 4.7. 4. Headstrong affections, as the passions of anger, or the like: these pull men back, and hinder the growth marvellously. 1. Cor. 3.2.3. Eph. 4.30.31. 5. Living in places, where we have not powerful means for our souls, Eph. 4.13. For where vision fails, they perish, must needs saint, and be starved in the famine of the word. 6. Discord with such as fear God. For if we grow, we must grow up in love, holding communion with the body of Christ, Eph. 4.15.16. 7. Domestical unquietness, and disorder: for that will hinder not only prayer, 1. Pet. 3.7. but all other parts of piety. 8 Worldliness. This was the sin did undo Demas. 9 Sinister judgement of our own practices in godliness when we are either just overmuch, that is, think too highly of what we do; or wicked overmuch, that is, think too vilely of the grace of God in us, or the good we do: both these hinder Christians extremely. 10. The love of any particular sin. For if once we dally with any corruption, grace is dulled, and the spirit of grace grieved and vexed in us. Now for the fourth point: we may know whether we grow or no, by divers signs. First, i● we be planted near the rivers of water, Signs of growth. if the Lord make us happy in living in such places where the means of grace abound, and the ordinances of God flourish in their life and power, Psal. 1.3. Eph. 4.13. Else if a good tree be planted in a dry heath far from water or rain, no marvel if it grow not. And when the Lord doth make the means plentiful, he doth usually make his grace plentiful in so many as are ordained to life. Secondly, and especially if we be conscionable in the use of the means: if we measure to God in sincerity, in hearing, praying, reading, and receiving the Sacraments, etc. there may be no doubt, but God will measure to us in the plenty of his blessings: if we suck the milk of the word with desire, we shall grow. We need no more doubt whether our souls grow in grace if we can bring constant affections to the means, than we would whether the bodies of our children would grow, if they have good nurses, and do suck the breasts well. Thirdly, grace grows in us, as humility doth grow: God will give more grace to the humble, jam. 4.8. And look how we thrive and continue in true humility, so we thrive in grace: and chose, as pride and conceitedness grows in us, so doth true grace wither. And the like may be said of meekness, which is a grace that order the affections, as humility doth the mind. Fourthly, we may try our growth by our love to the godly, the members of the mystical body: for the body of Christ increaseth in the edification of itself through love. As the love of God's children grows or decays in us: so doth grace grow or decay, Eph. 4.15, 16. This love is the bond of perfectness. Col. 3.13. Fiftly, we must try our confidence in God, and the assurance of our faith. For, as grace grows, so do we grow more established and settled in God, and the hope of his kingdom. This is to abide in Christ: and thus to trust in the Lord, hath a promise of such a blessing, as that man shall not wither, jer. 17.7, 8. Sixtly, we may discern our growth by the decay of taste in sin and the world. As the violence of temptation, and the admiration of the pleasures and profits of this life go out of us, by the same degrees doth the holy Ghost get the victory, and the Spirit settles the possession of grace in us, etc. Seventhly, we may discern it by our teachableness, and honouring of prophesying, when our Teachers according to their lines may be enlarged, and live without suspicion or censure: when we can believe them and rest in their testimony above the whole world, 2, Cor. 10.15. 2, Thes. 1.10. Eighthly, we may easily discern it by our constancy and frequency in good works, either of piety, or mercy, or righteousness, either at home, or abroad. For▪ to such as have for use, it is certain more is given, Mat. 13.11. Ninthly, we may know it by the frequency of our communion with God. If the Lord daily dwell in us, or with us, and reveal himself to us by the signs of his presence, there is no doubt to be made of our growing. The heart of a christian is God's Temple: and you may be sure, all prospers well in the Temple, when the cloud sits there, or often appears there. Eph. 2.20, 21. Use. The use of this whole doctrine concerning growth, may serve, first, for humiliation: and so in many things. First, our hearts should smite us for our ignorance. There are many things of excellent fruit and praise, which we have not at all laboured in; diverse of the twelve things before. Secondly, for our deadness of heart, and unprofitableness of life, which is aggravated against us. unprofitableness of life aggravated in many respects. 1. When God give us much means. 2. When we are insensible, or at least incorrigible; know all is not well, and feel ourselves to be lashed, and yet mend not. 3. When we are slothful and weary, will not stir up ourselves, nor receive direction for the making up of what is lacking to our faith, or to any other gifts; especially when we are weyward, and will go about, rather than be at the trial of direction or ask the way, jer. 31.21. 3. Much more to such as are so far from growing, that they fall away, and decline; lose their first love, and what they have wrought, begin in the Spirit, and end in the flesh. This much vexeth God, and is extremely dangerous to the parties. Esay 1.4. jer. 7.24 and 15.6. 2 Pet. 2.20. But, that this may not either pierce too far, or fall too deadly or flat upon any that are guilty, we must know, there is a double declining or apostasy: the one, Apostasy is twofold. inward; the other, outward. First, the inward is, when a man's heart is fall'n off from the care of godliness, and the means of it, and regards iniquity constantly, being possessed of the reign of habitual hypocrisy: and this may be in men that outwardly frequent the means, and make a show of godliness. Secondly, the outward declining or Apostasy is, when men outwardly live in gross sins, or follow scandalous courses, and are at last relapsed to the violent courses of the world, so as the means of godliness is neglected. Again, declining is, first, either total: secondly, or in part. First, total, when we fall off from all godliness, and all the means of it: and so only they fall, that sin against the holy Ghost. Secondly, in part, is, when men fall into some sin or error, and not lose all conscience of well-doing, and such is their Apostasy also, that fall off from the care of some of the ordinances of God, as, when men use the private, and neglect the public: or use the public, and neglect the private, etc. Question. But what shall a man do to help himself, that finds he hath declined, etc. Answer. He must take unto himself words, and confess his sin to God, and return to the Lord heartily, he will heal even his backsliding Hose. 14.3, 4, 5. Use 2. Secondly, for instruction, and so it should persuade with us mightily to hold on, and never faint in the way, but strive to the perfection of every good gift of God, not being weary of well-doing, knowing, that it is a shame still to be children, and that God doth require a righteousness of us, that should exceed the righteousness of all the Papists, and Pharisees, in the world, and to this end, we should preserve in us this desire after the sincere milk of the word, and watch against security and slothfulness, the dangerous moths of godliness. Use 3. Thirdly, such may be much encouraged, who have their hearts set upon growth, and do prosper in God's work, though otherways they have many afflictions, or infirmities: yea such as with true hearts do mourn for their not growing, as they think, may consider of many comforts to uphold themselves by: as, 1. Our Saviour Christ had not all degrees of grace at once, Encouragement for weak Christians. but grew in grace by degrees. 2. Though thy gifts be small, and grow in thee like a grain of mustardseed: yet it may grow to a marvellous increase, Matth. 13. 3. Though thou have many infirmities, yet thou mayst bear abundance of fruit: as the vine, which is the weakest plant, yet is not therefore barren, Isaiah. 27.2. 4. Though thou have little means to help thyself by, yet thou mayest by the blessing of God grow: the lilies spin not, and yet are gorgeously clothed, Matth. 6.28. 5. If we sow good seed, it is certain the Lord will give increase, 1 Cor. 9.10, 11. 6. Though we sow in tears, we shall reap in joy, Psal. 126.5, 6. yea though we be extremely oppressed and reproached: as the Israelites grew even the more they were hated and oppressed in Egypt, Mark 4.8. 7. We have great helps: the word is more effectual to the soul, than milk to the body; and we receive influence from Christ our head, Coloss. ●. 19. and every member of the mystical body makes some supply to further the growth of the whole body: Eph. 6.16. Verse 3. Because ye have tasted, that the Lord is gracious, or bountiful. THese words contain the fourth reason to persuade to the desire after the word, and it is taken from the experience they have had of the goodness of God, comforting them in the word: If ever they tasted the sweetness of the word, they must needs have an appetite to it. In these few words there are diverse points of Doctrine to be observed and explained: as namely. First, that God is gracious. Secondly, that God doth graciously sweeten the word to his people: as God doth show his graciousness in the word. Thirdly, that, where there is a true taste of the sweetness of the word, there the soul grows in grace. Fourthly, it is but a taste of the sweetness of God which can be bad in this life. Fiftly, many live in the church, and yet never taste of the sweetness of God and his word. Sixtly, it is a singular shame for such as have felt the sweetness of the word, to fail in their desire after it. For the first. Where the Lord is praised for graciousness, by the word used in the original here, it is to occasion in us the admiration of the goodness of God's nature. For in this one word are many distinct praises imported: As Wherein God's graciousness is scene. First, that he is free, and doth what he doth, freely, without respect of merit, or desert in men: and this is one thing, which if we find, should much incite us to regard what he saith, or requireth of us. By this Argument are men called upon, Isaiah 55.1.2, 3. Secondly, that he is kind to his very enemies. For so the word is applied: Luke 6.35. and questionless it should be a great thing to persuade with a man, when he comes to the word, to regard it with much affection, if he know, that God thereby will do good to his very enemies: and that in that ordinance, God is wont to show the mirror of his mercy, in revealing his love, and communicating the blessings of his Gospel to such, as come into his presence with hatred of their own ways. Thirdly, that he is courteous, and in a special manner kind to, and fond over his own people with incomprehensible indulgence: the word is rendered Courteous, Eph. 4.32. And all ages must wonder at this kindness of God in Jesus Christ, Eph. 2.7. And thus he delivereth his servants from their fears, Psal. 34.3, or 4. Fourthly, that he is bountifully and liberal, and giveth plentifully: so the word is used and given to God, Rom. 1.5. Fiftly, th●● he is gentle and easy to be entreated, or prevailed withal. Hence, that his yoke is said to be easy: Matth. 11.30. where this word is transtated 〈◊〉: 〈◊〉 hereof 〈◊〉 the word, rendered gentleness: Gal. 5. ●2. and thus he is said to be marvellous kind in hearing prayer: Psal. 31.21, 22. and 34.4. 6, ●5. Sixtly, that he 〈◊〉 not upon respect of persons, and thus he regards the poor: Psal. 68.10. and will not disdain to teach sinners his way: Psal. 25.8. Seventhly, that he is sweet: that is, wonderful comfortable, pleasing, and filling with delight. Eighthly, there is one specialty of God's goodness, to which this word is applied, and that is, the accepting of the Gentiles to favour, when the Jews were cut off. Rom. 11. Use. The use of this point is various: For, First, It should kindle in us admiration: All ages should gaze and wonder at such matchless good nature, and kindness in God: Ephes. 2.7. Secondly, it should break our hearts with sorrow and repentance for our sins, to think of it, that we offend a God so kind, so good, so bountiful: Rom. 2.4. Hose. 3.5. Thirdly, it should persuade with men, that never felt this, to taste and see how good God is, Psalm 34. Question. What must we do, if we could, or might taste of this sweetness of God's nature? Answer. The Prophet David tells us of two things: Psalm 34. First, What we must do to taste the goodness of God. thou must pray unto him, and make him thy refuge in all distress: Secondly, and thou must put thy trust in him, and then certainly thy face shall be lightened, and thou shalt not be ashamed: and I may add two things more. First, Thou must love his Word, waiting upon him in his Sanctuary. Secondly, and yield thyself over to be his servant, and thou canst not fail to find this goodness of the Lord. Fourthly, it should inflame affection in the godly: they should fall in love with God. Oh love the Lord, all ye his Saints, Psal. 31.19, 21, 33. What can more draw affection, than sweetness of nature? Fiftly, it should persuade all God's servants to live by faith, and not through unbelief in the time of affliction, or temptation to dishonour God. Why sayest thou, thy way is passed over of God? Or why sayest thou, the Lord hath forgotten, or will not forgive? Esay, 40.27. &. 49.15, 16. Exod. 34.6, 7. Sixtly, it should kindle in us a vehement desire to imitate so sacred a nature, and continually to strive to be like the pattern in God for courtesy, Eph. 4.32. kindness, 2 Cor. 6.6. and all loving behaviour, Colos. 2.12. 1 Cor. 13.4. and easy to be entreated, jam. 3.17. and love to our enemies, Luke 6.35. We should be followers of God, Ephes. 5.1. we should bear his image especially herein. Col. 3.10. Seventhly, How should our hearts be satisfied, as with Manna, when we feel this sweetness of God to us in particular, either in the word, or prayer, or in his works? we should even be sick of love, our sleep should be pleasant to us, and our hearts filled with gladness. What greater felicity can there be, then that such a God should love us? Psal. 63.6. jerem 31.26. Ca●●ic. 2.5. or 6. Eighthly, we should be careful, when we have felt this sweetness of the Lord, to preserve ourselves in this communion with God, and abide in his goodness, as the Apostle useth the Phrase, Rom. 11.20. Lastly, it should much affect with sorrow and shame. all impenitent sinners, and that in two respects. First, because they have lost their time, and lived without the sense of this sweetness in God, the Apostle, Tit. 3.5. useth this Phrase, The bountifulness of God appeared. The word shined as the S●n●e doth in the rising: which imports, that the world was nothing but darkness, till men found by experience the goodness of God. Secondly, because they have so long offended a nature of such infinite goodness, this will prove a grievous aggravation of their sin and misery. For such a goodness so provoked, will turn into extreme fury: Mercy abused will be turned into unspeakable fierceness of indignation, as appears Deut. 29.19,20. and Rom. 2.4, 5. Doct. 2. The second Doctrine is, That God doth graciously sweeten his Word to his people, or God doth show his graciousness especially in his word. Hence it is, that God's servants have acknowledged the word to be sweeter than honey and the honey comb. Psal. 19.10. and 119.103. and the holy Ghost compareth it to feasts, yea royal feasts, Esay 25.6. Prov. 9.4. Luk. 14.17. and the Apostle acknowledgeth a savour of life unto life in the word, 2 Cor. 2.14. The consideration whereof should teach us diverse duties. First, to labour to find the word so unto us, to seek this sweetness in the word: and to that end we must mingle it with faith, else there will be no more taste in it then in the white of an egg: and beside, we must come to it in the tediousness of our own vileness. Note. For we are never fitter to taste of God's grace, then when we are dejected in the true feeling o● our own unworthiness. God will give grace to the humble. And further, we must get an appetite or affection to the word. For the full stomach loatheth an honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every little thing is sweet. Proverbs 27.7. and lastly, we must take heed, that we mar not our tastes before we come, as they do, that have sweetened their mouths with wickedness, and spoilt their relish with the pleasures of beloved sins, job 20.12. Such as live in the delight of secret corruptions, even th●y that account stolen waters sweet, may be the guests of Hell, but God's guests they are not: only they that overcome eat of the hidden Manna. Rev. 2. Secondly, when we have found honey, let us eat it. Prov. 20.13. That is, if the Lord be gracious unto us in his word, let us with all care receive it into our hearts, and with all affection make use of it. Lose not thy precious opportunity. Thirdly, it should teach us in all our griefs and bitterness to make our recourse to the word to comfort and sweeten our hearts against our fears and sorrows. For at this feast God wipes away all tears from our eyes, Esay 35.6, 8. Fourthly, the sweetness of the word when we feel it, should satisfy us, yea satisfy us abundantly. We should give so much glory to God's goodness, as to make it the abundant satisfaction of our hearts, Psal. 36.6. Fiftly, Yea further: we should labour to show this sweet savour of the word in our conversations, by mercy to the distressed, by gracious communication, by our contentation, and by all well-doing, that the perfume of God's grace in us may allure and affect others, that the very places where we come may savour of our goodness even after we are gone. Sixtly, we should be always praising of God for the good things of his Sanctuary, acknowledging all to come from his free grace without our deserts, Psal. 84.4. entertaining his presence with all possible admiration, saying with the Psalmist, O Lord, how excellent is thy goodness! Psal. 36.9. Seventhly, we should pray God to continue his goodness to them, that know him, and to vouchsafe us the favour to dwell for ever in his house, Psalm 36.11. Eighthly, and constantly the experience hereof should set us a longing: our souls should long for the courts of God's house, and our hearts cry for the daily bread in Zion, and we should constantly walk from strength to strength, till we appear● before God in Zion, Psalm 84; and the rather, because, besides the sweetness, there is a plentiful reward in keeping God's word, Psalms 19.20. Secondly, from hence we may be informed in two especial things. 1. Concerning the happiness of the godly in this life, notwithstanding all their afflictions and sorrows. Thou seest their distresses: but thou seest not their comforts. The stranger doth not meddle with their joys. Oh how great is the goodness of God, in giving his people to drink out of the rivers of the pleasures in his house, when he makes their eyes to see the light in his light! Psal. 36.8, 9 Psal. 65.4. 2. Concerning the office of God's Ministers. They are the perfumers of the world: the Church is the perfuming-pan: and preaching is the fire that heats it: and the Scriptures are the sweet-waters. Or, the Church is the mortar: preaching, the pestle: and the promises of God in Christ are the sweet spices; which, being beaten, yield a heavenly and supernatural smell in the souls of the godly hearers, 2 Cor. 2.14, 15. But, then, Ministers must take heed they corrupt not God's Word; and see to it, that their preaching be in sincerity, and as of God, and in the sight of God in Christ, and with demonstration of the truth to men's consciences, 2 Cor. 2.17; else, any Preacher will not serve the turn. And in both these respects, Ministers have reason to cry out with the Apostle, Oh! who is sufficient for these things? If every Sermon must leave so sweet a savour behind it in the hearts of the hearers, and in the nostrils of God too, who can be (without the special assistance of God) fit for these things? Lastly, this may serve for singular reproof and terror to the wicked, and that in diverse respects. First, for such as are mockers, and call sweet sour, that is, speak evil of the good word of God: Secondly for the miserable neglect of that they should account the life of their life. Alas▪ whither shall we go? or what is this miserable and wretched life, if we want the sweet comforts of the word? To dwell without the word, is, to dwell in the parched places of the wilderness: and this Ministry is the more dangerous in such or to such as are daily invited, and have all things ready made, and yet will not inwardly obey Gods calling, nor profit by the means, but find excuses to shift off the invitation of God. How justly may that curse be inflicted upon them, these men shall never taste of my supper? Luke 14.17. etc. 24. Thus much of the second doctrine. Doct. 3. The third doctrine out of these words may be this, that such as find a true taste of the sweetness of God in his Word, may conceive hopefully, that their souls do and shall prosper and grow. There is no doubt to be made of our growth, if once we come to feel the sweetness of the Word. For the clearer understanding of this doctrine, I must answer two questions. Quest. First, what this true taste is. Secondly, whether this taste may not be in wicked men. Answ. For the first. A true taste of the sweetness of the Word, and God's graciousness in it, may be known both by the cause, and by the effects. The cause of this taste is faith: for, by faith only doth the soul taste. A true taste is scene by the cause and effects of it. Or that thing that raiseth so sweet a relish in our hearts, is, a persuasion in particular of the graciousness of God to us, even of that graciousness which the Word doth discover. The effects of this taste are three. For, first, it revives the heart, and raiseth it from the dead, and frames it to be a new creature; working an unsained change in the heart of man from the world and sin, to the care of God's glory, and salvation of their own souls: and thus it is called A savour of life unto life, 2 Cor. 2.15. Secondly, it sesleth in the heart an estimation of the Word and spiritual things, and the assurance of God's favour of all earthly things in the world, Phil. 3.9. Psal. 84.10. Thirdly, this taste works a heavenly kind of contentment in the heart: so as the godly, when they have found this, are abundantly satisfied, they have enough, Psal. 36.10. and 95.4. For the second question concerning wicked men, and their relishing of the sweetness of the Word, I say two things. First, that the most wicked men are without spiritual senses, and find no more taste in God or his Word, than in the White of an egg: they savour not the things of the Spirit, Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 2.13. Of this afterwards. But yet it may not be denied, but that some wicked men may go so far, as to taste of the good Word of God, and of the powers of the life to come, and of heavenly gifts, as the Apostle granteth, Heb. 6.5, 6. Quest. Now there-hence ariseth a great question: what should be the difference between this taste in wicked men, and the true taste in godly men? Answ. For answer hereunto, diverse differences may be given. Wherein the taste of wicked men and the godly differ. First, in the things tasted there is a difference. For, wicked men may have common graces, yea, and miraculous gifts too, by imposition of hands, (and these are a great taste given them of the glory of God's Kingdom) but they never taste of saving graces; or if a taste of saving graces were granted, yet they taste as it were of the River running by them, but not of the Fountain; whereas the godly have the very Spring of grace flowing in them. Secondly in the time of tasting, This taste in wicked men is but for a season, it cannot hold long in them: and therefore is their faith and joy said to be temporary: whereas godly men may keep their taste to their dying days, not only in the gifts of saving graces, but in the very sense of the sweetness of Christ, and the word too, etc. Thirdly, in the manner of tasting. For, wicked men may taste of the Gospel and Religion by senses, or by a dim kind of contemplation, or by a sudden illumination, as by a flash of lightning; but they cannot taste with their hearts clearly by Faith: Or thus, wicked men may, in the general, taste; that is, know, and believe that the Mystery of Christ is true; but they cannot taste, or know this Mystery, with particular and sound application, as theirs. Fourthly, in the grounds of this taste or delight: For a wicked man persuaded by false reasons, settled in the common hope, or transported with an high conceit of some temporary and common gifts and graces, may be much delighted and joyed in the word, and the thought of going to heaven for a time; but he never rightly applied the promises of grace in Christ, nor doth he ever possess so much as one infallible sign of a child of God. Fiftly, in the effects and consequents of tasting: for, 1. A wicked man may taste, but he never digests: an evil conscience casts up the food again, or chokes and poisons it: whereas in godly men their taste abides in them, and they digest the food they receive: The virtue of it continues with them. 2. A godly man is transformed, and made another man by this taste, so is not the wicked man: it is not a savour of life to the wicked. 3. A true taste in the godly, works, as is before noted, a high estimation, and sound contentment: so as the godly place the felicity of their lives in this communion with God, and his word: But that can never a wicked man do. Sixtly, and lastly, wicked men may seem to taste, and yet do not: Many men profess Religion, and delight in the word, and in Religion, and so religious duties, who yet never did attain to it, but constantly found a weariness, secret loathing, and many times a secret and inward ill savour in the word, and in the duties of Religion: so as the taste is more in their mouths when they talk with others, then in their hearts when they are afore God. It will not be amiss particularly to clear that place in the Hebrews in all the three instances of tasting. First, they are said to taste of heavenly gifts: How far the taste of wicked men may go. so they do when they have common graces, as sometimes some kinds of faith, joy, hatred of some sins, love of Ministers, or some godly praises for some ends, etc. Or when they have miraculous gifts confirmed by imposition of hands, or otherwise, as they had in the primitive times; and these gifts are excellent and heavenly, because they are mighty by the Spirit of God, and came down from the Father of spirits: but saving graces they cannot have. Secondly, wicked men may taste of the Spirit and good Word of God, by feeling some sudden flashes of joy, either out of admiration of the means of delivering, or from some general conceit of the goodness of God's praises, job 23.12. and the happiness of the godly, Psal. 119.23, 24, 50. But they can get no such taste of the word, as to desire it as their appointed food constantly, Psal. 119.14, 72. Or to make it their greatest delight in affliction; or to love it above all riches; 1 Thes. 1.5. or to receive it with much assurance in the holy Ghost; or to redress their ways by it, Ps. 119. 9, 45, 59 so as the taste of the word, should put out the taste and relish of sin: For, let wicked men be affected as much as they will, their taste of sin will remain in them. I mean the taste of their beloved sins; nor can he deny himself, and forsake his credit, friends, pleasures, profits, much less life itself for the Gospel's sake Mark 10.29. Thirdly, wicked men may taste of the powers of the life to come, by joying at the thoughts that they shall go to heaven, and pleasing themselves in the contemplation of it. But it is still a false taste, for they have no sound evidence for their hope, nor do any marks of, a child of God appear in them, nor can they allege one sentence of Scripture, rightly understood, for the means of it. The use of all this may be threefold. Use. First, for Trial. All men should seriously try their estates, in respect of this taste, by pondering upon what is before written concerning the nature and differences of it. Secondly, it should work exceeding thankfulness to God, if we have found this sound and secret taste in the Word; we should every one and for ever, say, In the Lord will I praise his Word, Psal. 56. Thirdly, Here is matter of terror unto wicked men, and that first, to such of them that never felt any sweetness in the Word. How should they be amazed to think of it, that God doth from Sabbath to Sabbath restrain his blessings from them, and, as contemning them, to pass by them, and take no inward notice of them? 2. But especially here is unspeakable terror to such as have had that taste in the sixth to the Hebrews, if they should ever fall from it, as is there mentioned. For, if this taste go out of thine heart, take heed of the sin against the holy Ghost: For at the loss of taste, begins that eternal ruin of these men. If thou be not warned in time, thou mayst come to such a condition, as it will be impossible for thee to be rent by repentance, Heb. 6. 5, 6, 7. But least this doctrine should be misapplied, as it is sometimes by such as are distressed with Melancholy or vehement affliction of Spirit; I will a little more fully clear the secret of that place, about the sin against the holy Ghost; and therefore wish that these things be observed. Divers things noted for clearing the sin against the holy Ghost. First, that it doth not follow necessarily, that whosoever hath that taste there mentioned, shall not be saved: for men may have that taste, and finding it ineffectual, go on till they find a true taste: That taste is dangerous, if men fall away; else there may be good use of those tastes: For, it brings men near the kingdom of God, and makes preparation for true Grace. Secondly, that the sin against the holy Ghost cannot be committed but by such as have been enlightened, and have set themselves to attend upon the Word, either by solemn profession outwardly before men, or by inward attendance upon it. Two sorts of men in our times are in danger of this sin, that is, Hypocritical professors: and those they call the wits of the World, who afterwards fell to all Epicurism. Thirdly, that the failing away there mentioned, is not to be understood of any particular falling into some one, or a few sins; but of an universal falling away from the care of all godliness, and into such a condition, as to dislike no sin, as it is sin, and to believe from the heart no part of the Gospel, nor be afraid to wallow in the sins, which formerly he in a sort repent. Fourthly, there is in them a personal hatred of the Son of God; they do with the jews, as much as in them lieth, crucify him again, loathing him, and inwardly swelling, or fretting, against the doctrine of Christ, and striving as far as they dare, in his Ordinances and people, to put him to shame by scorn and reproaches, or what way else they can, Heb. 6.6. and Chap. 10.29. Fiftly, they abhor from their hearts the graces of the Spirit, and loathe them in the godly; despighting the Spirit of grace, Heb. 10.29. so as they persecute, to their power, the truth; being carried with incurable malice against it. And thus of the third Doctrine. Doct. 4. The fourth Doctrine that may be gathered out of these words, is; that it is but a taste of the sweetness of God we can attain to in this life, we cannot reach unto the thousand part of the joys of God's presence and favour, in this world. These are part of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him! job. 26. ult. Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor heart of man perceived the things, which God hath prepared for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9. The comforts we feel in this life, may well be likened to the taste, both because we have them but in small quantity, and because they are quickly grown out of sense; they are but of short continuance. There may be three uses made of this point. First, it may quiet them that complain out of Scruple of Conscience, that their joys they have, be not right, because they are so quickly lost; whereas they must be informed, that the comforts the best men can get in this World, are but a little 〈◊〉, given out of the Rivers of God's plea 〈◊〉. Secondly, it should make us the more out of love with this life, and kindle in us the love of the appearing of Jesus Christ. Why desire we to live so king o● Earth, where we must drink down continually the bitter 〈…〉 and ●o●row; and can get but now and then the taste of the comforts of a better life? Why long we not to enjoy those pleasure● for evermore? Psal. 17. ult. Yea, we may know how good it is to be in Heaven, by the taste we have sometimes on Earth. If it do us such unspeakable ease and joy to 〈◊〉 of the sweetness o● God for a little moment? Oh how great then is that goodness, God hath 〈◊〉 up from them, that fear him: Psal. 31.19. The smallness of the quantity, and shortness of the continuance of our taste of the graciousness of God on earth, should make us to use the means of communion with God, with so much the more fervency, and frequency, and humility. Doct. 5. A fifth doctrine is, that many in the Churches of Christians never so much as tasted of the sweetness of God's grace and word, and that may be a cause why the Apostle speaks with an If, as knowing it was a great question whether many of them had had experience of the sweetness of the Word. Question. Now if any ask what should be the cause that many Christians have so little sense of the sweetness of the word, and God's graciousness and goodness in the Word. Answer. I answer that it is: First, with many so, The causes why so many have little or no taste of the word. because they want the ordinances of God in their power and life of them. They want powerful preaching: some congregations have no preaching at all, and many that have preaching, have it not in the life and power. The spices of the word are not beaten to the smell as they should be. 2 Cor. 2.15, 16. Secondly, In others, because the taste of the pleasures, and profits, and lusts of the world are in their hearts when they come to the word, and so by the cares of life all sense of sweetness is beaten out. Mat. 13. Luke 14.24. Thirdly, It is in the most, because they consider not their misery in themselves, nor remember their latter end. A man never knows the sweetness of Christ crucified, till he be pricked in his heart, and afflicted for his sins and forlorn estate in himself by nature: and till men know how to number their days; they will never apply their hearts to wisdom, Psal. 90.12. Fourthly, some men are infected with superstition, and the love of a strange god. They prepare a table for the troop, and therefore are hungry when God's servants eat, and vexed when they sing for joy of heart. They cannot feel the sweetness of the Gospel, their hearts are so poisoned with secret popery, Esay 65.11, 13. Fiftly, Some men taste not of wisdom's banquet, because they leave not the way of the foolish. All sense is extinguished by the evil company they keep. Prov. 9.6. Sixtly, Too many Christians are poisoned with some of the sins mentioned in the first verse of this Chapter, and that destroys both taste and appetite in them. Seventhly, Some are fearfully delivered to a spiritual slumber, the Justice of God scourging their impenitency and disobedience, that made no use of his judgements, and the remorses they felt before; and so are in the case of the Jews, Rom. 11. Eighthly, Because God doth for the most part reserve these tastes, as the only portion of his own people: and therefore never wonder, though the common multitude attain not to it. Psal. 36.8, 9 Lastly, the best Christians are often much restrained in their taste of the sweetness of God's favour and presence, because they are not careful enough to attend upon God in his ordinances: they do not seek God, and strive to find God's favour and presence in the means: they hear and pray loosely, with too much slackness and remissness of zeal and attention. The consideration hereof should serve much to humble and melt the hearts of such as feel this to be their case: they should be afraid and tremble at the judgements of God upon them herein, and fear their own case, and by speedy repentance make their recourse to God in the Name of Christ, to seek a remedy for their distress. And to this end, 1. They should gather a Catalogue of all such sins as they know by themselves, for which they might most fear God's displeasure; and then go in secret, and humble themselves in confession of those sins, striving till the Lord be pleased to give them a soft heart and sensible sorrows. This course will both mar the relish of sin, and beside, it opens the fountain of grace and joy in the heart of a man. Host 14.3, 5. Mat. 5.6. 2. They should there attend with all possible heed to the Word of the Lord, hearing it as the Word of God, and not of man; with this sincere covenant of their hearts, to do whatsoever the Lord commands: and then the Lord will not long withhold himself. Secondly, the godly that find this sweetness in the Word, should be so much the more thankful for the gracious entertainment God gives them in his house, in that he hath not, nor doth deal so with thousands of Christians, as he deals with them. Doct. 6. The last doctrine is, that it is a shame for such Christians as have felt of the sweetness of the Word, to lose their appetite, or any way to abate of their company in resorting, and constancy of desire after it, or estimation of it. This answers to the main scope, because these words are brought in as a reason to excite appetite. The remembrance of the good we have found in the house of God, should make us love it still, though we do not always speed alike: we should believe that God will return, though he hide his face for a time. Such Christians then must bear their shame, that have lost their first love; and repent, lest God take away the Candlestick from them. Verse 4. To whom coming, as to a living stone, disallowed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. HItherto of the exhortation, as it concerns the Word of God. The exhortation, as it concerns the Son of God, follows, from verse 4. to verse 13: wherein it is the purpose of the Apostle, to show unto them in the second place the principal means of holiness, even the original fountain itself, and that is Christ; to whom they must continually come to seek grace, if ever they will prosper and grow in godliness. In the exhortation, as it concerns Christ, three things may be observed. First, the Proposition: wherein he tells them what they must do, verses, 4. and 5. Secondly, the Confirmation of it, and that two ways. First, by testimony of Scripture, showing what Christ is; which Scripture is both cited and expounded verses 6, 7, 8. Secondly, by the consideration of their own excellent estate in Christ; which is set out positively, verse 9 and comparatively, verse 10: or thus it is confirmed by arguments taken from the praise, first, of Christ, verses 6, 7, 8. Secondly, of Christians, verses 9, 10. Thirdly, the conclusion: where he shows the use they should make, both in what they should avoid, verse 11. and in what they should do, verse 12. That which in general may be observed, is, that Christ is the main Fountain of all grace and holiness. It is he that fills all, in all things, Eph. 1. ult. All the treasures of wisdom and grace be in him, in whom the Godhead dwells bodily, Col. 2.3, 9 It is he that is made unto us of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 1 Cor. 10.30. He was long since acknowledged to be the Lord our righteousness, jer. 23.6. The knowledge hereof may both inform, instruct, and comfort us. First, it may inform us concerning the grievousness of our disease. The nature of man is so far past cure, that unless the Son of God sanctify himself with unspeakable holiness, we can never be sanctified, john 17.19. yea, the Word itself is not available without the grace of Christ, as it appears in that seventeenth of john: where both the Word and Christ are entreated of. Secondly, it may teach us, first, to ascribe glory to Christ, who in this respect is most worthy to be acknowledged the Head of all Principalities, but especially the Head of the Church; from whom cometh influence of all grace and goodness, Eph. 1.21, 22, 23. Secondly, it should teach us, above all gettings, to labour to get Christ crucified into our hearts. It is Christ in us, that must be our riches, and our hope of glory, Col. 1.27. yea, this will be unsearchable riches to us: we should determine to know nothing, save jesus Christ and him crucified, 1 Cor. 2.2. Thirdly, let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord jesus, 1 Cor. 1.4, 7. And therefore God forbid I should rejoice in any thing, but the Cross of Christ; whereby I am crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to me, Gal. 6.14. Thirdly, it should be a great comfort to the Godly, both in respect of their union with him, in regard their Head is so infinite in holiness, ●● also in respect of that supply and help that they may continually have from him against all their infirmities and defects; and lastly, in respect of the hope of the full confirmation of their holiness in the day of Christ. And thus of the general Doctrine. The first thing in the exhortation to be considered, is the Propositions: inwhich which, two things are to be marked. First, what Christ is; secondly, what the Christian must be in respect of Christ. Christ is diversely described by the Apostle. There are five things in the description of Christ. First, he is a gracious Lord: that is imported in the first word; To whom, that is, which gracious Lord, mentioned in the former verse. Whereby the Apostle applies that to Christ, which was before spoken of God generally, as he that is God with the Father, and as that person in whom the Lord shows his graciousness to men. Secondly, he is a living stone. Thirdly, he is in respect of the world, and the base respect and usage of him, once disallowed of men. Fourthly, he is elect of God. Fiftly, he is precious. Now, that which Christians must be and do, that they may receive holiness from Christ, is, that first, they must come unto him. Secondly, they must be lively stones. Thirdly, they must be built up in him. Fourthly, they must become a spiritual house. Fiftly, they must be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices unto God, such as may be acceptable in Jesus Christ. For, it is to be noted, that the word Are built up, may be rendered, Be ye built up: howsoever it be read, the intent is, to persuade them thereto. Ye are built up, that is, if you be right, that is a thing must not be wanting: so the sense is the same. First, then, of the description of Christ. And therein, the first point of doctrine that offerethit self to our consideration, is, that Christ is a gracious Lord. He is a Lord and Master to all true Christians; and such a Lord and Master as never men served, for wonderful graciousness. That he is a Lord to the faithful, is evident by other Scriptures also, 1 Cor. 1.2. He is said to be a Lord to all that call upon him in every place. Thus David calls him, My Lord▪ Psal. 110.1. And great Apostles confess themselves to be his servants, Rom. 1.1. I●●●. 1.2 Pet. 1.1. And that he is most gracious, the Apostle shows, when he tel●, that all Ages have cause to wonder at the marvellous kindness that God hath showed to men in Christ. Eph. 1.7. The use may be both for information, instruction, and consolation. First, we may 〈◊〉 be informed, that Christ is God with the Father. For the which the Prophet David, Psal. 34. (whence the words of the for 〈…〉 borrowed) Give to God, the Apostle applies here unto Christ: and the reason of the application may in the second place inform us, that God is gracious to men only by Jesus Christ. It is impossible ever to feel or taste of God's graciousness, but in his Son. And thirdly, we are here told, as it were, that Christ is God visible. God is made visible and sensible 〈◊〉 men by Jesus Christ: This is that mystery of godliness: God is manifested in the flesh. Secondly, is Christ our Lord and Master? then these things will follow: 1. That we must live and die to Christ, Rom. 14.7, 8, 9 we are not our own men; we must live to him that died for us, 2 Cor. 5. ult. The love of Christ must constrain us, and all old things must be passed, and all things must become new unto us. If Christ be our Lord, where is his service? he must rule us, and rule over us. If we walk in the vanity of our minds, according to the deceivable lusts of our old conversation, we have not yet learned Christ, nor the truth that is in Jesus, Eph. 4. And therefore letus 〈…〉 look to his ways, as he that must one day give account of 〈…〉 Christ, which will be judge both of quick and dead Rom. 14. 2. That every 〈◊〉 bow at the name Christ, and every tongue must 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉, to the glory of God, Philip. 2.1. Rom. 14. We must all take motion of 〈◊〉 supreme authority, and form in our hearts, all possible reverence toward him. 3. We must not judge one another. For, what have we to do to judge another man's servant? He stands or falls to his own Master, Rom. 14. 4, 9 Thirdly, it ought to be the singular joy of our hearts, that we serve so glorious a Master. Never servants served such a Lord, as it may appear by the enumeration of diverse particular differences, As: First, other masters are not wont to die for their vassals: Christ doth many ways excel earthly Lords towards his servants. Christ shed his blood for us, one drop of whose blood, was more precious than all the bloods of all the men in the world; and this he did, only to ransom and redeem us, that we might be a peculiar people unto him, Titus 2.13. Secondly, never Master had such power to prefer his servants: Christ hath all power in heaven and in earth, Mat. 28. and all that, to enrich us. Thirdly, we serve the best Master, because we serve him, that is King of Kings, and Lord of all other Lords, Revel. 19 Fourthly, in the service of other masters, there is wonderful difference of places, and many of the servants serve in the lowest, and basest offices, without hope of any gain, or respect: But in Christ Jesus there is no difference, bond and free, male and female, Iew● and Grecian, etc. in Christ are all one, Col. 3.11. Fiftly, other Lords may advance their servants to great places, but they cannot give them gifts to discharge them: but Christ doth enrich his servants with every needful gift for the discharge of their callings, 1 Cor. 1.30. Eph. 1. ult. Sixtly, other servants know, that their Lords may and do die, and so they leave their servants usually unpreferd: But Christ lives for ever, as the Author of eternal salvation to them that obey him. Seventhly, other Lords may take offence, and do often put away their servants: But whom Christ loves, he loves to the end, so as whether they live, or die, they are still Christ's, Rom. 14.8. Eightly, no Lord can give such sure protection to his servants, as Christ gives to his: No man shall pluck them out of his hands, Efay 4.5, 6. job. 10. And whatsoever wrong is done unto them, he takes it as done to himself: and therefore the afflictions of his servants, are called the afflictions of Christ, 2 Cor. 1.4. Ninthly, and lastly, never Lord was so boundless in his favour, Christ makes his servants his fellows, 1 Cor. 1.9. They sit with him there in heavenly places, Eph. 2.5, 6. He is not ashamed to own them as his brethren, Heb. 2. His servants he makes sons, and heirs too: yea, heirs with himself unto God, Rom. 8. Never man was so fond of his wife, as Christ is of his servants, Rom. 7.4. and all the book of Canticles shows it. Finally, they shall all mign with him and be partners with him in his glory, after they have laboured, and suffered a little: when he appears in glory, they shall be for ever glorified with him. Secondly, The second thing affirmed of Christ, is, that he is said to be a living stone. A living stone.] A stone, and a living stone. The holy Ghost is used in Scripture to liken God and Christ unto a stone: so Gen. 49. 24. God is said to be the shepherd and stone of Israel, and Revel. 4.3. God is likened to a jasper stone, and Psal. 118.22. Christ is said to be the stone, which the builders refused: and so in many other places. Christ is said to be a stone, three ways. First, Christ is three ways called a stone. For he is either a rock or stone for refuge, because in Christ men may safely rest against all the surges, and waves of affliction in the sea of this world, Psal. 18. Secondly, Or else he is a stone of stumbling, as the Prophet Esaiah called him long since, Chap. 8.14. And the Apostle Paul acknowledgeth the same, Rom. 9.33. and this Apostle in verse 6. following, Because wicked men take occasion from this doctrine of Christ to fall into sin, and mischief, and because if Christ may not be the means of their salvation, he will be an occasion of their falling: but in neither of these senses is it taken here. Thirdly, But Christ is here likened to a foundation stone, 〈…〉 to signify, that it is he, upon whom all the Church must be built. This is that stone, which was cut out of the mountain without hands, Dan. 2.45. that hard stone of which the Prophet Zach●ry speaks. Chap. 4.7, 10. He is said to be a living stone: and some think to liken him thereby to a flint stone, which being smitten, the sparkles (as if it had fire in it) give fire and light to other things. It is true, that Christ hath life in himself, and doth give the sparkles upon the flames of life and light to other men. But I think; the stone here doth not import so much by any likeness in it, because it is a corner stone in the building, which usually neither is, nor can be of flint. But he is said to be a living stone, to distinguish him from material stones; and by that word living, to show what the metaphor stone cannot resemble: For though a stone might shadow out the continuance, and eternity of Christ by the lastingness of it; yet life is given here to Christ, not only because he lives himself, and can do no more, Rom. 6.9. But because he is by effects, life, that is, he makes life in the godly, whereby they become living stones also. The main doctrine here intented, is, that Christ is the only foundation of the Church. 1 Cor. 7.8. Ob. David is said to be a stone, and a hard stone of the corner, Psal. 118. Sol. David was so only by way of type, his life being somewhat like the state of Christ, in respect in the oppositions of men, and preferment from God: and that that place doth specially belong to Christ, appears by the application of Christ himself, Matth. 21.32. Ob. But the Apostles are said to be the foundation of the church, Eph. 2.20. Sol. The place is to be understood of the doctrine of the Apostles, which treats in one main point of Christ. Matth. 16.18. Ob. But the Church is founded upon Peter. Sol. The Church is not builded upon Peter, but upon the rock, which was the confession of Peter, and so the doctrine of Christ: for the text doth not say super banc Petrum, but super banc Petram. Use. The use may be first, for confutation of the Papists, about their blasphemous doctrine, in ascribing this glory of being the foundation of the Church, unto Peter, and so to the Pope: which they do most absurdly: for that place, Matth. 16.18. is not understood of Peter's person, but of his confession. And beside, if it had been true of Peter, by what word of Scripture shall it be proved, that it is true of the Pope, who is not once named in Scripture, except he be described as Antichrist? Besides, if the Church be built upon Peter, or the Pope, than it will follow, we must believe in Peter and the Pope, else we cannot be founded on them: which is extremely blasphemous: but that it may be put out of all doubt, let us hear the testimony of Peter himself, who best knew his own right; and you see in this text, Peter says, Christ is the living stone, and not he. This likewise imports the misery of all such, as run after other gods, their sorrows shall be multiplied. Psalm 16.4. They build in the sand, quite besides the foundation, and so do the Papists, that put their trust in Saints and Angels. But especially this should teach us, as we are here exhorted, to build all our faith and hope in Christ, and to cleave to him in all uprightness of heart and life, and the rather, because this stone hath seven 〈◊〉, and most perfectly views all and every part of this building, that every stone be set right, etc. Zachar. 3.9. Especially we should rest upon this stone, when we have any great suit to God: and have occasion, to continue to hold up your hands in prayer, and so we shall prosper, as it was with Moses, Exod. 17.12. Lastly, it should be the singular joy of our hearts, when we see the corner stone cast down, and God begin to build in any place the work of godliness, and religion: We have more cause to rejoice for that spiritual work, than the jews had to shout, when the corner stone of the Temple was brought out to be laid for a foundation of the building, Zachar. 4.7, 10. Thirdly, the third thing said of Christ, is, that he was disallowed of men Disallowed of men.] This is added of purpose, to prevent scandal, which might arise from the consideration of the mean entertainment, the Christian Religion found in the world. The point is plain, that Christ was disallowed of men: and this is evident in the stone: The greatest part of the world regarded him not: The Gentiles knew him not, and the jews received him not: Though three things in Christ were admirable; his doctrine; his life; his miracles: yet the jews believed not in him: He came unto his own, and his own received him not; Nay, they reviled him, called him Samaritan, and said, he had a Devil. They preferred a murderer before him, and their wise men, even the Princes of this world, crucified the Lord of life and glory. This as it was storied by the Evangelists, so it was foretold by the Prophets: Esay. 53. and 49.8. and so we see, he is still of almost the whole world. The Pagans yet know him not: The jews yet renounce him: The Turk receiveth him but as a Prophet: The Papists receive him but in part; and wicked men deny him by their lives. Uses. The first impression this should make in our hearts, is, admiration and astonishment. This should be marvellous in our eyes, that men refuse the Son of God: miserable men, their Saviour; captives, their Redeemer, and poor men, such unspeakable riches as is offered in Christ, & that almost all mankind should be guilty of this sin; so as in comparison, he should be Elect only of God. Secondly, since this was foreseen and foretold, we should be confirmed against scandal, and like never a whit the worse of Christ or Religion, for the scorns and neglects of the world. Thirdly, since the world disallows Christ, we may hence gather, what account we should make of the world and the men of the world: we have reason to separate from them that are separated from Christ, and not to love them that love not the Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. 16.23. Fourthly, we may hence see, how little reason we have, to take the counsels and judgements of carnal men, though our friends, and never so wise in natural or civil wisdom: their counsels were against Christ, they disallow Christ, and all Christian courses. Fiftly, why are we troubled for the reproaches of men, and why do we fear their revile? Shall we hear, that Christ was disallowed, and shall we be so vexed, because we are despised? Nay rather let us resolve to despise the shame of the world: and to follow the author of our faith, even in this cross also? Sixtly, we may be hence informed, that indiscretion or sin, is not always the cause of contempt: For Christ is disallowed, and yet without all spot of indiscretion or guile. Seventhly, and chiefly, we should look every one to ourselves, that we be not of the number of those, that disallow Christ. For Christ is still disallowed of men, and if any ask, Question. Who are they, that in these days be guilty of disallowing of Christ? Answer. I answer, Both wicked men, and godly men too. Wicked men disallow him, and so do diverse sorts of them, as, What kind of men disallow Christ. First, Heretics, that deny his Divinity, or humanity, or his sufficiency, or authority, or his coming, as did those mockers mentioned, 2 Pet. 3. Secondly, Schismatics, that divide him, and rend his body mystical, 1 Cor. 1.10. Thirdly, Pharisees and merit-mongers, that by going about to establish their own righteousness, deny the righteousness of Jesus Christ, Rom. 10.4. Fourthly, Apostates, that falling from the fellowship they had with Christ, would crucify him again, Heb. 6. 2 Pet. 2. Fiftly, Epicures and profane persons that will sell Christ for a mess of pottage with Esau, and love their pleasure more than Christ, Heb. 12.16. 2 Tim. 3. Sixtly, Papists: who therefore hold not the head, because they bring in the worship of Saints and Angels, Col. 2.19. Seventhly, Whoremongers and fornicators, who give the members of Christ unto a harlot, 1 Cor. 6.15, 16. Eighthly, Revilers: that speak evil of the good way of Christ, and reproach godly Christians, especially such as despise the Ministers of Christ. for he that despiseth them, despiseth Christ himself, Matth. 10. Ninthly, Hypocrites: that profess Christ in their words, but deny him in their works. Tenthly, the fearful: that in time of trouble dare not confess him before men, Matth. 10. Eleventhly, All wicked men: Because they neglect their reconciliation with God in Christ, and will not believe in him, nor repent of their sins: All that will not be reconciled, when God sends the word of reconciliation unto them, Esay 52.11. Secondly, Godly men sin against Christ, and are guilty of disallowing him. 1. When they neglect the establishing of their hearts in the assurance of faith. 2. When they faint and wax weary of prayer, and trusting in God in the time of distress, Luke 18.1, 8. 3. When our hearts wax cold within us, and are not inflamed with fervent affections after Christ. We neglect him, when we do not highly esteem him above all earthly treasures, Phil. 3.9. The fourth thing affirmed of Christ, is, that he is chosen of God. Chosen of God.] This is one thing we must carefully know, and effectually believe, concerning Christ, namely, that he is chosen of God. This was conscionably believed concerning him, as appears, Esay 42.1. and 43.10. and 49.2. Mat. 12.18. Christ chosen of God diversely. Now, Christ may be said to be chosen of God in diverse respects. First, as he was from all eternity appointed and ordained of God to be the Mediator and Redeemer of all mankind, 1 Pet. 1.20. Secondly, as he was called peculiarly of God from the womb by a special Sanctification unto his office, Esay 49.1. Thirdly, as he was by solemn rites inaugurated unto the immediate execution of his office; ●s, by baptism, and the voice from heaven, etc. Math. 3. Fourthly, as he was approved of God, and declared mightily to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, by the glory done to him of God, notwithstanding the scorns and oppositions of the world, Esay 49.7. The use may be both for Information and Instruction. For, hence we may be informed concerning diverse things. First, that God's work shall prosper, notwithstanding all the scorns or oppositions of men: God's choice is not hindered, but Christ is separated; and sanctified, and appointed to the work of redemption, the perverseness of men notwithstanding. The unbelief of men cannot make the faith or fidelity of God of none effect, Rom. 3. Secondly, that God doth not choose as men do. The mean things of this world (as the world accounts mean) and the vile things of this world may be dear in God's sight. For, as it was in the calling of Christ: so is it in the calling of Christians: such as the world disallows, may be dear to God, 1 Cor. 1.27, 28. Thirdly, Hence we may note the free grace of God in the sending and giving his Son. He is fain to choose for us: we did not choose Christ first, john 15.16. Fourthly, That to choose Christ, is, with Marry, to choose the better part: it is to imitate God, and choose like God, to forsake the world, and the wills; and lufts, and judgements of the wicked men of this world, and to cleave only to Christ, as our alsufficient portion and happiness. Fifthly, That all the enemies of Christ shall be subdued either by conversion when they come in to worship Christ, or by confusion, when they are broken by the power of Christ. Even Kings shall submit themselves, and worship him that is thus abhorred and despised of men, etc. Esay 49.7. Sixthly, That it is a singular happiness to be chosen of God: it was the honour of Christ here, etc. And therefore, Blessed is the man whom God chooseth. Happy is the Christian whom God electeth; Psalm. 65.4. Luke 10.20. Secondly, It should teach us diverse duties. First, to observe, and admire, and acknowledge the Lord Jesus, the Chosen of God, we should with special regard confess unto the glory of God herein, which the word Behold importeth, Esay 42.1. We should be God's witnesses against the world, and all the servants of any strange god, that this jesus of Nazareth is that Son of God, and Saviour of the world, Esay 43.10. It is one main end of the praises of Christ in this place, To raise up our dull and dead affections to the highest estimation and admiration of Christ, and his glory with the Father, etc. Secondly, We should learn of God, how to make our choice. On the one side is offered unto us the pleasures and profits of the world, and the enticements of sin and Satan: and the other, in the Gospel of Christ is set forth and offered to us as the means of our happiness. Now, it is our part to take to Christ, and renounce the world, and forgo the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season: we should utterly refuse the voice of sin, never to be the guests of such folly, but rather to listen to the voice of wisdom, Proverbs 7. and 8. Thirdly, Is Christ chosen of God, that one of a thousand? Then it learns the Church to be in love with him, yea, to be sick of love, as is imported, Canticles 5.8, 9, 10. An ordinary affection should not serve the turn: our hearts should be singularly inflamed with desire after such a match, found out and chosen of God for us. Fourthly, we should not rest here: but, when God hath declared his choice, (as he did by a witness from heaven, even his own voice, Math. 17.5.) we should then hear Christ, and, as the Prophet saith, wait for his law, Esay 42.4. Fifthly, Yea, we should so kiss the Son, whom God hath declared as King, by doing our spiritual homage unto him, as that we resolved, both high and low, the greatest estate as well as the meanest, to serve him with all fear, and rejoice before him with trembling: we must express our thankfulness by all possible obedience of heart and life, Psal. 2.11. Sixthly, we should follow his Colours, and take his pa●t, and contend for the truth against all the world, and in particular against Antichrist, that man of sin, Revel. 17.14. Seventhly, We should imitate the praises and virtues of this chosen One, especially in two things: to weet, humility and constancy, as the Prophet Esay showeth, 42.2, 3, 4. Last: And specially this Chosen, or rather this knowledge of this Chosen of God, should teach us to rely upon Christ without wavering, with all trust and confidence, for our reconciliation with God, for the obtaining of knowledge, comfort, deliverance, preservation, yea, and salvation too: for, this is he whom God hath given for a covenant to all people; and his soul delights in him: And therefore also we may run boldly to the Throne of grace, and put up our petitions by Christ. For, we are here assured, that God will deny him nothing, as these places evidently show: Psal. 42.6, 7, 8, 16. Psal. 49.6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Math. 12.17. to 22. But then we must look to it, that we observe the seasons and opportunity of grace, Esay 49.8. 2 Cor. 6. 2. Let us therefore embrace, while God is to be found, and offers us Christ: for, we may seek when God will not be found, as Es●● sought the blessing when it was too late, Heb. 12.15. And further: this may serve for singular terror to all unbelievers, that will not have Christ to rule over them. He is elected already of God, and therefore will mightily pursue all the enemies of God and the Church, and all those that disobey him whom God hath chosen: he will pursue them both with the terrors of his Word, his mouth being made like a sharp sword, and with the plagues of his hand, being made like a polished shaft, Esay 49. ●. He will appear to wicked men in the day of wrath, as a mighty man, and as a man of war: though to his own he be as a Lamb, to them he will be as a Giant: they shall not be able to resist; and though he lift not up his voice in the streets of his people, yet he will set upon them with roaring, and singular terror, even with all the signs of furious displeasure: and though for a time he may seem to put up the contempt of men that disallow him, yet at the length he will not refrain, and will destroy at once, etc. Esay. 42.13. 14, 15. Besides: This doctrine of Christ's chosen, or of God's choice, should notably check that unbelief and fearfulness that is too often found even in 〈◊〉, in the dear servants of God. When God hath published his election of Christ for the service of our redemption, why doth some say, The Lord hath forsaken, and his Lord hath forgotten him? Can God forget his people? or will he ever deny his Chosen? Shall not Christ be regarded in our behalf, who is the person whom his soul loveth? Esay 49.8, etc. 13, 14, 15, 16. Precious.] Christ is precious many ●●yes. First, in respect of his nature: he is the choicest 〈◊〉 in heaven and earth; never such a man: all the creatures in heaven and in earth are inferior to him. Secondly, In respect of his gifts: he is qualified with all the treasures of wisdom and grace, above all his fellows, Col. 2.3. Psal. 45. Thirdly, In respect of his works: never creature did works of such price, so useful, so exquisite, so transcendent. Fourthly, In respect of his sufferings: he paid such a price to God in the ransom of man, as all the world beside could not raise, or any way make. Fiftly, In respect of effects: he gives the most precious things: no treasures like those may be had from him: his very promises are precious, 2 Pet. 1.4. This may serve, first, to inform us in diverse things: as, First, Concerning that matchless love of God to us, that gave us his Son who is so precious, Rom. 8.34. Secondly, Concerning the horrible sin of judas and the high Priests, that valued him but at thirty pieces. Thirdly, Concerning the most miserable condition of all profane people, and persons, even whole multitudes of people, that so neglect Christ, that can with Esau sell him for trifles, pleasures, or profits, even as mean sometimes, as a mess of pottage, etc. The more glorious Christ is, the more vile is their sin of neglect, or contempt of Christ. Woe to them, that disallow him then: Even to all those sorts of men before mentioned ● Christ will not be a foundation stone to support them, nor a precious stone to enrich them, but as the upper and neither millstone to grind them to pieces, or as a rock falling upon them. Quest. But what should be the reason, that Christ is in no more request amongst men? Answer. First, One cause is man's ignorance, Causes why Christ is no more precious with men. both of their own misery out of Christ, as also of the glory of Christ in himself, and of the privileges man might attain by him, and of the singular glory to come. Secondly, Another cause is unbelief. Men have a secret kind of Atheism in them, and do not believe the report of the servants of Christ out of the Word, Esay 53.1, 3. Thirdly, Another cause is, that the most men look upon the outside of the Kingdom of Christ, and of the estate of Christians; which, because they find it covered with afflictions, and seated in a low condition without outward splendour, they therefore contemn it: Our life is hid with Christ in God, Colos. 3.3. Fourthly, But the main reason is, because men do falsely esteem of other things, they set so high a price upon their pleasures, profits, lusts, credits, honours, hopes, etc. that Christ is not remembered nor valued, unless it be at judas his rate, and yet many will not value him at so much as thirty pence, but they will make shipwreck of a good conscience even for a penny, I mean for extreme small gain, in buying and selling, and such like dealing. And thus much of the third thing we may be informed of. The last is, concerning the wealthy estate of all true Christians. How rich are they, that possess this Mine of treasure, who have his spirit, graces, righteousness, ordinances, and glory! And as it may thus inform us, so it should ●each us. Use 2. First, To account of Christ as most precious, to esteem of him as ever precious in our eyes, and show it; 1. By seeking to get Christ above all gettings. Pro. 8.11, 16. 2. By accounting all things but as dust and dung, in comparison of the excellent knowledge of jesus Christ, Phil. 3.8. 3. By selling all, to buy this precious stone, Math. 13. forsaking father and mother, house and land for Christ's sake, and the Gospels. 4. By keeping our communion with Christ with all carefulness. 5. By avoiding all the ways, by which Christ is disallowed and disesteemed. 6. By longing for, and loving his appearing, 2 Tim. 4. hasting to it, and looking for his coming, 2 Pet. 3. Secondly, to consecrate ourselves, and whatsoever is dear, and precious to God, and the service of Christ, striving to be a precious people, and peculiar to God, zealous of good things, and works, Tit. 2.12, 14. 1 Cor. 6.20. Thirdly, We should live like such, as having attained so precious a treasure. 1. Living by the faith of the Son of God, Gal. 2.20. 2. Not being the servants of men, 1 Cor. 7.2, 3. 3. Keeping ourselves from all pollution, by which the Kingdom of God may be defiled, laying up this treasure in a pure conscience. Lastly, Ministers, that know, that there is no other foundation but this living and precious stone, should study by all means to build gold, silver, and precious stones, and not hay and stubble, striving like skilful master-builders, to make the whole frame someway answerable to the foundation, 1 Cor. 3.12. Thus of the description of Christ. Now followeth what Christians must do, that from Christ they may receive virtue for the attaining of holiness of life. First they must come unto him. To whom coming.] Five points in general. Divers things may here be noted in the general. First, that men may come unto Christ, even while they are on earth. Secondly, that natural men, or naturally men are absent from Christ, or without Christ. Thirdly, that without coming to Christ, we can never be sanctified. Fourthly, that all, that once take taste of the sweetness of Christ in his ordinances, will come unto him. Fiftly, that to come to Christ, is a continual work: Christians are still coming, their life is but a continued journey to Christ, or a daily seeking out of Christ, etc. But in particular I especially consider two things. First, how many ways men come to Christ. Secondly, in what manner men must approach to Christ. We come to Christ many 〈◊〉. First, we must come to Christ diverse ways. First and chiefly, by believing in him: we must draw near to Christ by the assurance of faith, Heb. 16.22. Secondly, by making him our daily refuge in prayer, using him as our continual mediator, and advocate, Psal. 65.12. jerem. 31.9. carrying all our petitions to him, in all our distresses making our mo●ne to him, as the Client doth to the Counsellor, Esay 9.6. or as the oppressed do to the judge. Thirdly, by the frequenting his ordinances, viz. the Word and Sacraments, thus to come to his feasts, even to his great Supper, Prov. 9 Luke 14. 17. etc. Matth. 22. Thus we come to worship. Fourthly, by contemplation, remembering him, and setting our affections on him, thinking on him that 〈◊〉 at the right hand of God, Col. 3.1. Fiftly, by receiving his servants, and visiting them in their distresses: He that receiveth them, receiveth Christ, Matth. 10. and to visit them in prison, is to come unto Christ, or to visit Christ, Matthew 26. But the four first ways are especially 〈◊〉, and the first chiefly. For the second: We must come to Christ. First, speedily: as, the men that suffer shipwreck, quickly haste to the shore. In what manner we must come to Christ. Secondly, penitently: going and weeping we must go●, jorem. 50.4. He calls to him sinners, and that to repentance, Matth. 9.13. we must come weary and heavy loaden, Matth. 11.28. we must return and come, Esay 25.12. and not, as they jer. 7.9, 10. Zachar. 14.1, &c, that came in their sins with Idols in their hearts: we should come to Christ, as Benhadad did to A●ab, with ropes about our necks: that is, with all readiness to profess against ourselves our own vile deserts. Thirdly, confidently: and with persuasion of faith, resting in his goodness, and casting out fear and doubts, Heb. 10.22. and 11.6. as the Le●●r came to Christ, Matth. 8.2. Heb. 4.16. Fourthly, affectionately: we must come to him, as the love comes to her lover: so the Church to Christ, Canticles 2.10, 13. Fiftly, importunately, as the woman of Canaan did; so as we will be set down with no repulses or delays, Mat. 15. as they with the Palsey-man, Mat. 9 Hosh. 6.1, 2. and as he teacheth us to come to God, Luke 18.1, 2, 3, etc. and as job resolves, Chap. 27.2, 3, 7. Sixtly, orderly: we should do as job said: we should order our cause before him, and fill our mouths with arguments, job. 23.3, 4. Seventhly, obediently. We should come to Christ, as children to their fathers, and as the people to their lawgiver, to receive commandments at his mouth; so as our hearts might answer, eloe, I come to do thy will. Psal. 40.7. If we would have God or Christ come to us, we must be such as David promiseth for himself, Psalm 101.1, 2, 3, 4. Eighthly, sincerely. And we must show our sincerity, 1. By forsaking the way of the foolish, Prov. 9.6, 23, 4. 2. By coming in the truth of our hearts. For an hypocrite cannot stand before him without flattering lying, dissimulation, or wavering; not as the Israelites came to God, Psal. 78. 32, 34. So as Christ may discern, that we have a true thirst, whatsoever we want, john. 7. 37. 3. Thirdly, by renouncing all other hopes, as they said of God, Io●. 3.22. 4. By resolving to cleave to Christ in a perpetual covenant, jer. 50.5. 5. By coming to Christ, notwithstanding dangers or difficulties: though it were with Peter to leap into the Sea, Matth. 14.29. or with the wisemen to come from the East, Matth. 2. and though we find Christ in a prison Matth. 25. and though it were to deny ourselves, and to take up our Cross daily, Luke 9.24. Use. The use of all this should be chiefly to persuade with every one of us to make conscience of this duty to come unto Christ, and the rather considering, First, the necessity of ●● here imported, Many are the reasons why we should come to Christ. in that without co●●ing to Christ we cannot possibly attain unto sound reformation of life: without Christ we can do nothing. Secondly, the encouragements we have to come to him, and these ●●● many. For, 1. If we consider the invitation of Christ, he calls us to come unto him, we cannot displease him by coming, but by not coming and neglecting him, Matth. 11.29. Cant●●. 2.10, 13. Matth. 22.3. joh. 5.40. 2. If we consider the persons invited, or who may come: The simple may come, Prov. 9.3. The strangers may come, even 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉, Esay 49.12. & 56.4. Any that are 〈◊〉, may come, john. 7. 3●. Yea, the basest and meanest may come, which is signified by that of the Parable, Matth. 22. that they by the hedges and highway side are compelled to come in: nor is there any exceptions at men's sins, but sinners may come, Matth. 9.13. Yea such, as are wounded and smitten for their sins, may come, Host 6. ●. etc. Thirdly, if we consider our entertainment when we come. He adopts all that come to him, john 1.12. He is ravished with affection towards them: we cannot more please him, than by coming to him, Gant. 4.8, 9 They are sure they shall not be rejected; john 6.37. Christ will ease them in all their sorrows, Mat. 11.29. He will heal them of all their diseases, of which the bodily cures were pledges in the Gospel. He will be as Manna from heaven to them: they shall never hunger, joh. 6. yea, he will be life to them; the life of their present lives, and eternal life: they shall live for ever, john 5.40. Thus of the first things required in Christians. The second is, They must be lively stones. Verse 5. Ye also, as lively stones, be made a spiritual house, an holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by josus Christ. As lively stones.] IT is not unusual in Scripture, to compare men to stones: and so both wicked men and godly men. Wicked men are likened to stones, first, for their insensibleness: and so the heart of Nabal was like a stone. Secondly, for their silent amazement, when iniquity shall stop their mouth: thus they were still as a stone, Exod. 15.16. Thirdly, for their sinking down under God's judgements: so the Egyptians sunk into the Sea like a stone, Ex. 15.6. And thus the wicked sink into hell like a stone. But chiefly in the first sense, for hardness of heart: their hearts by nature are like a stone. And in the comparison of a building, if they be in the Church, they are like the stones of the house that had the leprosy, or like Jerusalem when it was made a heap of stone. Godly men are like stones too: they are like the stones of Bethel that were anointed. God is the God of Bethel: and the godly are as those anointed pillars, consecrated to God, and qualified with the gifts of the holy Ghost. They are like the Onyx stones given by the Princes, and set on the breast of the Highpriest, in the Ephod. The Highpriest is Christ. The Onyx stones are Christians. The Princes of the Congregation, are the Ministers that consecreate the souls of men which they have converted to Christ, who wears them on his breast, and hath them always in his heart and eye. They are like to the rich stones of a Crown lifted up, Zach. 9.16. They are like the stone with the Book bound to it, jer. 51.63. They are never without of the Word God. But in this place they are likened to the stones of the Temple, which in the Letter are described, 1 Kings 6.7, 36. and 7.9, 10. and in the Allegory, Esay 54.11, 12, 13. Sure it is, that the stones of this spiritual Temple, are the pla●e of Saphires, as is said in job in another sense, 28.6. In what respects the godly are likened to stones. Now the godly are likened to stones in diverse respects. First, they are like stones to grave upon, and so they are like those stones, which must have the Law graved upon, set up in mount Ebal, Deut. 27.2, 3, 4. What is the mount, but the world! and what is E●●l, but vanity, or sorrow? and what are those graved stones, but the godly with the Law of God written in their hearts, the light whereof shineth on the hill of the vanity of this world, and 〈◊〉 in the midst of all the sorrows of this world? Secondly● they are likestones for strength and unmovednesse in all the storms of life. The rain pierceth not the stones, nor do afflictions batter the hearts of God's servants: strength is attributed to stones in that speech of job. 6.12. Thirdly, They are like stones for continuance and durableness, they will last for ever: so will their persons, and so ought the affections of their hearts. Lastly, they are like stones for a building, and that in two respects. First if you consider the manner of their calling into the Church: they are digged out of the quarry of mankind, as stones digged out of the earth, being in themselves by nature but stones of darkness, such as might never have seen the light. Secondly, if you consider their union with Christ, and Christians in one body, they are like the stone of the house compact in themselves, and upon the foundation. Use. The use may be briefly: First, for information: Here is come to pass that saying that is written, God is able of stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Secondly, let all the servants of God take pleasure in the stones of this spiritual Zion, Psalm 102, 15. and let us all learn to be like stones in the former senses, for the receiving the impression of the law, and for constancy and durableness, and for care to keep our communion with Christ, and Christians. Last; woe to the multitudes of wicked men, whom God neglects with that heavy curse, so as a stone is not taken of them to make a stone for the building, jerem. 50.26. Thus they are stones: It is added, they must be lively stones, to signify wherein they must not be like unto stones: they must not be dull, and insensible, they must be lively and cheerful, and that for diverse reasons. First, Because the second Adam is a quickening spirit, Reason's why we ought to be lively stones. and they dishonour the workmanship of Christ, if they be not lively, 1 Cor. 15. Secondly, Because one end of the offering, up of Christ, was, that their consciences might be purged from dead works, Heb. 9.14. Thirdly, they are therefore condemned, according to men in the flesh, that they might live according to God in the Spirit, 1 Pet. 4.6. Fourthly, Because we have been alive to sin, and it is a shame to express less life in the service of God, than we have done in the service of sin. Fiftly, Because we have lively means, we are fed with living bread, joh. 6. and we live by the power of God, 2 Cor. 13.4. and we have the Spirit of Christ in us, which is the fountain of life, and hath springs of joy in him, Rom. 8.9. joh. 6. and the Word of God is lively and mighty in operation, Heb. 4.12. and Christ himself lives in us, Gal. 2.20. Sixtly, because we profess ourselves to be consecrate to God as living sacrifices, Rom. 12.1. Seventhly, because we have such excellent privileges: we partake of the divine Nature, and God is a living God; and we have precious promises, 2 Pet. 1.4. and we have plentiful adoption in Christ, and we have a hope of a most glorious inheritance, which should always put life into us, ● Pet. 1.3, 4. and we have a secure estate in the mean time. For to live, is Christ: and to die, is gain; and whether we live or die, we are Christ's, Rom. 14.8. Phil. 1.21. Use. The use should be therefore for instruction: We should stir up our s●lves, and strive after this liveliness, and that for the two reasons imported in this text to omit the rest. For without a ready heart, we shall make no riddance in matter of sanctification, and holy life, and beside, we shall extract but a small deal of influence from Christ. For it is here required, that we should be lively, when we come unto him. Now this liveliness we should show: First, by contentation in our estate: Secondly, How we 〈◊〉 our liveliness. by patience and cheerfulness in afflictions, Rom. 5.2, 3. Thirdly, in the performance of holy duties with power and life: Thus we should be lively in prayer, such as will bestir themselves, and take no denial, as, Philip. 4.5, 6. Quest. Now if any ask, what is good to quicken us against the deadness of our hearts? What we must do to quicken our hearts. Answ. I answer: First, faith and assurance makes a man's heart alive, we live by faith. Secondly, we must go still to Christ, who is the life, and by prayer still draw the water of life out of his wells of salvation. Thirdly, the word of God is lively, Heb. 4.12. Fourthly, godly society, and a profitable fellowship in the Gospel puts life into men, there is a great deal of provocation to good works in it. Fiftly, we should often meditate of the gain of godliness, and of the privileges of the promises belonging to the godly. Use. This doctrine implies a great deal of reproof also: First, to Hypocrites, that have a name, that they live, but they are dead, Revel. 3. ●. Secondly, to deelining Christians, that suffer their first love to abate in them, and can be contented to lose sensibly the power of affections, which formerly they had. Thirdly, to many drooping Christians, which out of melancholy, and unbelief, affect a kind of wilful sadness, and heartlesues, hindering thereby their own assurance, and causing the easy yoke of Christ to be ill thought of, besides many other inconveniences. Thus of the second thing. Be ye built up.] It may be read either in the Imperative mood, or in the indicative. I think, the imperative answers more to the scope here, it being the drift to show, what we must do when we come to Christ. The third thing than we must do, that we might extract virtue out of Christ for holiness of life, is, we must be built up; which imports two things. First, progression in faith: and secondly, repentance. We must not beging only, 〈◊〉 say the foundation, but we must still labour to be built up further, we 〈◊〉 be ●●ill edified in our most holy faith, jude 20. verse. Now, that this may be attainted unto, that we may be built up, the fimilitude imports diverse things. Means to build up a Christian. First, preparation. A man, that will go about the work of godliness, 〈◊〉 think he goes about the building of a town, and therefore must cast up his 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 charge of it, and get his stuff prepared before hand. Prov. 24.17. Luke 14. 23. Secondly, a constant relying upon Christ: if we build, we must build upon the rock, and not on the sands, Mat. 7. and 16. Thirdly, the warrant of 〈◊〉 our actions out of the word of God. When Moses was to build the tabernacle, he made it just according to the pattern in all things about it, etc. Fourthly, a respect of things necessary: w●e must not be entangled with 〈…〉 and doubtful disputations. The building of a Christian must be a 〈◊〉 palace. He must build gold, silver, precious stones, be must keep his 〈…〉 choice and necessary things, 〈…〉. 8.9. 1 Cor. 3.1 Timoth. 1.4. Fiftly, Counsel and Direction. Men must endure the hewing, and squar●●●, 〈◊〉 5.17, 18. To this end are Ministers given. Eph. 4. 12. The world 〈◊〉, A●●● 20. 32. and so good conference may edify, or 〈…〉, Eph. 4. 29. Sixtly, 〈…〉 building must have her distractions cast out, ● Cor. 7. 52. David could not build 〈◊〉 Temple, because of his wars, and his ●●rest on every side. Seventhly, Order and distinction. Men must not take together a great deal of stuff, without order, confusedly: This is to build Babel, and not Zion. Eighthly, Unity with the godly. The building must hold proportion with the walls, as well as with the foundation, Psal. 122. 3. 1 Cor. 8. ●. and 13. Rom. 15.2. Eph. 4.12, 16. Ninthly, Sobriety in the use of lawful things: All things are lawful, but all things edify not, 1 Cor. 10.23. Tenthly, Prayer: for except the Lord build the house, in vain do they labour that build it, Psal. 127.1. Out of all this we may inform ourselves concerning the causes of not profiting in many. The reason why many Christians are not built up, or why they increase not in godliness, is, that they are guilty of these; or some of these things implied in these directions. First, Causes why many are so little edified. some profit not by reason of their irresolution about the taking up of their cross in following Christ: They thrust into the profession of Religion, before they have sitten down to c●st what this profession may cost them, and so in the evil day fall away, Luk. 14.28. Secondly, some can never thrive, because they place their godliness only in the frequency of hearing the Word, and the outward observance of God's ordinances: These build in the sands, they lay no sure foundation, Math. 7. 26. Thirdly, others fail through unbelief, and so either by neglecting the assurance of God's savour in Christ, or by misplacing their confidence, trusting upon their own works, or Saints, or Angels, or the pardo●s, or penances granted or enjoined them. These are not built upon the rock, Mat. 16. Fourthly, others prosper not, because they come not to the light of the Scriptures, to set whether their works be wrought in God, or no. joh. 13. 21. Fifthly, others are distracted either with unnecessary disputations, Rom. 14.1. or with excessive cares of life, Luke 21.34. Sixthly, others are undone with self-conceitedness, they are stubborn, and will not be advised, or directed, or reproved. Seventhly, disorder, or confusedness in matters of Religion is the cause in others: This is a wonderful common defect: men do not go to work distinctly to see their works finished one after another. Eighthly, others are kept back with personal discords, and jangling. Envy, or malice, or contention, or misrule, ea●● out the very heart of godliness. Ninthly, others are letted by intemperancy, in being drowned in the love of pleasures: They build, they sow, they eat, and drink, and follow pastines, neglecting the care of better things. Lastly, neglect of prayer is an usual let and grievous impediment. A spiritual house.] This is the fourth thing required of Christians. They must be as a spiritual house unto Christ: they must be that to Christ, that was signified by the Tabernacle or the Temple. For, every Christian is the substance of that which was signified by the Tabernacle. Christ hath a fivefold Tabernacle. For, first, in the Letter, Christ hath a fivefold Tabernacle. the Tabernacle or Temple at jerusalem, was the House of God and Christ. Secondly, the whole world is but the Tent of Christ, who hath spread out the heavens like a curtain, etc. Thirdly, Esay 40. 22. the heaven of the Blessed is the Tabernacle of Christ, the place where God and Christ dwell with the Saints, Revel. ●●. ●. and 13.6. Fourthly, the body of Christ is a Tabernacle for the Godhead, Col. 2.9. And so it is, that the Word is said to become flesh, and dwelled amongst us, viz. in his body, as in a Tabernacle, john 1.14. And thus Christ calleth his own body a Temple, john 2.21. Fifthly, the heart of man is the Tabernacle of Christ: and so both the whole Catholic Church is his Tabernacle, Eph. 2.21. or the public assembly of the Saints, Psalm. 15.1. or else the heart of every particular believer: and so the power of Christ did rest upon Paul, as in a Tabernacle, 2. Cor. 12.9. so are we said to be the Temple of God, 2 Cor. 6.17. I take it in the last sense here. Every particular believer is like the Tabernacle in diverse respects. A godly man, like the Tabernacle in diverse respects. First, in respect of the efficient causes: and so there are diverse similitudes. For, as the Tabernacle did not build itself, but was the work of cunning men: so is it with us: our hearts naturally are not Temples of Christ, but are made so. Secondly, as God raised up skilful men for the building of the Temple or Tabernacle; so doth God raise up Ministers for the erecting of the Frame of this spiritual House to Christ. Hence they are called Builders, 1. Cor. 3. And thirdly, as there was difference of degrees, and Bezaleel and Aholiab were specially inspired of God with skill above the rest: so hath Christ given some to be Apostles, Master-builders; and some Evangelists and Pastors, and Teachers, for the building up of the Church, till he come again. Secondly, in respect of the adjuncts of the Tabernacle: and those were two. First, movableness: secondly, furniture. For the first. The Tabernacle, though it were God's House, had no constant or certain restingplace, till Solomon, at the building of the Temple, took it into the most holy place; and was taken asunder, and easily dissolved; such are we: though honoured with the presence of Christ, yet our Tabernacle must be dissolved, and we shall never be at rest, till we be settled in the most holy place in heaven. 2 Cor. 5.1, 7. For the second, which is the furniture of the Tabernacle, it must be considered two ways: either on the inside, or on the outside. First, for the inside: there were curtains of fine linen, and blue silk, and scarlet, etc. and it, was furnished with admirable householdstuff, as I may, so call it. Within it was the Mercy-feat, the Table of shewbread, the Manna, the Altar of incense, and for burnt offerings, the Candlestick, and such like. Secondly, without, it was all covered with Ramms-skins died red, and Badgers skins upon them: and what dothall this signify in general, but that the Godly, though they be outwardly black and tanned with sin and affliction, yet they are glorious within, and have curtains like the curtains of Solomon; all richly hanged, as the chambers of Princes, with spiritual tapestry? Caut. 1.5. And in particular, for the inside of Christians, how glorious is the place of Christ's Tabernacle in them: There is the Propitiate, God's true feat of mercy: whence also he uttereth his Oracles, even his divine answers. There is the heavenly Manna that is hid, Revel. 2. There doth Christ spiritually feast it: there he dines and sups on the table of their hearts: and upon that table stands the shewbread, inasmuch as the heart of a Christian doth preserve a standing manner of affection to the Saints. There are also both sorts of Al●●● accordingly; as, faith offereth up to God either the redemption or th' intercession of Christ. There also is the great Laver to wash-in, called the S●●, because in the heart of every Christian, is opened the fountain of grace; able, like the Sea, to wash them from all their filthiness. There are the golden Candlesticks, with the lamps of saving knowledge continually 〈◊〉 in them● and upon the Altar of Christ crucified, and now making intercession, do they daily sacrifice their own affections; which resemble those sweet odo●● with which the Tabernacle was perfumed. The outward cover of the Tabernacle do assure safety and preservation to the Godly; and the rather, because the cloud rested upon them, as is affirmed, Esay 4.5, 6. Besides, the double covering of slain beasts may signify, that God hath two ways to provide for the Church. The red skins of Ramms may note Christ crucified, which is that which on the inside of the Tabernacle was only sewed. The covering of Badgers skins may note, that God will serve himself of the wicked: their skins shall protect the Church. If Israel want room, Canaan must die for it. Now thirdly, the Tabernacle was a type of every believer, if we respect the end of it. For, the Tabernacle was erected of purpose, as the place of the presence of God, God's visible House: such are the hearts of Christians: they are prepared of purpose for the entertainment of jesus Christ, that by his Spirit he may live and dwell therein, Galath. 2.20. Col. 1.27. 2 Corin. 12.9. 2 Cor. 13.5. Use. The use of all may be both for instruction, and consolation. For instruction; and so it should teach us diverse things. First, to abhor fornication, seeing our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6. 21. Secondly, to keep ourselves for being unequally yoked: Because there can be no communion between light and darkness, the Temple of God, and Idols. Thirdly, to look to our hearts in respect of inward sins, and to keep the room clean for the Lord to dwell in, 2 Cor. 7.1. Fourthly, to stir up ourselves to much prayer: if our hearts be the house of God, let them be a house of prayer also. Fifthly, let us still lift up our hearts, as everlasting doors for the Lord of Glory to come in, Psal. 24.7. For consolation. Shall we not say as Paul doth, We will rejoice in our infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in us? How should we hold up our head against all tentations and afflictions? Is not the grace of Christ sufficient for us, 2 Cor. 12.9? And shall we not be confident, that through Christ we can do all things? Will he forsake the house, upon which his Name is called? Will he not perfect his own work, and repair his own dwelling place? Was the Tabernacle safe in the wilderness, while the cloud was upon it? and are not our hearts safe, while Christ is in them? How are the abject Gentiles honoured, Col. 1.27. whose hearts are so enriched by Christ, that dwells in them! If the outward Sanctuary were like high Palaces, Psal. 78.69. what is the heart of man, the true Tabernacle? and if he established it as the earth, how much more hath he established us in his favour and grace? so that it may comfort us in respect of honour done to our hearts, and against tentations and afflictions; and in respect of hope of perseverance, and also in respect of increase of power and well-doing. He will work our works for us. And it shows us also the honour cast upon our good works: they have a noble beginning in respect of Christ, and as they come from him. Howsoever, we ought to be abased for our own corruptions, that cleave unto them: Yea, how should it wonderfully establish our hearts in all estates, to think, that Christ is with us wheresoever we go, not only as our witness, but as our guide and our protector. If God be with us, who can be against us? As also it is comfortable, if we consider the comparisons imported in the furniture of the outward Tabernacle. And thus much of the fourth thing. The fifth thing is, We must be a holy Priest-heed unto Christ: which is amplified both by the labour of it. To offer sacrifice, and by the honour of it, acceptable to God through jesus Christ. Here are many things to be noted. The first is, that Christians are Priests before God, and jesus Christ: This is acknowledged in other Scriptures, Revel. 1.5. Exod. 19.6. The meaning is, that they are like to the levitical Priests, and that in many things. Godly men are Priests in many respects. First, in respect of separation: they are God's portion given him out of all the people: so are the godly all the portion God hath in the world. They are said to be the ransom of the children of Israel, Numbers 8.9. Secondly, in respect of consecration. The oil of God is upon the godly: and as it was poured out upon Aaron & his Sons: The oil of grace and gladness poured out upon Christ, our true Aaron, hath run down upon his garments, so as all his members are Christians, that is, anointed with him, Psal. 133. 2 Cor. 1.22. 1 joh. 2. The holy Ghost is called the anointing in this respect. Thirdly, in respect of the substance of the ceremonies in their consecration: for, First, as it was required in the Law, that the Priests should be without blemish, Levit. 21.17. so is it required of Christians, Col. 1.22. Secondly, as the Priests were washed in the great laver of water, Exod. 29.4. Levit. 8.5, 6. so must Christians be washed in the laver of Regeneration. Eph. 5.23. Titus 3.5. Thirdly, as the Priests had their holy garments, beautiful, and goodly ones, which they called their Ephods: so doth the Queen the Church stand at Christ's right hand in a Vesture of Ophir, Psalm. 45. Thus josuah hath change of garments mystically given him, Zach. 3.4. Those garments are promised to such as have had a spirit of heaviness, Isaiah 61.3. called garments of salvation, verse 10. and royal garments, and like the new wedding garments of the Bride, Isaiah 62.5, 7. Those garments signified either the singular glory, and joy of Christians, Esaiah 61.3. or the righteousness of Christ imputed, Revel. 19 or the excellent divine gifts and graces bestowed upon them. Exod. 29.21. Fourthly, The Priest must have blood sprinkled upon his ear, and upon his thumb, and upon his toe, to signify, that our hearing, practice, and progress, must be all sanctified to us by Christ, and that the main thing Christians should express and attend to, should be Christ crucified, and that Christ by his blood hath consecrated them in all these respects, so as their hearing, and practice, and progress, shall all be blessed unto them. And thus of the ceremonies of their consecration. Fourthly, We should be like the levitical Priests for knowledge: the Priests lips should preserve knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth, Malac. 2. And it is true of Christians, that they are a people, in whose heart is God's law, Esay 57.7. Hebr. 8. jerem. 31. Fifthly, We should be like the Priests in respect of the work they did. For, First, It was the Priest's office to carry about the Ark of the Lord, when it was removed, upon their shoulders. What is the Ark to be carried, but the doctrine of Christ and the Church? Christian's must carry about the Word of God, and hold it forth, in the light, and life of it, as lights that shine in the dark places of the wilderness of this world, Philip. 2.15. Secondly, It was their office to blow in the silver trumpets, and that upon four occasions, as you may see, Num. 10. First, The one was to assemble the congregation, or the Princes to the tabernacle. Secondly, The other was to give an ala●●n, when there was any remove of the camp. Thirdly, The third was in the time of War, when they mustered to battle. Fourthly, The fourth was for joys sake at the time of solemn feasts, and for thanksgiving to God: and in all these we should be like the Priests: We should be as trumpets to call one upon another to go up to the house of the Lord, Esay 1.2. Secondly, We should every where proclaim mortality, and signify that the whole host must remove: we must cry, All flesh is grass, 1 Pet. 1.23. Thirdly, We should also blow the trumpet of defence, and arm ourselves in the spiritual warfare, and call upon God to save us from our enemies, and stir up one another provoking to love, and good works, 1 Pet. 4.1, 2. 2 Tim. 2.3, 4. 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. We should cry aloud like a trumpet, in reproving the transgressions of men, and opposing the sins of the time, Esay 58. 1. Ephes. 5. Lastly, We should trumpet out the praises of God for all the goodness he hath showed unto us, we should blow as in the new Moon, Psal. 81.3. But then in all this we must remember, that we blow with a silver trumpet, that is, with all discretion and sincerity, etc. Thirdly, A special work of the Priests was to bless the people, and to put the name of God upon them. The former whereof is prescribed. Numb. 6.22, 23, 24. and so should we all learn the language of Canaan, or the language of blessing: we must bless and not curse, for we are thereunto called. 1 Pet. 3.9. Lastly, Their principal work was, to offer sacrifices: of which in the next words. The Uses follow. Uses. First, For reproof: For there are many faults in Christians, whereby they transgress against their spiritual Priesthood: as, 1. When men are yoked with unnecessary society with the wicked: for hereby they forget their separation to God, etc. 2. When men neglect the finishing of their repentance and assurance, they look not to their anointing. 3. When men are scandalous of their indiscretions, and faults: they forget, that such as have any blemish, must not offer the bread of their God, and forget their washing from their old sins, 2 Pet. 1.7. 4. When men are barren of good works, or are uncheerfull and dull: they leave off the Priest's garments of innocency and gladness. 5. When the lives and behaviours of men savour of vanity and worldliness: they remember not the blood of sprinkling. 6. When men are ignorant and idle, seek not knowledge, or do not teach, and instruct, and admonish; How do the Priests lips preserve knowledge? or how do they bear about the Ark of the Lord? 7. When Christians are fearful, and irresolute, and cold, and not frequent in the praises of God, how do they blow in the silver trumpet? 8. When Christians are bitter-hearted, and accustomed to evil-speaking, how do they forget their duty of blessing! To omit the neglect of sanctifying, till I come to handle it in the next place. Use. 2. Secondly, For consolation to all godly, and mortified, and inoffensive Christians: they should be wonderful thankful to God, that hath made them partners of this holy Calling, howsoever the world conceives of it. God promiseth it as a great mercy to his children, that they shall be called the Priests of the Lord, Esay 61.6. and the Church is thankful for it to God, Revel. 2.6. and 5.10. And the rather should we rejoice in it, because God hath promised to take us to himself, as his portion and peculiar treasure, Exod. 19 6. And it is his promise also to satiate the souls of his Priests with fatness, jerem. 31.14. And what a privilege is it to have access unto the Lord, and to stand before God daily? which the Priests not only might, but were tied 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 careful 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 blow the trumpets of zeal and resolution, carrying ourselves with all humility and readiness to do good, and so becoming 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 fitness and occasion. Thus of the Priesthood of Christians in general. In particular, hence is further to be considered; first, their work; secondly, their honour. Their work is, To offer up spiritual sacrifices: their honour is, Acceptation and high account with God through jesus 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 spiritual; 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 mystical significations of the sacrifices of Moses Law; and withal, the manner how they must be offered up, viz. spiritually, or after a spiritual manner. The main thing here intended, then, is, To avouch, that Christians have their sacrifices which they must offer, and that in a spiritual manner. Now, for the clearer opening of this doctrine, two things must be distinctly considered of. First, what sacrifices can remain to Christians, since the Law of Moses is abrogated: and secondly, what things are requisite to the offering up of these sacrifices. Divers sorts of sacrifices for Christians. For the first. There are diverse sorts of sacrifices among Christians. Some are proper to some Christians only: some are general 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 souls of the hearers. Thus Paul was to offer up the Gentiles to God, Rom. 15.16. And thus it was prophesied, 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 ●udgement. In this life in general, when they persuade them to their attendance upon the House of God, and breed in them a care to come before the Lord in ●erusalem, Esay 66.20. In particular, when they work repentance and true conversion in their hearts, and when they make them go home, and mortify their sins, and tender their vowed service to God. And thus two things are employed for our information. The one concerns Ministers: the other concerns the hearers. First, Ministers may hence take notice of it, that there can never be hope they should persuade with all their hearers: for, sacrifices were here and there once taken out of the whole Herd. And beside, 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 persuade them to leave the world, and bind them to the cords of restraint in many liberties they took to themselves before▪ yea, though they let their heart's blood, by piercing their souls with sorrow for their sins, even to the death of their sins, 2 Cor. 8.5. and 7.15. Secondly, At the day of ●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 die, must make ready their accounts for the souls 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 choose out and divide to the people, as consecrated for their use. For, diverse think, that that phrase of cutting the Word of God aright, is borrowed from the Priest's manner of dividing the sacrifices; and especially, from the Priest's 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, Levi●. 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 own blood: this part is ready to be poured out as a drink-offering to the Lord for the Church, Phil. 2.17. 2 Tim. 4.6. and though we cannot be all Martyrs, yet we should all deny our own lives in the vows of our hearts, to perform our covenant with God, if ever we be called to die for Christ's sake and the Gospel. Mark. 8.34.35. Thirdly, The sacrifice of rich men is alms, and well-doing, and those sacrifices they are bound unto, to offer them continually, Heb. 13.16. Phil. 4.18. Pro. 3.9. Alms is as it were the first fruits of all our increase. But then we must remember that our alms be of goods well gotten: For else God hates robbery for burnt offering, Isaiah 61.8. And in giving, we must deny ourselves, and not seek our own praises, or plenary merit in it: for it is a sacrifice clean given ●way from us, and consecrated only to God, and the use of his spiritual 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 diverse. For first, Christ is to be offered up daily to God, as the propitiation for our sins: God hath set him forth of purpose in the Gospel, that so many as believe, may daily run unto him, and in their prayers offer him up to God, as the reconciliation for all their sins: 1 joh. 2.2. and this is the continual sacrifice of all Christians: Without this, Rom. 3.25. 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 shadows. Those sacrifices served but as rudiments to instruct men, how to lay hold upon Christ, and to carry him into the presence of God, and laying hands upon his head to plead their interest in his death; who was offered up, as a whole burnt sacrifice for their sins. We are Christ's, and Christ is given unto us as our ransom: we must every day than lay hold upon him, and see him bleed to death for our sins, and be consumed in the fire of God's wrath for our sins. Secondly, A broken and contrite heart is a sacrifice God will not despise, yea such hearts are the sacrifices God especially calls for from men: He ever loved them better, than all the outward sacrifices in the Law, Psal. 51.17. It is the heart God calls for: and yet not every heart, Prov. 23.26. but a heart wounded with the knife of mortification, that is, cut, and bleedeth in itself with godly sorrow for sin, and is broken and contrite with the daily confession of sin: This is required of all Christians, and this very thing makes a great deal of difference between Christian and Christian. Thirdly, Prayer and thanksgiving to God, are Christian and holy Sacrifices, as many Scriptures show, Psal. 141.2. Heb. 13.15. Host 14.4. Psal. 51.21. Fourthly, We must offer ourselves, our souls and bodies as a living sacrifice to God, Rom. 12.2. 2 Cor. 8.5. and that, First, in respect of obedience, devoting ourselves unto God, living to him, and wholly resolved to be at his appointment, Psal. 40.6. Lo, I come to do thy will: this is instead of all burnt offerings. Secondly, in respect of willingness to suffer affliction of what kind soever, as resolving, that through many afflictions, as through so many flames, we must ascend up to heaven, as the smoke of the incense, or sacrifice on the Altar, Acts 14.21. Hence are trials called fiery trials, 1 Pet. 4.12. Special la●es to be observed in offering up our sacrifices. Thus of the kinds of sacrifices, which remain unto Christians: The laws about those sacrifices follow: For there be many things to be observed by Christians in their sacrifices if they would ever have them acceptable to God, which the shadows in the old law did evidently signify, as, First, the sacrifice must be without blemish, Malach. 1.7. which the same Prophet expounds, Mala●h. 3.11. Our offerings must be pure offerings, we must tender them in the sincerity of our hearts: Our sacrifices are without fault, when we judge ourselves for the faultiness of them, and desire they might have no fault. Secondly, it must be presented before the Lord, and consecrated to h●m: which signified, that we must walk in God's presence, and do all in the sight of God, devoting all to his glory, Gen. 17.1. Mic. 6.8. Thirdly, our sacrifices must be daily, some kinds of them: There were Sacrifices every day in the Temple, and it was an extreme desolation, when the sacrifices ceased: so it must be our every days work to employ ourselves in some of those spiritual sacrifices, Heb. 13.15. Fourthly, There must be an Altar to consecrate the gifts, Matth. 23.19. This Altar is Christ, who is the only Altar of Christians, Heb. 13. 1●. Rev. 8.3. No service can be acceptable, to God, but as the Apostle here faith, by Jesus Christ: We must do all in the name of Christ, Col. 3.17. Fiftly, there must be fire to burn the sacrifice: This fire is holy zeal, and the power and fervency of the spirit in doing good duties: The fire on the Altar, first came down from heaven, to signify, that true zeal is kindled in heaven, and comes down from above: It is no ordinary humour nor a rash fury: It is no wild fire: And it was required about this fire, that they should preserve it, and never let it go out, but put fuel still to it; and so it was kept for many years: so must we do with our zeal, we must labour by all means to preserve the fervency of our hearts, that we never want fire to burn our sacrifices: Our zeal should be, as the love mentioned, C●●t. 7.10. that much water could not quench it: Every sacrifice must have fire, Mark 9 Sixtly, the sacrifices must be salted with salt: so must our Christian sacrifices, as our Saviour Christ shows, Mark 9.49, 50. And thus we must have the salt of mortification, and the salt of discretion, and we must look to it, that our salt lose no his faltnes, but that it have a draining power in it, to extract corruption out of our sacrifices: our words to God and men must be powdered with salt. Col. 4.6. and so must all our actions. Seventhly, the Sacrifices must be without leaven, Levit. 2. 1●. Leaven in wickedness, or malice, or sourness, or deadness of heart, or worldly grief: even whatsoever leaveneth, that is, infecteth or maketh the meat offering to be heavy, or sow●e, 1 Cor. 5.8. Eighthly, in the same place of Leviticus 2.12. Hony likewise is forbidden to be mingled with their sacrifices: and by bony may be meant, our beloved sins, or particular corruptions: we should especially watch against them in the time of 〈◊〉 of holy duties, that they mingle not themselves with our sacrifices, by infecting our ●●gitations. Ninthly, the offering must be waved, and shaken to and fro before the Lord, Levit. 7.3. And this signified the waving of our lips in prayer to God for his acceptation: our sacrifices should be sound tossed to and fro in prayer before the Lord: job prayed before he sacrificed, job 42. Tenthly, on the Sabbath the sacrifices were to be doubled, to signify, that in a special manner we should consecrate ourselves to piety and mercy on the Sabbath day. Eleventhly, our sacrifices must be offered upwith all gladness of heart, and spiritual delight. Thus God's people were said to be a freehearted, and willing people, Psal. 47.9. & 110.3. And this was shadowed out, partly by the oil● that was poured into the meat offerings, which is expounded to be the oil of gladness, and partly by the feast they made at the end of their solemn sacrifices, unto which they invited their friends, to join with them in rejoicing before the Lord: and it is likely David alludes to this feast, when he faith, he would take the cup of salvation, and praise the name of the Lord: For as yet the Lords Supper was not instituted, nor do we read of any use of a cup in the sacrifices, or Sacraments themselves, Ex. 18.12. 1 Chron. 16.1, 2, 3, 4. Psal. 116.13. Twelfthly, if we be called to it, we must not deny unto God th●fat of the kidneys, and the inwards. By the fat was meant the things which are dearest to us, most beloved, and that most delight us: and if the service of God, and the Church, and the poor require it, we must deny ourselves, and sacrifice what is most dear to us. Thirteenthly, the Apostle to the Hebrews, Chap. 13.13. adds, that we must not leave off well-doing for reproach sake, but be contented to be like Christ, who suffered without the gate, as scorned of men, and like the sacrifice was burnt without the camp. Though all men hate us, and speak evil of us, and cast us out of their companies, yet we must persist in our intention to sacrifice still to God. Fourteen, in the Sacrifices God had a great respect of mercy, that cruelty were not showed, as Levit. 22.27. When he enjoined, that the creature must be seven days under the dam, and that no dam with the young one was to be slain the same day: Certainly, God abhorreth, that cruelty should be exercised under pretence of piety. Cursed be those long prayers, that will devour widow's houses, Matth. 23. In one thing we differ from the sacrifices: For the sacrifices were dead, or consisted of things without life; but we must be living sacrifices; we must do what we will do while we are alive, and must do it lively, with the affections that belong to the duties to be done. Use. The use may be briefly twofold: for partly it should humble us for our neglect of prayers & thanksgiving, & alms & contrition: We omit the main duties of our general calling, when we omit these: It was the abomination of desolation, when the temple was without sacrifices: & how can it but be exceeding uncomely with Gods spiritual house that hath not sacrifices in it? We are Christians but in name, when piety and mercy is neglected. But especially we should be instructed from hence to mind our work, & to strive to answer our high calling, by a continual care day & night to exercise ourselves herein: the smoke of our incense should daily ascend unto God. The Apostle Pa●l beseecheth the Romans by the mercies of God, to look to their sanctifying, Rom. 12.1. Which shows; it is of wonderful necessity, and would make us in some measure walk worthy of the Lord. And to the●Hebrewes he bids them take heed of forgetting these sacrifices, importing that usually our deficiency in these services, are from forgetfulness: we forget to pray, and forget to show mercy, even after we have purposed both. And thus much of the work of a Christian. Now his honour follows. Acceptable to God by jesus Christ] Wherein three things may be noted. First, That howsoever piety, and mercy, and well-doing, find little acceptation in the world, yet it shall never want honour and great esteem with God. Pions and merciful Christians shall never fail of the love and favour of God: Their works are accepted. It is true, that God may change his mind concerning the Ceremonial Sacrifices: but the acceptation of Christian Sacrifices is a thing established with God, Heb. 10.9. These offerings shall be pleasant unto the Lord, Malach. 3.4. Th●y are wellpleasing in his sight, Heb. 13.16. They are a sweet savour unto the Lord, Phil. 4.18. God hath a book of remembrance, Mal. 3.17. And our fruit shall certainly remain, joh. 15.16. And thus Cornelius his prayers and alms came up before the Lord, Acts 10. Secondly, That it is not enough to do good duties but we must strive so to do them, that God may accept them, Heb. 12.28. Esay 1.11, 12.13.14. Thirdly, That now our best works are made acceptable to God only by jesus Christ, Revel. 8.3, 4. It is from the presenting of Christ, that we are found holy and without blame in God's sight, Col. 1.22. Therefore we must do all in the name of the Lord jesus, Col. 3.17. Vs●. The use of all should be to teach us, with all care to devote ourselves unto godliness, that thereby we may prove, what this good and acceptable will of God is. Let us try God's acceptation; and we shall certainly find, it shall go well with the just, Rom. 12.1, 2. Yea, we should from hence gather much encouragement to employ ourselves in piety and mercy. It is enough if God accept of us. Quest. But what should we do, that we may be sure our sacrifices be accepted of God? How shall we know, when God doth accept our service in any holy duty? Ans. That a man's conscience may be sound established in this point of God's acceptation, we must look to three things. What we must do, to get our works acceptable to God. First, that the person be sanctified. None but Priests must approach to offer sacrifice to God. They that are in the flesh, cannot please God. Rom. 8.8. The sons of Levi must be purified and refined, as the silver is refined, before their offering will be pleasing, Mal. 3.3, 4. When the Lord rejected, with so much disdain, the sacrifices of the jews, he shows what they should have done to please him: they should have washed themselves by true repentance, and put away the evil of their works, Esay 1.11, 16. Only the works of the penitent cannot be accepted: if the person be not in favour, the works are hated. For, they are sanctified by the holy Ghost, Rom. 15.16. Secondly, That the manner of performing our service be right: there are diverse things in the manner are hateful; and diverse things pleasing. The things specially hateful, are; first, beloved sins: secondly, hypocrisy: thirdly, malice: and fourthly, lukewarmness. The sacrifice is loathsome, if it be blind, or lame, or blemished: that is, if men bring to God's service the love of any soul sin, the service is loathsome, Malach. 1. So, if men's hearts be carried away with continual distractions, that service is lost: this is, To come near to God with our lips, when our hearts are far from him. Hypocrisy is leaven, as beloved sin is bony; both forbidden. Again, when a man comes to God's works, and hath not forgiven his brother, he keeps the Feast with some leaven: his Passeover is defiled; nor can his own sins be forgiven, b●c●use he forgives not, Math. 6. 1 Cor. 5.8. Finally, lukewarmness is like a vomit to God, when we are neither hot nor cold. They are loathed like the Laodiceans, Revel. 3. There are other things wonderful pleasing to God● as, First, When a man doth whatsoever he doth, in the Name of Christ: this is the Altar that sanctifieth the gift, and the sacrifices are here acceptable through jesus Christ, Heb. 13.15. Col. 3.17. Secondly, When our works are sound powdered with salt, that is, when we sound confess our own unworthiness, and give all glory to God in jesus Christ. Thirdly, When we love mercy and piety, accounting it our delight to do God▪ s will, and thinking ourselves greatly honoured, to be admitted to do this service, Mich. 6.8. 2 Cor. 8.5. Fourthly, When we can bring faith, that is, a heart well persuaded of God, so as we can believe all good of him and his mercy. Without faith no man can please God, Heb. 11.6. and God takes no delight in him that withdraweth himself through unbelief, Heb. 10.36, 37. Fifthly, When it is our every-days work. Sacrifice will please God, if it be continual, Heb. 13.15. Thus of the second thing. Thirdly, We may know, that our sacrifice is accepted, if the Lord burn it to ashes with fire from heaven. Thus God did put a difference between the sacrifice of Cain and Abel, by some visible sign: and though we may not limit God, and expect he should answer us by visible signs, yet God hath not left us without testimony of his favour. For, by his word of promise, and by his Spirit bearing witness to our spirits, hath he manifested even from heaven his acceptation: and in particular, when the believer stands before the Lord with his sacrifice duly offered; when the Lord doth suddenly fill his heart with the cloud of his presence; or warm his soul with the joys of the holy Ghost; what is this but the sign of his acceptation? Quest. What if we be accepted in our service of God? what great thing is that to us? Answ. When God accepts thine offerings, thou mayst be assured of three things. First, Tha● all thy sins be forgiven thee. God hath purged away thine iniquity: he hath received an atonement in jesus Christ, Psal 65.2, 3. Secondly, God is exceedingly delighted in them. Thy sacrifice is a sweet smell unto God: he rejoiceth over thee with joy, Phil. 4.18. Thirdly, It is a pledge unto thee, that God will supply all thy necessities out of the riches of his glory, in jesus Christ our Saviour. Phil. 4.19. Verse 6. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I put in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect and precious: and he that believeth therein, shall not be ashamed. HItherto of the proposition of the exhortation. The conformation follows: where the Apostle gives reasons why we should make our recourse to Christ, to seek holiness of life from him; and the reasons are two. The first is taken from the testimony of God, verses 6, 7, 8. The other is taken from the consideration of the excellent privileges of Christians, unto which they are brought by Christ, verses 9, 10. The testimony of God is both cited, verse 6. and expounded, verses 7.8. In the testimony of God, observe; first, where it is to be found, viz. In Scripture: secondly, how it is there, It is contained there: thirdly, what is testified. Now, the matter testified concerns either the giving of Christ for the good of the Church; or the safety of the Christian that by faith receiveth Christ. The giving of Christ is expressed in these words, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner sto●e, elect, precious: the safety and happiness of the Christian that receiveth Christ, in these words; And be that believes in him, shall not be confounded. First, of the place where this testimony is found, viz. In the Scripture. What is meant by Scripture, and why it isso called. By the Scripture, is usually meant all the Books of the old and new Testament, written after an extraordinary manner by inspiration of the holy ghost. But here he means it of the Books of the old Testament; but yet so, as the word doth agree to all the Books of both Testaments. Now, this very word gives us occasion to consider of the nature of these Books, and of their use, and of their excellency, and of their harmony. These Books are called Scripture, because they contain in writing, the whole will of God, necessary to be known of us: they are the Treasures of all truth. The doctrine, which was before delivered by tradition for 2000 years, was afterwards written down and explained in these Books: so as nothing needful was left out or omitted. Secondly, this word imports the excellency of the Bible above all other books, because it is called Scripture: as if no other writings were worthy to be mentioned in comparison of these. The Scripture exceeds all others in diverse respects. Wherein the Scriptures exceed all other writings. First, because these writings were inspired all of the holy ghost, 2 Tim. 3.17. 2 P●t. 1.21. so were no other writings. Secondly, those writings contain a wisdom far above all that, that can be had by the Princes and men of this world, the platform of the wisdom that is in God himself, 1 Cor. 6.7. Thirdly, they were penned by more excellent men than any other writings: the greatest, wisest, holiest men; Moses, David, Solomon, the Prophets, Evangelists, Apostles, etc. Fourthly, they have such properties, as no other writings have: they are more perfect, pure, deep, and immutable than any man's writings: These contain all things necessary unto faith, and a good life, 2 Tim. 3.17, 18. These writings only are pure, without fault, or error, or any corruption in them, and for depth ●nd majesty never any writings came near them, and for unchangeab●nes, Heaven and earth must pass away, but a jot of God's word shall not pass away, Matth. 5.24. 1 Pet. 1.23. Fiftly, if we consider the effects, that must be acknowledged to the praise of the Scriptures, which can be true of no writings beside, no writings can describe God so fully to us: no writings do so bring glory to God, no Scripture but this can convert a soul to God, Heb. 4.12, 13. Other writings may show us some faults to be avoided, but give no power to subdue them, Ps●l. 19.8. These writings only can minister solid comfort to us in adversity, and these only can make us wise to salvation, and perfect to every good word and work. The consideration whereof should work in us a singular love to this book above all other books in the world, yea above all the treasures in the world, we should account them with David more sweet than honey, and more precious than gold, Psal. 19.11. Psal. 119.14, 15, 27. Thirdly, the third thing may be noted from hence, is the harmony of all these books, they all agree, as if they were but one writing, yea but one sentence, yea one word: though the books were written by diverse men, yet they agree so perfectly, that they all sound one thing: for they were all inspired by the same Spirit of God: which should teach us, when we meet with doubts, or objections, or scorning contradictions, to condemn our own ignorance, and to be fully resolved, that there is a sweet harmovy, though we do not see it. And secondly and especially it should knit our hearts to the Scriptures, we should be affected as with the most delightful music of the world, or in the world. Fourthly, The fourth thing concerns the use of Scripture, and so we may note two things. First, That we must receive no opinions but what can be proved by Scripture, To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to these, it is because there is no truth in them, Isaiah 8. Secondly, we may note hence, that the best men must prove what they teach, by Scripture. If the Apostles did it, who were men privileged from error, then much more must other men: we must believe no man, above what is written, 1 Cor. 4.6. and he is accursed, that teacheth other things then what is written, Gal. 1.7. though he were an Angel from heaven. Which should teach us to get proofs into our heads for all that we believe, and to take heed of receiving traditions even from good men. For there be traditions on the right hand, as well as on the left, joh 5.30. Acts 17.1. Thes. 5.21. Secondly, Thus of the place, where this testimony is: The manner how it is there, is in the word Contained: It is contained in Scripture. Contained.] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is much ado about the word here rendered, Contained, among Interpreters: The word sounds actively in the Original, as if it were rendered, doth contain; or he containeth. But the Translators, and many Interpreters think, the active is put for the passive: He containeth, for, It is contained. If we read it actively, than the Name of God must be supplied thus: He, that is, God, contained it ●n Scripture: noting, that as a singular treasure, God hath placed this Testimony in Scripture, concerning Christ, and faith in him: and sure it is a great treasure, that we may have places in the sure Word of God, that so plainly testify of Christ, and our happiness in him: we should take great notice of them, and be much thankful to God for giving us such sentences so briefly, and yet so plainly and fully to inform us. Some supply the name of Christ, and so they say, Christ containeth, that Is, excelleth, as the word may signify: He is had fully and excellently in Scripture, and in particular in this testimony of Scripture. The word rendered (Contained) signifies sometimes barely to be had; sometimes to be possessed, as Luke 5.9. They were possessed with fear. And so we possess a great treasure in Scripture, when we have such Testimonies as these. There is a Noun derived of this Verb, which is thought by the exactest Divines, to mean a special Section, or portion; and when it is applied to a place in Scripture, it signifies such a Scripture as is divided from the rest, as a principal matter either to be meditated of, or expounded. Such was that special portion of Scripture, which the Ennuch had to meditate of, and Philip expounded to him, Acts 8.32. where the word is used. And so whether the word be used actively or passively, it commends unto us this place of Scripture, and withal shows us a way, how to enrich ourselves, namely by singling out such choice places throughout the Scripture, as may most fittingly furnish our thoughts for meditation in the main matters of Religion. We may here note, what cause we have of thankfulness to God, for the helps we have in teaching, seeing we have the Chapter and verse quoted to us, which they had not in the Primitive Church; and withal we may observe, that one may have the profit of the Scriptures, though he cannot quote Chapter and verse. And thus of the second thing concerning this testimony. Thirdly, the third follows, which is the matter testified, which concerns either the giving of Christ, or the safety of the Christian in believing in him. In the words that describe the giving of Christ, observe: First, The wonder of it in the word (Behold:) Secondly, The Author of it, God, I lay or put: Thirdly, The manner of it, He laid him down, as the stone of a foundation in a building: Fourthly, The place where: In Zion: noting, that this gift of Christ belongs only to the Church: Fifthly, What Christ was unto the Church, viz. a chief corner stone, elect, and precious. Behold.] This word is used in Scripture, sometimes to note a thing that is usually known, or aught to be known: so David saith, Behold, I was conceived in sin, Psalm. 51. Sometimes to note, that some great wonder is spoken of, and must be much attended. In this place it may note both: For it is certain, that the testimonies of Scriptures concerning Christ, aught to be familiarly known of us, and this, as an especial one: But I rather think, it is used to note the wonder of the work here mentioned, and so the word may import diverse things unto us. First, It was a marvelous work, that God should give us his own Son to be our Saviour, and the fountain of life to us. Hence it is, that we may observe throughout the Scripture, that God doth set this note of attention and respect, both upon the general, and upon many particulars that concern Christ, as it were by the Word to pull us by the ears to make us attend, or to give us a sign when we should specially listen. Thus God brings out Christ to the Church, and tells, how he loves him, and hath resolved upon it by him to save both jews and Gentiles, and wills them to behold him, and wonder at him, Isaiah 42.1. So when he promiseth the coming of Christ, Malach. 3.1. And of the ends of his coming, he makes a proclamation all the world over, Esay 55.4. that he hath appointed a Saviour unto Zion, Thus he would have us wonder at the service of the Angels about the time of his birth, Esay 62.11. Math. 1.20. Luke 2.9, 10. and at the miracle of his conception, that he should be borne of a Virgin, Math. 1.21. and at the Wisemen led by a star out of the East, Math. 2.1, 9 and at the opening of the heavens, when the voice came down to testify, that Christ was the beloved Son of God, in whom he was well pleased. Math. 3.16, 17. and at the service, which the Angels did him, Math. 4.11. and at his wonderful abasement for our sakes, Math. 21.5. and especially that he should sacrifice his own body for our sins, 1 john 1.29 Heb. 10.7. and that he is alive from the dead, and liveth for ever, Revel. 1.18 and that he hath opened the secret book of God's counsel, and made it known to the world, Revel. 5.5. and that, after such hard times under the reign of Antichrist, he should recollect such troops of Gospelers, as stood with him on Mount Zion, Revel. 14.1. It were too long to number up more particulars: Only thus much we should learn, that the doctrine of Christ is to be received with great affection, attention, and admiration. Secondly, This word strikes us like a dart to the heart: for, it imports, that naturally we are extremely careless and stupid in this great doctrine concerning Christ and faith in us. For, when God calls for attention, it implies, that we are marvelous slow of heart to understand, or with affection to receive the doctrine. Let the use of all be then, to strive with our own hearts, and to awake from this heaviness and sleepiness, and with all our souls to praise God, with endless admiration of his goodness to us, in giving us his Son. Thus of the wonder of it. 2. The Author of it follows. I lay, or put.] God would have us to take special notice of it, that it is he, that was the Author of this glorious work. He is the workmaster, the chief master-builder. It is God's work, and the knowledge of this may serve for diverse uses. For first, It should direct our thankfulness, Use. we should give glory to God, and praise his rich grace. He will not lose his thanks for Christ. He holds himself much honoured, when we praise him for so great a gift as Christ. Secondly, It should much strengthen our faith, and make us believe the love of God, and his willingness to be reconciled. He is the party offended; and if he were hard to be pleased, he would never have sought out such a project for reconciliation: Besides, what can God deny us, if he can give us his own Son? and who is pleased also in his Word to signify so much, and commanded it by his servants to be told to the parties offending, that he hath found out such a way of perfect peace. Thirdly, We should hence be comforted in all the straits of godliness: when the Lord goeth about to lay the foundation of grace in our hearts, and to form Christ in us, we should remember it is the ●ords work, and it shall prosper; if the Lord will have it go on, who can hinder it? The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it, when God builds it upon this Rock. Fourthly, it should teach us in all other distresses to trust upon God, and never be afraid of the oppositions of men, or the impediments of our deliverance. For what shall restrain God's mercy from us? If the Lord can bring about such a work as this, to found Zion, by laying Christ as the chief corner stone in her; then we may trust him in less matters. The Lord will accomplish all the Counsel of his will, and he that hath promised, that all shall work together for the best, will perform it. To this end he pleade● this work of ●ounding Christ in the womb of a Virgin, of purpose to give them thereby a sign of deliverance: then, in a temporal affliction it is easy for him to save us, and deliver us from all our troubles, that can give us a Saviour for all our sins. Lastly, Ministers that are but under-Masons and Carpenters, must learn to take all their directions at God, both to see to it, that they lay no other foundation, than what God hath laid, which is jesus Christ, and in all things to be faithful in good works, as such as must make their accounts to God. And thus of the Author. Thirdly, The time follows. I lay, or put.] He speaks in the present time, yet meaneth it of a thing to be accomplished in the time to come. For God laid Christ down, as the corner stone, partly in his Incarnation, when he sent him into the world in the flesh to take our nature; and partly he is said to lay down this corner stone, when spiritually by means he forms Christ in the hearts of men in the visible Church. Now the Lord speaketh in the present time, I do lay, for diverse reasons. ●irst, To signify, that the care of that business was then in his head, he was plotting about it, and did continually mind it. Secondly, To signify, that howsoever the main work of the open restoring of the world by Christ, in the calling of the Gentiles, was long after to be done, yet God did spiritually form Christ in the hearts of the remnant, so as at all times he did more or less further his building. Thirdly, To note the certainty of the accomplishment of it, he saith, He did then do it, to assure them, it should as certainly be done, as if it were then done: which should teach us to believe God, and never limit him. When we have his promise, let us reckon upon it: if God promise us any thing, it is as sure as if we had it. Thus of the time. Fourthly, The manner follows, noted in the word Laid. I lay. There are many things imported under this similitude, that Christ is laid, as the Mason lays the chief corner stone in the earth. For it imports, That Christ is laid as a foundation-stone, imports many things. First, The divine nature of Christ, that he was before he was incarnate, as the cornerstone was, before it was laid for a foundation. Christ descended from heaven, Eph. 4.7, 9 Secondly, The unchangeableness of God's ordinances concerning the giving of Christ. He hath laid him as a foundation, that he would not have taken up again. Thirdly, the hiding of the glory of Christ, and of his life. He is of a singular use to the Church, and the Frame of God's work appeareth in his members: but Christ himself is hid with God, Col. 3.3. He is like the stone hidden in the earth: he is buried in the ground: and therefore we should be the more patient, if our life be hid also with God. Fourthly, It may be, by this term the mystery of the birth and conception of Christ is intimated. God digged the ground of our natures in the womb of Christ, that he might lay Christ there, etc. Fifthly, so it may likewise import the sanctification of the humane nature of Christ; who was qualified, as the stone is squared when it is laid down. Thus of the manner▪ The place follows. In Zion.) Zion, for certain, was a Fort of the jebusites, built on a hill close to Jerusalem; which was taken by David, and called the City of David, 2 Sam. 5.7; the Temple being afterward, built here. The Church of the Jews was called Zion, because here they assembled: and so afterwards it was the title given to the Church of God, both of jews and Gentiles, that agree in one faith and true Religion, Zach. 10.11. And in especial, by Zion is meant the place of the assembly of the Saints, the Sanctuary. In the twelfth to the Hebrews, verse 22. it is thought to signify the Saints in heaven, even the Congregation of the first borne. In this place it must need● mean the Christian Church; in which, God built the new world, laying the foundation in Christ incarnate▪ whi●h began in jerusalem, even at Zion in the Letter. Now, when the Lord cal●s his Church by this name of Zion, it is to import diverse things; partly to tell us what we were by nature, and partly to tell us what we are by his grace and favour. By nature, what were our assemblies but Forts of jebusites, in which multitudes of locusts swarmed? we were Ca●aanites, enemies to God and all true religion: we were the halt and the blind, mentioned, Mich 4.6, 7; alluding to that in 2 Sam. 5.6, 7. But, being conquered by David our King, even Christ the Son of David, we are new fortified for his use, and our estate is fitly resembled by Zion. The Church is like Mount Zion in diverse respects. 1. The Church is like Mount Zion for visibility. Christians are like a City on a hill: they are such as all sorts of men easily take notice of; not that th● men of the world are in love with Christians, but many times out of the hatred of the truth set they eyes and thoughts upon them, Matthew 5, etc. Secondly, The godly are like Mount Zion for unremoveablenesse: they that trust in the Lord, are like a mountain: men may as soon remove a mountain, as remove them from God, and happiness in God. Psal. 126.1. Thirdly, the Church is like Zion in respect of God's habitation there: God dwells there: he keeps house there, and in the assemblies thereof he feeds his people. The Sanctuary is God's foddering place: it is the City of God, the mountain of his holiness, the City of the great King, the City of the Lord of Hosts: God shines there, Psal. 48.1, 2, 8. Psal. 50.2. He is known there familiarly, because his dwelling place is there, Psal. 76.1, 2. He hath chosen his Church out of all the world: it is the place only which he hath desired: it is his rest for ever, Psal. 132.13, 14, 15. It is the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, Esay 18.7. As David▪ by an excellency reckoned Zion to be his City of residence: so God doth account of the Church as all he hath, as it were, in the world. Fourthly, it may be, that the Church is resembled to Zion for the littleness of it, in comparison of the world: even in Zion, that is so much despised, will God lay his cornerstone. Fiftly, but the principal thing here intended, is, To signify to us, that God loves his Church above all the world, and that he will give Christ to none but to the Church. Out of Zion there can be no salvation; and in Zion there is all happiness to be had. The consideration hereof may serve us for many uses. Uses. First, we should hence inform ourselves concerning the excellency of the Church of God above all other Assemblies of men in the world. We should learn to think of the Assemblies of Christians, as the Zion of God; she is the Mountain of his holiness, the joy of the whole earth, Psal. 48.1, 2. the perfection of beauty, where God shines more than in all the world beside, Psal. 50.2. The Moon may be confounded, and the Sun ashamed, when the Lord is pleased to show himself to reign in Zion, and before his Ancients gloriously, Esay 24 23. yea the Church of God is an eternal excellency, Esay 60.15. whereas all other glories will vanish. And beside, we should hence be informed concerning the necessity of obtaining salvation in the Church. For this text shows us, that Christ is no where laid but in Zion, and can no where be found, but in the true Church; In Zion only hath God placed salvation for Israel, his glory: Only the godly are Gods Israel: Only in Israel doth God glory, and only in Zion can Gods Israel find salvation, Isaiah 46. ult. Secondly, Hence we should especially be moved to an effectual care to make it so, since that we are in the true Church, and that we are true members of Zion; and withal we should strive above all things to procure for ourselves the ordinances of God in Zion. It is said of the godly distressed for want of means, that going they went, and weeping they did go to seek the Lord in Zion with their faces thitherward, and with a resolution to bind themselves by covenant to the Lord, to be any thing he would have them to be, only if they might find favour in his eyes herein, jer. 50.5. Quest. Now if you ask me, how the true members of Zion may be known? Answ. I answer: first generally, that all that are in Zion are not of Zion, Marks of such as are true members of Zion. and further, that we must not judge of true Christians by their number. For God many times takes one of a Tribe, or one of a City, and two of a Tribe, to bring them to Zion, jer. 3.14. But yet to answer more directly: Thou must be a new creature, or thou art no member of God's true Zion. For of every one in Zion it must be said, He was borne there, Psal. 86.5. The gates of Zion are to be opened only, that a righteous nation may enter in, Esay 26.1, 2. Men may deceive themselves, but God will not be deceived: For he hath his fire in Zion, and furnace in Jerusalem: He will try every man, and make his count only by righteousness, Esay 31.9. Rom. 9 and therefore the sinners in Zion have reason to be afraid, Esay 35.14. And if yet we would have signs more particular, we may try ourselves by these that follow. 1 King 19.1, 21 Revel. 14.5. First, Zion is a Virgin, and all the godly are the Daughters of Zion, and so the chief Daughter of a chief mother. Now this is a true virtue of a true member of the Church, that his love is undefiled towards Christ; He is not enamoured with other things: He will have no other God, but one: He accounts all things but dross and dung in comparison of Christ: He harbours no beloved sin, but denieth the enticements of it, with detestation and grief that he should ever be so assaulted. Secondly, God knoweth his own in Zion by this sign, that they are they that mourn in Zion, that are far from making a mock of sin: The Lord himself is their witness, that their hearts are heavy by reason of their sins, and they know no grief like to the grief for their sins, Esay 61.2. Thirdly, thou mayst know thy estate by thy subjection to Christ and his ordinances: For God hath set his King in Zion. Now if thy Sovereign be in heaven, and thou canst be willing to be ruled by his ordinances, this will be a comfortable testimony to thee: as chose, if thou dislike his government, and wouldst feign cast his yoke from thee, so as this man may not rule over thee: thou art of the number of the people, but not of God's people, Psal. 2.6. Thus of the second use. Thirdly, we should be careful to celebrate the praises of God, yea and therefore careful for all the goodness he shows unto us in Zion: Praise should wait for him. Psal. 65.1. The Lord is great, and greatly to be praised in Zion, the City of our God, Psal. 48.1. Psal. 147.12. Esay 51.16. All that serve the Lord in Zion, and are refreshed with the comforts of his presence, should get large hearts both for admiration, and celebration of his goodness, Psal. 134. the whole Psalm. Come, say the godly, jer. 31.10. let us declare the work of the Lo●d in Zion, etc. Fourthly, since Zion is the place where the Lord keeps house, and giveth entertainment to all his followers, we should call one upon another to go up to the Lord in Zion; we should run thither to the bountifulness of the Lord, and in all our wants show ourselves instructed in this point, by making our recourse unto Zion, as the place where God is pleased most readily to declare his shining mercies, jer. 31.6, 12. Fiftly, we should be stirred up to much prayer for the accomplishment of the building of God in Zion; Our hearts should long to see this work prosper: Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion● Psal. 14.1. For Zion's sake we should not hold our peace, Esay 62.1. but still beseech the Lord to do good to Zion, and build up the walls of Jerusalem. Psal. ●1. 20. Sixtly, We should especially be grieved, if we see that Zion prospers not: Of all judgements, we should most lament the desolation of Zion. The whole book of Lamentations is spent upon this subject: We should hang our harps upon the willows, if we remember that Zion lieth waste, and there be none to build her up, Psal. 137. Seventhly, the especial use should be for consolation: If the Lord do us good in Zion, we should account it a marvellous felicity, if the Lord admit us to be members of the true Church in places where God's work prospers. The Lord gives this promise in Esay, to comfort them against all the mise●ies were outwardly to f●ll upon them: This work should make amends for all other troubles: If God build 〈◊〉 in spiritual things he gives us double for all outward crosses: we should strive with our own hearts to be exceedingly affected with the happiness of our own condition on earth, when we know our interest in Zion: we should live without fear, yea everlasting joy should be upon our heads, and sorrow and mourning should flee away, Esay 31.10. and the rather, if we consider the prerogatives of Zion above all the world beside: For, First, the Lord dwells there: It is the Palace of his residence on earth, Special prerogatives of Si●n and the true members of it. as hath been showed before. Secondly, the favour of God shines there: He delights in his people, and joys in all the members of Zion: He rejoiceth over them with joy, Z●ph. 3. 15, 16, 17 Psal. 86.2. Thirdly, in Zion we are loosed from our setters and bonds. It is a place where the Captives go free: The Lord turns back the captivity of his people, Psal. 14.7. Fourthly, in her Palaces God is known for a refuge in all distresses, Psal. 48.3. There is wonderful safety there: The Lord doth mightily preserve and defend his people; we are safe, if we be members of the true Church, and have true grace: the greatest adversaries labour in vain, and seeking see, and marvel, and haste away, Psal. 48.11.12. They shall certainly be confounded and turned back that hate Zion, Psal. 129.5. Upon every place of mount Zion shall be defence. Zion is a quiet habitation. Esay 4.5. Esay 33.20. God hath his year of recompense for the controversies of Zion, and his day of vengeance, Esa. 34.8. Fiftly, the Law comes out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem: There we have directions for our life and for eternal life, Esay 2.3. It is God's foddering place, there he gives us shepherds to feed us, jer. 3.14. Sixtly, the inhabitants of Zion have all remission of sins, and the healing of their infirmities, as the Prophet shows in those words excellently. The inhabitant thereof shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity, Esay 33.24. Seventhly, all the good news is there to be had: we are naturally Athenians, we love to tell, and hear news: if we were spiritually so, Oh! how would we rejoice in Zion! whose spiritual glory is to bring good tidings, Esay 40.9. and 41.27. and 52.7. etc. Eighthly, If the Lord be displeased with Zion, yet it is but for a moment, he will return in everlasting compassion: It is a sure thing. The Lord will yet have mercy upon Zion, Psal. 102.14. He will again comfort Zion, and make his wilderness like Eden, & his Desert like the garden of the Lord, Isa. 51.3. Lastly, and specially we should rejoice in Zion, because the Redeemer comes to Zion, and to them that turn from their transgressions in jacob, Isay 59.20. Yea salvation only comes out of Zion, Psal. 14.7. In Zion only hath God placed salvation for Israel his glory, Esay 46. ●lt. And therefore we should labour to walk worthy of so great mercies of God, and live with all contentment, whatsoever our outward estate be: Every poor Christian should think themselves abundantly happy: What shall one answer the messengers of the nations, saith the Prophet: Why thus: That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it, Esay 14.32. Especially, if we consider that of the Psalm, that the Lord hath there commanded the blessing, even life for evermore, Psal. 133.3. Thu● it should serve for consolation. Eighthly, It imports and imputes also great reproof: Use 8. and so to two sorts of men. First, to the godly themselves, that live not comfortably, and are daily distressed with unbelief, shall any distresses now make Zion droop? The Lord takes it wonderfully unkindly, that Zion said, God hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me, and pleads earnestly to prove that it was false. Esay 49. 1●. What, says the Prophet Micah, is there no King in thee? why dost thou cry out? Mic. 4.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. And the Prophet jeremy notes it with indignation: Behold, saith he, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people, because of them that dwell in far countries: Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her King in her? jer. 8.19. Secondly, to careless and carnal Christians. Is the Lord about so great a work, as founding of Zion, and forming Christ in the hearts of men? Then woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and can sit still, and securely neglect so great salvation brought unto them, Amos 6. ●. A corner stone.] Christ is described by these words, A corner stone, elect and precious. He is likened to the foundation stone in the corner of the building, by which similitude diverse Doctrines are imported, as, First, that Christ is the foundation of all the building of grace and godliness in the Church, and the only corner stone, Heb. 1.3. joh. 5.39. Other foundation can no man lay, then that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 3. which should both teach us, and inform us: it should teach us where to begin, when we go about the work of godliness and eternal life. We must begin at Christ: All the building of true grace must begin at Christ, and our redemption in him: till we have learned Christ, we have learned nothing: and it should teach us also to stay our hearts in all estates upon Christ; we should rest in him, as the building doth upon the foundation: And further it should teach us to ascribe all the praise of the grace or hope we have received, unto Christ, and the support we have from him: And it may inform us, concerning the dotage of the Papists, who make Peter the rock and foundation of the Church: and yet here we have the testimony and doctrine of Peter himself to the contrary, teaching us to acknowledge no other rock of foundation, but Christ himself. Secondly, we here are instructed concerning the union of Jews and Gentiles in one Christ: The two sides of the building meet all in the corner, and are both fastened upon this one foundation of Christ crucified. Thirdly, it is here imported, that God's building, even in these times of the Gospel, is not finished, nor will be in this life, till all the elect be called: He is for the most part employed in laying the foundation, and fastening though Elect, as they rise in their several ages, as lively stones upon this living stone. But the work will not be finished, till we be settled in that Building made without hands in heaven. Fourthly, hence we may gather a testimony of the two natures of Christ or in Christ. He is God, because he must be believed on: and he is man, because he is part of the Building, and was laid down of God as the cornerstone. Elect and precious.] There are two Epithers, by which the corner stone is commended, as meet to be the only head of the corner. The first is, that it is an Elect one, a choice one, that one of a thousand, there was not such another to be found in all the heap of the creatures to make a corner stone of. This is he that is separate from sinners, and acknowledged to be better and fitter for this work, than the Angels in heaven. There can be no other name, upon which we may be founded, but only the happy name of Jesus. And therefore for the use of it, let every knee bow at the name of Jesus, and let every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father, that he hath been wonderful in his choice. Let us adore him, whom God hath chosen, and given unto us as the foundation of all our happiness, especially let us learn of God to make our choice of him. Note. Oh Infidelity, Infidelity, how just is thy woeful destruction for thy unbelief! Oh man, that mightest have been for ever happy in this choice! Oh let us be warned, and save ourselves from the common ruin of the world. Let all this be vile in respect of Christ. Let us ch●se him above all the world. He is worthy, upon whom all our souls, and all our mind, and all our joy should be set. God forbid we should rejoice in any thing, but in Christ, and him crucified. Let us be crucified to the world, so we be loved of Christ. Shall we wilfully make ourselves like the miserable Jews? Shall we choose rather Barrabas than Jesus; & Belial, rather than Christ? If the daughter of a beggar should be offered in marriage, whether she would choose of a matchless Prince, or a base and servile peasant, would we not detest such folly, if she should neglect the Prince, and choose the peasant? And yet this is our case. God requires no more of us, but to choose his Son before the world, or satan, or the flesh, and we are assured of eternal advancement: and yet behold, we choose not, we defer the time, we court the peasant that will for ever undo us, and neglect the continual solicitations of the Heir of all things. Lord, put to our faith, and make us for ever resolute to cleave to the Lord Jesus, and him alone. Secondly, he is said to be precious. Of this before: but yet somewhat not● for the Use. Is he precious? O then, first, how should we admire the glory of that building, when the foundation is laid with precious stones? Secondly, this should beget in us an high estimation of Christ. Quest. What should we do to attain to this, heartily to account of Christ, as so excellent above all other things? Answ. First, we must think much of our misery, and our need of Christ. How we may get an esteem of Christ above all things. The true reason, why we are not more joyed in Christ, is, because we are not sound catechised in the particulars of our misery in ourselves; we should seriously lay that doctrine one time after another upon our hearts, and it will make us run to Christ with singular affection. Secondly, we should get Catalogues of the great things purchased by Christ, and of the wonderful precious promises made unto godliness, both for this life and that which is to come. This would put all other projects from the world, or the devil, or the flesh, because there can be nothing in any degree comparable unto the unsearchable riches is to be had by Christ. Oh the preferment of a true Christian, if he had studied the premises fondly! If we could effectually think upon the favour of God, the pardon of all sins, the inhabitation of the holy Ghost, the gifts of the Spirit, and all other sorts of spiritual blessings, if there were nothing else to be had by Christ, what can be equal in value to that immortal inheritance reserved for us in heaven? Thirdly, we should much think of the dignity of the person of Christ, of whom it is true, that when God brought out his first begotten Son, he said, Let all the Angels of heaven worship him; As also of his transcendent preferment to be carried up to heaven, and there sit at the right hand of the Majesty on high; a King of all Kings, even such a King, as all the Kings of the earth must cast down their Crowns at his feet. It is unspeakable stupidity that keep us from being fired with these things. Fourthly, we should often contemplate of our interest in Christ, and the assurance that he is of God given to us: All things are ours, because Christ is ours, as the Apostle Paul speaks. Quest. But how should we show that we do account Christ as dear and precious? Answ. I answer by diverse things. First, by longing for his coming again to us, How we manifest our account of Christ as precious. mourning for our own absence from him. Then we did indeed sound show our love to Christ, when we did feel our hearts affectionately moved with a vehement desire after him. It is a dull love of Christ that can be content with his absence. Secondly, while we are here in this world, we may show the high account we make of Christ, by joying in him, that is, by taking comfort in the means of his presence, or in the thoughts of his love to us; when we can prefer our entertainment in the House of Christ, above our greatest joys on earth. Thirdly, when in our conversation we can be contented to shun all the baits of the world and Satan, and in respect of Christ, contemn all those sensual pleasures, profits or honours that entice us to make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. Then we love Christ indeed, when our credits, friends, riches, yea life itself is not dear unto us for Christ's sake and the Gospel. Fourthly, when we can renounce our own righteousness and praises, and seek only to be found clothed with his righteousness. Fiftly, we signify our respect of Christ, by the very respect we show to the members of Christ. He loves Christ with all his heart, that loves and entertains Christians as the only excellent people of the world. Hitherto of that part of the testimony which concerns Christ: the other part that concerns Christians, follows. He that believeth on him, shall not be confounded.] In which words, the happiness of the Christian which believeth in Christ, is expressed. There are many points of doctrine may be observed out of these words; as, First, in general, it is faith that makes the difference among men before God: men are judged of before God by their faith or unbelief. God, to find out a worthy man, doth not ask what money, or land, or birth, or offices he hath; but what faith he hath, Gal. 5.6. He is rich and happy, that believeth; and he is miserable, that believeth not, whatsoever his outward estate be. Which should cause us more sound to inform ourselves, and not to be lifted up in ourselves for any outward things, nor to be dejected, if our faith prosper: and it should be a great comfort to poor Christians in all their wants, if the Lord have made them rich in faith. He is a great rich man, that hath a strong faith. And therefore also we should learn to judge of men, not according to the flesh or these outward things, but ever acknowledge more honour to a faithful Christian, than to any rich wicked man. And it is a great sign of our own uprightness of heart, when we can judge of Christians as God judgeth, and without dissimulation account them the only excellent Ones. Secondly, in particular we may here observe the necessity of faith, in respect both of the favour of God, and the merits of Christ: we cannot please God, though we be in Zion, without believing, Heb. 11.6. and without faith we see here, we are not built upon the foundation, and so have no part as yet in Christ. And therefore we should every one be throughly awakened, to examine ourselves whether we have this precious faith or no, 2 Cor. 13.5. and to keep our own souls with so much attendance hereupon, as to be sure the Tempter deceive us not in our faith, 1 Thes. 3.4. And here especially take heed, that thou dash not thy soul upon the rock either of ignorance, or presumption: of ignorance, as many do, that to this day know not what a true faith is; of presumption, as many do, that entertain, without all ground from God's promises, a hope to be saved, which they call a strong faith in Christ; and yet live in their sins without repentance. and here never taste of the sweetness of spiritual things, nor show the affections of godliness in God's service. Thirdly, note that he saith, H●e that beleeve●●, indefinitely, meaning any, of what nature, or condition, or state of life soever. And therefore when this Text is quoted, Romans 10.11. and 9.33. he saith, in stead of He that, Whosoever believeth: which showeth us plainly, that in matter of faith God is no accepter of persons. No man can say he is exempted. A poor man, a Gentile, a Barbarian, an unlearned man, a servant, etc. may believe as well as the rich, learned, free, etc. There is no exception against any calling of life, or any sex. Faith will make any one a child of God, and a member of Christ. The several sorts of men are all one in Christ Jesus, Gal. 3.26, 28. This is the large extent of God's love to the world, that whosoever believeth should be saved, john 3.16. Mark 16. The proclamation is to all that are athirst, they may be possessed of those treasures of gold without money, Esay 55. Which should much embolden us to go unto God with a true heart, in the assurance of faith, Heb. 10.22. And withal it should cause us to cast out of our hearts all the waver and doubts of unbelief, arising from our own condition in unworthiness. Fourthly, we may hence note, that faith in Christ was ever required in all sorts of men. It was required of them in the Prophet Esay's time; and it is still here required in the Apostles time. Thus Paul, Heb. 11. shows, that faith was the character of the godly in all ages before the Flood and after the Flood, before the Law and after the Law: and he proves it by an induction of particulars in their several ranks. Which again should both serve to take down carelessness, seeing never man could please God without faith; and withal it should much persuade us to get and preserve faith, seeing we have such a cloud of witnesses; and that every godly man in every age of the world did provide himself of faith, whatsoever he wanted. Fiftly, observe here the nature of true faith. To believe God in any thing he saith, will not save us, if we believe not in Christ. The object of faith is Christ: for, though we believe other things, yet either they are not things that directly concern salvation, or else they are founded upon Christ: nor is it enough to believe Christ, or to believe that he is sent of God, but we must believe in him, that is, out of sound judgement we must with all our hearts embrace the happy news of salvation by Christ, and rely upon him and his merits only for our own particular salvation. The very comparison here imported, shows us the nature of faith. Christ is like the foundation of a house: now, to believe in Christ, is, to fasten ourselves in our confidence upon Christ, as the stone lieth upon the foundation. To believe in Christ, is, to lie upon Christ unmovably, and not flee out of the Building. And it is to be noted here, that the Apostle adds these words, in him, to the Text in Esay, of purpose to explain the Prophet's meaning, and to show what kind of believing the Prophet intended. Therefore it is apparent, that Pagans cannot be saved, because they believe neither God nor Christ: no Jews and Turks, because they believe God, but not Christ; nor the common Protestant, because he only saith he believeth, but doth not believe indeed; nor the Papist, because he believes not in Christ, nor placeth his confidence in him alone, but in his own works, or in Saints, or Angels, or in Pope's pardons and indulgences. Sixtly, note here the circumstance of time, by which he describeth a true faith. He doth not say, He that shall believe, or, He that hath believed, but, He that doth believe: which is to show us both what we should do with our faith, and what in some measure is done by every believer: for we should not believe at one time only, but at all times, we should every day live by our faith, Gal. 2.21. Christ liveth in us by faith, and so long as we go about without faith, we make Christ to be in us as it were without life. Note. To spend one day without faith, is, to bury Christ as it were for so long. Now the life of Christ must be considered of us two ways: namely, as it is in itself, and as it is in our sense. For this latter, it is true, when we employ not our faith, we let Christ die in us in respect of sense. But for the first way, it is certain, a Christian doth always believe, after the life of faith is once conceived in him. There is no time in which it can be truly said, Now he believeth not. Therefore doth the Apostle here say, He that believeth. It is true, that in some particular points or promises, a Christian may fail through unbelief; but not in the main point, or promise of salvation by Christ. It is true also, that a Christian may oftentimes, and usually, want the feeling of his faith, and go without the joys of the holy Ghost, but yet he wanteth not faith: yea, a Christian may violently object against believing, and think he hath not faith, by the temptation of Satan, and the rebellion of that part of him that is unregenerate; and yet God can dispel all these clouds, and in the very dunghill of his unbelief and sinfulness, can find out his own part of faith. In plain terms, there is no time after conversion, but if a Christian were throughly sisted, and put to it, he would be found resolved in that point, to rest upon the covenant of grace, for all happiness by Christ alone: I say at all times, in that part of him that is regenerate. Christ can die in no man: and if faith could die, than should Christ also die in us, seeing he liveth in us by faith. A man may be without faith in the judgement of the world, in his own judgement; Note. but never is without faith in the judgement of God. A man may want this or that faith, but not faith simply; as that faith, Luke 18. to rely upon God without failing, and to call upon him with continual perseverance, as resolved, that God will help us in that particular. It is true, If the Son of man come to search amongst men, he shall scarcely find that faith upon earth; but yet a true faith in the general, he will find in the breast of every godly man and woman. Peter's faith did not fail, when he denied his Master. For Christ had prayed that his faith should not fail, and was heard in that he prayed. Shall not be confounded.] The Prophet Isaiah hath it thus: He that believeth shall not make haste; and it may be understood either as a precept. Let him not make haste; or as a promise, He shall not make haste. Men make haste two ways, either in their behaviour, when they run headlong upon the duties they are to do; or when through impatience, they will not tarry God's leisure for their help and deliverance; but fall to use unlawful means, and take that which comes next them, without consideration of the lawfulness of it. Now, the believer must avoid both these, and God will, in some measure, sanctify and guide the believer thereunto. The Apostle Paul, Rom. 9.33. & 10.11. And the Apostle Peter in this place, following the Greek translation read it, He that believeth shall not be ashamed, as in the Romans, or confounded, as here. They swarve not from the meaning of the Prophet. For by this term is avouched, That the godly that believe, shall never have cause to repent themselves, or to fly from God to use ill means. The holy Ghost then in this place is pleased to assure the believer, that he shall not be confounded. To be confounded, signifies sometimes to be reproached: so Psal. 14.6. The wicked are said to confound the counsel of the godly: that is, they reproached it. Sometimes it signifies to be daunted, or dismayed. Sometimes to be disappointed, Psal. ●27. 5. or broken in their purposes, as Esay 19.9, 10. Sometimes to be extremely ashamed, and so it is rendered, Rom. 10.11. Sometimes to be put to a Non pl●●, as Acts 9.22. Sometimes to be driven into amazement or wonder, Acts 2.6. Sometimes to be brought into such a strait, as one hath neither hope, nor help, 2 Cor. 4.8, 9 Lastly, it signifieth to perish utterly, or to be undone, or damned for ever, and so confusion shall come to all that hate Zion, or serve graven Images. It is true, that sometimes to be confounded is taken in the good sense, and signifies either the affection of wonder as before, Acts 2.6. or else a spiritual grace in the heart of a Christian, by which his soul mourns, and is abashed and ashamed with him. And so there may be three reasons, or rather causes assigned, wherein the godly aught to be confounded. As first, in repentance for their sins, of which these places entreat, Ezech. 36.32. jer. 31.19. Ezech. 16 61. and for this cause rebellious offenders must be noted, & their company shunned, that they may be confounded in themselves for their sins, 2 Thes. 3.14. and the Lord complains, that the people were not ashamed for their sins, jer. 6.15. Secondly, when God, or Religion, or the godly are reproached and disgraced: thus Psal. 44.15, 16. jer. 51.51. Thirdly, the people that profess the truth, do err through indiscretion, or give offence, or live in any grievous evil, Esay 29.22, 23. Ezra 9.6, 7. Now because the confusion here mentioned, Means by which God keeps the believer from being confounded. is a misery God will turn away from the believer; therefore I will explain that point, and show how many ways God keeps the believer from being confounded. They shall not be confounded.] This, God will make good unto them both in this life, and in the day of Judgement: In this life they shall not be confounded, neither in respect of their outward estate, nor in respect of their spiritual estate. For their outward estate: whether we respect their condition and credit, or the means of their preservation: For their credit, God will do one of these two things: For either God will make them exceeding glorious, and make them high in praises, as Esay 49.2, 3. or ●● the least, though they may pass through evil reports, yet they shall not be utterly ashamed: God will give them good report amongst the godly, & will greatly esteem them himself, 2 Cor. 6.8. Heb. 11.2. Faith shall obtain a good report. And for the means of their preservation: Either first God will save them from the temptations that fell on the world, so as in the evil time they shall be provided for, and preserved from distress, as Psal. 37.19. or else, secondly, God will not disappoint their trust, but come to their succour and deliver them, as Psal. 22.6. and 25.3. and Rom. 5.3. or else, thirdly, if God do defer for a time, he will in the mean time refresh their hearts, and lighten their faces with the comfort of his favour and presence, as Psal. 34.6. Or else fourthly, if the Lord let the affliction yet continue, he will give them strength to bear it, and patience and magnani●●ity, so as it shall be no great burden to them, as it is showed of Christ, Esa. 50.6, 7. so of Paul, Phil. 1.20. 2 Tim. 1.12. Or else five, though they may be many ways distressed, yet they shall never be forsaken or perplexed, so as to have cause to despair: They shall not be destroyed, 2 Cor. 4.9. In all these senses, they shall not be confounded in respect of their outward estate. And for their spiritual estate they shall not be confounded, and this may be showed in diverse things: First in respect of illumination, In what things the believer shall not be confounded. they shall not abide in darkness, john 12.46. Secondly, in respect of justification, their sins are not imputed to them, and the Lord so surely forgives the believer, that the conscience shall be satisfied with that propitiation is made in the blood of Christ: for, it is not ashamed of the former evil ways, because it believeth, that they enjoy Gods pardon as if they had never been, Zeph. 3.11. Thirdly, in respect of Adoption, because by believing they are made the sons of God, Rome 3.25. & so need not be ashamed at any time of their condition, joh. 1.12. Fourthly, in respect of access unto the presence of God. For by faith he is privileged, he may go with boldness and confidence into the presence of the King of Kings; and therefore what should confound them? Eph. 3.12. Fiftly, in respect of the promises of God. For by faith he obtaineth many rich and precious promises, each of them like a Well of joy, and a very spring of contentment, 2 Pet. 1.4. Heb. 11.13, 33, 34. Sixtly, in respect of the hope of glory. For by faith we have access to this grace, whence we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory to come, Rom. 4.2. And for the day of Judgement, it is certain, they shall not be confounded in two respects: First, they shall have boldness at that day and hour, and praise before all the world: They that are not ashamed of Christ in this world, he will not then be ashamed of them. And secondly, they shall be delivered from eternal confusion and damnation. They shall enjoy everlasting salvation, and shall not be confounded world without end, Esay 45.17. Quest. So that by this which hath been said, we may in part know, how to answer that objection which may be made: For some one may say, The Scripture in diverse places seems to grant, that God's servants have been ashamed and confounded. Answ. Now for answer hereunto, diverse things must be distinctly considered of. How far the godly may be confounded. First, the godly shall not be ashamed, or shamed with everlasting shame, or they shall not be ashamed at the day of Judgement: though it were granted, they might be ashamed in this life, Esay 45.17. in that World, which is without end, they shall not be ashamed. Secondly, we may answer with the Prophet Daniel, that shame and confusion belongs unto the godly, if we respect their deserts, but they are freed from it by the covenant of grace in Christ, Dan. 9.7. Thirdly, if we consider of the state of the Church in the public condition of it, as both good and bad are mingled together: so God may pour out terrible shame and confusion upon visible Churches for their great provocations, as jer. 9.19. and 17.13. Fourthly, this promise shows what God will make good to the believer, if the fault be not in himself: he shall be set in such a condition, as he shall have no reason to be ashamed, but in all distresses two things shall be certain: first, that God will come quickly to his succour, Heb. 10.35, 36. Secondly, that till his deliverance he shall have a fair assurance and evidence for his hope in God, by his promises: so as if he do not withdraw himself through unbelief, in rest and quietness he shall be fortified, Esay 30.19. Fiftly, if we restrain the sense to the coherence and particular drift of this place, we may answer three things: First, that he shall not be so confounded as to be driven to run headlong upon the use of any unlawful means. Secondly, that he shall not fall down from the foundation, which is Christ, though he should endure many a sore storm. And thirdly, he shall not be ashamed in the point of Justification: he shall never repent that he relied upon Christ, and his merits and righteousness. Sixtly, it is true, that in some temporal crosses they may be foiled in the judgement of the world, and in their own sense, as the Prophet confesseth, Psal. 48.9. and so far as this promise reacheth to temporal things, it must be understood with that common limitation, Esay 54.4. viz. so far as it is good for them, they shall be kept from shame, as for poverty, or sickness, or the like, that is, if it be good for them. But yet if this temporal shame do fall upon them for their sin●es, repentance will remove it, as is promised, Ioel●. 13, 26. Lastly, the Lord will give his people double for all their confusion, Esay 61.7. and therefore it is not to be reckoned as a cross, for which they have so much recompense made them. Uses. The use of all this remains then to be considered of, which concerns first, the godly; secondly, the wicked. The godly should here learn, First, to take notice of their privileges above other men in this respect, etc. Secondly, to sue out this promise upon all occasions. For since they have a grant of freedom in this kind, they should seek unto God for the obtaining of it as they shall find need; when either their crosses press them, or their hearts fail them: so did David in many places of the Psalms, as Psal. 31. 1, 17. and 119.116. and in diverse other places. Thirdly, but they must ever look to it, that they be such as may answer the conditions of this promise, expressed in this or in other Scriptures; as, 1. They must preserve a constant respect unto God's commandments, and in all their ways be sound in God's statutes; else, Conditions of such as will not be confounded. wilful sin and shame will be companions, Psal. 119.6, 80. 2. They must not be ashamed of God's truth, and the profession of it, but witness a good profession before all men, Psal. 119.46. 3. They must not be too tender in matter of reproach from the world, but learn of Christ to despise the shame and scorns of men, Heb. 12.2. Esay 51.6, 7. 4. In this Text they must hold fast their faith, and live by it; it is a promise to the godly, as he is a believer, and will rely upon God's mercy in Jesus Christ: we must be established in the faith. The wicked may hence gather an argument of singular terror. For this Text imports, that such as live in their sins without repentance, and have not a lively faith in Jesus Christ, shall certainly be confounded: and this will more particularly touch such sorts of men as are distinctly designed out to shame and confusion. Quest. Now if any ask who are they shall be ashamed and confounded? Answ. I answer out of several Scriptures, They shall be ashamed and confounded, First, that worship graven Images, and trust upon them, What sorts of men shall suffer shame and confusion. Psal. 97.7. Esay 42.17. Secondly, that wish evil, and hate the godly, and rejoice at their misery, and seek to do them mischief, Psalm 44.7. Psalm 129.5. Esay 26.11. and 41.11. Thirdly, that are proud, and deal perversely: for pride is a forerunner of shame, Prov. Fourthly, that call not upon the Name of the Lord, that use not prayer, Psal. 53.5. Fiftly, that use customary lying: they shall be loathsome, and come to shame, Prov. 13.5. Sixtly, that put their trust in men, and not in the Lord, Esay 20.5. Seventhly, that are ashamed of Christ and the Gospel in this world, Mark 8.38. Lastly, that go about to establish their own righteousness, Rom. 10.4. Verses 7, 8. 7. Unto you therefore which believe, it is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the Builders disallowed, the same is made the Head of the corner: 8. And a stone to stumble at, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient; unto the which thing they were even ordained. IN these words the Apostle expounds or applies the former testimony of Scripture, which he urgeth both for the believer, and against the unbeliever. The believers he calls upon to take notice of their felicity; assuring them that that Scripture doth avouch, that Christ is an incomparable treasure to them. Concerning the unbelievers he speaks terrible things; whom he describes both by their sin, and by their judgement. The sin is disobedience: their judgement is to be considered as it is denounced, first, against their Leaders, whom he calls Builders; and then, against the whole body of unbelievers. The plague upon the Builders, is, that the Kingdom of Christ shall be advanced in spite of their hearts: they shall perish and be confounded, but Christ shall reign and flourish. The plague upon the body of unbelievers, is, that Christ shall be to them a stone of stumbling, & a rock of offence; which is amplified by the consideration of the causes, partly in themselves, which is their stumbling at the Word, and disobedience; and partly in God, who in his justice hath appointed them thereunto. Thus of the order of the words. Now before I come to the full opening of each particular in these two verses, I may observe diverse things from the coherence and general consideration of all these words. First, in that the Apostle doth not rest satisfied to allege the Text, but doth withal apply it, it shows the necessity of application. We cannot profit by the Word, if it be not laid particularly to our hearts: as food doth not nourish, if it be not eaten; nor a medicine cure the disease, if it be not taken; nor a plaster heal the sore, if it be not laid to it; nor are our wants supplied by coming to the market, if we do not buy and carry home. Which should work in us a sound care of application of the Word we hear or read: and withal it should waken us to a care of observing all the rules that may further us in applying; which are these and such like. Rules for the applying of the Word 〈◊〉. First, we must be careful to understand rightly the Scriptures we would apply: this is the very foundation of all application that is profitable, 2 Pet. 3. else we may grow perverse, and wrong both the Word and our own selves. Ob. But some private man might say, This is hard: how can we learn to know the clear meaning of the Scripture, and the sense of the Text? Sol. For answer hereunto, thou must know, that there be diverse rules that may help thee to understand, or at least, keep thee from wrong and dangerous mis-application. First, thou must be wise to sobriety, & not presume to know above what is meet, nor to meddle with such secrets as should lead thee into knowledges that belong not to thy calling, or are not evidently revealed in Scripture. Secondly, thou must have respect unto other Scriptures, to take no sense that is contrary to other apparent Scriptures. Thirdly, thou must have respect to the Analogy of faith, to avoid all senses which oppose any article of faith, or thy faith, Rom. 12.3. Fourthly, thou must avoid all doubtful disputations, and unprofitable questions, and vain ●anglings, that tend not to edification, and the salvation of thy soul; and account it as a happiness, to be able to keep thyself free from entanglements therein. And therefore stand at the door of every opinion, and before thou let it in, ask this question, What shall my soul be advantaged by this opinion at the day of Jesus Christ? and if it cannot answer to it directly, reject it. Psal, 119.66. David prays God to teach him good judgement and knowledge. Fiftly, let the public Ministry of God's servants be the ordinary rule of thy interpretation, so long as no sense is taught there contrary to the former rules, 1 Cor. 14.36. and where thou doubtest, thou must seek the law at the Priest's mouth, and be very fearful in any thing to be wiser than thy Teacher; I mean, to nourish private opinions, which are not justified by public doctrine. Sixtly, pray to God to teach thee, and to give thee his Spirit to lead thee into all truth: understanding is God's gift, 2 Tim. 2.7. and he will teach thee humbly his way, Psal. 25. Thus of the first rule: we must first sound understand the sense of the Scripture we would apply. Secondly, thou must bring a mind apt to be taught, willing to be form, and to be all that which God would have thee to be: thou canst never profit by application, without a penitent mind; a mind that will part with any sin God shall discover in thee, and a mind careful to observe the conditions required, as well as the promise tendered, james 1.21. This is indeed to glorify the Word. Thirdly, it is an excellent help in application, to follow the guiding of the holy Ghost in thy heart: thou shalt find in all doctrines a difference. Some things, read or heard, have a special taste put upon them by God's Spirit, or a special assurance of them wrought at the time of reading or hearing. Now thou must be careful to take to thee these truths which the Spirit of God doth cause to shine before thee. Eat that which is good, Esay 55.2. Try all things, and keep that which is good, 1 Thes. 5.20. Fourthly, know that serious and secret meditation upon the matter thou hearest, is the principal nurse of fruitful application: it is but a flash can be had without an after and deliberate meditation; and about meditation, remember these rules: 1. Let it be secret. Rules for meditation. 2. He must let it be full. Give not over till thou hast laid the truth up in thy heart: take heed of that common deceit, Psal. 119.45. of resting in the praise or liking of the doctrine: be not a Judge against thine own soul, For, if the doctrine be worthy of such praise, why darest thou let it slip and run out? Let not the devil steal it out of thy heart, Mat. 13.20. or the cares of life choke it, Luke 11.28. 3. Let it be constant, Be at the same point still from day to day, till it be sound form and seated in thy heart. How rich might many Christians have been▪ if they had observed this rule! Psal. 1.2. Psal. 119.3, 5. Esay●6 ●6. 9. Fiftly, be wise for thyself: take heed of that error of transposing thy applications: say not, This is a good point for such and such, till thou have tried thine own heart, whether it belong not to thee, Psal. 119.59 Pro. 9.7. Sixtly, by any means be careful of the seasons of doctrine: be wise to understand the season. There be many truths, which if thou let pass the opportunity of informing of thyself, thou mayst perhaps never have it so again: and therefore take heed of losing precious things, when thou hast the time and means to attain them, etc. Thus of the first point. The second thing is the special duty of Ministers, to apply the Scriptures to the hearers that belong to their charge: we see the Apostles do it, and for this purpose hath God set apart the ministry of the Word, that by them it might be applied. God inspired the Scriptures, and the Ministers are to urge them, and whet them upon the hearts of their hearers for their Instruction, Reproof or Consolation, 2 Tim. 3.17. They are like the Priests for cutting up, or dividing of the Sacrifices, 2 Tim. 2.15. And this may serve to justify the course of godly and painful Ministers, that most study the sound application of their doctrine; and secretly staineth the pride of those men, that avoid with scorn, application, vainly affecting the praise of wit and learning. Thirdly, we may hence note, that all men in the visible Church, have not a right to the comforts of the Scripture; and it is the Ministers duty to drive wicked men off from claiming any part in the promises, which are the only treasure of the Saints, as here we see in these two verses, the Apostle carefully doth. Men must do the works of jacob, if they would have the comforts of jacob, Micah 2.7. A Minister must separate between the clean and unclean. His word must be like a Fan, that will drive the chaafe one way, and the wheat another; and though wicked men brook not thi●, yet God requireth this discretion at the hands of his people. God's Ministers must not daub with untempered mortar, or give the children's bread to dogs, or cast holy things to swine. Fourthly, they may hence clearly also see, that no other difference may be put between many, than what faith and unbelief, obedience and disobedience make. Men must not be known after the flesh. Fiftly, it is hence also apparent, that all the godly have a common right to the promises made in Christ. The godly in the Apostle Peter's time had right to the former consolation, as well as the godly in the Prophet Esaies' time: God is no respecter of persons, Col. 3.11. Thus in general. Two things are to be observed in particular: The one concerns the godly, who are comforted. The other concerns the wicked, who are terrified. The godly are comforted in these words: To you therefore which believe, he is precious. In which words, it is the drift of the Apostle to raise an use for consolation out of the former Text: whence consider, First, the persons comforted, viz you that believe. Secondly, the happiness applied unto them, He is precious. For the first. It is manifest, that the Apostle directs them to look for faith in their hearts, if they would have comfort in God's promises. It is not enough to know that believers shall be saved, but we must be sure, that men in particular are believers: we must examine ourselves whether we be in the faith or no, 2 Cor. 13.5. Which should both reprove and direct. It reproves the great shameful slothfulness of Christians, that suffer the tempter to keep them without the assurance of faith: some have no faith at all; and the better sort live in too much doubtfulness in the point of the assurance of faith. And therefore we should be warned and directed to try our faith, and to make it sure, that we are believers. Quest. What is it to be a true believer? What it is to believe, and in how many things it is seen Ans. It is, to embrace with our hearts the reconciliation & salvation which by Christ is purchased for us, and by the Gospel is offered to us. Now, that this point being of such singular weight may be clearly understood, I will break it open into particulars, or into particular parts or steps of judgement and practice in the believer. First, he must acknowledge that by nature he stands bound to observe all the moral Law. Secondly, he must see, that he hath broken all those holy laws of God, and is therefore guilty before God of the curses of the Law, and so of eternal condemnation. Thirdly, he must know, that God sent his own Son in the flesh to obey the Law, and satisfy the▪ justice of God, by making an expiation for man's sins, Fourthly, he must learn, that God hath bound himself by promise, that whosoever embraceth the agreements in this new covenant in Christ, shall be saved. Fiftly, that when a man doth in his own particular discern this gracious offer of God in the Gospel, and goeth to God▪ and with his heart relieth upon it, than he doth truly believe, and is justified, and shall be saved. Quest. But many men are persuaded, that God hath given Christ for them, and yet it is evident that they do not believe, because there is no appearance of any repentance or reformation in them; many say they have a strong faith, and yet have none. How shall the persuasion of the godly man be distinguished from this vain presumption in wicked men? Ans. That persuasion of God's grace in Christ, which is true, and of the nature of true faith, doth prove itself to be ●ight by many infallible signs. First, by the renovation of the heart. Marks of a true saving faith. The knowledge of God's love in Christ doth make the heart of man new; it cleanseth out the old dross, and makes a man hate his sweet and most secret sins. Faith purifies the heart. Acts 15. Secondly, by the joy and comfort of the holy Ghost, with which the believers heart is refreshed from the presence of God, 1 Pet. 1.9. Thirdly, by the victory of the world. For, the true believer is so satisfied with God's goodness in Christ, that he can deny his profits, pleasures, credit, friends, and the like, for Christ's sake and the Gospel; yea, faith mars the taste of earthly things, and makes a man able to forsake the love of worldly things, 1 john 5.5. It will endure the trial of troubles, of afflictions, and temptations, and persecutions for the Gospel's sake, 1 Pet. 1.7. without ●aking haste to use ill means in the evil day. Quest. But, how may faith be discerned in such as say they are not persuaded that they have faith, which sometimes proves to be the case of diverse dear children of God? Answ. Their faith may be discerned, First, by repentance, which cannot be separated from it: the sight, hatred, confession, and sorrow for their sins, is an argument of true faith, Signs of a weak but yet a true faith, in weak Christians. because without faith no man can have true repentance. Secondly, by their complaining of their unbelief, and desire of faith. I believe, Lord, help my unbelief, was the voice of him that had true faith. Thirdly, by their daily renouncing of their own merits, begging favour of God, only for the merits of Christ. Fourthly, by the love of the godly: for faith worketh by love, Gal. 5. Fiftly, by other marks & signs of God's children, which can never be had, but faith is had also: such as are, love of God, and his Word, and of their enemies, and uprightness of heart, and the spirit of prayer, and the like. Precious.] Christ is precious to them that believe, not only in their acco●nt, but by effect; and so, both because he is great riches unto them, as also because he is an honour unto them. He is great riches unto them, yea unsearchable riches, Eph. 3.6. All ages ought to wonder at the riches of God's kindness to the believers in Jesus Christ, Eph. 2.7. Christ in us is our riches, Col. 1.27. and thus he enricheth us with the favour of God, his own merits and righteousness, the grace of the Spirit, and the promises of the Word, and the hope of glory. The Uses are many. Uses. First, woe to the rich men of this world that are not rich in God and Christ, Luk. 12.16, 21. Let not the rich man glory in his riches, jer. 9.24. Secondly, let the brother of low degree rejoice in that God hath thus exalted him, I●●. 1.9. For godly Christians a●e the richest men in the world: for their possessions are greatest, because the● possess Jesus Christ, and his treasure●, james 2.5. For God is rich to all t●at call upon him. He cannot be a poor man that can pray, Rom. 10.12. Christ makes amends to the poor Christian for all his wants. Thirdly, hence we may gather another sign to try our faith by▪ If Christ be more precious to us than all the world beside, it is certain we are true believers: For Christ is precious to 〈◊〉 but believers, Phil. 3.9, 8. Fourthly, we should strive with all thankfulness to admire▪ and praise the grace of God that hath bestowed such riches upon us in Christ, Eph. 1.7. Fiftly, we should hence learn to ●ake more account of our faith, which is therefore precious, because it applie● Christ unto us: Hence poor Christians are said to be rich, because they have faith, and assurance of faith, and he calleth it all riches of full assurance, Col. 2.2. 2 Pet. 1.4 jam. 2.5. Sixtly, we should live securelesse. Men would promise to live at all heart's ease, if they were rich enough: why, Christians are exceeding rich, and possess more treasure than all the wo●ld beside, and therefore should live henceforth by the faith of the Son of God, which was given to them, Gal. 2.20. Seventhly, look to it that thou keep Christ, whatsoever thou losest: resolve to lose father, mother, wife, children, friends, house, lands, yea and life too, rather than lose Christ, who is so precious. Eighthly, we should show it, th●t we account him our greatest riches▪ and that we shall do, first, by esteeming the Gospel that brings us daily tidings, above gold and silver. Secondly, by oft receiving of the Sacraments: we should account the Word and Sacraments as God's Exchequer, whither we always come to receive more treasure. Thirdly, by making much of them that resemble his virtues. Fourthly, 〈◊〉 longing for his appearing. Thus, as Christ is our riches, Now secondly, he is precious, in that he is an honour unto us, and so some translate it. Christ then is a singular honour to every believer, and he is so both in heaven and in earth. First, in heaven he is an honour to us, because he graceth us before God and the Angels, covering our nakedness with the rich garment of his own imputed righteousness, and making daily intercession f●r us to God, and covering our imperfections, and presenting our works and prayers to God, and giving the Angels a charge to look carefully to u●. Secondly, And so he is an honour to us on earth, both amongst the godly, and amongst the wicked: First, He graceth us amongst the godly, by giving 〈◊〉 room in their hearts, causing them to love us, and honour us even for Christ only, whom they discover in us by our love to Christ, and faith in his name, and imitation of his virtues. Secondly, and he graceth us also amongst the wicked, by protecting and acknowledging us in times of greatest distress, and by washing out the blemishes which our own indiscretions at any time brought upon us, and by clearing our innocencies from their unjust aspersions. Use. The Use may be, first for confutation of their folly and madness, that account it a course of abasement to follow Christ, and leave the vanities of the world. Godly ●ourses are honourable courses: No man ever lost honour by cleaving to Christ, and living so as might become the faith and love of Christ. Secondly, and withal we may hence be informed, that all the honour that is without Christ, is but obscure baseness: no man can be truly honourable without the faith of Jesus Christ in his heart. Thirdly, we should hence be resolved to make more account of the godly, because Christ is to them all honour: they are the only excellent ones in the world. Fourthly, we should labour also to be an honour unto Christ, and to the faith and profession of his name and service: we must remember, that he is our surety to God for us, and hath undertaken for our good behaviour, and therefore for that reason we should be careful of our duties: and beside we see, that the disorders of great men's servants leave an imputation on their master, and so it is with us and Christ. If we live righteously, and soberly, and religiously, we honour Christ our Master: but otherwise if we be scandalous, we dishonour Christ, and therefore had need to look to our ways. And lastly, we should account Christ sufficient honour to us, and not regard the scorns and reproaches of the world, but rather with Moses esteem the reproaches of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. Thus of the consolation to the godly. The terror to the unbelievers is expressed, first, partly by charging upon them their offence: secondly, and partly by describing their punishment. Their offence is disobedience. To them that are disobedient.] All unbelievers stand indicted of disobedience, and that in three respects: Vnbeleeve●s are guilty of disobedience in diverse respects. For first, they are guilty of Adam's disobedience: For by the disobedience of one man many are made sinners, Rom. 5.19. Secondly, they are guilty of disobedience against the moral Law, which they have broken by innumerable offences, and in respect thereof are liable to all the curses of God, Deut. 28. Thirdly, they are guilty of disobedience against the Gospel: For there is an obedience of faith, Rom. 1.5. and the Lord complains that they obeyed not the Gospel, Rom. 10.16. and for this disobedience, God will render vengeance in flaming fire at the day of Judgement, 2 Thes. 1.8. Now men disobey the Gospel, not only when they are bewitched to receive false opinions in religion, Gal▪ 3.1. but also and chiefly when they believe not in Jesus Christ, but live in their sins without repentance. Uses. The use should be for humiliation unto impenitent sinners; they should take notice of their indictment, and make haste to humble themselves before the Lord, lest sentence come out against them, and there be no remedy: and the rather, because God will aggravate against them their disobedience. Now, there are many ways by which a sinner may take notice of the aggravations of his disobedience; as, First, by the number of his offences, Disobedienc●, aggravated. if he consider that he hath made his sins like the hairs of his head. To be guilty of treason but in one particular, should occasion fear: but he that is guilty of many treasons, hath great reason to be extremely confounded in himself; and this is thy case. Secondly, thy disobedience is the more grievous, because thou hast received abundance of blessings from God, who hath by them wooed thee to repentance; and this will heap much upon thee▪ Rom. 2.4. Esay 1.3. Thirdly, thou must consider all the means thou hast had of amendment; God hath planted thee in his garden the Church, he hath commanded his vine-dres●ers to bestow the pains, and apply the means of growth to thee. If now thou be not fruitful, this will be pleaded against thee, which art still a barren fig-tree, Luke 13.6. Fourthly, it increaseth thy disobedience, that thou hast been guilty of diverse h●inous and soul evils, as if thou have been a drunkard, a filthy person, a blasphemer of the Name of God, a man of blood, or the like. Fiftly, the continuance in sin: thou hast long abused the patience of GOD, and this heaps coals of further indignation against thee, Rom. 2.4, 5. and the rather because thy heart hath been to sin for ever: for there is in the heart of unregenerate men a desire to sin for ever, and it is a grief to them to think that at any time they should not be able to live in sin still. Sixtly, thou hast offended against thine own vows and covenants, and the promises thou hast made to God, both in baptism and the communion, and in other passages of thy life. Seventhly, it increaseth thy offence, that thou hast dealt wickedly in the land of uprightness, Esay 26.11. There thou hast offended, where thou hast had the example of the godly to show thee a better course. It is ill to sin any where, though in Babel: but it is worse to transgress in Zion, or Jerusalem, even in the glorious Churches of Jesus Christ. Eighthly, thy incorrigibleness adds to the heap of sin: though the Lord hath afflicted thee, yet thou hast not learned obedience by the things thou hast suffered, but thou hast made thy heart like an adamant, so as thou wouldst not return, jer. 5.2, 3. Ninthly, it is yet more, that thou hast been so far from reforming thine own life, that thou hast scorned and reproached the good conversation of the godly, thou hast spoken evil of the good way of God. Thus and many other ways may the sinner charge his own heart, and thereby prepare himself to return to the Lord, while there is yet hope. For if thou wouldst return with all thy heart, and take unto thee words, and confess thy sins, and pray for forgiveness, and mourn before the Lord, and turn away from thy own wickedness; the Lord would show mercy, and the obedience of Christ would heal thy disobedience, and God would love thee freely, and the blood of Christ would cleanse thee from all thy sins, Host 14. Esay 55.7. 1 joh. 1.7. and while it is yet to day, the Lord sendeth to thee, and beseecheth thee to be reconciled, 2 Cor. 5.19, 21. Consider that God hath been with thee all this while, having sent many others to hell for their sins, and there is hope of forgiveness: the Lord hath received great offenders to mercy, as the Israelites, that often fell away from him, judges 10. and Mary Magdalene, and Peter, and David, and the thief upon the Cross: Consider that God hath offered thee thy pardon in the Sacrament: Fear the Lord therefore and his goodness, and return with all thy heart, and iniquity shall not be thy ruin. Hitherto of their sin: their punishment follows; and so first upon their rulers and leaders in these words: The stone which the Builders refused, is become the Head of the corner. Which words are taken out of Psal. 118.22. where they are used by the Prophet David, and here quoted by the Apostle Peter. The words have a double sense: for they did concern both David and Christ. As they concerned David, this was the meaning: that though the Nobles and Courtiers did despise, and reject, and oppose David; yet s●ch was God's providence that the man whom they rejected, God made King of Israel, and the chief stay and support of that State. Now, for this sense of the words, diverse things may be noted. First, that God hath raised up great men in the Commonwealth, for this end, that they might seek the public good, and employ their labours for the building up and prosperity of the State. Which should both teach great men to think of their duties, and the accounts they must make to God: a● also it should teach the people to pray the more heartily for them, and to obey them in all lawful things. Secondly, we may hence gather the imperfection of all humane things. For, in that earthly Kingdoms need building up still, it shows, that they attain to no perfection, but at the best are still in progress. Thirdly, that many times great men wilfully oppose the right, and set themselves against the righteous, and resist the will of God. Which should teach us, not to place our confidence in the great men of this world, nor to be always led by their example in opinions. Fourthly, that God will find out the wickedness of great men, and bring them to confusion. God accepts not persons: he hateth sin in great men, as well as in mean men, and will cross and confound their godless & ungodly counsels. Fiftly, that God takes to himself the power to dispose of earthly Kingdoms, and to give Kings and Rulers at his own pleasure. It was the Lords doing, and it was marvellous, that David should become the Head of the corner, Psal. 118.23. The Lord pleads it as a part of his soveraigtny and prerogative, to set up Kings. By me King's reign, Pro. 8. Which should teach Princes, and Judges, and Nobles, to do homage to God, and acknowledge him for their Sovereign, & therefore serve him with fear, Ps. 2. And it should teach the people to give honour, and tribute, and custom, and obedience, for conscience sake to their Rulers, seeing the power that is▪ is of God, Rom. 13. Now, as these words were understood in the case of David, so was David herein a type of Christ: and so the words are to be understood in the case of Christ also, as our Saviour himself applies them, Mat. 21. and as it is evident to be the meaning of the Apostle here. And it is the drift of the Apostle, to strengthen weak Christians against the scandal that might arise from the opposition of the Kingdom of Christ. For it might trouble & amaze them, to consider how Christ was opposed by the Scribes & pharisees, who were the great learned men of the time, and such as were eminent in the Church; and in the account of the most men, were the chief persons that took care for Religion and the state of the Church, and did excel all other sorts, etc. Now that this scandal might be removed, he shows in these words, First, that nothing did therein fall out, but what was the lot of David in his time. Secondly, that all this was foretold in the old Testament, and therefore might not seem strange. Thi●dly, that all those oppositions should be in vain: for God would reject and confound those opposites, and would prosper and advance the right of Jesus Christ, without the help of those men. In the particular consideration of these words, three things must be noted. First, the persons threatened, viz. the Builders, that is, the Scribes and pharisees, and those that under pretence of religion did oppose Christ. Secondly, the cause of their punishment, viz▪ the refusing of Christ the foundation stone. Thirdly, the judgement inflicted upon them, which is twofold: the one employed, the other expressed. There is a judgement employed, viz. That though they were by calling, and in the account of the multitude, Builders; y●t God would reject them, and go on with his work, in converting both Jews and Gentiles without them. The judgement expressed, is, that Christ, whom they so much hated and opposed, should be in spite of their hearts, and to their extreme vexation, made King of the Church, and exalted to supreme power over all things, and the only stay of the whole Church both of Jews and Gentiles. And herein it is to be noted, both the manner how this shall be done, in the word, is become, or is made; and also the time, in that he saith, It is made. Builders.] Quest. A question may be moved here for the sense; viz. how the Scribes and pharisees, and such like men can be said to be builders? How far wicked men may be called Builders. Answ. For answer hereunto, we must understand, that the Scribes and pharisees, and so wicked men that possess eminent places in the Church, may be said to be builders. First, in the account of the multitude, whatsoever they were indeed; yet they were so accounted, as builders, and prime men in managing the affairs of the Church. Secondly, the Scribes and pharisees may be acknowledged in some respect as builders indeed: They did God some work. For howsoever they did not sound teach Christ, yet they drew the people by their doctrine, to avoid on the right hand the Stoical strictness of the Essenes', and on the left hand the profane irreligiousness of the Sadduces. Thirdly, they were builders by calling: they have the name not so much from what they were, as from what men in their places had been, or aught to have been: And these are the persons that oppose Christ, and are thus severely judged of God. Divers things may be hence noted. First, that men may be great in their own opinion, and in the account of the world, who yet are nothing set by of God: such were these pharisees, Luke 16.14, 15. And therefore we should labour for a spirit without guile, and not be wise in ourselves, or rest in outward shows, but seek the praise of God: we are safe if God allow of us, though all the world disallow us. Secondly, that God will acknowledge freely any good he finds in his very enemies; as here the pharisees are not denied the title of Builders, for that general work they did in encountering the Sadduces and Essenes'. And as they are called Builders, so are the devils called Principalities and Powers, to import what is any way of praise in them, notwithstanding their horrible fall. Which should teach us to learn of God, to do likewise towards all our enemies: and withal it may much comfort us. If God will do thus with his enemies, what will he do with his own children and servants! how will he honour and reward them! and if the notorious oppositions of the pharisees cannot hinder God's acknowledgement of that little goodness was in them, how much less shall the mere frailties of the godly (that will do nothing against the truth, though they cannot do for the truth what they would) hinder the glorious recompense of reward and acceptation with God Thirdly, we may hence note, that Christ and Religion, and the sincerity of the Gospel, may be disallowed and opposed by great learned men, by such as are of great mark in the Church, even by such as were Governors of the Church in name and title. Quest. 1. Two questions do easily rise in men's minds, upon the hearing of this doctrine. The first is, Whence it should be, that learned men, who have more means to understand the truth than other men, and by their calling more especially tied to the study of all truth, yet should be drawn to oppose or reject Christ and the truth? Answ. I answer, that this may come to pass diversely. How it comes to pass, that many great and learned men oppose the truth of the Gospel. First, sometimes it is because of their ignorance; neither may this seem strange, that they should be ignorant: for, though they may be very learned in some parts of study, yet they may be very blockish in some other. Besides, the natural heart of man doth not take any great delight in the study of the Scriptures: and therefore the answer of Christ was proper, Ye err, not knowing the Scriptures, or the power of God. Secondly, in some it is, because of their secret Atheism. Many learned men be very Atheists in heart; and such were some of the pharisees: for they neither knew the Father nor Christ, as he chargeth them. Thirdly, some have a spirit of slumber: they have eyes, and yet cannot see, as in the case of some of those pharisees: they could not apply the very things themselves spoke. For being asked about the King of the Jews, Mat. 2. they could answer directly out of the Scriptures, and give such sig●●s of the Messias, as did evidently agree to Jesus Christ: and yet these men were so infatuated, that when God shows them the man to whom their own signs agree, they cannot allow of him. Fourthly, in some it is envy. They are so fretted at the credit and fame of Christ▪ or such as sincerely preach Christ, that for very envy they strive to destroy the work of God, and to disparage the progress of the Kingdom of Christ: they cannot endure to see all the world (as they account it) to follow Christ. Fiftly, in others it is ambition, and desire of preeminence, and the quiet usurpation of the dignities of the Church, that they alone might reign and be had in request: this no doubt moved the pharisees, and was the cause why Diotrephes made such a stir in the Church. Sixtly, in others it is covetousness and desire of gain▪ These are they that account gain to be godliness, as the Apostle speaks: and such were some of the pharisees, Luke 16.14. Seventhly, in others it is a wilful and a malicious hatred of the truth: and such was it in those pharisees, that were guilty of the sin against the holy Ghost. Quest. 2. But how shall a simple ignorant man stay his heart, and be settled in the truth, when the wise and learned men of the world oppose it? how can he tell it is the truth which they reject, who have more learning and wit than he? Answ. I answer. By what means an ignorant & simple man may stay his heart, notwithstanding the oppositions of learned and wise men. A simple and single-hearted Christian may somewhat be helped against the testimony of those wise men of the world, if he mark but their lives: for usually by their fruits they may be known, Mat. 7. For commonly, such as oppose Christ and the Gospel, or the sincerity of the Gospel, are men that may be apparently detected of profaneness, as our Saviour Christ shows by diverse instances in the pharisees, Mat. 23. But because sometimes the messengers of Satan can transform themselves into Angels of light, therefore I answer secondly, that all the godly have the sure word of the Prophets and Apostles, which may by the touchstone to try the opinions of men by; which in the points absolutely necessary to salvation, is evident, and plain, and infallible to the Law and to the Testimonies: if they speak not according to these, it is because there is no light in them, Esay 8.20. And that they may be sure, let them pray to God to teach them: for he hath promised to teach the humble his way, if a man come to God with an humble mind, and with desire of reformation of his life, in that he knows God hath bound himself to show him his will, Psal. 25.9. john 7.17. Besides, every child of God hath the Spirit of God in his heart, who knoweth the things of God which indicted the Scriptures, and is the only supreme Judge of all controversies. He that believeth hath a witness in himself, the Spirit working much assurance in his heart, and anointing him with eyesalve, and leading him into all truth. And by this help, the entrance into the Scriptures gives light to the simple. Use. The use of the point then, is First, to inform us concerning that great justice of God, in hiding his truth from the wise, and revealing it to babes and children, or infants: which our Saviour and Saint Paul take notice of. Mat. 11.15. 1 Cor. 1.18. Secondly, to confirm us against the sinister judgement of wordly-wise, and learned men, and in matter of religion not to be swayed by that inducement, since it is thus plainly told and foretold. Thirdly, to confute the Papists, that plead unto the ignorant that their religion is the right, because it is, and hath been maintained by such a number of Popes and Cardinals, which have excelled in lea●●ing and greatness of place: for here we see, the builders reject the head stone of the corner. Fourthly, to show us, that whatsoever wicked, wise, great men pretend, yet their quartel is against Christ and his Kingdom. Fiftly, to teach us▪ therefore to pray for our teachers and governors, that God would guide them by his good Spirit, and assist them in their callings, etc. Sixtly, to be more thankful to God, when the Lord gives us builders, not in name only, but in deed, that settle about God's work with all their hearts, and labour with all faithfulness to promote the Kingdom of Christ. Hitherto of the persons. The cause of their punishment is their refusing of Christ. Refused.] They refused Christ, they disallowed him, as unfit for the support of the building: They cast him away as rubbish, they rejected him, or accounted him as a reprobate. Christ is refused, or disallowed many ways. Ch●ist is many ways refused. First, when the Gospel of Christ is contemned or neglected, that is, when men neglect or contemn the doctrine of salvation by Christ, and live still in their sin without repentance, and seek not reconciliation with God through the blood of Christ. Secondly, when men go about to establish their own righteousness, and neglect the righteousness of Christ: and so when men fly to the intercession of Saints or Angels, and use not the intercession of Christ. Thirdly, when men follow wicked company, and leave the care of the service of Christ; this is to choose Barrabas to be given unto them rather than Christ. Fourthly, we may be guilty of this sin in the time of the use of Christ's ordinances, as in the Sacraments, when we discern not the Lord's body, or in hearing, or any other ordinances, when we entertain contemplative wickedness, and so commit spiritual dalliance with strangers before the face of Christ. Fiftly, when men fall away from the grace of Christ, and so joy with the Jews, as it were to crucify the Son of God afresh, Heb. 6. and 10. And so he is also refused, when in time of persecution he is denied before men: Thus Peter refused him when he denied him. Sixtly, when his servants are rejected: and so either in general, when Christians are exposed to public scorn, and made as it were the offscouring of all things; or in particular, when his Ministers are despised. For he that despiseth them, despiseth him, etc. Quest. But how do the builders, that is, Churchmen refuse Christ? How Churchmen, viz. builders m●y refuse Christ. Answ. I answer many ways. First, when they will not preach in his name, when they preach not at all: For this is to let Christ live as it were in the rubbish still, and not to separate him out for the building, etc. Secondly, when in preaching they preach themselves, and not Christ crucified, leaving the word of Christ, to show their own wit and learning, etc. Thirdly, when they oppose the sincerity of the Gospel, in the conversion of the souls of m●n, or in the practice of godly Christians. Fourthly, when they teach the doctrine of merit of works, or prefer the traditions of men before the commandments of God, as did the pharisees. Use. The use of this doctrine concerning the refusing of Christ may be diverse, for First, it may teach us patience, when we are refused in the world: it is no other thing, than what did befall Christ himself; especially it should confirm us against the scandal arising from the discountenancing of godly men, which are crucified by all sorts of people in the world: If Christ himself were no better used, why should we wonder at it, to see godly Christians so neglected? And if the most powerful doctrine of Christ were so securely despised, what wonder is it if the good way of God be now evil spoken of? Secondly, it may much comfort us, and that especially two manner of ways. First, by reasoning for the contrary. For if it be a sign of a notorious wicked man, to let Christ lie like rubbish, or refu●e stuff, then is it an excellent sign of a godly mind to love the Lord Jesus, and to account all things but dung in comparison of Christ, and his merits and righteousness. Secondly, by considering the effect of Christ's refusal. For he was refused as our surety, that we might be received to favour. He was cast off by men as a reprobate, that we might enjoy the admirable privileges of the Elect of God; and beside, by enduring this contempt of men, he bore the punishment of all our neglect and contempt of God, & his holy Commandments. Thus of the cause. The punishment itself follows. Is made the Head of the corner.] Two things are here intended, as punishment to these builders. First, the one implied. Secondly, the other expressed. First, that which is implied, is, that God will pass by these workmen, and reject their service. This I gather from hence, that whereas these builders would not make use of Christ in the building; it is here repeated, that the building doth go on, and Christ is laid as the Head of the corner, which imports that God had rejected them. Now God rejects wicked Ministers two ways: First, one, when he curseth or blasteth their gifts, and refuseth to be glorified by them, when he causeth the night to come upon their divination, and puts out their right eyes: Secondly, the other is, when he roots them out by death, and makes their places spew them out: Note. The first is here chiefly intended, and so it notes, that it is a great curse of God upon learned men in the Ministry, when God will not employ them, or make use of their gifts: A learned man, that either laboureth not, or proposeth not in his labours God's glory, is a public and standing Monument of God's displeasure for men to stand and gaze at: as it is a great argument of disgrace done to a Carpenter or Mason to stand by while the house is builded, and they not entreated or suffered to work, and yet have their tools ready. Oh it is a marvellous justice of God to see learned, but not godly men pass by, so as they have not the honour to do any work in the Church for the salvation of the souls of men! and chose, it should rejoice the hearts of godly Ministers, that God (as Paul saith of himself) will account them faithful to put them into his service, and to give their labours any success. Secondly, the expressed punishment is the preferment of Christ, and the promoting of his Kingdom: He is made the Head of the corner: which words must be considered either in relation to the builders, or in themselves, as they concern the exaltation of Christ. First, in relation to the builders, it imports, that it is a punishment to wicked Ministers that love not the Lord Jesus, that Christ and his Kingdom should flourish. As it fretted the pharisees, so it doth and will fret the heart of wicked men, till the day of Christ; and it is a punishment, because of their envy at it, and because they find that they have no part in Christ or the happiness of his Kingdom, their consciences accusing them, and beside, because they are openly crossed in their oppositions, and so ashamed before men. Which observation may serve for trial: For it is a certain note of a wicked man, who loves not the Lord Jesus, that he is crossed, and accounts himself afflicted or ashamed, because the Kingdom of Christ prospers. The words in themselves concern the exaltation of Christ, and show how God raised him out of the heap of rubbish as it were, and carried him up to heaven, and made him their Head and King. Head, I say, over all things, giving him power over all things, and in particular in respect of the Angels, head of principalities and powers; and in respect of men, head of the Church. Nor is it barely said, he is head, but head of the corner, which is a Metaphor borrowed from the building; where the holy Ghost intends to show, that he is the only foundation of the Church, as hath been showed in the first verse of this Chapter. And he is well said to be Head of the corner, because upon Christ meet (as the two sides meet in the corner stone) both Angels and men; and amongst men, both the Saints in heaven, and the godly on earth; and amongst men on earth, both Jews and Gentiles, even all the Elect of all nations, ages, and conditions in the world. Uses. The uses of the exaltation of Christ briefly follow. First, it should teach us to strive by all means to get into his service, that is so powerful and able to do so much for his servants. Secondly, It shows us the end of the oppositions of all wicked men: Christ shall increase and prosper, and they shall be confounded and perish. Thirdly, it should especially enforce the necessity of believing in Christ: we should lie upon him with all our weight, as the building doth on the foundation. Fourthly, it should comfort us in all distresses, considering what end God gave to the sufferings of Christ, and so it is urged, Heb. 12.2. The consideration of the manner and the time follows. Is become, or is made.] He doth not tell how, but leaves that as granted to be effected without hands, even by the special providence of God, which gives us occasion to take special notice of the truth, that in things of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, God is pleased to make his work, or to work sometimes without using any of the means which the world takes notice of, he neglects all those means which fall within the expectation, Psal. 118.20, 21. as here for the proclaiming of the Messias, there was not any one order, or rank of men eminent in the world, which God made use of. But by a way altogether strange to the world, erected the Christian Monarchy, which should teach us, not to limit God to the means which is likeliest to us, but to live in all things by faith; and where means seem to fail, then with Abraham above hope, and under hope, to give glory to God, and cast ourselves and all our care upon God. Thus of the manner. The time follows▪ In that he said, It is become. Christ was Head of the corner according to the present time. First, if we consider the type of it, Christ was become head of the corner, in that David was made King of Israel, as a type of Christ's Kingdom over the Church. Secondly, Christ was head, in that in the Apostles time he had received power after his Ascension, over all things, though as yet the Gentiles were not so fully converted. Thirdly, that he is become the head, may be taken prophetically. For the Prophets, to express the certainty of a thing to come, utter it in the words of the present tense. It is so, because it shall as surely be so, as if it were already done. VERSE 8. And a stone to stumble at, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient, unto the which thing they were even ordained. HItherto of the punishments upon the builders. The punishment upon the whole body of unbelievers, is contained in this verse. Wherein note first, the kinds of punishment: Christ is a rock of offence, and a stone of stumbling. Secondly, the causes both in themselves, and in God, in the words that follow: A rock of offence, and a stone of stumbling.] Since wicked men have refused Christ, and will not believe in him; he, that may not be a stone of foundation, will prove a stone of stumbling, and a rock for them to dash on, till they be dashed to pieces: which words import the fearful judgements of God, spiritually afflicted upon unbelievers, which is twofold. First, they shall be given up to scandal; and then secondly to despair. Before I open the words particularly, diverse things may be noted in general: First, that the punishments that light upon particular wicked men, judgements inflicted on some particular offenders, belong to all for diverse reasons. are to be accounted the punishments of the whole body of unbelievers; as here despair and taking offence at Christ, it may light upon some particular offenders only, 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, he means 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 typical to wicked men; as despair is a typical hell, and so all other judgements are but little hells. And this doctrine should much amaze impenitent sinners, if they consider, that any fearful judgement they see fall upon others, may fall upon them; and that God is as well displeased with their sins, as with the sins of those he so plagued, as Christ shows, Luk. 13.1. to 6. Secondly, that from one and the same cause, may arise diverse and contrary effects: as Christ, that is a stone of foundation to the believer, is a stone of stumbling to the unbeliever. Thus in Luke 2. he was appointed for the rising and falling of many in Israel: Thus the Gospel of peace is to wicked men a fire, a sword, a fan: It is a savour of life to the godly, and a savour of death to the wicked, 2 Cor. 2. as the Sun melteth the wax, and hardeneth the clay. This comes to pass by accident, and by the corruption that is in the hearts of wicked men, and by the fearful judgements of God. Use. The use should be to teach us therefore not to rest in the having of, the means of salvation; as the preaching of the Word, etc. for through thy corruption it may be a means of greater damnation. Thirdly, that of all judgements in this life, spiritual judgements are the worst; which appears from hence in this, that when the Lord would declare his special displeasure upon wicked men, he threatens these in this place as the most fearful. Now for explication of this point. All judgements in this life are either spiritual or temporal. By temporal judgements, I mean such as have their proper effects on the outward man, such as are, poverty, disgrace, sickness, imprisonment, losses in men's estates, and the like. By spiritual judgements, I mean such as have their proper effects upon the soul: as for example; Hardness of heart, the spirit of slumber, desertion, or the absence of God, the taking away of the gifts of the mind, the withholding of the Gospel, the delivering of men up to the power of Satan, or to the love of lies, terrors of despair, or taking of offence; of which latter, in this place. Spiritual plagues are worse than temporal crosses, for diverse reasons. Now these spiritual judgements are much worse than any of the former temporal crosses; first, because these judgements light upon the best part of man, which is the soul: and by how much the soul is better than the body, by so much it is worse to be distressed in soul than in body. Secondly, because they withhold from us the best good, which is God or Christ: now, that which straightens us in the best things, must needs be the worst kind of restraint. Thirdly, because these crosses are more hardly cured: it is much easier to heal a sickness in the body, than a disease in the soul. 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 be scourged for a time, and for just reasons, with some kinds of spiritual judgements. Use: The use may be (first) for reproof of the madness of multitudes of people in the world, that can be extremely vexed and grieved for worldly crosses, yet have no sense or care of spiritual judgements: they how●e upon their beds, if God take from them corn, 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 mourn because God hath forsaken them: they are very impatient if their bodies be sick, and yet very quiet if their souls be sick: they would think themselves undone if they were carried to prison, who yet are not much moved at it, that God should deliver them up to Satan. Note. And yet I would not be mistaken: I do not mean to say, that wicked men should not mourn for worldly or outward crosses. It is true, godly men should not, or not with great sorrows; 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 judgements, not for the cross itself; secondly, that they ought to be more troubled for spiritual judgements than for temporal. 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 souls, 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 spiritual judgements, we may pray directly for the removeall of them; but for temporal judgements, we must pray with condition. And thus of the general observations. Before I enter upon the particular breaking open of the doctrine of this verse, it will not be amiss ●o show, 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 unbelievers? Answ. I answer: it is profitable both for godly men and wicked men. For wicked men may hence hear and fear, and do no more wickedly, seeing hence they may discern 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 God's goodness, when they shall hear of their own privileges by 〈◊〉. Such Scriptures as this, contain the arraignment and trial of the ungodly. Now it is very profitable for us to stand by, and hear the trial. We know multitudes of innocent men flock to the Assizes to hear the arraignment of malefactors, which breeds in them, first, contentment in the observation of the solemnity and manner of administration of justice: secondly, a fear to offend: the terror of their sentence frights the heart for many days 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 show mercy to these poor condemned men. The like to all this is bred by the consideration of such doctrines as this. In the words of this verse than two things are to be noted: first, the kinds of punishments inflicted upon the body of unbelievers: secondly, the causes of it. The kinds are two: first, God will deliver them up to scandal, and then to despair: to scandal, as Christ is a stone of stumbling: to despair, as Christ is a rock of offence. These words are taken out of the Prophet Esay, chap. 8. where the Lord intends by them to denounce the reprobation of the Jews, as some think, or rather foretells the spiritual judgements which shall be inflicted upon them. The Apostle in this place applies the words to the unbelievers of his time, among whom the obstinate Jews were chief, to show, that as the other Scripture was comfortable to the godly, so were there places that did threaten the wicked: and that as the former place did prove Christ a stone of foundation for the godly, so this did show that Christ was a stone in another sense to the wicked. Christ is a stone of trial to all men in the Church, because the doctrine of Christ tries men whether they be elected or rejected, good or bad: so Esay 28.16. Again, Christ is a precious stone to the believer: and thirdly, here a stone of stumbling to the unbelievers. Now that we may know what offence or scandal is, we may be helped by the Etymology of the original words: For scandal in the original is either derived of a word that signifies, to halt, or else it noteth any thing that lieth in a man's way, a stone, or a piece of wood, against which, he that runneth, stumbleth, & so hurteth or hindereth himself: It most properly signifieth rest, or a certain crooked piece with a bait upon it in instruments, by which mice, or wolves, or foxes are taken▪ and thence the Church translated the name of scandal, to note the snares by which men are catched, as beasts are in grins and baits: so the word it seems is used. So then a scandal is any thing which causeth or occasioneth offences, Scandal defined and distinguished. by which a man is made to halt, or is brought into a snare, or made to stand still, or fall in matter of religion, or salvation: And so the sorcerers were a stumbling block to Pharaoh, and the false prophets to Ahab, and the lying signs of Antichrist, to such as love not the truth. Now all scandal may be thus divided: Scandal is either active or passive, that is, given or taken: Scandal given, is when the author of the action is likewise the cause of the hurt that comes by it: Thus Elias sons were scandalous: thus David by his grievous sins gave offence, 1 Sam. 2.17. 2 Sam. 18.22. etc. and thus Scandal is given either by evil doctrine, first, whether heretical, secondly, or superstitious: or else by wickedness of life, or by wilful abuse of Christian liberty. Offence taken is either from ourselves or from others: A man may be an offence, a stumbling block to himself, by dallying with some special beloved corruption: of which our Saviour Christ saith▪ If thine eye offend thee pull it out, or thy hand, or thy foot, etc. Matth. 3.29. Scandal taken from others, is either that they call humane, or that they call diabolical: Scandal taken, which they call humane, may either be found in godly men, or wicked men: godly Christians that are weak, may be offended, or hindered in religion diverse ways: as either by reason of the persecution and oppression of the godly: or by the heresies or dissensions of men in the Church, or by the flourishing estate and prosperity of the wicked: as also by the liberty some of the godly take in things indifferent, for the advancing of the Gospel in case of necessity: As when Paul, for the gaining of the Gentiles, neglected Moses Law. This was an offence to many believing Jews & contra, etc. Wicked men also take offence as here in this text is manifest. Now, the offence which they call diabolical, is that, when men wilfully and perversely will provoke themselves to sin freely, because of the examples of the vices of godly men: as when the drunkenness of Noah, the incest of Lot, the adultery and murder of David, the perjury of Peter, or the like, is alleged to maintain themselves in a liberty of sinning: It is the scandal of wicked men, which is here meant. Now wicked men make themselves miserable in this case of scandal both ways: By giving offence, and by taking offence. By giving offence, and so Christ curseth them for offending his little ones, Mat. 18. Wicked men offend them either by the subtlety of false and corrupt doctrine, or by provocation and enticement, or by evil example, or by discouraging them with reproaches, threats or oppositions, or the like: but this kind of offence is not meant here. It is offence taken, which is noted here as a grievous curse upon them; and amongst offences taken, this is their misery, that they gather offence from what should have been the cause of their holiness and happiness, even from Christ. Quest. Might some one say, What should men be offended at in Christ? Answ. Wicked men w●re offended as Christ in many things. E●a. 53.2. joh. 18.36. Mat. 9.10. The Jews were offended: First, at the vileness of his person, or his mean condition. Secondly, at the poverty and simplicity of his Disciples. Thirdly, at the obscurity of his Kingdom, being without worldly pomp and glory. Fourthly, at his conversation, because he kept company with sinners. Fifthly, at his doctrine: partly, because he reproved their superstition and hypocrisy and the traditions of their fathers, and partly because he taught, that justification could not be had by Moses Law, but must be sought by believing in him: as also by other particular directions; as, that man must eat of his flesh, that he was the Son of God, that he was older than Abram, etc. lastly, at his miracles: for they thought he did it by some Devil. Thus in our times the Papists, they take offence at the newness of our Religion, as they pretend; at the freeness of the people that profess it; at the doctrine of justification by faith alone, etc. Thus also wicked men in the Church are offended at the small number of such as are sincere, at the plainness of the preaching of the Gospel, or such like. Quest. 2. Might some one say, What if wicked men be offended, is that such a great misery? Answ. Yes: for it is many times the occasion of their ruin. For we see many men keep these objections in their hearts till their death, by which they are hardened from all care of salvation by Christ: at the best it is a notable hindrance for the time; it frustrates them of the Gospel, and of the communion of Saints, etc. ●se. The use may be (first) for information: We may hence see what an infectious sorceress unbelief is: It can make things exceeding good to prove exceeding evil to them: it can make God, the Word, the Sacraments, and Christ himself (all good) to be occasions of extreme evil to him. Wicked men are like spiders, that can suck poison out of the sweetest flowers. Secondly, this should serve for great humiliation unto all wicked men, that find themselves stopped or hindered, or cast out of the way by receiving scandal into their hearts: They should here take notice of it, that it is a singular curse of God, when God leaves a man to the liberty of admitting poisonful objections, and thereby to be hardened against the care for his own soul in matters of Religion. Men little think of the fearfulness of such men's cases; which must needs be extremely evil, either if they look upward to see ●hat God doth expose them to this offence, as a way of singular punishment, or if they look to the effect; whatsoever they can say, yet their poor souls in the mean time are left destitute of mercy, or the profit and power of it. Might some one say, How can they help it, Object. seeing Christ is a stone of stumbling unto them? It seems they cannot avoid it. Christ is a stone of stumbling, not actively, but passively: Sol. Note. he doth not make them stumble, but they through their ignorance (walking in darkness) or through their precipitation, running headlong in things, or through the poison of some beloved sin, which hath altogether corrupted their taste, do fall at the doctrine of Christ, or turn the precious things of Christ into poison, by reason of the venom lying in themselves. Thirdly, such taking offence is a judgement. Weak Christians should be warned and temper themselves so, as to refrain the weakness of being so apt to be offended at the liberty of strong Christians; and to this end they should take heed of doubtful disputations, or ensnaring themselves about the use of indifferent things. For though God pities them, yet they are much plagued by their opinions, and entanglements herein. For first, they sin against their brethren by rash censure, and despising them; and secondly, they wrong their own souls: for sometimes they are hindered in the Word, and sometimes lose the benefit of the Sacraments by their ignorant scruples, and sometimes they draw much trouble and molestation upon them; and lastly, they many times open the mouths of wicked men to revile them, and exasperate them against the good way of God. To conclude therefore this use. Since offence is the rod of the wicked, let not godly men suffer it to rest on their lot. Fourthly, since wicked men, by the judgement of God, and their own frowardness, are so apt to receive offence, it should teach the godly to order themselves so towards them, that they give no offence unto them, I say, give no offence, so as the fault should be in the godly, but rather they should strive to overcome this frowardness of wicked men, by all possible care, both to put them to silence, and by keeping them silent. Now, because there be some things, wherein regard must not be had of the offence of wicked men, I will open this point distinctly, and show, First, in what things the offence of wicked men is not to be regarded. Secondly, in what things we must take heed we give them not offence, or in what things we may be guilty of giving offence to them. Thirdly, what rules may be observed in our carriage, which may silence wicked men, or compel respect and estimation from them, or at least put them to silence, etc. For the first; if wicked men be offended for doing good, Wherein we are not to regard the offence of wicked men. we are not to regard their offence: as when the Pharisees were offended at Christ, he cared not, but said, Let them alone, they are blind, and leaders of the blind, etc. Matth. 15.14. And so the Apostles answered, It is better to obey God than men, Act. 5.29. It is better that scandal arise, than that the truth should be forsaken. Thus Michaiah cares not for the offence of Ahab, nor Eliah: and in this case, Levi is not to respect father or mother, brethren or children, Deut. 33.9. And so though wicked men be offended, we must preach the Gospel with all plainness, and not affect wisdom of words, 1 Cor. 1.23. and we must labour for the meat that perisheth not, and must pray unto God, and use religious exercises in our houses, as Daniel did: we must renew Justification by our own works, and we must suffer in a good cause, and we must with strictness avoid the excesses of the time. In what things we may be guilty of giving offence to wicked men. Now for the second. We may be guilty of giving offence to the wicked: First, by scandalous and vicious life: thus David gave offence. Secondly, by indiscretion in the manner of doing good duties; as if men pray, or fast, or give alms to be heard or seen of men. Thirdly, by rash zeal; as when men proclaim to the world a great deal of strictness in things that are not grounded upon the Word, and yet are tainted openly with known infirmities and sins: or when men are violent and rash censurers, especially in things they commit themselves: or when men neglect their calling, and live inordinately, and are busybodies under pretence of Religion: or when men that have a fair door opened to do good by preaching the Gospel, will not yield in some indifferent things, that they may win them; as, woe had been to Paul if he had not been a Jew with the Jews, that he might gain the Jews thereby: or necessity lay upon him the preaching of the Gospel, or to preach the Gospel, though it were clogged at that time with condition of yielding to the Jewish ceremonies, 1. Cor. 9 Rules for the preventing of scandal. Now for the third. There are diverse excellent rules that may much adorn the lives of Christians in their courage towards the wicked; and so either prevent scandal, or leave them without excuse, themselves being judges, as they will confess in the day of visitation. These things than will much advance our cause before wicked men, to show in our conversation, First, integrity, and harmlessness, and sound care of the practising of godliness, Philip. 1.15, 16. Secondly, submission and obedience unto the King, and his humane ordinances, 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 15. Thirdly, reverence and fear, when we entreat of any thing that concerns God and Religion, 1 Pet. 3.16. Fourthly, meekness of wisdom, expressing a mind free from conceitedness, frowardness, or affectation, jam. 3.13. Fifthly, mercy to the poor, and a mind free from the greedy desire of earthly things, a serious declaration of the contempt of the world, jam. 1.26. Mat. 5.16. etc. Sixthly, quietness and peace; to be showed (first) in studying to be quiet, and to meddle with our own business: secondly, in making peace amongst others, Matth. 5.8. Seventhly, love to our enemies, being ready to pray for them, or do them any good. Lastly, hence may be gathered some matter of consolation for the godly. For first, if the Lord have kept them from taking offence, he hath freed them from a great and sore spiritual judgement. Secondly, if the wicked should be so perverse as to take offence when he gives none; yet this may stay him, that Christ himself was an offence unto them. Thirdly, as it is a great judgement to be offended at Christ: so it is a great mercy and supernatural grace, when the Lord makes our hearts able to love the Lord Jesus in all sincerity. Hitherto of the first kind of punishment: the second is, that Christ shall be to them A rock of offence, that is, they shall fall upon Christ, as the ship doth upon the rock, and be broken all to pieces: there shall be a desperate anguish upon their consciences, perceiving themselves to have no right it● Christ, by the fear of which, as men that have suffered shipwreck, they shall be out of all hope of mercy. Thus he that falleth on this stone, shall be broken, and upon whom it shall fall, he shall be ground to powder, Luk. 20.17. The consciences of wicked men are diversely affected: some are without feeling of any grievance in the matters of their souls; some have feeling. The conscience is without feeling, either through a continual security and sleepiness, which is in all men, or through a fearednesse, by which some men are grown past feeling. Now those wicked men that have any feeling, in this text are cast into two sorts; for either they are offended, or they despair. Christ is to those latter, an occasion of their ruin, they suffer shipwreck upon Christ, which is joined with singular offence, or pain, or grievance of their consciences. This rock is like that in the judges, chap. 6.21. out of which fire went and consumed them. The despair that wicked men feel is of two sorts. For either it is a despair, which riseth from their persuasion of their want of help in spiritual things, or from their want of help in outward things: sometimes they fall into desperate torments, and griefs, and fears about outward things, either upon fear of danger, or upon an apprehension that they are utterly undone, or shall be in matters of the world: this was the despair mentioned, Deut. 28.66, 67. and this despair was in Saul, Achitophel and Belshazzer, Dan. 5. and in the Jews, when they said there was no hope, jer. 2.25. and this was in the Egyptians, Babylonians, Tyrians; and their case in the desolation of their estate by war, mentioned in many chapters of the Prophet Esay. But this despair is not meant here: for this is a despair of all help or salvation of the soul by Christ; conceiving, that they are utterly cast off of God, and shall perish for ever. Thus Cain and judas despaired of all mercy in God. And this despair of salvation and all happiness, is felt either in hell, How many ways wicked men may despair. or at the day of judgement, or in this life. First, it is certain, that the wicked feel an eternal despair in hell, which increaseth their torments, because they have no hope of ease or help: and thus also the devil's despair. This despair in hell, is a mere gnawing the conscience, and tormenting it, which never dieth. Secondly, they also feel despair with singular horror when they come to appear before Jesus Christ at the last day, when they behold the face of the Judge, and feel within them a witness that tells them they shall be damned. This torment will then come upon them, like the pains of a woman in travel; and their anguish will be so great, that they will cry to the mountains to cover them from the face of the Judge, 1 Thess. 5.3. Thirdly, now the first degree of this despair, Rev. 1.7 & 6, 16. is felt by diverse wicked men in this life, as it was by Cain and judas: and of this he speaketh here. And thus wicked men despair, when they think their sins cannot be forgiven, and that they have no benefit by Christ, and shall certainly perish for ever. And this is noted here as a grievous curse of God inflicted upon unbelievers. Despair is one of Gods most fearful judgements in this world; which when God inflicteth, he may be said to rain upon them fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest, Psal. 11.6. Most fearful is their case, when the wrathful Arm of God takes hold of them, and he pours out his indignation upon them: this will make their loins to shake, Psal. 69.23, 24. They are then like the raging sea, having no peace within them, Esa. 57 ult. They are brought to the King of terrors, and their confidence is rooted out, job 18.11, 14. There they were in great fear, Psal. 14.5. They are said to blaspheme God, and gnaw their tongues, Revel. 16.9, 10. While God's Saints sing for joy of heart, they howl for vexation of spirit, Esa▪ ●5. 14. They could be glad to run into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord, and the glory of his Majesty, when he comes thus terribly to shake the earth, Esa. 2.19. Surely, such is the case of the wicked; & this is the portion of their cup that know not God. And how terrible this torment is in the heart of a wicked man, may appear, if we consider but what torment the very godly suffer in their despair, which is far easier than that of the wicked. David saith, the pains of hell compassed him, Psal. 18.5, 6. and 116.3. and that God's terrors did cut him off; and that he was ready to die, and that, while he suffered God's terrors, he was distracted, Psalm. 88.15, 16. as also it may appear by those torments which the very despair for outward things hath put wicked men to, which is far less grievous than this despair of God's mercy and eternal salvation: and yet in that case their pains are compared to the pain of a woman in travel, Psal. 48.6. See more at large of the horrible plight wicked men have been in in this respect, in the description of the judgements should fall upon the foreign nations, rendered by the Prophet Esay in many chapters. Uses. The use may be, first, for great amazement to wicked men, that now perhaps laugh and sing in the jollity of their hearts. O let them remember what God may do to them▪ What case will they be in, if God bring them once to despair? And this is the portion of their cup. Oh! if the terror of a King be as the roaring of a Lion; what then is their case, if God shall reveal his wrath from heaven upon them for their weighty sins! And the more should they be affrighted, because despair is but as it were the beginning of evils. They feel it for a short time on earth, but shall feel it for ever in hell. And therefore, if it be possible, they should be persuaded in time to repent, that they may be delivered from this great wrath to come. Oh how easy, in comparison, might men's repentance be, if they would be warned in time! Secondly, this doctrine may breed in us a wonderful awfulness and fear of God: when we read of such judgements in Scripture, or behold any poor wretches tormented with this judgement, it should breed in us not only an infallible assurance that there is a God, or that there shall be a hell of woeful torments, or the like; but it should especially make us think of God with all reverence, and be afraid to displease him: for dominion and fear are ever with him, job 25.2. This doctrine should make us resolute to go our ways and sin no more: the counsel of the wicked should be far from us, seeing he can thus put out their candle, and make them drink of the wrath of the Almighty, job 21.17, 20. Thirdly, it should work in all of us a care to use all means that we may be kept from despair, Quest. What then should we do that we fall not into despair? Answ. Some things are to be avoided, some things are to be done. If we would not fall into despair, Preservatives against despair. First, we must take heed of wilful unbelief, such as was in the Jews; when men not only neglect the assurance of salvation brought by Christ, but contemn it, and strive to put all such cares out of their heads. Secondly, we must take heed of stumbling. If men feel their hearts to be ensnared in respect of Christ, and that they are tossed with vile objections, etc. let them look to themselves, and amend in time: for if Christ be a stone of stumbling, he may be a rock of offence. Thirdly, we must take heed of security, and contempt of the knowledge of God's ways. Despair will work terribly, when it lights upon 2 mind that hath contemned knowledge, and lived in all ease and security, job 21.1, to 20. Fourthly, we must take heed of apostasy from the profession of the love of the truth: for despair is many times a woeful scourge to such kind of creatures; as the stories record, and experience shows. Fifthly, we must in general take heed of all gross and presumptuous sins, especially the sins against the third, sixth, and seventh Commandments: for usually these sins go before in the desperation; such as are, swearing, and cursing, and perjury, and murder, and incest, and whoredom, etc. The wicked flee when no man pursues them: but the righteous are bold as a Lion, Prov. 28.1. and 14.14. Now (secondly) there are other things which we must do, that we may avoid despair. First, we must not smother our doubts in matters of Religion, especially in the cases of our conscience, but take the pains to ask and seek resolution: else that which is but doubting at the first, may prove to be despair in the end. Those lesser sores in men's hearts may fester and rankle within us, till they prove to this great disease. Secondly, we must store our heads with the promises of the Gospel, and those comfortable places of Scripture, as may breed in us a full persuasion of God's singular compassion and mercy towards all penitent sinners, and withal do show us that plentiful redemption in Jesus Christ, and the marvellous efficacy of his blood to cleanse us from all our sins. Thirdly, we should above all things, put on the shield of faith; I mean, we should use all diligence to get the assurance of God's favour in Christ: for assurance will preserve us safe from despair. For as unbelief brings it, so faith preserves us from it. Fourthly, we should be careful upon all occasions to keep our assizes; and if we be endangered by any sin, we should make haste to judge ourselves, that we be not condemned of the Lord. For the attendance upon this point maketh all safe: whereas the long neglect of our daily sins, without any humiliation for them, may turn in the end to the pangs of some miserable despair. Use 4. Fourthly, hence the godly may comfort themselves, because Christ is to them a rock to build on, Mat. 16.2 rock for refuge and safety, Psal. 18.2. a rock for shadow, Esa. 32.2. And therefore let the Inhabitants of the earth sing, Esa. 42.11. and withal, if they consider how God showeth them, they should account their other afflictions but light, in comparison of what falls upon wicked men. Object. But we read that godly men have been in despair; as David, job, and others. Sol. It is true: but yet there was ever great difference between the despair of the godly and the wicked, which I will briefly note. First, they differed in the causes. Special differences between the despair of the godly and the wicked. The honours of the wicked proceeded from the curse of God: whereas the sorrows of the godly proceeded from his mercy. Secondly, they differed sometimes in the object: for godly men despair of themselves; wicked men despair of God. It is a grace usual in repentance, to despair of all happiness from ourselves: but now wicked men are out of all hope of God's mercy and help. Thirdly, they differ in the effects. For Cain blasphemes God in his despair, and saith, his punishment is greater than he can bear, or his sins greater than can be forgiven: but the godly give glory to God, and account him always just and good. Again, wicked men rage and repent not: but godly men bewail their sins, and cry mightily to God, Rev. 16.9, 10. jer. 18.12. Wicked men be in travel, but they bring forth nothing but wind: they are never the better when they come out of their affliction, no though they poured out a prayer to God in the time of distress, Esa. 26.16, 17, 18. Thirdly, the confidence of the wicked man is swept down as the house of a spider, they have no hope at all, job 8.13. and 11. ult. whereas godly men, at the worst, are supported with some kind of hope, or persuasion of mercy: and therefore usually they rather ask whether God's mercy be clean gone, than say it is so, Psalm. 77. and they rather complain, that God hides himself from them, than that God hateth them, Psal. 88.15. Fourthly, they differ in the measure too. For God always hath respect to the strength of his children, to lay no more upon them than they are able to bear: whereas he respects the sin of wicked men, and regards it not, though they cry out with Cain, they cannot bear it. Fifthly, God gives issue out of the trial, and returns from his displeasure in a moment, when he deals with the godly, Esay 54. whereas wicked men can have no such hope. Lastly, seeing despair is such a curse, and is so far from leading men to Christ, that it makes them suffer shipwreck upon Christ; Ministers, and all others should take heed of driving the people upon any pretence into this kind of desperation: let men be taught to despair of themselves, but never to despair of God. Hitherto of the kinds of punishments. The causes follow: first, in themselves: secondly, in God. In themselves it is their stumbling at the word, and their disobedience. To them which stumble at the Word.] There is a diverse reading. The old reading was thus: To them that offend in the Word; noting either in general, that God's word, or Christ, doth not profit these men that were guilty of evil speaking, and the gross abuses of the tongue: or in particular; it should note the sins of the stubborn Jews, who offended in word, when they blasphemed Christ, and denied him. But I rather take it as here it is translated: and so it notes the causes why many men fall into scandal, and from thence into despair; viz. because they bring ill hearts to the Word of God, they have minds that are rebellious, and will not be subject to the Gospel, but entertain it with diseased and cavilling minds. Those persons are likely not to receive any good by Christ, that quarrel at the word of Christ. Now that this may not be mistaken or neglected, I will show, first, what it is not to stumble at the Word, le●t some weak ones should be dismayed: then secondly, how many ways wicked men stumble at the Word. How & wherein men take offence at the Word. For the first. To be grieved in heart for the reproofs of the Word, is not an offence, but a grace: so we are troubled not with dislike of the Word, but of our own sins. Secondly, to inquire of the truth, and that which is delivered, and to try the doctrine, by turning to the Scriptures as the Bereans did: this is not condemned here; nor is it a stumbling at the Word, to put a difference between the teaching of Christ, and the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees. Secondly, but men are said to be offended at the Word, when their hearts rise against it, or they ensnare themselves through their own corruption by occasion of the Word. To speak distinctly, wicked men are offended at the Word with a threefold offence: First, with the offence of anger, when they rage and fret at the Word, or the teachers thereof, because their sins are reproved, or their miseries foretold. And this offence they show, either when they envy the success of the Word, Acts. 4.2. or rail and revile God's Saints, as Ahab did Michaiah for telling him the truth, or when they mock at the Word, as the Pharisees did, Luk. 16.14. Secondly, with the offence of scandal, when they take occasion from the doctrine they hear, to fall off from hearing, or from the true religion, or from the company of the godly. Thus they stumbled at those hard sayings of Christ, that departed from him for that cause or reason, joh. 6. Thirdly, with the offence diabolical, when men pervert the good word of God, to inflame themselves the more greedily to sin, making it a doctrine of liberty, or taking occasion to commit sin from the Law, that rebukes sin. Uses. The use may be (first) for information, and so two ways. For first, we may hence see the reason, why many hearers profit not by the Word. It is not because the Word wants power, but because they stumble at it. They nourish cavils and objections against it: they oppose reason to faith. Secondly, we may hence take notice of the difference of a regenerate and unregenerate heart. To the one the Word is a savour of life, to the other it is a deadly savour, and full of offence to them. And withal, this may humble wicked men. For this is a sure truth, that so long as they are offended at the Word, so long they have no part in Christ: and withal it may comfort all those that love the Word, and receive it with joy constantly. For that is a means and sign of their interest in Christ. Being disobedient.] These words contain another cause why Christ was no better relished by them, and why they found such an ill taste in the word of Christ: it was the wickedness that was in them: Sin had marred their tastes. Sweet meats have but an ill relish with those who have corrupt and diseased stomaches; and the cause is apparent, the ill humours in their stomaches, and nothing in the meats they eat. But of their disobedience before: and therefore this shall suffice in this place. And thus of the cause in themselves. The cause in God follows. Whereunto they were appointed.] There is much difference of the reading of the original words in the translations. Some read thus: They stumble at the Word, and believe not in him, in whom they are placed or set; and expound it thus, In whom they live, move, and have their being: some read, in stead of disobedient, They believed not: but for these words read them as here. But then their meaning is, that the Jews believed not, though they were thereunto appointed, that is, though they had the promise of salvation, and were a people separate thereunto: and so it is an aggravation of their unbelief. This sense and reading is not to be despised. But I take it, as I find it in the translation: and so the sense is, That these men, whether Jews or Gentiles, that are here spoken of, were appointed to this misery by the decree of God: and so they are words that express the substance of this part of God's decree, which Divines call Reprobation. And so it is to be observed from hence. That wicked men are appointed from everlasting, to the enduring of the miseries which are inflicted upon them in this life or in hell. This is a doctrine which is extremely distasted by flesh and blood, and proves many times more offensive to the common people, and is always to be reckoned as strong meat: and therefore that I may fairly get off this point, I offer two things to your considerations: First, the proofs that plainly avouch so much, as is here observed. Secondly, I will set down certain infallible observations, which tend to quiet men's minds, and persuade them against the seeming difficulty, or absurdity of this truth. For the first, the Apostle jude saith, Proofs of reprobation. that the wicked men he treateth of were of old ordained to this condemnation, jude 4. and the Apostle Peter saith, that the ungodly were reserved unto the day of judgement to be punished, 2 Pet. 2.9. and vers. 12. he saith, that they are natural brute beasts, made to be taken, and destroyed: and it is manifestly implied, 1 Thess. 5.8. that God hath ordained wicked men to wrath: so Rom. 9.22. Certain observations for the quieting of our minds in the doctrine of reprobation. For the second: though this doctrine seem wonderful hard, yet to assure us there is no hard dealing at all in God, there be many things may confirm us, and ease our minds, though for the present we cannot understand how this should be, and perhaps are much troubled about this point; and therefore seriously consider, First, for thyself; that if thou have truly repent, and do believe in Jesus Christ, and hast in thee the signs of a child of God; for thy part thou art free from this danger, and out of all question art in safe estate, and therefore oughtest not to grieve, but rejoice with singular praise to God. Secondly, seeing God hath comforted us with many doctrines, and trusted us with many clear points of knowledge, can we not be contented, that God should speak darkly to us in one point? especially when we are told beforehand, that there is an Abyssus, a depth, yea many depths in this doctrine? Shall we be wayward, because one truth will not sink yet into our heads? We are told that this is a point unsearchable, Rom. 11.32, 33. and the rather, because weak Christians are not tied to eat strong meat: they may safely let this doctrine alone. Thirdly, that no man can know his own reprobation, nor aught to believe so of himself: but is called upon to use the means by which he may be saved. Fourthly, we have this oath of God for it, That he desires not the death of the sinner, but would have all men to repent and be saved. Fifthly, that whereas Divines make two parts of the decree of reprobation, Preterition and Predamnation; all Divines are agreed for the latter, that God did never determine to damn any man for his own pleasure, but the cause of his perdition was his own sin. And here is reason for it: for God may, to show his sovereignty, annihilate his creature; but to appoint a reasonable creature to an estate of endless pain, without respect of his desert, cannot agree to the unspotted justice of God. And for the other part of passing over, and forsaking a great part of men for the glory of his justice, the exactest Divines do not attribute that to the mere will of God, but hold that God did first look upon those men as sinners, at least in the general corruption brought in by the fall. For all men have sinned in Adam, and are guilty of high treason against God. Sixthly, that sin is no effect of reprobation, but only a consequent: God's decree doth not force any man to sin, etc. Seventhly, that whatsoever God hath decreed, yet all grant, that God is no way any author of sin: he doth not cause sin in any, but only permits it, and endureth it: and whereas the most that can be objected, is, that God hardeneth whom he will, Rom. 9 it is agreed upon in the answer of all sound Divines, that God doth not infuse any wickedness from without in men's hearts: but whereas their hearts are in themselves by custom in sin hardened, as a just Judge he gives them over to Satan and his power, who is as it were the Jailer; but doth never restrain them from good, and the means of it. Eighthly, now may men say, that sin came upon men by reason of the rigour of God's Law: for it was impossible to be kept. For this there is a clear answer: When God gave his Law at first, man was able to keep it; and it came by his own default, that he was not able to keep it afterwards. A man that sends his servant to the market, and gives him charge to do such and such business for him; if that servant make himself drunken, and so be unfit to do his master's business, he is worthy to be punished, because he was fit to do it, when he was first sent about it. Ninthly, it is plain in this verse, that those men of whom he here speaks, are indicted of grievous sin against Christ and the Gospel. Tenthly, that things may be just, though the reasons of them do not appear unto us: if it be true of some cases of justice among men, much more in this case of God's justice. Lastly, it should much satisfy us, that in the day of Jesus Christ those mysteries of Religion shall be broken open, and all than shall be made clear unto us, as clear as the shining of the Sun at noonday. Thus of the punishment of unbelievers, and so also of the first argument, taken from testimony of Scripture. Verses 9, and 10. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the virtues of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in times past were not a people, yet are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. THese words contain the second argument to persuade Christians to make their constant recourse unto Christ, and from him to procure virtue to enable them for holiness of conversation: and it is taken from the consideration of the excellency of that estate, unto which they were brought by Christ. For the description whereof, the Apostle singles out two places of Scripture, with which he makes up a complete narration of their great prerogatives above all other people, and above that they themselves were in former times. The places of Scripture he makes use of, are Exod. 9 and Host 1. But before I open the words, two things may be here noted. First, the Apostles care to prove what he saith from the Scripture, whether it be against wicked men, or for godly men: which shows, that we should much more take heed to God's Word, being less than Apostles, especially such an Apostle. Secondly, we may hence note, that the promises or praises given to the godly in the old Testament are not envied to Christians in the new Testament. God is no respecter of persons: but we have free liberty to search the books of God, and to choose out of all the examples of the suits of godly men, or the preferments, what we will: and if we make a suit of it to God, he will not deny it, but show us their mercy. Now, for the particular opening of these words, we must observe, that it is the purpose of the Apostle to show briefly the privileges of the godly above all others: or what themselves were before their conversion. And the privilege of their estate may be considered either positively in itself, or comparatively. It is described positively, vers. 9 & comparatively, vers. 10. In the ninth verse, there he reckons up a number of prerogatives belonging to the godly, and withal shows the use they should make of them, or the end why they were conferred upon them. The godly excel in diverse respects, if we consider, First, their election: they are chosen of God. Secondly, their alliance or kindred: they are a chosen kindred. Thirdly, their dignity above other men: they are royal Kings. Fourthly, their function or private employment before God: Priests. Fifthly, their behaviour, or outward conversation: they are holy. Sixthly, their number: they are a Nation. Seventhly, their acceptation with God: they are a peculiar people. First, for Election. The Apostle looking upon the words in Exodus 19.5, 6, and seeing that they described the happiness of Christians in this life, doth in the Forefront put to this privilege of their election, as the foundation of all the rest, and would have Christians much affected with the consideration of this prerogative. It is one of the chief and prime comforts of a Christian, to consider that he is elect of God, Psal. 106.4, 5. 2 Pet. 1.9. elect, I say, both before time, and in time. Before time, in God's decree: and in time, when the godly are singled and called out of the word, and picked out one of a city, and two of a tribe, in all the ages of the world, and distinguished from other men, by believing in Jesus Christ. As the Israelites were chosen out of all the nations of the world; so now the Elect out of all the ages of the world. Quest. But what is there in the election of a Christian, that should so much affect him, as to account himself so wonderful happy in that respect? Answ. There are many things in our election which should much ravish us: as to consider, The specialties of Election. First, when we were chosen, viz. before the foundation of the world from all eternity. Oh what a favour it is to think, that God had such thought of us be. fore ever we had any being! Eph. 1.4. Secondly, by whom we were chosen, viz. by God. Men are wont to be affected, if any of any degree almost do point out them above others, unto any condition of praise or preferment. To be beloved and in request with any, is a contentment: but especially if Kings or great persons should choose us out to set their love upon us, how would we be moved with that! Oh! what comparison can there be between the greatest men on earth, and the great God in heaven? Thirdly, to what we were chosen, viz. to a Kingdom and great glory. For meaner persons to be chosen to any preferment, it would prove a great contentment; but especially to be advanced to the highest honours: why, God hath chosen and called us to no less an happiness than a Kingdom and glory, yea his Kingdom and glory in heaven, Mat. 25.34. 2 Thess. 2.13, 14. Fourthly, for how long this choice must last, viz. for ever. To be chosen to a great office, though it were but for a year, is a great honour in the account of some men, but especially to enjoy a Kingdom, if it may be for diverse years, as twenty, thirty, forty, or the like, how would men rejoice that could attain to such an election? But behold, our happiness is greater. For we have by our Election an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Fifthly, upon what reason we were chosen, viz. upon God's free and mere grace and goodness: he chooseth whom he will. It was his good pleasure to choose us to such a Kingdom: we had it not by descent or desert, Rom. 9.18.21. Ephes. 1.11. Sixthly, in what manner he chose us, viz. unchangeably. To be chosen to so great an estate, though it had been but during pleasure, and that pleasure to, such as might change, had been a great advancement, but God's purpose remains according to his choice, Rom. 9 and whom he elected, he calls; and whom he calls, he justifies; and whom he justifies, he glorifies, Rom. 8.30. The foundation of God remaineth sure, 2 Tim. 2.19. Lastly, to consider whom he chose, which hath a double incitation in it. For first, the Scripture tells us, Many are called, but few are chosen. Now this increaseth our honour, that but a few only can be admitted to the participation of it. If many had enjoyed it, the commonness of it might have had in it some occasion of lessening the value of it, Deut. 7.6, 7. Mat. 20.16. Secondly, God chose us that were most vile creatures, polluted in blood, covered with filthiness, fallen from him by vile Apostasy, and our rebellion in our first parents, and being guilty of many treasons in our own actions. And this should much move us, that God should set his heart upon such vile wretches, as we every day are proved to be. Uses. The use of this may be diverse. But I will only stand upon two uses. First, the consideration hereof should enforce upon us a care to make our election sure, 2 Pet. 1.9. Quest. Now if any ask, By what signs I may know that I am elected of God? Answ. I answer, There be diverse infallible signs of election: As for example; First, separation from the world: when God singles us out from the world, Signs of Election. it doth manifest that he hath chosen us from all eternity. Now that this separation may be proved sure and infallible, we must know, First, that it is wrought in us by the Gospel, 2 Thess. 2.14. Secondly, That it contains in it a contempt of earthly things, so as our hearts do unfeignedly disclaim all happiness in the things of this world, as out of true judgement resolving, that all is vanity and vexation of spirit. The love of God, and the love of the world cannot stand together, 1 joh. 2.14. Thirdly, that it withdraws us from needless society, or delight in the men of this world, who follow the lusts of life, and mind only earthly things, Psalm. 26. Fourthly, an estimation of spiritual things above all the world. Secondly, a relying upon Jesus Christ, and the covenants of grace in him, so as we trust wholly upon him for righteousness, and happiness: Hence it is, that faith is called the faith of Gods elect, Tit. 1.1. Thirdly, the sanctification of the spirit, 2 Thess. 2.13. which hath in it both the reformations of those evils, which were wont to prevail over us, and were most beloved of us, as also the qualifying the heart with such graces as are supernatural, such as those mentioned in the Catalogue, 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and such are those graces heretofore mentioned in the sight of salvation. Fourthly, the testimony of the spirit of Adoption. For every godly man hath a witness in himself, 1 joh. 5.10. Rom. 8.15. God's Spirit doth assure God's Elect that they are elect; and that it doth principally by sealing up unto them the promises of God's Word, Ephes. 1.13, 14. Fiftly, by the conformity of Christians unto Christ in affliction: for the Elect are predestinate to be made like unto Christ in sufferings. Now, because this sign must be warily explicated, we must understand, that barely to be afflicted, is not a sign of Election. For so may, and are wicked men, as well as godly men: but to become like Christ in the suffering, is the sign; which that it may be more infallible and clear, we must observe in these sufferings, First, the kinds, as for example, to be hated and scorned of the world, Marks of such as truly suffer with Christ. and reviled and persecuted, is a token that we are not of the world, because the world would love his own, joh. 25.18, 19 Secondly, the causes, as if we be hated for goodness, and do not suffer as evil doers, joh. 15.8, 21. Psal. 38.20. when our afflictions are the afflictions of the Gospel, 2 Tim. 1.8, 9 Mat. 5.12. Thirdly, the effects, that we love obedience by our sufferings, Heb. 5.8. and be made more holy, and fruitful, and quiet, and meek, and humble by them, Heb. 15.11. so as we can say, It was good for me that I was afflicted, Psal. 119. Fourthly, by the manner, that we be like Christ in silence, Esa. 13.7. patience, and despising the shame of the cross, Heb. 12.1, 2. 1 Pet. 2.21, 22, 23. prayers to God, and submission to Gods will, with strong cries and fervency, Heb. 5.7. Fifthly, by the issue, when God giveth a like end to the trial of his servants, as he did unto the passion of Christ, making all work together for the best, Rom. 8.28. Sixthly, the entertainment which God gives unto his servants in the means of communion with God. For when we meet with God familiarly, and continue in his ordinances, that is an infallible sign and note of Election: as when a man finds constantly the pleasures of God's house, Psal. 65.4. power and much assurance in hearing the Word, 1 Thess. 1.4, 5. an inward sealing up of the comforts of the covenant in receiving of the Sacraments, testified by the secret and sweet refreshing of the heart in the time of receiving, the conscience being comforted in the forgiveness of sins past, Matth. 26.28. an answer and assurance, that God hath heard our prayers, and been with us in his service, joh. 15.15, 16. and the like. Use 2. The second use should be to work in us a care to live so, as may become the knowledge, remembrance, and assurance of our Election: and so we shall do, Rules to live so as becomes th● assurance of Election. First, if we stir up our hearts to a continual praising of God for his rich and free grace herein, Ephes. 1.3, 6. Secondly, if we strive to joy and glory in it continually, Psal. 106.5, 6. Thirdly, if we love one another, joh. 15.17. and choose as God chooseth, Eph. 1.4. not despising the poorest Christian, jam. 2.5. Fourthly, if we set up the Lord to be our God, to love him with all our heart, and to serve him, and in all things to show ourselves desirous to please him, and to be resolved to please him, and his truth, and to his glory, etc. Deut. 26. Esay 44.1, 5. Fifthly, if we confirm ourselves in a resolution to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, nor to suffer ourselves to be unequally yoked: but since God hath chosen us out of the world, to keep ourselves from needless society with wicked men. Sixthly, if we continue in the Word, and be patient in afflictions, and show contentations in all estates, as knowing that it is our Father's pleasure to give us a Kingdom, Luk. 12.32. and that all shall work together for the best, Rom. 8.28. and that the very hairs of our heads are numbered, Matt. 10. and that nothing can be laid to our charge to condemn us, Rom. 8.33. and that God will never cast away his people, whom before he knew, Rom. 11.2. because his foundation remaineth sure, and he knoweth who are his, 2 Tim. 2.19. Seventhly, if we strive to live without blame and offence, that God may no way suffer dishonour for our sakes, Eph. 1.4. Thus of the election. The next thing by which they are commended, is their kindred and generation. This word generation signifies sometimes an age, or succession of men, or so many men as live in the world in the age of one man: so one generation passeth and another cometh, etc. Eccles. 1. Sometimes it signifies a progeny or offspring, that is, so many as do descend out of the loins of such a one: as the generation from Abraham to David, Mat. 1. Sometimes it signifies a kindred or stock; and so not only carnal but spiritual: and thus wicked men are said to be an adulterous and untoward generation, Mat. 12.39. faithless and perverse, Mat. 17.17. & so it is no privilege to be one of that generation: but we are called upon to save ourselves from this untoward generation, Mat. 12.40. so that it is a privilege to be one of this sort or kindred. They are the generation of vipers, Mat. 3. Now there is another kind of spiritual alliance, and that is it whereby all Christians are akin one to another through the blood of Christ, as they all descend of the second Adam: and of this it is, that the Prophet speaketh, Esay 53.8. when admiredly he faith of Christ, Who can tell his generation? And thus the godly are begotten of the best blood in the world, because they are begotten of the blood of Christ, joh. 1.13. The doctrine than is, That godly men are the happiest men in the world, in respect of their kindred and alliance. None come of so good a kindred as godly Christians: which may appear by diverse reasons; First, because they descend of the best blood, Godly Christians come of the b●st kindred: which ●p●eares by many reasons. being the generation of Christ the second Adam; and so are better borne than they that can tell of their great Nobility and Blood, both by the fathers and mother's side, joh. 1.13. Secondly, because they are a chosen, picked chilrens or kindred, all the kindred culled out of all mankind; and so is no kindred in the world. For in all other kindreds are all sorts of persons to be found, good and bad, virtuous and vicious: but of this kindred are none but good. Thirdly, because the whole kindred is royal; they enjoy all great preferments: whereas there be few kindreds in the world, but there are some poor in it; but this generation hath not one poor man in it: all the kindred are Kings. Fourthly, because all are fit for employment: all the kindred are Priests, and can sacrifice, which was not true of the very Tribe of Levi. There is not one Christian, but he can perform the work of the Priesthood, & doth in his order. Fifthly, because there are so many of the kindred. The meanest Christian is akin to all the Saints in heaven, and to all the godly in earth or on earth: and there is no kindred in the flesh that can attain to the like number of kinsfolks in any degree of comparison worth the speaking of. Sixthly, because they are all accepted into high favour with the King of Kings. Though a King on earth, out of his love to one person, would do much for many of his kindred, yet it is never seen that all the kindred universally are preferred and entertained into special favour with the King: yet so it is with all the godly: it is true of all, & of every one, that they are his peculiar treasure. Seventhly, because all our kindred will do for us; there is none of them but are able to pleasure us: whereas in carnal kindred, one may be akin to so great persons, that they will do nothing for them. Eightly, because other kindred may and will die, and leave us: but all this generation lives for ever. Uses. The consideration whereof may serve for diverse reasons. First, hence godly Christians may gather comfort against the best of their kindred in the flesh, whether they be lost by displeasure, or by death: for God here makes a supply of better kindred. It should not therefore be grievous to the godly to forsake their father's house, Psal. 45. Secondly, hence we should learn how to esteem of godly Ministers: for hereby is employed that they are the Fathers and Princes of the Tribes in this holy Nation. Thirdly, it should teach us many duties concerning the godly, to whom we are allied. First, to study our genealogy, and get the knowledge of as many of our kindred as we can. Secondly, to glory in our kindred, to joy in our happiness herein. Thirdly, to do all good we can to our kindred, even to the household of faith, for this very reason, because they are our kinsmen in the spirit; and in particular, we should be ready to do all that for them, which the law of kindred bindeth us unto: viz. First, we should acknowledge them, and not hide ourselves from any that is godly. Secondly, we should receive one another heartily and willingly, without grudging or murmuring. Thirdly, we should defend one another, and be ready in all oppositions to stand for the godly. Fourthly, we should show all bowels of mercy, and tender kindness, and pity, and sympathise in their necessities and miseries. Fourthly, we should hence learn to be provident to preserve our own reputation, that we be no way a dishonour and shame to our kindred, but learn of the wise steward, by lawful means to preserve our credits, and provide for ourselves, though he did it by unlawful: for our Saviour noted this defect, when he said▪ The children of this world are wiser in their generation, than the children of the light, Luk. 16.8. Thus much of their kindred or generation. A royal Priesthood.] These words contain the two next prerogatives; which have so much connexion one with another, that they are joined together as inseparable. The Apostle makes a comely and effectual inversion of the words recorded in Exodus 19 for there they are said to be a Kingdom of Priests, which the Apostle more plainly expresses in the words, A royal Priesthood. They are both Kings and Priests, but both with difference from other men of either of those callings. They are Kings, not profane or civil only, but sacred Kings: they are Priests, not common or typical Priests, but royal. The one word tells their dignity to which they are ordained; the other their office in respect of God. These words, with those that follow, are in Exodus expounded, or rather propounded indefinitely to the Israelites, but in this place limited to the elect only; which shows, that promises and privileges of right belong only to the elect and chosen of God, etc. Royal.] Christian's may be said to be Royal in four respects. Godly men are Royal many ways. First, comparatively with wicked men: for whatsoever their condition be, yet if their estate be compared with the miserable condition of all impenitent sinners, it is a Royal estate, they are like Kings in respect of them. Secondly, as they are united to his body, who is the greatest King, as members of Jesus Christ, who is King of Kings, Revel. 19 Thirdly, because they look for a Kingdom. It is their Father's pleasure to give them a Kingdom; they shall one day reign, and therefore are Royal. Fourthly, because for the very present in this life they have the state of Kings: They have the state of Kings in this life I say. For (first) they appear clad in purple. The Romans knew who was King▪ when they saw the man clad in purple Robes. Christians have royal garments, garments of Salvation; the righteousness of Christ doth cover them, which so soon as they put on, they are saluted for Kings in heaven. Secondly, they have the attendance of Kings, a great train and guard about them; no King like any of them, that is not one of them; for they have the Angels for their guard, and as ministering Spirits to them, Psalm. 34. and 91. Heb. 1.14. Thirdly, they have the dominion of Kings, and sovereignty and power of Kings: and so (first) the whole world is their Kingdom, in which they reign: they are heirs of the world, Rom. 4 and so our Saviour faith, They inherit the earth, Matth. 5. Fourthly, their own hearts are as a large Kingdom, in which they sit and reign, governing and ruling over the innumerable thoughts of their minds and affections, and passions of their hearts: among which they do justice, by daily subduing their unruly passions and wicked thoughts, which like so many Rebels, exalt themselves against the obedience should be yielded to Christ the supreme Lord and Emperor; as also by promoting the weal of all those saving graces which are placed in their hearts, nourishing and lifting up all good thoughts, and cherishing all holy desires and good affections; conscience being, by commission, the chief Judge for their affairs of this whole Kingdom. Fifthly, it is something royal; and which proves them to be Kings, they have a regal supremacy. A King is he that judgeth all, and is judged of none: such a one also is every spiritual man said to be, 1 Cor. 2. ult. Sixthly, they prove themselves Kings by the many conquests they make over the world and sathan, sometimes in lesser skirmishes, sometimes in some main and whole battles. Ob. Might some one say, Is this all the Kingdom of a Christian? This is infinitely below the magnificence and honour of an earthly Kingdom, etc. Sol. God hath done more for the natural man, or for the nature of men, for providing means for this spiritual Kingdom, than in opening a way for earthly Kingdoms; which may appear by diverse differences. For, First, none but great men, and of great means, Differences between spiritual and earthly Kings. can attain to the Kingdom of this world: but here the poor may have a Kingdom as well as the rich. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Secondly, while the father lives, the little child cannot reign: whereas in this Kingdom, little ones attain to the Kingdom, and safely hold it, Matth. 18. Thirdly, this Kingdom is of heaven, whereas the others are only of the earth. Fourthly, these Kings are all just; there is none unrighteous can possess these thrones: they are all washed, justified and sanctified: there is not a drunkard, a railer, a buggerer, and adulterer, a murderer, or any the like amongst them, which is no privilege belonging to the Kingdom of this world, Rom. 14.17. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10, 11. Gal. 5.21. The godly are Kings, such as Melchisedech was, somewhat obscure in the world, but they reign in righteousness, in peace, none like them, Heb. 7. Fifthly, the godly have received a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. Their Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, Heb. 12.28. but all the Kingdoms of the world may be, and have been shaken, and will be ruined, and end; whereas the godly that set out in sovereignty over lesser dominions, and with less pomp, yet increase so fast, till at length they attain the most glorious Kingdom in the new heavens, and new earth. The use of all this may be diverse. Uses. First, for singular comfort to the godly: what account soever the world makes of them, yet here they see what God hath ordained them unto: it matters not for the world's neglect of them; for God's Kingdom comes not by observation: and in particular, it should comfort them into two causes: First, in matter of service; when they come to stand before the Lord, they must know, that they are honourable in God's sight. He respects them as so many Kings in his presence. Secondly, in the mortification of vices; they have received power and authority as Kings, and therefore no rebellious conversation can so exalt itself, but it may be subdued. The oil of God is upon them: and what can the greatest Rebels do against the power of the King? But secondly, withal here is terror to wicked men. For this is the privilege only of the godly: and it is certain, that wicked men are in God's account as base, as the godly are honourable; they are thrust besides these thrones. And so are both sorts of wicked men: for not only openly profane men are to be smitten with this terror, but also hypocrites. It is true indeed, that hypocrites act the parts of Kings, but they are only such Kings as Players are upon a stage, they speak of the words, or the words of Kings, but are not so indeed. For they are by the wiser and better sort accounted as Rogues, and the scum of the people: even so are wicked men in God's account; neither will their outward shows help them. For the Kingdom of God is tried not by words, but by the power of it, 1 Cor. 4.20. And withal unruly Christians may be hence checked, such as will not be ruled by their teachers: such were the Corinthians, they reigned without Paul, and their godly teachers. But the Apostle wisheth they were indeed Kings, or did indeed reign. Why bearest thou the name of a King, and canst not rule thy passions? Thirdly, diverse uses for instructions may be hence gathered: for, First, we should hence learn to honour poor Christians: they are spiritual Kings, as well as the kings of the earth: And we know what a stir we would make to entertain the Kings of this world, jam. 2.5. Secondly, we should hence be stirred up in desire after this Kingdom, to pray for it, that it may come, and that God would count us worthy of such a Kingdom, Matth. 6. 2 Thess. 1.5. And to this end we should look to two things: First, that we seek this Kingdom first above all other things, Mat. 6. Secondly, that we should refuse no pains nor hardship for the entertainment of true godliness: This Kingdom of Heaven should suffer violence, and the violent only will take it by force, Mat. 11.12. It is an easy thing for john to be a partner in the patience of the brethren, when he is a partner with them in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, Revel. 1.9. It is no great thing men can suffer, if we consider it is for a Kingdom: and the want of outward things should the less trouble us, if God make us so rich in spiritual things. Thirdly, we should hence especially learn to live in this world like Kings: and this Christians should show, First, by declaring their conquest over the passions and desires of their own hearts. It is a royal quality in a Christian, to be able to show all meekness of mind, and temper, and sobriety, in being able to deny unto himself what may not be had without sin or offence. He that wins the conquest over his own heart, is greater than he that wins a City. Secondly, putting on the Lord Jesus. The righteousness of Christ is the robe of a Christian: and since all the life of a Christian is a high feast; he should always put on his robe to distinguish him from all other men: and this righteousness is both the impured righteousness of Christ, as also the inherent virtues of Christ. Thirdly, by serving the public. King's are the common treasure of the subjects: they are appointed for the good of many Christians, and should show that they remember that they are Kings, by devoting themselves to all possible profitableness of conversation. Fourthly, by their contentation. What should they fear? or what should discontent them? Hath no● God given them a Kingdom, and great glory? Fifthly, by subduing carnal and servile fears of men. Why should Christians fear the faces of great men on earth? are they not spiritual Kings themselves? and is not the breath in the nostrils of the greatest men on earth? why art thou then afraid to come before them? etc. Priesthood.] The fourth thing, for which Christians are commended, is their Priesthood, which notes the honour of their employment in things that concern God and his service, Es●. 61.6. Rev. 1.6, etc. Now the Priesthood of Christians is a singular privilege, if we (first) either consider the kinds of Priesthood: or secondly, the specialties of their calling and employment. First, for the kind: The Priesthood of Christians is better than the Priesthood of the Levites the sons of Aaron, because it is a royal Priesthood: they are Priests after the order of Melchizedeck, as Christ himself was, in which order every Priest was a King; so were none of the sons, or house of Aaron. Secondly, and for the specialties of favour imported in the Priesthood of Christians, diverse prerogatives are included in it: For first, the Priesthood of a Christian imports separation and consecration to God. The godly of all the people in the world are the only people that are devoted to God, & chosen out of all the world as his portion, as the Levites were out of all Israel. Secondly, it imports nearness & constancy of communion with God. The Priests lived in God's house, and stood always before the Lord, dwelled in his presence, and did approach nearer to him than all the people else: so do the godly spiritually: They only dwell in his sight, and enjoy his special presence, and see the glory of his presence, and have their souls satiated with fatness arising from the comfort of God's favourable presence, jer. 31.14. Uses. Now the consideration of this excellent Priesthood of Christians should serve, first, for consolation: secondly, for instruction: and thirdly, for great reproof. First, it should much comfort godly and careful Christians to consider, how near God hath placed them to himself, even in his chamber of presence, as it were: and how meanly soever the world doth account of their service, yet they hence know, that their Priesthood is a royal Priesthood, and the godly employments of religious men are more honourable, than the greatest employments of the greatest Monarches of the earth: and withal it may specially comfort fearful Christians against one scruple; They sometimes are afraid to go into God's presence, or they doubt their access, they are so unworthy to come before the Lord. Why? this word Priesthood should satisfy them: For it imports that they are privileged by their calling to come before God. The Priests might enter into the house of the Lord, yea they must do it, it was required of them: it was a sin if they did it not, and they did not sin by doing it. Secondly, the Priesthood of Christians should put them in mind of diverse duties; as, First, it should work in them a care of knowledge: the Priests should preserve knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth. A godly Christian should be able to direct others, and hold forth the light of the Word for the profit of others: and as dumb Ministers are to be disliked, so are dumb Christians too. Secondly, it should teach Christians to strive to be of an harmless and inoffensive disposition. The Priests in the Law of God were men without blemish: and so should Christians in the Gospel. Phil. 1.2, 15. Thirdly, we should hence learn to set the Lord always before us, and to walk before him, seeing it is our office to keep in the Temple, and to be near the Lord. Fourthly, it should compel upon us a care of our sacrifice: The main work of the Priests was to offer sacrifices: Now our sacrifices are principally prayers and good works, as more at large is showed on the notes of verse 5. and in these we must be daily employed: But then we must in all our services look to the rules of sacrificing, which ●as I ●aid● I have handled at large vers. 5. only for the present remember these few things: First, that their sacrifices are worth nothing, without an Altar to sacrifice them on: and this Altar is Jesus Christ, Heb. 13.10. Secondly, that thou must have fire to burn the sacrifice on the Altar; and this fire is holy affections, Mark. 9 Thirdly, that in all thy sacrifices thou must keep out leaven: now the spiritual leaven, that mars thy sacrifices, are, first, malice: secondly, any notable wickedness: thirdly, evil opinions: fourthly, worldly grief and passions, which like leaven soureth the sacrifice. Thus of the secon● principal use. Use 3. This may serve for reproof of diverse sorts of men: as, First, of the Papists. They have fire but no Altar, and therefore cannot sacrifice: they have zeal, but not knowledge, as was said in the case of the Jews, who knew not the righteousness of Christ. Secondly, of the carnal Protestants. They have an Altar, in that they profess justification by Christ: but either they have no sacrifice, or no fire. The rich among them bring not their sacrifice of alms, and all sorts neglect prayer and good works; or if they do any service to God, there is no fire to burn the sacrifice: they serve God without zeal and holy affections. Thirdly, hypocrites are here rebuked. They bring for matter the right sacrifices sometimes, and they have fire too: but it is strange fire many times: they have zeal, but it is rash and unwarranted: they do good duties in an ill manner, or spend their zeal on traditions, either on the left hand, or on the right. Fourthly, fearful Christians are here reproved, because when they have sacrifices, and an Altar, and fire too, yet they believe not the atonement may come by it, or the acceptation of them from God. Thus of the fourth point. An holy Nation.] The holiness of a Christian is his fifth prerogative, wherein he excels all other people: and the godly are holy many ways. Some are less principal: some are more principal. Christians are holy many ways. First, they are holy in respect of God's appointment and calling: God hath decreed them to holiness, Eph. 1.4. and created them to good works, Eph. 2.10. and called them to be Saints, 1 Cor. 1.16. Secondly, they are holy in their sect or kindred. They are of an holy kindred: for their Head Christ Jesus is infinitely holy, and their brethren are holy brethren, Heb. 4.1. Thirdly, they are holy in their Laws. No people have so holy, just, and exact Laws: there is no defect or error in them. The word of God is perfect, Psal. 19 Prov. 8.5, 6. Fourthly, they are holy in their signs: they wear the badges of righteousness. The uncircumcised were accounted unholy; and the Jews a holy nation, because being circumcised, they had the sign of righteousness: so are Christians holy by Baptism sacramentally. Fifthly, they are holy in regard of separation from the wicked and the world. A thing was said to be holy in the Law, which was separated from common uses, to the use of the Tabernacle: so are the godly holy, because separated from the unholy. But chiefly, the godly excel for holiness, if we respect the holiness, First, of justification: they are holy by the imputation of the perfect holiness of Christ, and so are they as holy as ever was Adam in Paradise, or the Angels in heaven. Secondly, of sanctification: they have holiness in their natures, and they practice holiness too: and thus they are holy in heart, and by inchoation. They have grace in all parts, though not in all degrees and they are not destitute of any saving or heavenly gift, 1 Cor. 9.11. And this kind of holiness must not be slighted or meanly accounted of: for first, it is a holiness wrought by the holy Ghost. Secondly, it is presented to God by the intercession of Christ; whereby all imperfections are covered. And thirdly, it is acknowledged in the covenant of grace, which admits of uprightness and sincerity instead of perfection, which in the other covenants were required. Thirdly, they are holy in hope, because they look for perfect holiness in nature and action, in another world. There is a righteousness which they wait for, that exceeds all the righteousness that ever was in any man in this world, Christ Jesus excepted. But I conceit, it is the holiness of sanctification which is here meant. Now this holiness consists either of mortification or vivification. Mortification is employed about the subduing of corruptions; and vivification about qualifying the heart and life of the believer with holiness. Vivification also is exercised either about new grace in the heart, or new obedience in the conversation. I take it the later is here meant: and so the Apostle intends to say, that no people are like the believing Christians, for the holiness of their conversation. Uses. The use of this point may be (first) for great encouragement to the true Christian, notwithstanding all his infirmities with which he is burdened: and therefore he should take heed that he be not wicked overmuch, Eccles. 7. that is, he should not think too vilely of himself: For though he be guilty of many sins, yet he is truly holy, and that many ways, as was showed before. God hath done great things for him, that hath given him a holy head, and a holy calling, and especially that he hath already made him perfectly holy by justification, and will make him perfectly holy in sanctification in another world, yea he ought to take reason of comfort for his holiness of sanctification; as for the reasons before, so the very holiness of his conversation is much more exact, than is the conversation of the wicked, or than was his own before his calling. And withal this should much stir up godly men to the care of sound holiness in their conversation, & the rather because first they were redeemed from a vain conversation by the blood of Christ, 1 Pet. 1.18. Secondly, they should much thereby advance the profession of true Religion, Phil. 1.27. Thirdly, because a holy conversation is a good conversation, God requires nothing of us to do, but it is all fair work, and good for us, whereas when we have done, the devil, the world, and the flesh work that, which was extremely ill for us. Fourthly, we hold our profession before many witnesses, many eyes are upon us, and the most men are crooked, and perverse, 1 Tim. 6.12. Phil. 2.15. and the best way to silence foolish men, is by unrebukeablenesse of conversation, 1 Pet. 2.15. Fifthly, our heavenly Father is hereby glorified, Mat. 5. & 6. Sixthly, it will be a great comfort to us in adversity, 2 Cor. 1.12. Lastly, great is our reward in heaven. For hereby will be ministered abundantly an entrance into the glorious Kingdom of Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 1.11. But then we must look to diverse rules about our conversation, that it may be right: for, First, it must be a good conversation in Christ, 1 Pet. 3.16. Special rules for the right ordering of us in an holy conversation. Secondly, it must be a conversation discharged from those ●suall vices, which are hateful in such as profess the sincerity of the Gospel, and yet common in the world, such as are lying, wrath, bitterness, rotten communication, or c●●sed speaking, or the like, Eph. 4.25. Col. 3.8. 1 Pet. 1.14. Thirdly, it must be all manner of conversation, 1 Pet. 1.15. we must show respect to all God's Commandments, at home, and abr●●ad, in religion, mercy, righteousness or honesty. Fourthly, we must show all meekness of wisdom, when we hea●e outward praise, or do good, or are to express ourselves in discourse, or otherwise, jam. 3.13. 2 Cor. 1.12. And that we may attain to this holiness of conversation, Means for obtaining an holy conversation. First, we must walk according to the rule of God's Word, and let that be a light to our feet, and a lantern unto our paths, Gal. 6.16. joh. 3.21. Secondly, we must set before us the pattern of such Christians, as have most excelled that way, Phil. 3.17. and walk with the wise. Thirdly, especially as obedient children, we should learn of our heavenly Father to fashion ourselves according to his nature, and in all conversation strive to be holy, as he is holy: and as it follows in this verse, we should study and strive to show forth the virtues, that were eminent in Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. and 12.10. Thirdly, in so much as holiness is the prerogative of a Christian, it should teach all sorts of men to try themselves, whether they have attained true holiness, or no: so as they be sure their holiness exceed the holiness of the Scribes and Pharisees: for else they cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven. For a Christian must have that holiness of conversation, which no wicked man can attain unto. Now that this trial may be done effectually, I will show wherein the holiness of a true Christian exceeds the holiness, First, of a mere civil honest man. Secondly, of the most glorious Hypocrite. First, for the mere civil honest man: The true Christian exceeds his righteousness, both in the righteousness of faith, and in the internal holiness of the heart, and the power of holy affections: but because it is holiness of conversation, which is especially here meant, I will touch the differences in conversation; and so, Differences between the holiness of conversation in civil honest men, and Gods elect. First, they differ in one main cause of orderly life. For the holiness of the godly Christian proceeds from a regenerate heart: whereas the mere civil man is so naturally, or only by restraining grace: he hath not been in the surnace of mortification for sin. Secondly, the mere civil honest man glories in this, that he pays every man his own, and is no adulterer, or drunkard, or the like notorious offender: But for the most part he is altogether defective in the religious duties of the first table, especially in the duties of the Sabbath, and the religious duties he should perform in his family. Thirdly, the mere civil honest man makes conscience of great offences, but cares not to be stained with lesser sins; whereas the true Christian lives circumspectly, and makes conscience of the least Commandment. Secondly, now for the hypocrite: Though the difference be hidden, yet it may be assigned in diverse things, as, Differences between the hypocrite and Gods elect in the holiness of conversation. First, the holiness of the godly Christian flows from a pure conscience, and faith unfeigned: whereas there is no such repentance, or faith in the hypocrite. Secondly, the true Christian hath his praise of God, but the hypocrite of men, Rom. 2.26. Thirdly, the true Christian obeys in all things: the hypocrite but in some, as here for the most part they may be found tainted with some evil vice. Fourthly, the true Christian is careful of his conversation in all places and companies: the hypocrite only, or chiefly, when he is where he thinks he shall be observed and marked. Fifthly, the true Christian will not cease bearing fruit, what weather soever come, jer. 17.7, 8. But the hypocrite gives over, when hard times come. He is not like the good ground, that brings forth fruit with patience: The hypocrite will not hold out till the end, though the times be peaceable till his death. For the most part, he than bears the burden of his hypocrisy, he cannot die in peace. Use. Lastly, this is a terrible doctrine for open and notorious offenders. For hereby it is apparent they are strangers from the Commonwealth of Israel, and are not of this nation; their language and their works betray them: Drunkards, Adulterers, Swearers, Liars, Usurers, and such like, cannot inherit, or have any lot in this heavenly Canaan. For all this nation is holy, and such are not they, their own consciences being Judges. Nor is it a pleasing Doctrine to scandalous professors: For such as give scandal, are either hypocrites, or godly: If they be hypocrites, their scandals betray them, and testify to their faces, they have no lot among the Saints: and if they be godly Christians, that have fallen through weakness, yet they have cause to be much humbled: For by them the name of God is blasphemed; and besides many other inconveniences that will pursue their fall, this is not the least, that hereby they have weakened their evidence, and wonderfully darkened the marks of their happiness: For if the godly be a holy nation, how discomfortably have they provided for themselves, and their own souls, that have so stained their profession and holiness! An holy nation.] The sixth prerogative of Christians is imported in this word Nation, The sixth prerogative is their number. which shows the number. For though all the wicked are more in number than the godly: yet such is the glory and greatness of the number of all the godly of all ages, that if we could behold them on earth, as we shall see them in heaven, and at the last Judgement, we would wonderfully admire the beauty and multitude of the Christian Army. All the godly together make a goodly Nation, and though in largeness of number they do not go beyond the wicked, yet in the privileges of their number they go far beyond them. They are all one, and a whole Nation of them, which imports diverse privileges. First, they are all originally of one blood, borne of the blood of Jesus Christ. Secondly, they are all governed by one Ruler: their noble Ruler is of themselves, there is one heart in them to serve the Lord. Thirdly, they are all governed by one book of Laws. Fourthly, they all enjoy the same privileges in the communion of Saints, even those before contained in this verse. Fifthly, they all enjoy the love of God: they are his portion. As Israel was his out of all the world: so the godly are his, and make all but one Nation. In that all the godly are one Nation, diverse things may from thence be observed by way of use. Use. First, it should be very comfortable to all that are truly godly; and so it should comfort them diverse ways. First, against the fewness of them that live in one place, & so against the reproach of the world for that reason. For here they may know that if all the godly were together, there would be no cause to despise them for their number. Never such a Nation of men, as they▪ Secondly, in the case of adversaries, the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. They are a whole Nation of them, they may be oppressed, but they can never be utterly rooted out. Thirdly, in respect of their consanguinity with all the godly: though they differ much in estate or condition, yet wheresoever, or howsoever they live, they are all countrymen, they are all of one Nation; the partition wall is broken down. All godly Christians, whether Jew's or Gentiles, are but one Nation. Fourthly, in respect of the government and protection of Christ over them. Why criest thou then, O Christian, Is there no King in Zion? Secondly, hence some use for instruction may be made. For first, we may here learn to know no man after the flesh. All other relations are swallowed up in this relation: when thou art once converted, thou needst not reckon of what country thou art, or how descended, for thou art now only of the Christian nation. All godly men should acknowledge no respects more than those are wrought in them by Christ. Secondly, since Christians are all countrymen, and seeing they are like the Jews, dispersed up and down the world, they should therefore be glad one of another, and make much one of another, and defend one another, and relieve one another by all means of help and comfort. Thirdly, they should therefore observe the fashions of the godly, and be more strict to follow the manners of their nation, wheresoever they come. A peculiar people.] The acceptation of the words. The Latins render the words of the original, Populus acquisitionis. In the Greek it is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The word rendered peculiar, signifies sometimes conservation or saving, as Heb. 10.39. to the saving or conservation of the soul: sometimes, purchase, as, the Church was purchased by his blood, Act. 20.28. sometimes, possession or obtaining, as, He ordained us to the obtaining of salvation, 1 Thess. 5.9. and the glory of Christ, 2 Thess. 2.14. Neither do Interpreters agree about the attributing of what felicity the word imports. For one would have the sense thus, Populus acquisitionis, that is, the people he could gain by; intending thereby, that the Apostle should say, that the godly were the only people that God could get any thing by. Others would have it thus: A people for obtaining, that is, of heaven: and so the sense is, 1 Thess. 5.9. that they are a people God hath set apart to obtain heaven, or to gain more than any people. Others thus: A people of purchase, that is, such as were purchased, viz. by the blood of Christ. And so the people of God were purchased out of the world by the blood of Christ: and the Israelites were typically redeemed out of Egypt by the blood of the Lamb. The godly are a people bought at a great price; none ever so dear ransomed. But I take it as it is here rendered, A peculiar people: and so the word may intimate a double reason. Doct. For first they are a peculiar people, because God hath every way fashioned them for himself. Secondly, they are a peculiar people, because they are his treasure, yea, all his treasure. The godly comprehend all his gettings: they are as it were all he hath. And so Exod. 19 vers. 6. may explain it. Use. The use may be partly for consolation, and partly for instruction. First, it should exceedingly comfort the godly, to know their acceptation with God: they are in high favour with him: they are his very Favourites. And this should distinctly comfort them diverse ways: as first, that God doth make so much account of them, to love them as any covetous man can love his treasure. Hence God is said to delight in them, to rejoice over them with joy, and his mercy to them pleaseth him. Secondly, it should comfort them in respect of the suits they may obtain from God. He is rich to all that call upon him. No King can do so much for his Favourites, as God can and will do for his. God's favourites may ask whatsoever they will, and be sure to have it, and therefore it were a shame for them to be poor. Thirdly, the favourites of earthly Princes may lose all, and fall into the King's displeasure, and so be undone for ever, and go out with singular disgrace and ruin: but God's Favourites have this privilege; they shall never lose the favour of God. He will love them to the end, job. 13.1. Nothing shall separate them from the love of God in Christ, Rom. 8. ult. God hath not appointed any of them to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation, 1 Thess. 5.9, 10. And all this should be the more comfortable, because God respects no persons. Every subject cannot be the King's Favourite; nor is every servant, in Ordinary; nor is every one that serves, in the Chamber of presence, or Privie-Chamber: but in God's Court all servants are Favourites; and he hath treasure enough to enrich them all, and affection enough to love them all. Secondly, diverse instructions may be here gathered: for if we be God's Favourites, and his treasure, it should teach us, First, to live comfortably, even to live by faith, to trust upon God's favour for life and salvation; nor need we doubt our pardon, nor question our preferment. Secondly, to live humbly, to be ever ready to acknowledge, that it was Gods free grace that hath raised them up from the very dunghill, as it were, to such high preferment: we must confess that we hold all from him: we must humble ourselves, seeing we have this honour to walk with our God. Pride is one of the first things destroys the favourites of the world. Thirdly, to live holily, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and living religiously, and soberly, and righteously in this present world: since he hath redeemed us to be a people peculiar to himself, we should be zealous of good works. An exactness of living is required of such as must live in Prince's presence: and since God hath bought us at so dear a rate, we must not live to ourselves, but to him that died for us, 2 Cor. 5.15. Tit. 2.12, 14. Fourthly, to submit ourselves to God's disposing: we are his treasure: it is reason he should do with his own what he will; and the rather, because he will never employ his treasure, but for advantage. He that blamed the evil servant for not gaining by his talon, will certainly himself gain by all the ways he employs his own treasure. This doctrine should serve also for a double warning to wicked men. First, to take heed how they wrong God's people: if they touch his Anointed, they touch the apple of his eye. He will be sensible and requite it. They are not in a safe condition that wrong the Favourites of Kings; their backs are as good as broken; and every man is afraid of them: and it is no less danger to be injurious to that people which is so dear to God. And withal, this doctrine should teach us and them, that if they have any desire to get the King of heavens pardon, or to obtain favour with him: if they have any mind to repent they should do well to get some of those Favourites to commend their suit to the King; God will not deny them: The prayers of the righteous avail much, especially if they be earnest with him. Hitherto of the enumeration of the particulars of the prerogatives of the godly: the end of them follows, viz. That they may show the virtues of Christ that called them. Virtues. The original word here translated virtues, is but sparingly used in Scripture: the Apostle Paul only useth it once, viz. Phil. 4.8. and the Apostle Peter here: and twice in the next Epistle: The sense as the word is taken for praises. neither do Interpreters agree about the translation of it. For many following the Syriach, render it praises, and not virtues: and so the meaning is, our privileges are bestowed upon us to this end, that we should show forth the praises of Christ; and that diverse ways. First, by embracing these prerogatives themselves. For these do set out much the praises of Christ: as his love to man, his wisdom and power, that could redeem a people out of such misery to happiness, and his singular acceptation with his Father, from whom he obtained such large prerogatives for his servants. Secondly, by thanksgiving, when we praise God for Christ, and give praise to Christ for all his goodness and love to us. Thirdly, by commending the riches of the love of Christ to us, setting forth his praise from day to day, as we have occasion by discourse to others. Fourthly, by living so as that God in Jesus Christ may be glorified in the wo●ld, especially in the Church. Now other writers follow the native signification of the word, and translate it virtues, but with different interpretation. For some by the virtues of Christ understand the benefits exhibited to us by Christ, and so we are enriched with the former privileges, that so we might make it appear, ●ow much we have gained by Jesus Christ: And these benefits of Christ we show forth by thanksgiving to God, daily praising him for them, as also by the word of exhortation, when we call upon others to seek after them; and lastly, by carrying ourselves so, as may become so great treasure, keeping them with all care, esteeming them above all gettings, and living as contentedly, as if God had given us a Kingdom on earth, and ordering our conversation so, as men might see our care of good works becoming such high preferment. But I rather follow those Interpreters, that take the word, as it properly signifieth, for the gifts of the mind in Christians bestowed upon them by Christ, and so it is originally a philosophical word, expressing those endowments of the mind, which Philosophers in their Ethics prescribed; and it is the more sparingly used by the Apostle, because it is too low a word to express the worth of the rich mercies and graces of Christ: and the Apostle Paul, Phil. 4.8. when he saith, If there be any virtue, etc. meaneth, that if there were any virtue, in which Philosophers did excel, they should strive not to come behind those natural men, even in those virtues, such as were chastity, liberality, temperance, sobriety, magnanimity, truth, justice, and such like. Now as the Scripture taketh notice of virtue, it belongs to the duties of the second table, as godliness doth to the first: and though virtue considered morally, hath nothing supernatural in it; yet considered as it is propounded here, it is of singular worthiness to be regarded. For though those virtues which were in the Philosophers were but natural; yet there were certain virtues in Christ belonging to the second Table, which as the pattern is given us in him, could never be found in mere natural men; so that the Apostle doth of purpose separate the consideration of virtues, and in especial call upon us to get framed in us those virtues, which did most shine in the nature and conversation of the Lord Jesus Christ. The division. Now in all the words four things must be distinctly handled. First, that every Christian is bound to imitate the special virtues of Jesus Christ. Secondly, that it is not enough to have those virtues, but they must show them forth accordingly. Thirdly, how those virtues thus showed forth, are still called the virtues of Christ. Fourthly, the Periphrasis, by which Christ is described, is to be attended when he saith, The first 〈◊〉. It is he that called us. For the first of these, it is apparent, that the Apostle takes all the godly bound to the imitation of the virtues of Christ. Note by the way, that it is the virtues of Christ that are to be imitated. For every thing in Christ is not to be imitated; as, First, not his infirmities: for though they were unblameable, and without sin, Five things we are not to 〈…〉. yet they imported weakness: and so, though they be in us, yet we are not to strive after the attainment of them. Secondly, not his works of Divinity; as his miracles, curing of men with a word, walking on the water, fasting forty days, and such like. Thirdly, not his works of Office; such works as he did in that singular obedience to that singular commandment of his Father, in dying to redeem the Church: and so all the works of his Mediator-ship, as he was the Mediator between God and man. Fourthly, not his works of obedience, as the son of Abraham, to the Mosaical Laws, those that were Ceremonial: for Christ must be considered as the son of Adam, and not as the son of Abraham. As the son of Adam, he was bound to the Moral Law, whether as it was first written in men's hearts, or as after it was taught by tradition, and at length by the Writings of Moses. Fifthly, we are not bound to follow every action of Christ in indifferent things, no not in such as had some circumstantial relation to religious duties: such as were to sit and preach, or to preach on mountains, or by high way sides, and in a ship, or to pray all night, or to wear a garment without a seam, or to sit at the Paschall Supper, and a multitude of such like instances: such as was the Commandment to his Disciples, to take nothing for their journey, neither staves, nor scrip, nor money, nor two coats: and so he preached the Gospel freely himself, and such was his lifting up of his eyes to heaven in prayer. They are the virtues of Christ only, which we are bound to follow: and among these, such as he did chiefly win reputation in, are in this place specially commended. It is the duty then of every Christian to study the life of his Saviour, and seek to imitate those things were most eminent in him. Now that this point may more distinctly be observed, we must consider what those virtues are, and were, which in Christ did so much excel, and in Scripture we are charged specially to imitate, and would so much adorn the lives of Christians. There are nine virtues which did exceedingly excel in Christ, Nine virtues in Christ, which we must show forth in our lives. 1 Wisdom. and would marvellously adorn the lives of Christians, if they would walk as Christ hath left them example; which I may reckon in this order. The first was wisdom and discretion. The people wondered at his gracious words, and the wisdom that was in him, Luk. 4.22. and he requireth of his Disciples, that they should be wise as serpents and innocent as doves, and they should grow in understanding and wisdom, Col. 2.2, 3. and 3.10. Now, this wisdom of Christ we should show, First, by restraining rash zeal and furious sentences upon wicked men, How we should show it, viz. five ways. as Christ did, Luk. 9.55. Secondly, by avoiding with discretion the snares which are laid for us by our adversaries, being advised how we let fall any thing might bring dishonour to our profession, and needless danger to our estates. This discretion our Saviour Christ showed, when he was tempted with hard and dangerous questions, as that about Cesar, and the questions of the Lawyers, & Sadduces. Thirdly, by avoiding in indifferent things what by experience we see is misliked in others, as when the austerity of john was censured, Christ took his liberty in the use of the creatures, and convenient company-keeping, Luk. 7.33, 34. Fourthly, by giving place oftentimes to the sudden and violent furies of wicked men, when they will run on wilfully, till there may be convenient time to deal with them: so did Christ often avoid the commotions of his adversaries. Fifthly, by gracious words, and fruitful communication, when we so speak as becomes the Oracles of God, with all reverence and power, 1 Pet. 4.11. Luk. 4.22. It was in particular a singular discretion in Christ, that when he was asked vain questions, or such as were not so fitly propounded, he answers so as may most profit, declining the answer that should only feed curiosity, or the like ill humours. But yet it manifestly appears by the practice of Christ, What it must not have in it. that this wisdom must not have in it either forbearing of just reproofs, or dissimulation, or the omission of necessary duties, or the practice of unlawful things for fear of men, or a subtlety only to compass great things for one's self, or a denial of the truth, or such like. The second thing in Christ was meekness: and this we are charged to learn of Christ, 2 Meekness, Mat. 11.29. And thus Paul beseecheth them by the meekness of Christ, 2 Cor. 10.1. showed in 〈◊〉 things. Now we should show this meekness (first) by restraining the passions of our hearts, such as are anger, malice, wrath, bitterness, and the like: this way our Lord Jesus did wonderfully excel. Secondly, by avoiding strife and contention. Do nothing through strife, saith the Apostle, Phil. 2.4. but let the same mind be in you, that was in Christ. Thus it is a singular praise to be gentle, jam. 3.17. Thirdly, by an easy subjection to Gods will to bear the yoke of God, is to imitate Christ herein, to be easily persuaded or entreated to do those things which belong to our duty and Christian obedience, Matt. 11.29. Fourthly, by gentle dealing with such as have fallen through infirmity. This is required of us, Gal. 6.1. And thus did Christ toward Peter after his fall: he never showed his displeasure, when he saw he was displeased with himself. The third virtue is humility or lowliness of mind. This is also required of us, 3 Humility, Matt. 11. as a virtue we should imitate in Christ. Now Christ showed his humility, which is showed three wries. First, by making himself of no reputation, Phil. 2.8. He abased himself, to take our nature upon him. He hid for a time, the glory he had with the Father; and beside, he showed it by avoiding many time's applause and fame of the people. He sought not the honour of men. He suppressed often his own praises, joh. 5.43, 44. And thus we shall do likewise, if our praise be not of men, but of God, and that we do nothing through vain glory, Phil. 2.4,6. And as he did not seek the applause of others, so he did not give witness of himself, joh. 5.31. He praised not himself: and we should show our humility by a low opinion of ourselves, thinking better of others, than of ourselves, Phil. 2.4. Secondly, by making himself equal with them of the lower sort, which is required of us, Rom. 12.16. and was performed by him, when he forced with Publicans and sinners, and the meanest of the people, magnifying the poor of this world. Ob. Might some one say, Yea, this shows the pride of professors now: for they will not sort nor converse with their neighbours, especially if they be, as they account them, but guilty of any crime, such as drunkenness, whoredom, swearing, etc. Sol. The example of Christ is perversely alleged, to condemn the godly herein: for they do only profess a resolution to shun all needless society with open wicked men. Two things may be said about Christ's practice herein: First, that he conversed with them, not as a companion, but as a Physician. He came to them, as the Physician doth to his Patient, to heal them: and thus it is not denied, but the company of the worst men may be resorted unto, viz. when we have a calling and fitness to reclaim them. Secondly, consider well what these persons were, with whom Christ sometimes kept company. The Publicans were such as gathered toll or tribute-money for Caesar, and for that reason were extremely hateful among the Jews, who liked not to be subject to foreign government: but it is not manifest, that they were men of notorious evil conversation. It was the stomach of the Jews, not the wickedness of the men, made Publicans to be so hateful. And whereas it is added, that he kept company with sinners; it may be answered, that they were penitent sinners, as our Saviour said of them, Mark. 2. It is true, some of them had been notoriously wicked, as Mary Magdalen, who once had been a most wanton woman, but was now received to mercy, and had repent with many tears; which though the Jews acknowledged not, because she was one of Christ's Converts, yet to us it ought to be evident. Thirdly, Christ showed his humility by bearing the infirmities of the weak, unto which we are exhorted, Rom. 15.1, 2. and Eph. 4.2. and Christ practised it daily, by bearing with the strange weaknesses of his Disciples. Now, these duties of humility we are the more bound unto, more (I say) than Christ, first, because we are sinful creatures, and aught ever to bear upon us some part of the shame of our offences. Secondly, because we are infinitely inferior to him, in respect of his greatness. If he that was so great by relation to God, equal to God, and by birth and office, etc. if he (I say) carry himself so humbly, how little reason have we to stand upon birth, riches, calling, gifts, or the like? etc. The fourth virtue that was eminent in Christ, was contempt of the world; 4 Contempt of 〈◊〉 world, an admirable thing, that he, who was Heir of all things, could show so little regard of worldly things: and this he showed, First, by living in such want of all things, as he affirms, Luk. 9.57,58. Secondly, by refusing the preferments were offered him upon sinful terms; s●●wed in four things. whether by the devil, who offered him all the glory of the Kingdoms of the world; or by men, who would have made him King. Thirdly, by knowing no man after the flesh, by his neglect of earthly kindred: his hearers were his father and mother, brothers and sisters: he esteemed of men according to their spiritual estate in God's Kingdom, and not according to their outward estate in the world. Fourthly, by seeking the things of others more than his own: his life was wholly devoted to the profiting of others. Thus should we show our contempt of the world also, by using the world as though we used it not, 1 Cor. 7.31. by not caring for the things of this life with distrustful cares, Matth. 6. by not seeking great things for ourselves, and by looking on the things of others, as well as our own things, Phil. 2.4. and by acknowledging of spiritual relations with our best affections. The fifth virtue eminent in Christ was Mercy: 5 M●rcy, which he showed not only by counsel, persuading his hearers to all sorts of mercy upon all occasions, but by his practice also, by healing both the souls and bodies of all sorts of diseases in all sorts of men, going about and doing good in all places where be came: This is a virtue in many Scriptures much urged upon Christians, Col. 2.12. Rom. 12.1 Tim. 6. jam. 3.17. and our mercy should have the same praises his had: First, it should be all sorts of mercy, to soul and body: showed 〈◊〉 ways. Secondly, we should be full of mercy: Thirdly, we should be ready to communicate and distribute: Fourthly, it should be with pity and bowels of mercy. All this was in Christ, and is required of us. The sixth virtue in Christ was patience: This virtue we are charged withal, Heb. 12.1, 2. 6 Patience, and urged to it by the example of Christ, And thus we are to learn of him to be a patient people, both for the matter, that we endure the cross, Luk. 9.23. 1 Pet. 4.1. and 2.24. and for the manner, we must suffer as he did: First, with silence: he was as a lamb dumb before his shearer. to be showed four ways. Secondly, with subjection to Gods will: Father, thy will be done: so David, I should have been patient, because thou didst it, Psal. 39 Thirdly, with long suffering: Christ bore his cross daily, and so should we. Fourthly, with willingness: we must take up our cross, Luk. 9 Christ despised the shame, Heb. 12. And the rather should we be form unto patience in all tribulations, Three motives. because we are (first) sinful creatures, and have deserved our crosses; so did not Christ in his own person: secondly, we suffer not such extreme things, as Christ did: thirdly, we have reason to be silent in the evil day, because we have not such wisdom to speak, as Christ had. The seventh virtue eminent in Christ, was his compassion to his enemies: 7 Compassion to enemies. which he showed diverse ways; as First, by praying for them on the cross, when he suffered the extremest things from them: Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. Secondly, by restraining reviling and revenge: he rendered not evil for evil, he reviled not again, 1 Pet. 2.24. Rom. 15.3. He would not send fire from heaven upon them, Luk. 9.55. Thirdly, by doing them all the good he might: He instructed them with patience: He was the good Samaritan, that healed their wound, and was at cost with them. Fourthly, by receiving them with gladness, when they repented, as he did the thief on the cross. Fifthly, by mourning for the hardness of their hearts and impenitency: thus he weeps over Jerusalem. All this is required of us: We should pray for them that curse us, Matth. 5. we must not render reviling for reviling, 1 Pet. 3.9. and 2.14. we should mourn for them in their miseries: so did David, Psalm. 35.13, 14. and we should overcome their evil with goodness, as Rom. 12.19, 20. The eighth virtue in Christ, was harmlessness and inoffensiveness: and we are exhorted to unrebukeablenesse, 8 Inoffensivenes. and to live without offence, because we are the sons of God, Phil. 2.15. and Christ requires in us the innocency of doves, and for the same reason compares the godly to sheep. Where I say we should live without offence, I mean, without giving offence: For Christ himself, that most innocent Lamb of God, was rebuked, and reproached, and reviled; and so may the most godly Christians. It is a blessed thing to be reviled for following goodness, and for the Gospel's sake. 9 Love to the godly. The last virtue, which I reckon in Christ, was his love to the godly: which we are required to imitate, Eph. 5.7, 8. 1 joh. 3. Now there are diverse things we should learn of Christ in our love to the godly. First, to love them with a preventing love: for Christ loved us first. Secondly, to love them though they be our inferiors: so did Christ love us. Thirdly, to love them notwithstanding their infirmities: Christ loved the Church, though she be black, Cantic. 1. and full of spots and wrinkles, Eph. 5. Fourthly, to love them fervently: Nothing should be too dear to part with for them: Christ shed his blood for our sakes, Eph. 5.2. 1 joh. 3. and withal we should show the fervency of our love by defending them, as Christ did his Disciples, and by sympathy in all distresses and temptations, as Christ hath a feeling of our infirmities, Heb. 4.15. so we should be like affectioned one to another, Rom. 12.15. And thus much of the first point. The second thing hence to be noted, is, That it is not enough to have the virtues of Christ, but we must show forth the virtues of Christ. Now we show forth the virtues of Christ diverse ways: How many ways we show forth the virtues of Christ. First, by observing certain public solemnities, as by the use of the Sacraments. For therein we not only remember the praises of Christ, till he come again, but also we enter into bond with God for the imitation of the holiness which was in Christ. Secondly, by Martyrdom, when we can resolve to suffer the extremest things, rather than forsake our innocency. This makes men acknowledge the virtue of Christ in us. Thirdly, by the power of practice in our conversation; and so to show them forth, is, First, to practise them to the life, to make a clear impression of them in our works: The word here rendered to show forth, signifieth to preach; and so it may note, that we should practise those virtues so clearly, that our lives might be as so many Sermons upon the life of Christ. Secondly, to practise them so, as others may observe them: and so it imports, that upon all occasions in our conversations, which are before other men, we should be sure not to be wanting in those virtues, when we are provoked to the contrary vices. Quest. But may we do things for the show? Is not that Hypocrisy and vain glory forbidden unto Christians? Answ. There are some virtues, we can never offend that ways by showing them: as we can never show too much wisdom: we may be vainglorious in too much show of our knowledge, we may offend in bringing our zeal too much to the show; but we can never show too much true patience, or meekness, or moderation of mind, Phil. 4.5. we may offend in making show of diverse duties of piety in the first table, as alms, prayer, fasting, Matt. 6. but those virtues here mentioned may on all occasions be lawfully held out to the best show. But that I may express myself more distinctly, outward shows are then condemned as sinful, viz. First, when sinful things are showed, as carnal passions, and railing, Seven ways wherein we may offend by outward shows. in stead of true zeal. Secondly, when secret duties are done openly, and for show, as when private prayer and fasting is so performed, as that others may manifestly observe them, Matt. 6. Thirdly, when outward shows are purposely affected: affectation and hunting after applause is condemned. Fourthly, when care in lesser things is showed, and the care of greater things is manifestly neglected; this hath grievous irritation in it, and is Pharisaical, Matth. 23. Fifthly, when the things showed are done deceitfully: such was the practice of Ananias and Sapphira. Act. 5. Sixthly, when men multiply the use of the means of holiness, but neglect the practice of it, Esa. 1. Mich. 6. Seventhly, when we show our gifts of purpose to the contempt and disgrace of others, Rom. 12.16. jam. 3.10. 1 Cor. 8.3. The use briefly may be, First, for humiliation; Use. and so first unto ungodly men in the Church that profess the service of Christ, and claim the privileges of Christians, and yet in stead of showing forth the virtue of Christ, show forth the wickedness of the devil, by their lewd conversation causing the name of God to be blasphemed by Papists and Atheists, and all sorts of Heretics and Sectaries, by their whoredoms, swearing, malice, drunkenness, and the lusts of their father the devil; and those of all sorts. These are they that carry Christ about in scorn, to be derided of the enemies of the truth: for when with their words they profess Christ, by their works they deny him themselves, and cause him to be denied by others. Were there not a remnant that bear the Image of Christ in sincerity, who would ever embrace a religion that were professed by men of s●ch wicked conversation? Secondly, it should exceedingly humble scandalous pro●essers, that would have the world think better of them than of the former sort, an● yet become grievous to men by their vile offences. Thirdly, unfruitful Christians, which lie in a continual barrenness, whose ground is always fallow▪ have but little consolation from hence: for though they are better than the former, in that they are not openly wicked, yet they fall short of their duty here, because they do not more effectually show forth the graces of Christ. And that there may be a healing of this error, they must amend, first, their ignorance and pray to God to teach them to profit: secondly, their slothfulness, rowzing up themselves to more zeal of good works, and care to answer the opportunities of well doing. Use 2. Secondly, for instruction. All that love the Lord Jesus, should hence be persuaded to increase in all care of well-doing, and study how to show forth the light of their works before men; and the rather, because, Motives to the show of virtue. First, they have received such singular mercy from the Lord. Secondly, they shallhereby glorify their heavenly father, and make religion to be well spoken of, Phil. 2.15,16. 2 Thess. 3.21. and put to silence the ignorance of the foolish: we should be as tender of the honour of our profession, as of our own honour. Thirdly, they shall hereby wonderfully establish their own hearts in the assurance of their calling and election, 1 joh. 1.5,6. 2 Pet. 1.5. to 10. and much increase their own contentment, and joy in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15.58. Fourthly, they shall have a full and plentiful reward in the day of the Lord, Rom. 2.7,8,9,10,11. Fifthly, the hearts of their teachers shall be hereby filled with joy, when they see they have not laboured in vain, Phil. 2.16.2 Cor. 3.1,2,3. Of him that, etc.] In the third place it may be here considered of, why those virtues, showed forth by Christians, are yet called the virtues of Christ. For answer whereunto, we may be informed, Why the virtues in us are called the virtues of Christ. that they are the virtues of Christ in diverse respects: First, because they are such virtues as are had only by such as be in Christ by effectual calling: for all the wicked are strangers from the life of God. Secondly, because they are received from the Spirit of Christ: of his fullness we have all received these graces, joh. 1.14. Eph. 1.21. Thirdly, because they are showed forth for his glory. All our gifts and services are devoted to the glory of Christ: as they are in him, so they are for him. Lastly, I think they may be called the virtues of Christ, because they resemble his virtues: as the picture of a man is called by the name of the man himself. And the consideration hereof should the more incite us to the care of these virtues, seeing we are here to follow no worse a pattern than the example of the Lord Jesus himself: and withal we should be the more humble, when we have had and done all we can, seeing we have nothing but what we have received. And since all should be for his glory, we have reason to say at the best, We are unprofitable servants. And withal it should comfort us against the sense of our infirmities, to consider, how weak soever we have been, yet our gifts are acknowledged for the virtues of Christ himself; and by the benefit of Christ's intercession, are accepted of God, as if they had been found in the person of Christ himself. Thus of the third point. He that hath called you.] The fourth thing to be noted, is this Periphrasis here given of Christ. Instead of saying the virtues of Christ, he saith the virtues of him that called you; which he doth of purpose to exalt the praise of the gifts of God in our calling; and partly to show, that we enter upon the possession of the former prerogatives, the most of them, when we are called by the grace of Jesus Christ; and partly thereby guiding us to the knowledge of that work of God, which may assure us of our interest in the former prerogative. All which shows that we have great reason seriously to study the doctrine of our calling by Jesus Christ. Sorts of callings. Calling is either personal, or natural, or spiritual, or supernatural. The personal calling is to some office; the natural to the exercise of some moral virtue: the spiritual or supernatural, is to Christ, calling us to seek happiness and blessedness in him. This is here meant. And so the calling of a Christian is to be reckoned among the gifts or endowments God bestows upon his people: which that we may distinctly understand according to the order of them, there are seven gifts of God. Seven gifts of God. First, vocation; by which he calls men out of the world into the Church. Secondly, justification; by which he forgives the Called their sins, and clothes them with the rich Robe of Christ's righteousness. Thirdly, sanctification; by which he qualifies their nature with all heavenly gifts necessary for their salvation. Fourthly, adoption; by which he acknowledgeth and receiveth them for his sons and heirs. Fifthly, Christian liberty; by which he frees them from all things that might hold them in bondage, or in a servile condition; as from the rigour and curse of the Law, from the dominion of sin, from the burden of Moses ceremonies, and humane traditions, and from those servile fears in God's service, bred by the spirit of bondage. Sixthly, consolation; by which he keeps them in this happy condition: which he performeth three ways. First, by defending them against all adversaries. Secondly, by delivering them out of their many troubles in their militant estate. Thirdly, by bestowing upon them the gifts of perseverance to the end, and for ever. Seventhly, temporal blessings; by which he furnisheth them for this present life. The six first of these are gifts principal: the last is but accessary. The three first are the chief gifts: and the three next are such as arise out of the first. Now this work of calling men into the Church, is either external or internal. By the external, men are called into the visible Church: Distinction of calling. by the internal, men are called into the invisible Church. And that we may conceive of this distinctly; in respect of calling, all men may be cast into four companies. First, some are not called at all any way by the Gospel; as many of the Pagans, etc. Secondly, some are called only externally; as those in Matth. 20. Many called, but few chosen. Thirdly, some are called internally only; as the thief on the Crosse. Fourthly, some are called both internally and externally: so the Elect of God for the most part and ordinarily. It is the last sort of men that are understood here. Now that this work of God calling us, may in the order of working bee more clearly understood, we may conceive it thus: The first cause is God's love of men, his kindness and love to men, as the Apostle calls it, Tit. 3.4. First, Four things in the order of working our calling. First, that God conceives in himself a compassionate love of man, lying in his extreme natural distress. Secondly, Christ then as Mediator lays the ground of this calling: and so be doth two ways. First, by removing what might hinder the work, as the displeasure of God, and the curse of the Law; which he did by being made sin for us, 2 Cor. 5.22. Secondly, by purchasing and bringing to light immortality, and also the people that should possess it, which purchase he made with his own blood, Act. 20.28. 2 Tim. 1.9, 10. Thirdly, than God sends the Word of reconciliation, furnishing men with gifts to preach the Gospel, and souseth their ministry of reconciliation, as the only ordinary means of calling men, 2 Cor. 5.18,19. Rom. 10.14.17. Fourthly, the Spirit of Christ doth inwardly persuade the hearts of men to receive the Word, and so to be reconciled to God. Use. The use of this doctrine of our Christian calling, may serve both for instruction, and for terror: for instruction, and so it may teach, First, unregenerate men in the Church, as ever they would be saved, to awake to the care of their calling, Eph. 5.14. & to be entreated while they have the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5.20. and to open when Christ knocks, Rev. 3.21. taking heed, they be not as the horse or mule, Psal. 32.9. And that they may prosper in this work of their calling, they must look to two things: First, that they be not hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, Heb. 3.13. Secondly, that they despise not prophesying, but account the feet of them that bring the glad tidings, to be beautiful, Esa. 52.9. There are four reasons assigned by the Apostle, H●b. 3. etc. why men should be ruled, when Christ grants them the means: First, because it is to day; they know not how long they shall have the means, Heb. 3.7. etc. Secondly, because of all deceits it is most miserable to be deceived of the things offered us in the Gospel, vers. 13. Thirdly, because God is extremely grieved, and provoked by our neglects herein, vers. 16. Fourthly, because else we shall fail of the promise of entering into his rest, Heb. 4.1, 2. Secondly, godly men should hence learn diverse things. First, to be diligent above all things to make their calling sure. Now there be diverse signs of a true effectual calling, such as these: As Eight signs of an effectual calling. First, the opening of the heart to receive the Word of God, and to attend the things which are spoken, Act. 16.14. whereby they are enabled to hear as the learned, Esa. 51.6. Secondly, the weariness of heart under the burden of sin, Mat. 11.29. and 9.13. Thirdly, the answer of the heart to the voice of Christ, consenting to obey, and to enter into covenant with God, Esa. 1.18, 19 Fourthly, the taking away of the detestable things, and their abominations from them, Ezek. 11.17, 21. Col. 2.11. Fifthly, the knitting of the heart to the godly, Ezek. 11. ●8. Sixthly, the removing of the stony heart, and the planting of the heart of flesh, Ez●k. 11.19. Seventhly, the virtues of Christ, as in the coherence in this text. Eightly, in general the truth of our calling appears by the demonstration of the spirit and power. The holy Ghost quickening the heart to new obedience, called the manifestation of the spirit, 2. Cor. 2.4, 5. Eph. 2.5. Secondly, it should teach them to strive to walk worthy their calling: for the manifestation of the spirit was given to profit withal: and we are therefore called, that we might be to the praise of his rich grace. Now that we may walk in some measure, as becomes this great gift of God, Five rules that show us how to walk worthy of our calling. First, we should be humble, and not wise in our own conceit, though hardness lie yet upon the heart of some, Rom. 11.25, 30, 31. For the wind blows where it 〈◊〉, and the spirit of Christ works where and when it pleaseth him▪ job. 3. and we have nothing but what we have received. Secondly, we should be exceeding thankful to God for his rich grace in our calling: and the rather, First, because this is no common favour, but in special grace communicated to us: For no man cometh, but whom the Father draweth. Secondly, because it was done without respect of our own works, without all desert on our part, 2 Tim. 1.9. For God called us, that were worldly, carnal, natural, and sinful men, strangers from the life of God, dead in sins, serving lusts and divers pleasures, yea such as never sought God; we were miserable sinners, Ephes. 2.1, 12. Mat. 13. Thirdly, because of the means and manner of our calling: God the Father worketh his part, and I work, saith our Saviour. An excellent work, when such workmen are needful to it: and in this work the ministration of the Spirit exceeds in glory, 2 Cor. 3.7, 8. and it is a holy calling wherewith he hath called us, 2 Tim. 1.9. Fourthly, because they are so great happinesses, to which he hath called us: As to the fellowship of his Son, to be sons and heirs with him, 1 Cor. 1.7. and to a Kingdom, and so great glory, 1 Thess. 2.12. 2 Thess. 2.14. Fifthly, because God's gifts and calling are without repentance: He will never repent that he hath so called us, Rom. 11.29. Esa. 54.7, 8, 9, 10. jam. 1.17. And thus of the second way, by which we should show ourselves desirous to walk worthy of our calling. Thirdly, we should show this by well doing; we must be careful to maintain good works, Tit. 3.8. For we were called that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life, Luk. 1.74, 75. Fourthly, we should therefore live contentedly, when we are assured of the work of Christ in calling us with such a calling. jacob should not now be ashamed, nor his face wax pale, Esa. 29.23, 24. Fifthly, we should in our particular be careful to rest where we are, in the doctrine we have learned and been taught, and not be carried about with every wind of doctrine, Eph. 4.11, 12, 14. Thus as the uses are common to the godly in general. Thirdly, Ministers in particular, from the consideration of this doctrine of our calling by Jesus Christ, should learn to preach Christ, and him crucified, and to deny the excellency of wisdom, or words, that men's faith may be in the power of Christ: It is Christ must give them increase: they should learn of Paul, 1 Cor. 2.2, 4, 5. One thing by the way I might note concerning the time of our calling: we should not be curious about that, to know the day or hour when it was, but we must rest satisfied to know that we are the called of Jesus Christ. And thus of the uses for instruction. Use 3. Hence also may be concluded much terror to wicked men, that are not called, in that this work of calling is the door of all grace communicated to us. Now wicked men not called, are of two sorts: first, some outwardly refuse their calling: secondly, some seem to obey it, but it is not effectually: both are in miserable case, but not both alike: For the later are near the Kingdom of God many times. The first sort resist the Holy Ghost, put the Word of Christ from them, refuse to answer or obey, reject the counsel of God, harden their hearts, and are therefore extremely miserable: for, First, they judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life, Act. 13.46. The misery of such as refuse their calling, showed in eight things. Secondly, they are in danger to be left and forsaken of God, and have the means taken from them, joh. 12.39. Thirdly, God will provoke them many times to jealousy, by calling a people to himself, whom they account foolish, Rom. 10.19. especially when they have rebelled against the means, Ezek. 3.6, 7. Fourthly, God will laugh at the calamity of such men, Prov. 1.26. Fifthly, and they may be taken away with sudden destruction, Prov. 1.17. Sixthly, if they call to God, it may be he will not answer hereafter, Pro. 1.28, 29, 30. Seventhly, if they live in prosperity, that shall destroy them, Prov. 1.31. Eightly, the dust of the feet of God's servants shall witness against them in the day of Christ, and then they shall be fearfully punished, Mat. 10. Of the estate of such as have temporary grace. Now there are another sort of wicked men, that are called externally, and in some respect internally too, and yet are not right: such as have temporary grace, do obey their calling after a sort, and for a time; for they assent unto a part of the Word of God, which they receive with joy: and this is called a taste of the good word of God: they may also be persuaded to leave diverse sins, as Herod was, and may be endued with diverse graces of the Spirit, which they had not before, Heb. 6.4, 5. Now this calling yet is not that effectual inward calling, which is in Gods Elect. For they receive not the promise of grace in Christ to them in particular, to rely upon it, not are they persuaded to forsake all sin, no● have they any one saving grace, which is in the godly. Now these men are miserable, because they are not truly called; and the more, first, because they were near the Kingdom of God, and yet want it; secondly, because they will be the hardlier drawn to see their miseries: Harlots and Publicans may enter into the Kingdom of heaven before them. Hitherto of our calling, and so of the positive description of the happiness of a Christian: the comparative follows in the last words of this verse, and the whole 10. vers. where the Apostle intends to show them their happiness now in Christ in comparison of that miserable estate they lived in before: so that he compares the estate of a Christian in grace with the estate of a Christian in nature: and this he doth, first, in metaphorical terms, in the end of this verse; and then in plain words, vers. 10. In this verse he compares their misery to darkness, and their happiness to marvellous light. Out of darkness.] From the general consideration of all the words, two things may be observed: First, that it is 〈◊〉 even for godly men to be put in mind of the misery 〈…〉. For the consideration hereof may, The remembrance of our misery past, is profitable in six respects. First, keep them humble, to remember how vile they have been. Secondly, quicken them to the reformation of the sin that yet hangs upon them, Col. 3.5, 6, 7, 8. Thirdly, work compassion in them towards others that lie yet in their sins, and teach them to deal meekly with them, Tit. 3.2, 3. Fourthly, make them more watchful, to look on a nature which hath been so vile, Fifthly, quicken them to redeem the time they have spent in the service of sin, 1 Pet. 4.3. Sixthly, it should 〈◊〉 the greater price upon our happiness in Christ; and so is the consideration used here. Secondly, that a mind that is truly cured of sin, can easily bear the a 〈◊〉 of it, as it is past. A man that hath been wounded in his arm, will endure you to gripe him, when he is well healed: a sign he is not well healed, when he cannot be touched: so is it with sinners. Thus in general. The first thing then to be considered of, is the misery of men by nature, expressed in the word darkness. Darkness.] The ●●ceptations of the word Darkness. The darkness that is in the world, is not all of a sort: For there is (first) darkness upon the earth, which is nothing but the absence of the light of the Sun. Secondly, there is darkness upon the outward estates of men in the world, and that is the darkness of affliction. Now afflictions are called darkness in diverse respects: As first in respect of the cause, when they fall upon men by the anger of God. The want of the light of God's countenance is miserable darkness: the absence of the Sun cannot make a worse darkness. Secondly, in respect of the effects, because afflictions darken the outward glory of man's estate, and withal breed sorrow and anguish, and the clouds and storms of discomfort and grief; and for the time, deprive the heart of lightsomness and joy. Of both these respects, may the words of the Prophet Esay be understood, Esa. 5.30. and 8.22. And so God creates darkness as a punishment upon all occasions for sin, Esay 45.7. Afflictions may be compared to darkness 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 distress, and unresolved either how to take it, or what means to use for deliverance. Thus it is a curse upon wicked men that their ways are made dark, Psal. 35.6. Thirdly, afflictions are called darkness when they are secret and hidden, and fall upon men at unawares, when they are not dreamt of, job 20.26. And thus of darkness upon men's estates. Thirdly, there is a darkness falls upon their bodies: and so it is either blindness, wanting the light of the Sun, or else it is death and the grave. Death and the grave is called darkness, job 17.13. and 10.21, 22. Psal. 88.13. Fourthly, there is a darkness upon the souls of men: and that is spiritual blindness, when the soul lives without the knowledge of God, and Jesus Christ especially. As it respecteth the will of God in general, it is the darkness of ignorance and error: and as it respecteth the promise of grace in Jesus Christ, it is the darkness of unbelief, Eph. 4. Lastly, there is a darkness shall light upon both souls 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 temporal darkness upon the estates or bodies of men, or spiritual darkness upon the souls of men, or else eternal darkness in hell. This darkness also may be considered in the degrees of it. Degrees of darkness. For besides the ordinary darkness, there is (first) obfcure darkness, called also the power of darkness: and such was the darkness of Gentilism: and such is that darkness threatened to such as curse father and mother, Prov. 21.20. so was the darkness, jer. 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 eternal darkness in hell, which is the highest degree of the misery 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 walk on in darkness, Eph. 4.17. 1 joh. 2.9. Psal. 82.5. It is a continual night with them: they are like the Egyptians that could have no Sun to light them, but were covered with palpable darkness. Neither are they helped, that they enjoy the light of the Sun: for of all darknesses, that which comes from the absence of the Sun, is the least, or hath least distress in it. If a man lived where he should never see day, or were borne blind, yet his distress were nothing in comparison of the darkness, especially spiritual, that lieth upon the poor soul of an unregenerate man, which lieth shut up in miserable darkness: which these men may feel in themselves, by their living without God in the world, and by the absence of the joys of God, and by their singular uncapableness in the things of the Kingdom of God, and by their strange and absurd errors in conceiving of matters of Religion, and by their monstrous thoughts and objections they feel at some times, and disability to conceive of the worth of eternal things, though the least of them be better than the whole world; and lastly, by their want of discovering what to do, almost in all the occasions of life. Use. The use may be for singular terror 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 distress, in respect of the darkness they live in, or are likely to live in: as, First, that they have the Devils as the Rulers of the darkness they live in, who like cruel jailers will see to it, Nine aggravations of the darkness is in wicked men. that they be kept still in their dungeon, with all increase of heaviness and misery, Eph. 6.12. Secondly, that their darkness is also the shadow of death, a most deadly poisonful darkness, that daily increaseth in the infection and annoyance of it, Esa. 9.2. Thirdly, that they suffer so many kinds of darkness in the vexations and discomforts of each of them. Fourthly, that it is such gross darkness, so thick and palpable, without any mixture of true light or comfort: if they had but starlight or moonlight, it were some ease. Fifthly, that they are neither safe walking nor lying still. If they walk, they go in singular danger: for they know not whither they go, 1 joh. 2.11. job 18.5, 6, 7. If they lie still and sleep it out, they are in danger to be swallowed up eternally. Sixthly, that this darkness will not hide from God. All they do is manifest before him, Esa. 29.15. Seventhly, that it is a continual darkness: it will never be day with them, so long as they live in that estate without repentance, job 15.30. All his days he eats in darkness, Eccles. 5.17. Eightly, that they are in danger every hour to be cast into utter darkness, where will be no ease nor end. He knoweth not that the day of this darkness 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 darkness, and not one escapeth it: their whole earth is without form, and void, and their heavens have no light in them, jer. 4.24. Ob. But we see wicked men have joy and comfort many times. Sol. They have certain sparks of light, like the light smitten out of the flint: first, they cannot warm themselves by it, nor see how to direct their ways: secondly, it will quickly go out: thirdly, howsoever it be for a time here, yet at length they must lie down in sorrow, Esa. 50.10. And the consideration hereof should in the second place much reprove the perverseness of wicked men; and that in diverse respects, and considerations: First, that they can be silent in darkness, as the phrase is, 1 Sam. 2.9. that they can live so securely, and never make moan, or humble themselves in their distress. Secondly, that they dare, which is worse, many times call darkness light, and light darkness, and defend it that they are in as great liberty and safety as the best of them all. Oh woe unto them, because they call darkness light, Esa. 5.20. Thirdly, that they will not come into the light when the door is opened, and while there is spiritual means of light. What a thing is this, that light is come into the world, and the darkness comprehendeth it not? joh. 1.5. Fourthly, this is their condemnation, that they love darkness more than light, and prefer their vile condition before the condition of the children of the light, joh. 3.21. Thirdly, let these poor wretches be instructed, if it be possible, First, to embrace the means of light. Secondly, to pray to God to be entreated of them to lighten their darkness. Doth not he justly perish, that may enjoy the light for ask for i●, and yet will not? Ob. If any ask, how may they know that they are in darkness? Ans. I answer, First, Four signs of spiritual darkness. by the uncapableness and insensibleness of the soul in the things of the Kingdom of God, Eph. 4.17. 1 Cor. 2.14. Secondly, by the works of darkness, by the continual practice of sin without sound repentance, Rom. 13. 1 joh. 1.6, 7. Thirdly, in particular, by the habitual hatred of the godly, because they follow goodness, 1 joh. 2.9, 11. Fourthly, by the absence of God in the use of his ordinances, who is as the simne to the godly, Psal. 84.12. And thus of the use that concerns the wicked. Use 2. Godly men should from hence gather increase of consolation in their hearts, from the consideration of God's mercy in translating them from the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of his dear Love, Col. 1.12, 13. they are the men upon whom God hath accomplished the prophecy and promise of his grace. They are the deaf men that are made to hear the word of the book: and the blind men, that see out of obscurity and darkness, Esa. 29.18, 19 The Lord hath made darkness light before them, and brought them, being but blind men, by a way they knew not▪ Esa. 42.16. The people that sat in darkness have seen great light, Esa. 9.1. These men are the prisoners that once were in darkness, and God sent his own Son to the prison door to bid them come forth, and show themselves, Esa. 49.9. And their deliverance from darkness should be the more comfortable, if they consider, First, what a world of people are yet covered with darkness, Esa. 61.1. Secondly, that darkness shall never return: They enjoy a day that never shall have night following. Ob. But is there not darkness still in godly men, as well as in other men? Sol. I answer, in some respects there is, and in some respects there is not. It is true, that in respect of the ignorance yet upon godly men in this life, they may say, as it is in job 19.8. God hath set darkness in our paths, and fenced up our ways: or job 37.19. Teach us what we shall say unto him: for we cannot order ourselves because of darkness: and sometimes in their afflictions they may say, as aforesaid: But yet notwithstanding there is great difference between the state of the godly, and the state of the wicked: for First, the godly are delivered from utter darkness altogether. Six Differences between the darkness i● in godly men, and that which is in wicked men. Secondly, for their darkness in this life; it is true, they may be subject to such darkness as clouds may make, or an eclipse, but the night is clean passed with them, Rom. 13.12. Thirdly, though they have darkness, yet they are not under the power of darkness, Col. 1.13. He that believeth, cannot abide in darkness, but is getting out, as one made free, and set at liberty, joh. 12.46. Fourthly, their darkness is not a gross and palpable darkness, they can see their way, and are all taught of God: It is no darkness can ●inder their salvation. Fifthly, though their afflictions may increase upon them, yet God will not forsake them, but will show them great lights: the Lord will be light un●o them for comfort for the present, and will send them the light of deliverance in due time, Esa. 50.10. Mich. 7.8. Psal. 112.4. Sixthly, they have their Patent drawn and sealed, and delivered them, whereby they are appointed to enjoy unspeakable light, and an absolute freedom from all darkness: They are children of light, and are borne to singular privileges in that respect: the time will come when there shall be no igrance, no affliction, no discomfort any more. Thus of their misery, and so of the estate from which they are called. Now followeth to be considered their happiness to which they are called, expressed by the metaphorical term of light, and commended by the Epitheton of marvellous. Light.] Acceptations of the word Light. Light is either uncreated or created: the uncreated light is the shining essence of God, infinitely above the shining light of the Sun: Thus God is light, and dwells in that unapproachable light, 1 joh. 1.6. 1 Tim. 6.16. The created light is that which is made and begotten by God; whence he is called, The Father of lights, jam. 1.17. And this created light is either natural, or spiritual: natural is the light of the Sun in the firmament: the spiritual light, since the fall, was all collected, and seated in Christ. As God gathered the light of the two first days, and placed it in the body of the Sun, as the original vessel of light: so did the Lord collect, and gather the light together after man had fallen, and placed it in Christ, that he, as the Sun of righteousness, might be the fountain of light unto the spiritual world. And thus Christ is said to be light, joh. 8.12. the light of the world, that lighteneth every man that cometh into the world, joh. 1.9. The beams of this light in Christ are diffused all abroad upon men: and so the light communicated from Christ, is either temporal or eternal. Temporal light is either the blessing of God in Christ, making the outward estates of God's servants glorious and prosperous, job 29.3. Hest. 8.16. or else it is that light that shines upon the souls of men; which must be distinguished according to the instruments of conveying or receiving it. The instrument of conveying it is outwardly the Law and the Gospel, and inwardly the Spirit of Christ. The instrument of receiving it, in respect of the general will of God, is the understanding; or in respect of the promise of grace, it is faith. The Law is a light, Prov. 6.23. of the light of the Gospel, 2 Tim. 1.10. 2 Cor. 4.6. Knowledge is light, Act. 26.18. and of the light of faith, joh. 8.12. Eternal light is the light of heaven, where the inheritance of the Saints lieth, Col. 1.12. Revel. 18.19. It is the spiritual light upon the souls of men: the light of knowledge and faith is here specially meant, which is conveyed and increased by the Gospel. Doct. The point then hence is clear, That God's servants (in comparison of their former condition) are brought into great light. The spiritual light shineth upon every one that is to be converted, Act. 26.18. God hath promised light to every penitent sinner, job 33.28, 30. Esa. 42.16. and Christ was given to be the light both of Jews and Gentiles, Esa. 42.7. and 49.6. Hence it is, that Christians are said to be the children of light, Luk. 16.18. Io●. 12.36. yea, light itself, Eph. 5.6. the lights of the world. Phil. 2.15. And thus they are so, by reason of the light of Jesus Christ, shining in their hearts through the knowledge and belief of the Gospel. All the world is like unto Egypt, 〈◊〉 with darkness: and the godly are like the children of Israel in Goshen. Use. The use may be first for instruction to the godly: since they are called to such light by Christ, they should First, believe in the light: since they see now what they do, they should establish their hearts, in the first place, in the assurance of God's love, since his shining favour showeth itself in the Gospel. Secondly, they should do the works that belong to the light: they may now see what to do, and therefore ought not to be idle, but to work while they have the light, 1 joh. 2.8. And to that end they should daily come to the light, that it may be manifest that their works are wrought in God, joh. 3.21. And they should now abound in all goodness and justice, or righteousness and truth, Eph. 5.8, 9 proving what that acceptable will of God is, vers. 10. Thirdly, they should therefore cast away the works of darkness, and have no fellowship with the children of the night, but rather reprove them, Eph. 5.7. to 14. For what fellowship between light and darkness? 2 Cor. 6.17. Fourthly, they should, in all difficulties and ignorances, pray to God to show forth his light and truth, seeing they are called to light, Psal. 43.3. Use 2. Secondly, godly men should hence be comforted, and that in diverse respects. First, though they may have many distresses in their estates, yet light is risen to their souls; though they may for a season suffer some eclipse of their comfort, yet light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart, Psalm. 97.11. and the more they should be glad of their portion in light, when they bebold the daily ruins of ungodly men. The light of the righteous rejoiceth, when the lamp of the wicked is put out, Prov. 13.9. In 2 Corin. 4.4, 6. there are three reasons of consolations assigned: First, the light we have should comfort us, if we consider how many men have their minds blinded by the god of this world; and of those, many of them great, wise, and learned men. Secondly, if we consider what darkness we have lived in: God hath done as great a work upon our hearts, as he did when he commanded the light to shine out of darkness, in the beginning of the world. Thirdly, if we consider what glorious things are revealed unto us: for by the Gospel he hath caused to shine in our hearts the knowledge of the glory of God, etc. Finally, it is the more comfortable, in that the Apostle calls this light, marvellous light; which is now in the next place to be opened. Marvellous light.] The spiritual light which shines in the hearts of the godly by the Gospel, is a marvellous light, either because it is such as the godly do marvel at, or because it is such as they ought to marvel and wonder at. When men first enter into the truth, that is, when they are first converted, In how many respects the light of the godly is marvellous. Christians being (for the most part) full of affections, as they that have scaped lately singular danger, and as they that never before saw the King's Court, they are frequently stirred up with admiration at the glory of the Gospel: they wonder at and are vehemently affected with the new discovery of the riches of Christ, showed them in the preaching of the Gospel: and thus it is a marvellous light in this sense, Esa. 30.26. But I rather consider of it in the other sense; It is a marvellous light, though we should not have the heart to be so affected towards it: it is marvellous, I say, First, because it is a light that needed the Mediator to procure it: none but Christ can give us this light. Other light is free, we pay nothing for it: but this is carried in the hand of the Mediator to us, and for us, Esa. 42. & 4●. Secondly, because it cometh after so long a night of ignorance and sin: they must needs account the light precious that have not seen it a long time▪ as blind men when they receive fight, Esa. 9.2. Matt. 4.16. Thirdly, and more, because it is a light commanded to shine out of darkness, 2 Cor. 4.6. That God should call light out of such darkness as wa● in our hearts, is marvellous. Fourthly, in comparison with the times of the Law, and the shadows of the Old Testament. Fifthly, because it is a light comes not from any creature, but from God the Creator. God is our light, Esa. 6.19. And in this respect, this light is like the light that shone about Paul, Act. 22.6. Sixthly, because it is a light that shines at the time of the evening of this world. That the Sun should shine in the day time is no wonder: but that it should shine in the night, or at evening, were a dreadful wonder: even so it is in this last age of the world, Zech. 14.7. Seventhly, because it is a knowledge above the reach of reason: it is the light of faith. Eighthly, because it shines only to the godly. It is light in Goshen, when there is no light in Egypt; that was marvellous: and so is it when we see the light shining all abroad, and many men sit in darkness, even in the same place, in the same congregation, city or family. When the godly see clearly, the wicked discern nothing: light is withheld from the wicked. Ninthly, because it hath more force than any other light: for it is the light of life: it quickens the soul, and enlives it, joh. 8.12. Lastly, because it is an everlasting light: it is such a day, as no night followeth it. The consideration of all this should work diverse things in us: For, if in all these senses it be a marvellous light, than First, we should be marvellously affected with it, and strive to be exceeding thankful for it. How have we deserved to be cast again into darkness for our extreme unthankfulness! How have we given God cause to take away the Candlestick from us! Let us therefore strive after thankfulness and admiration: and if the Lord do work it in us, let us take heed we lose not our first love. Secondly, we should arm ourselves for the defence of the light: we should preserve it as a singular treasure, both in our hearts and in our Churches: we should with the more resolution resist the works of darkness, standing always upon our guard, Rom. 13.12. Thirdly, we should strive after all the degrees of the assurance of faith. Fourthly, we should strive to make our light shine the more excellently, both for the measure of good works, Malac. 5.16. and for the strict and precise respect of the exact doing of good duties. Now we have the light so clearly shining, we may do every thing more exactly than if it were dark, Ephes. 5.15. Our gifts must not be hid. The light must not be put under a bushel, Matth. 5.15. Phil. 2.15. We should now avoid not only greater faults and falls, but lesser stumblings, 1 joh. 2.10, 11. We should do all things to the life and power of them, and show discretion aswell as knowledge. This doctrine also doth imply the grievous misery of wicked men: for if it be marvellous light into which the godly are called, there is a marvellous darkness in which wicked men live. The whole creation of God had been but a confused heap, if God had not set in it the light of the Sun: such a confused Chaos is the world of men, if the Gospel shine not into their hearts. Finally, this should much comfort the godly, they are called into marvellous light in all the senses before named: which should much inflame their hearts, and they should rebuke their own hearts for not valuing so rich treasure. We may from hence take occasion to note how little we should trust to the judgement of flesh and blood in valuing spiritual things, when the very godly themselves do not so much esteem of them as they should. Whatsoever we think, yet in God's account, the light of the Gospel, the light of faith and knowledge, the light of God's countenance, etc. is marvellous light. But if the light of the godly be marvellous in this world, what shall it be in the world to come, when God and the Lamb shall be their immediate light? Here God lights us by the means: there God himself will be our everlasting light. Here our light may be darkened with clouds of affliction and temptation: there shall be an eternal light without all darkness. Here we have no light, but what is infused into us: there we shall ourselves shine as the Sun in the firmament. Hitherto of the description in Tropical terms. Now it follows in plain words. VERS. 10. Which in times past were not a people, yet are now the people of God: which in times past were not under mercy, but now have obtained mercy. THe Apostle takes the words of this verse out of the Prophet Hosea, chap. 1.11. where the Lord promiseth that the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea; and in the place where was it said unto them, Ye are not my people, it shall be said unto them, Ye are my people. Now the Apostle applies that sentence to the people to whom he wrote, showing that it was accomplished in them. Quest. The question is of whom the Prophet and Apostle spoke. Ans. Some say of the Israelites in the letter, both because the same chapter shows that they were cast off, and called Loammi, not God's people: as also because the Apostle is thought to write only to the Jews. But the Apostle Paul, Ro. 9.24, 25, 26. apparently expounds it of the Gentiles chiefly: and therefore we must rest in his sense: which by the way shows, that this Epistle was written to the Elect amongst the Gentiles, as they were strangers and pilgrims in the world, and not to the provincial Jew's only. The Apostle then, to the singular comfort of Christians in those times, shows, that now were the Prophecies accomplished concerning the calling of the Gentiles, which was before a great mystery, hidden from ages and generations, Col. 1.26. admired by Angels, Eph. 3.10. 1 Pet. 1.12. Before I open the words of this verse in particular, some use would be made of this great work of calling the Gentiles; and so from the consideration of their estate, both before and after calling. And first for the meditation of the estate of the world, Of the calling of the Gentiles in general. or the Nations of the world, before Christ preached unto them: note, First, the horrible infectiousness of sin: whole worlds of people are poisoned with it. Secondly, the dreadful horror of God's Justice against sin: which as we may see plainly in the sufferings of Christ, so also very lively in the desertion and forsaking of the Gentiles, so many millions of men perishing without pardon or pity: and therefore it was never safe to follow a multitude in evil, nor to plead the practice of fathers or forefathers, with such like. And for the meditation of their calling again in Christ by the Gospel, we may gather matter, First, of information; and so (first) that God is not tied to any place. Use. If Israel after the flesh will not serve him, he will raise up children unto Abraham from among the Gentiles, Mat. 21.43. Secondly, that the Church of Christ is now Catholic, of all Nations: and therefore Christ's Kingdom is the largest Kingdom in the world, and the glory of it must not be restrained to Rome, or any one place. Secondly, of consolation: for here we may observe, First, the infallibility of God's promises: these promises concern the calling of the Gentiles as being dead, and were most unlikely, and yet we see them fulfilled: which should teach us to trust upon God. Secondly, the wisdom and power of God, working light out of darkness. The rebellion of the Jews is so far from laying Zion waste, or dissolving Religion, that it is an occasion of a greater work of God among the Gentiles: yea when profaneness seems to overgrow all, and the whole world seems to live in wickedness, yet we know not what times may come for the glory of Religion among Jews and Gentiles. Thirdly, God's wonderful love to his Elect: he will gather them from all the four winds of heaven. Though they be few in number in comparison, and live dispersed in every Country, yet God, the great Husbandman, will not want means to fetch them home into his garner. A husbandman, that had all his field grown over with weeds, save here and there one grain of corn on a land, would never be at the pains of gathering and separating: yet God will. Fourthly, the great encouragement that poor sinners and mean persons have to come to Christ, and seek God. For here we see, he hath showed mercy to the very abject Gentiles, against whom he had infinite cause of exception: and the rather should we be encouraged, because wheresoever we live, either in, East or West, we may sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob in the Kingdom of God, Mat. 8.11. And withal here is matter of instruction: for, First, we must look to our faith: for God justified the heathen only by faith, Gal. 3.8. Secondly, we must not be secure, but must learn to observe all things that are commanded us, Mat. 28.20. The name of God must be great amongst us, and we must offer incense, and a pure offering, Malac. 1.11. We must be fruitful, especially we that live in these latter ages of the world, lest God hasten the calling of his Nation of the Jews, and cast us off for unbelief and unfruitfulness, Rom. 11. And thus in general of the calling of the Gentiles. In particular in this verse here is a twofold comparison: first, the one respects what they were to God: secondly, the other respects what God was to them. They were to God by nature no people, by grace they are his people: and God withheld from them his saving mercy by nature, and now by grace they are under mercy. First, of their being a people to God: And then of God's mercy to them. Which in times past were not a people.] Many sorts of people in Scripture. The word people is diversely taken: For sometimes it signifieth any multitude or great number of any sort, and so Ants are said to be a people, Prov. 30.25. and Caterpillars, joel 2.2, 5. Sometimes it signifies the lower sort of men, as they are distinguished from the Nobility in any State: and so they are usually styled the common people. But properly & originally, the word populus was thought to signify a multitude of citizens in one city, enjoying the right and communion in society and employments under one Head & Governor. Now, the holy Ghost in this place affirms, that men that live in their sins, without faith and repentance, are not a people, though they be never so many in number, or other prerogatives: and the nations of men living without God may be said, not to be a people, Why wicked men are said not to be a people. Either because they are a people of no note, in no request in respect of true greatness, as the Jews did vilely esteem of all the uncircumcised: Or because they were not a peculiar people, or (as the Antithesis shows it) were not the people of God. Now, till men subject themselves to God's government by Jesus Christ, they are not a people. The Empire of the whole world belongs to God and his son Christ, Psal. 2.10. Now, all Nations that come not in to kiss the Son, are no members of the Empire of the Commonwealth of Israel: let them have what heads or rulers they will, they are but as so many rebels, or (at the least) as so many strangers from God's Kingdom; therefore called strangers and enemies, Col. 1.22. They are neither borne of the blood of Israel, nor have they any right of inheritance from God, nor live they under the laws of the Empire, nor are made free denizens: yea, this phrase seems to import that all men that are not gathered into the number of God's people are but a confused heap, and disordered multitude, never happy in respect of any government: they are brought into no order; and as the Prophet also further saith, they are good for nothing, jer. 13.10. God regards them not, nor looketh after them as it were: and though they have Laws and a kind of government, yet their Laws and Customs are vain, Esay 10.3. altogether insufficient to make them live happily. Use. The use may be, First, for information: and so it may inform us in two things. First, the vanity and insufficiency of worldly things: riches, power, honour, conquests, carnal parentage, and the like, avail men nothing unto a blessed life. The Gentiles had all these in their greatest glory, and yet not worthy to be called a people. Secondly, we may hence gather the reason of these strange devouring judgements, which fall upon the world by wars, famine, pestilence, etc. For inasmuch as worlds of men live without the compass of the obedience to God's government, and stand out as so many rebels; the Lord therefore, seeing they will not be his people, fights against them from heaven, and makes wonderful havoc among them; as a great King that revengeth himself by the strength of Armies upon rebels. Secondly, for instruction: and so we that were sinners of the Gentiles, should hence learn to acknowledge and praise the free grace of God, who without our deserts hath reckoned us in the Court of his people; we that were by nature, viz. none of God's people. Thirdly, and especially it should set out the misery of all men living in their sins without repentance: and the rather should we be moved with this terror, First, because no place can privilege impenitent sinners: for not only professed Gentiles, but even wicked Israelites are in Scripture reckoned as no people. The wicked are accounted as no people, though they live in the Church, and dwell among God's people. For what is the chaff to the wheat, though both lie together? Yea, though men bear the name of God's people, yet God hates them never a whit the less for that: and therefore to distinguish them, and show how little he regards them, he calls them the evil people, jer. 13.10. the disobedient and gain-faying people, Rom. 10.21. the people of Gomorrah, Esa. 1.10. the people of my curse, Esa. 34.5. Secondly, because God will show by his fierce wrath, that he doth not reckon of them at all, but will cast them off as a girdle that is good for nothing, jer. 13.10. Many places of Scripture show this. All the sinners of the people shall die, Amos 9.10. God will take away his power from them, even his loving kindness and mercies, and would not have them much pitied, jer. 16.5. Behold, saith the same Prophet in another place, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continual whirlwind; it shall fall with pain on the head of the wicked, jer. 30.23. so Ezek. 11.21. Esa. 34.5. Ob. But when men live in the Church, and are baptised, etc. how may it be known that they are not God's people? what signs are there of men that are not God's people? Sol. They are described in diverse Scriptures, where we may find out what people it is God excepts against. First, such as can live without God in the world, are not God's people, Who are not God's people. Ephes. 2.12. Such as can go whole days, weeks, months, years, without any hearty care of God, or his glory, or favour. These are evidently not a people. Secondly, such as are of a stiff neck, such as will not let God's yoke come upon them, such as will not obey his voice, but walk in the imaginations and counsels of their own evil hearts, jer. 7.23, 24. & 13.10. especially such as refuse to hear his voice, and are withal gainsayers, and such as are talkers, whose lips carry about them the infamy of God's true people, and the blasphemy of God's name, Rom. 10.21. jer. 10.13. Ezek. 36.3, etc. Thirdly, it may be discerned by their manner of serving of God: for such as God rejects from being of his people, may draw near to him with their lips, but their hearts are far from him, and they do him no service, but as men's laws fear them to it. A constant habitual alienation of the heart from the care of God's presence in God's ordinances, is a sure sign of persons God regards not. Ob. But there are faults in the best men in the world, and therefore why should such as live in the Church, and profess the true Religion, be cast off only for living in sin, seeing all are sinners? Sol. I answer with the words of the holy Ghost, Deut. 32.5, 6. Their spot is not the spot of God's people: that spot that is in the wicked, is a spot of leprosy, and therefore they ought to be put without the camp till they be cleansed. The sins of the godly are sins of infirmity; and the sins of the wicked are sins of presumption: The wicked never obey from the heart, which all the godly do; sin doth not reign in them as it doth in the wicked. Thus of their estate by Nature, as they were not a people: their estate by grace is described in these words, Are now the people of God. Are now the people of God.] The difference of reading here, from that of the Prophet is to be noted: for whereas in the Prophet it is thus, In the place where it was said, ye are not my people, it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God: which words are somewhat doubtful: for some might gather, that therefore all which were not a people should in time be the people of God. The Apostle therefore applies it so, as that it may appear that the comfort only belongs to godly Christians; and in stead of the words, Ye shall be called the sons of the living God, he saith, Ye are now the people of God; which in sense differs not: and the Apostle leapeth to the direct Antithesis, and takes it for granted, That all God's people are God's sons also; unless we conceive that he borrowed these words out of Host 2. ult. which I rather incline unto, though Interpreters most take to the words, and the first Chapter. Ye are now the people of God.] For the sense of the words, we must understand, that men are in Scripture said to be God's people three ways: Men are God's people three ways. First, in respect of eternal Predestination, see Rom. 11.2. He will not cast off the people he knew before. Secondly, in respect of the covenant in the the Law; and so the sons of Abraham were God's people, and none other, as many Scriptures show. Thirdly, in respect of the covenant in the Gospel; and so it is to be taken here: and all unregenerate men were not a people, and all that believe are God's people by the benefit of the covenant of grace in the Gospel. Now for the coherence I might note, That they that are not the people of God, may be the people of God, and so acknowledged of God himself; which should teach us with meekness and patience to wait when God will turn those that lie in their sins, and despair of no man, and restrain fierce and perverse censures, concerning the final estate of other men: but the main point is, that God's people are the only people in the world; None worthy to be called a people in comparison of them: no subject in any government so happy as God's people under his government in Christ; and therefore to be made the people of God here, is reckoned as a condition beyond all comparison. Now that God's people excel all other subjects in the world, may appear many ways: First, in respect of the love of God that he bears to his people; which hath four matchless praises, that no King on earth can afford to his subjects: jer. 31.3. For first, it is an everlasting love, when all the favour of the Princes on earth is both mutable, and mortal. Secondly, it is a particular love to each subject. All the people are loved, and by name, Deut. 33.3. the Lord counteth; when he reckons his people, he was become their God, Psalm. 87.5, 6. Thirdly, it is a free love; there was no desert in us: whereas Princes look at somewhat that may pleasure themselves, even where desert is less. Fourthly, it is a tender Love; and therefore God's people are said to be married to their King and God, Hosh. 2.19. and therefore God is said to account his people to be his Portion, Deut. 32.9. Secondly, they are an elect people; which hath a twofold consideration in it: How Gods people excel all other people. For first, they are elect from all eternity; and so every one of the people hath a particular act of Parliament to assure his right, Rom. 11.2. and secondly, they are elect in time, that is, they are separated and culled out of all the people of the world, Exod. 33.6. Thirdly, all God's people have a general pardon given them for all offences, jerem. 31.34. He saves his people from their sins. And this pardon is grounded upon a sufficient atonement made by a most faithful high Priest for them, Heb. 2.17. who also sanctified all this people with his own blood, Heb. 13.12. Christ is given for covenant: he is their surety for them, and their witness, Esa. 42.6. & 55.5. who also redeemed them with his blood: All, a people of purchase. Fourthly, all God's people are qualified with new gifts, above all the people in the world; their natures be amended, they are all washed and cleansed from their filthiness, there is not one vile person amongst them, Ezek. 36.25. and 37.23, etc. He hath form them for himself, and his own service, Esa. 43.22. Fifthly, all God's subjects are adopted to be God's sons: and so can no Prince on earth say of his. They are, as it were, the fruit of his womb, Psal. 110.3. Sixthly, the Laws by which they are governed, are the perfectest in the whole world: For the Law of God is perfect, Psal. 119.8. Seventhly, all God's people live in his presence, and see his glory, Exod. 33.16. Levit. 26.11, 12. Zac. 1.10, 11. Psal. 95.7. Other Kings have many subjects they never saw, and few that have the preferment to live in the King's presence, or near about him. Eighthly, God feasts all his subjects, and that often, and in his own presence, and with the best provision of the world, Esa. 25.8. and 65.13, 14. jer. 31.14. King's would soon consume their treasure, if they should do it often, or almost once, etc. Ninthly, no people so graced of their King in hearing requests, and receiving petitions. For all God's people may cry and be heard, and at all times, and in all suits, which no King on earth can grant to all his subjects, and seldom or never so much as to any one, Esa. 30.19. joh. 14. Whatsoever they ask in the name of Christ shall be granted unto them. Tenthly, they are the longest lived of any people: As the days of a tree are the days of my people, saith the Lord: they may endure many a storm, but they are fast rooted still. Mine Elect shall long enjoy the works of their hands, Esa. 65.22. For first, they only have the promise of a long life in this world, and it is limited only with that condition, If it be good for them. And secondly, if that God take away some of his people, and that quickly out of this world; yet that shortens not their life or dependence upon God: For when they die a bodily death, they are said to be gathered to his people, or their people, and there receive eternal life in stead of it. Death doth not put them out of service, or deprive them of the King's presence, but removeth them only out of one room into another: whereas they stood below stairs before, they serve now above stairs, and are all of the Presence, and Privie-Chamber to God. Eleventhly, they are the wealthiest people in the world; none better provided for: For, first for Spiritual gifts, and rich favours from the King of kings, they are not destitute of any heavenly gifts, 1 Cor. 1.5. Ephes. 1.3. And for outward provision, God hath taken all the chief creatures, and bound them to serve them with provision in whatsoever they want: The heaven, the earth, the corn, etc. all are bound for the supply of their wants, Host 2.21, 22, 23. Twelfthly, they excel for protection: whether we respect their preservation, or the revenge is done upon their enemies: for their preservation, though the earth and the heavens should be shaken, yet God will be the hope of his people, joel 3.16. and as the mountains are about Jerusalem, so is the Lord about them that fear him; and therefore they cannot be moved, Psal. 125.1, 2. and if the rod of the wicked do enter upon them, yet it shall not rest upon their lot, vers. 3. of the same Psalm. And for vengeance: It is certain, the Lord will avenge their quarrel upon all their enemies, though they be unable to right their own wrongs; and because God would have it done throughly, he reserves the work of vengeance to himself, to make the recompense, Heb. 10.30. Rom. 12.20. Uses. The use may be both for consolation and instruction: For it should exceedingly comfort God's children, considering what singular happiness they enjoy by the government of Jesus Christ. Oh! blessed are the people, whose God is the Lord, Ps. 33.12. and 144.15. Moses admires, a little before his death, the wonderful felicity of the godly, considered as they are God's people. Israel is happy; none like to God's people, or this people: nor is there any like unto the God of Jerusalem. For God rides upon the heaven in their help: the eternal God is their refuge; and underneath are the everlasting Armies. He will thrust our their enemies before them, and say, Destroy them. Israel alone shall dwell in safety. The fountain of jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine: and his heavens shall drop down dew. They are a people saved by the Lord, who is the shield of their help, and the sword of their excellency. Their enemies shallbe found liars to them, Deut. 33.26. to the end. And this excellent estate is the more comfortable to be thought upon, First, because people of any nation may be admitted to this estate, and the Lord, without respect of persons, will bless them with the blessing of his people, as the Prophet excellently shows, Esa. 2.19. and 19.24, 25. The Gentiles have come to rejoice amongst his people, Rom. 15.9, 10, 11. They were hard times, when the Lords dominion was in a manner confined in the Kingdom of Judah and Israel. Secondly, because it is so great and glorious a work on God's part, to make us his people: for he doth as it were plant the heavens, and lay the foundation of the earth, that he may say unto Zion, Thou art my people, Esay 51. vers. 16. Thirdly, because in the hardest times that can befall the godly, the Lord will have them plead this privilege: and they may go to God, and he will acknowledge them in all their distresses, and sanctify their afflictions, and deliver them at the voice of their cry, Esa. 64.9. Zech. 13.19. Fourthly, because they shall yet enjoy a far more excellent estate in another world, than now they have, Rev. 21. They are now but as the children of Israel in Goshen, or in the wilderness. Use 2. Secondly, diverse things may be hence observed for instruction; as, First, such as live in the Church, and yet have not the marks of God's people on them, should awake, and look about them, and labour to get into the number of God's people. These fools among the people, as the Prophet David calleth them, should understand; and these evil neighbours unto Israel, should be persuaded to learn the ways of God's people, that so they may be built up in the midst of Israel, jer. 12.16. And it should be their daily prayer unto God, to grant them this one request, namely, to bless them with the favour of his people, Psal. 106.3, 4. Secondly, the penitent sinner, that feels his heart called by the voice of Christ, should hence be moved to enter into the covenant of God, and speedily to take the oath of subjection and allegiance, binding himself with all his heart to God and his divine service, Deut. 29.10, 11, 12, 13. jer. 50.5. Thirdly, such as have taken the oath, and are acknowledged for true Subjects, should for the rest of their time study how to carry themselves as becomes the people of God: and so, In general they should remember two things; First, to give ear to God's Law, and hearken what the Lord will say unto them from time to time, Psal. 78.1. Esa. 51.4. Secondly, to lead a holy life and conversation: for therefore hath God severed them from all nations, that they might be holy to him, Levit. 20.26. All God's people are righteous, Esa. 59.21. and 62.12. and Christ hath redeemed them from all iniquity, and purified them, that they might be a peculiar people unto him, zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. They must therefore be no more polluted with their transgressions, nor be fashioned to the lusts of their former ignorance, Ezek. 14.11. and 36.25, etc. In particular they should, First, give God thanks for ever, for blessing them with the blessing of his people, Psal. 79. ult. Rules for God's people how to carry themselves too God. Secondly, they should humble themselves to walk with their God, Mic. 6.8. being humbled at his feet, to receive his Law, Deut. 33.3. bowing down with all reverence to worship him, Psal. 95.7. For God is a great God above all gods, and a great King above all kings. Thirdly, they must avoid needless society with the wicked, 2 Corin. 6.16. and take heed that they learn not the manners of other nations, Levit. 20.24. Fourthly, the Law of God must be in their hearts. For they should be a wise and understanding people above all men: and this is the sign of God's people, Esa. 51.7. Deut. 4.6. And it is God's covenant to write his Laws in their hearts, jer. 31.33. Fifthly, they must avoid Idols, and keep God's Sabbath: this God requires perpetually, Levit. 26.1, 2, 3, 11, 12. and graciously accepts, when he finds this care, Esa. 56. with protestation against those that will not keep his Sabbaths, jer. 17. Sixthly, they must walk confidently in the trust upon God's goodness and covenant with them, as the godly resolved, Mic. 4.5. All people walk in the name of their god: and therefore we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever, resolving to cleave to God in a perpetual covenant, jer. 50.4, 5. Seventhly, they should approve themselves to be God's people, by their language: their language should be a pure language, not speaking lies: a deceitful tongue should not be found in their mouths; and their words should be gracious, such as might minister grace to the hearers, Zeph. 3.9, 13. Eph. 4. Col. 4. Eighthly, they should be patient in all adversities, as being of Moses mind, that it is better to suffer affliction with God's people, than to enjoy the treasures of Egypt, Heb. 11.25. Ninthly, they should obey according to all that God commands them, showing a respect to all God's Commandments, seeing they serve God, and not men; and that all dissimulation will be open before his eyes, jerem. 11. vers. 4. And thus of the second way of comparison. In the last words of the verse, their estate is considered in relation from God to them. And so, in the state of nature they were not under mercy: but, in the state of grace, they are now under mercy. Not under mercy.] Doct. All the time that men live without repentance for their sins, and faith in Jesus Christ, they live without the mercy of God. They are not under mercy: God loves them not, nor regards them: they are children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. and the wrath of God abideth on them, joh. 3.36. Yea, though the Lord be exceeding merciful in himself, and to the faithful, yet by no means will he clear the guilty, Exod. 34.6. Num. 14.18. Now this not being under mercy, imports diverse things: First, that their sins are not forgiven or pardoned. Secondly, that their souls are not healed of their original diseases, but they live still in their blood. Thirdly, that they are liable unto all sorts of judgements: and those which are upon them, came from the wrath of God, which hateth them, etc. Fourthly, that they are in danger of eternal condemnation; in general, that they live and lie under the forfeiture of the covenant of works, and have no part in Christ, or the covenant of grace. Use. The use should be therefore to teach wicked men, to take heed how they presume of God's mercy: they may deceive themselves, but God will not be mocked, Gal. 6.7. For such things as they are guilty of, the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience, Eph. 5.5. They that live after the flesh shall die, Rom. 8.13. For the more distinct understanding of this point, four things would be considered of: First, that wicked men are exceeding apt to plead God's mercy, though it belong not to them; and do not believe that God will deal so with them as they are threatened. Secondly, that God directly declared himself, that he will not show mercy or pity towards diverse sorts of offenders. Thirdly, that the things men usually object, will not be available to deliver them from God's wrath. Fourthly, what sorts of men, in particular, God will not be merciful unto. For the first: that men are apt to plead God's mercy when it belongs not to them, is apparent through the whole course of Scriptures, to have ever been in the disposition of most wicked. They bless themselves in their hearts, when their iniquity is found worthy to be hated, Psal. 36.2. They live at ease, and put far away the evil day from them, Amos 6.1, 3. They cry Peace, peace, when sudden destruction is made to come upon them, 1 Thess. 5.3. For the second: that God will not be merciful to many a man that lives in the visible Church, is manifested by many Scriptures; as, Deut. 29.19. jer. 16.5. Ezek. 5.11. and 7.4, 9 and 8.18. Host 1.6. and 2.4. and in many other places. For the third: their excuses and pretences are all vain: for, First, if they stand upon their greatness in the world, Excuses of wicked men refuted. it is certain that riches will not avail in the day of wrath, joh 36, 18, 19, etc. Secondly, nor will it help them to be borne of godly Ancestors: for rather than God will be tied to the wicked seed of Abraham, he will raise up children of the stones to Abraham, Mat. 3. Thirdly, nor can multitude privilege them. For though hand join in hand, yet sin shall not go unpunished: and God turns nations of men into hell, Psal. 9.17. Fourthly, nor will their outward serving of God serve their turn. It is bootless to cry, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, if men redress not their ways, jer. 7.4, 8, 9, 10. Fifthly, nor will it help them, that some Ministers speak comfortably to them, and by their preaching they may expect mercy: for God will judge those Prophets that strengthen the hands of the wicked. The stubborn people were never a whit the safer, when the Prophet told them they should have peace, and no evil should come unto them: but the Lord protesteth, that the whirlwind of his fury should fall grievously upon the head of the wicked for all that, jer. 23.15, 19, 20. that at length they should consider it perfectly: and the Lord threateneth that he will rend the wall of security which the Prophets have built with untempered mortar, that he will rend it even with the fierce wind of his fury, and there shall be an overflowing shower in his anger to consume it, Ezek. 13.10. to 15. Sixthly, neither may the patience of God prove, that he means to show expected mercy: for though a sinner prolong his days an hundred times, yet it shall not be well with the wicked; nor ought he to settle his heart the more freely on his sin, because sometimes it is not speedily executed: for God will find a time to set his sins in order before him, and then he may tear him in pieces, and none can deliver him, Eccles. 8.11, 12, 13. Ps. 50.19. Seventhly, neither will it ease them, that there are so many promises of mercy in Scripture: for they are limited. And beside, in diverse places where mercy is promised, the Lord explains himself, by showing that he will not clear the wicked, Exod. 34.7. as was alleged before: so Nahum. 1.3. and v. 7. compared with the 6. Eighthly, neither will their Baptism help them: for neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing, but a new creature, Gal. 6. Ob. If any say, But though they be not now under mercy, yet hereafter they may be upon Repentance. Answ. I answer, that in this they say truly, but yet not safely: for many men that have promised themselves the late repentance and mercy, have died in their sins before they could ever repent. And thy times are in God's hands, thou knowest not when, nor how thou shalt die: and therefore the surest way is, now to turn to God with all thy heart, as they were counselled more at large, joel 2.12, 13. Now for the fourth, it may awake some sort of offenders the more effectually, that besides the general threatenings against wicked men, they in particular are assured that they are not under mercy. As first, such as show no mercy to men, jam. 2.13. and such as transgress of malicious wickedness, Psal. 59.6. and such as are people of no understanding, Esa. 7.11. and such as walk after the imaginations of their own wicked hearts, and will not hearken unto God, jer. 15.5, 10, 12. and such as bless themselves in their heart, when they hear the curses of the Law, De●●. 29.19. and such as steal, murder, commit adultery, and swear falsely, jer. 7.9. and many other particulars. Catalogues might be instanced in all the several Scriptures: the Prophet Malachy puts in such as deal corruptly in tything and offering, Malach. 1.8, 9 To conclude; the counsel of the Prophet jeremy is excellent in this case, who most effectually speaks thus: Hear ye, give ear, be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride, and mine eye run down with tears, jer. 13.15, 16. Use 2. Secondly, the consideration of this doctrine may justify the practice of godly Ministers, that denounce the judgements of God upon their hearers, that live in sin without repentance: It is their duty to show them, that they are not under mercy; they are required to cry aloud, and to show God's people their sins, Esa. 58.1. And the Prophets, that cried Peace, peace, are extremely threatened of God, so as for not warning the people, the blood of their souls is required of the Prophets, Ezek. 33. vers. 2. to 10. Use 3. The third use may be therefore for the singular humiliation of wicked men that live in the assemblies of Christians. Though they have obtained a place in God's Church, yet they have not obtained mercy, but live under the fearful displeasure of God: and this is the more terrible if they consider three things. First, that this is the case of multitudes of men in the Church: but a remnant are under mercy. Which will appear more distinctly, if you draw out of our assemblies, such as in Scripture are expressly said not to be under mercy: as, What wicked men in particular are not under mercy. First, take all such as yet live in their natural Atheism, that mind not God nor Religion, that only care for earthly things, and show it by a constant either neglect or contempt of the public assemblies of Christians amongst us: These cannot obtain mercy, because they refuse to hear God's voice, and to seek to the ordinary means of mercy, Isaiah 50.1, 2. Heb. 3.7. Secondly, draw out then secret offenders, such as sin in the dark, and say, Who seeth us? There are many amongst us, that for aught we know, live honestly, who yet in secret are polluted with desperate abominations, as, fearful deceit in their callings, prodigious filthiness of body, or the like. Thirdly, remove from us likewise open and notorious offenders, such as are drunkards, outrageous swearers, known adulterers or fornicators, murderers, railers and extortioners: For to such belongeth not God's mercy or Kingdom, 1 Cor. 6.9. Fourthly, then separate from us such as are only civilly honest, and not religious. There are many that are far from gross offences, either open or secret, who are not yet under mercy: which is discovered diverse ways; as by their ignorance. For God will not have mercy upon people that have no understanding, Esa. 27.11. And by their impenitency. They never sound and in secret confessed their sins to God: they never mourned for their many corruptions: there is a world of inward wickedness, which they were never humbled for. And also by their unbelief. They know no way how to be saved by Christ by effectual believing on his mercy, but think to be saved by their own good deeds; or else they live in a general security, not looking after salvation, but thinking it enough, that they are well accounted of amongst men. Lastly, cast out hypocrites, that only make a show of godliness, and have not the power of it: that draw near to God with their mouths, but have their hearts far from him. These in vain worship God. These are Jew's outward, but have not the circumcision of the heart, and therefore their praise is not of God. You may easily conceive how small a number will remain, if all these be deducted out of the societies of Christians. Secondly, if they withal consider, that if mercy be not obtained, all else is in vain. It doth not profit him to obtain credit, riches, friends in this world, long life, or aught else, if he obtain not mercy: what shall it advantage thee to obtain the whole world, if for want of mercy thou lose thine own soul? Thirdly, it increaseth their misery, that they may die in the case they are in. For either God may take away the means of mercy from them, or may leave them to so much insensibleness, as they may remove themselves from the means of mercy; or God, being provoked by their lo●g obstinacy, may deliver them up to a reprobate sense; or God may suddenly take them away by death: and then woe unto them, it had been better for them they had never been borne. Quest. But some may ask, What should be the cause that so many obtain not mercy of God, seeing God is in his own nature so gracious, and they are in so great need of mercy? Answ. I answer, that the cause why some obtain not mercy, is, First, because they seek it not: Why many obtain not mercy. they be at a great deal of care and pains many times to seek other things, but they altogether neglect their own mercy, and seek not for it. Now God stands upon that that he will be sought unto: the house of Israel must know, that though God be many ways gracious, as is showed at large, Ezek. 36.25. etc. yet for all this he will be sought unto, or else even Israel may want mercy, vers. 32. Secondly, others are so far from seeking mercy, that they refuse mercy: when God in the Gospel daily calls upon them, and beseecheth them to be reconciled, yet they are so busily employed in following foolish vanities, that they forsake their own mercy, jonah 2.8. They will not answer when God calls, but reject his Word, and grieve his good Spirit, and abuse his patience and bountifulness, and so heap up wrath against the day of wrath. Thirdly, others seek mercy, but they seek it not aright; they fail in the manner: as either they seek it coldly and carelessly, praying but for fashion sake, or with their lips without power of affections. They speak for mercy, but they do not care for mercy: they neither observe, nor regard whether their petitions be granted or denied: and this is the condition of the ordinary sort of men: Or else they seek mercy corruptly without sincerity of of the heart: as when men pray God to forgive them the sins, which yet they mind not to leave. Now this is a shameful kind of seeking mercy: For God stands upon it, that we must forsake our wickedness, or else he will not forgive, Esa. 55.6. 2 Tim. 2.19. Or else lastly, men seek it too late, ●● Esau sought the blessing when it was gone, Heb. 12.15. They may call when God will not answer, Pro. 1. Zachar. 7. And this is the case of some, that put off their repentance until the latter end. But have now obtained mercy.] Doct. The godly are exceeding happy in the obtaining of God's mercy: All that are called in Christ Jesus, even all that have truly repent themselves of their sins, are certainly under mercy, and in th●t respect, in a marvellous safe and happy condition. Three things are distinctly imported in the observation. First, the on● i●, that God is merciful. Mercy may be obtained, jonah 4.2. Psal. 116.5. and 86. Secondly, that penitent sinners do obtain mercy, I●●l 2.13. Es●. 55.7. Thirdly, that such as have obtained God's mercy, are in a marvellous happy case, in comparison of what they were before in. It is enough, if we obtained mercy, whatsoever we obtain not: Hence the phrase, Thou hast covered him with thy mercy. And our happiness in respect of the interest we have in God's mercy is the greater, if we consider either the properties, or the effects of God's mercy. There are four admirable properties in the mercy of God, which he shows to his people: Four properties of God's mercy. First, his mercy is tender mercy, Psalm. 51.1. which he shows in diverse things: as, First, that he is full of compassion, in pitying the distresses of his people: no father can so pity his child, 1 It is tender many ways. Psalm. 103.13. Hence his bowels are ●aid to be troubled for them, or to sound in him. Where is the sounding of thy bowels? saith the Prophet, Esa. 63.15. jer. 31.20. The word Misericordiam imports as much: for it sounds misery laid to the heart. God then is merciful in that he lays our miseries to his heart. Secondly, that he waits to show mercy, Esa. 30.18. watching for all opportunities, as it were to prevent us with his blessings. Thirdly, that he is slow to anger; not easily stirred to displeasure, when he hath showed his favour, Psalm. 103.1. He is a God of judgement that considers the weaknesses and infirmities of his servants, as knowing whereof they are made, Esa. 30.18. Psal. 103. Fourthly, that if he do see some more prevailing evils in his people, yet he will spare, as a father spares his only son, Mal. 3.17. And if he do chide, yet he rebukes his people still with great affection, jer. 31.19. and he will quickly give over, and not chide always, Psal. 103. He is ready to forgive as soon as they call unto him, Esa. 65.23. and 55, 7. Psal. 103. Fifthly, that if he do bring affliction upon his people to humble them, yet he will not consume them, but will repent him of the evil, joel. 2.13. Deut. 32.36. Amos 7.36. Sixthly, that in showing his love, he is of great kindness, called the marvellous loving kindness, Psal. 17.7. hence resembled to marriage kindness, Host 2.19. No husband can be so fond of his wife, as God is of his people: nor can any man devise such ways to express kindness, as God doth to his people. Seventhly, that his mercy is without all grievance to him. Mercy pleaseth him, Mic. 7.18. It breeds, as it were an unspeakable contentment in God himself, when he hath dealt mercifully with his servants. 2 It is immense. Secondly, his mercy is immense, unmeasurable: and this is expressed by diverse forms of speech in the Scripture. Thus God is said to be plenteous in mercy, Psal. 86.5. abundant in mercy, 1 Pet. 1.3. rich in mercy, Eph. 2.4. His mercy is great above the heavens, Psal. 108.5. God's Word herein hath magnified his name above all things, Psal. 138.2. He hath a multitude of mercies, Psal. 51.1. manifold mercies, Nehem. 9.19. They are unsearchable, high as the heaven is from the earth, Psal. 103.11. His kindness is said to be marvellous loving kindness, Psal. 17.7. Which must needs appear to be so, because he is a Father of mercies: all mercies in the world flow from him 2 Cor. 1.3. and all his paths are mercy and truth. Whatsoever he doth to his people, is in mercy, Psal. 25.6. And therefore the Prophet, that could find similitudes to express the faithfulness and judgements of God by, yet is fain to give over when he comes to his special mercy to his chosen, and vents himself by exclamation, Oh how excellent is thy mercy! Psal. 36.7, 8. 3 It is free mercy, and that diverse wries. Thirdly, this mercy is the more admirable, in that it is free: which appears diverse ways. First, in that it is showed without deserts on our parts: which the term gracious, every where given to God in Scripture, doth import. Secondly, in that God is tied to no man, nor to any posterity of men: he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, Rom. 9 Thirdly, because it is extended to all sorts of people. If the rich mercy of God could have been obtained only by Kings or Apostles, or the like, it had been the less comfortable unto us: but bond as well as the free, the Barbarian as well as the Grecian, the Gentile as well as the Jew, the poor as well as the rich, may be possessed hereof. He doth not spend all his mercy on Abraham or David, but he reserveth mercy for thousands, Exod. 34.6. and will bestow the true mercies of David upon meaner men, Esa. 55.4. His mercy is over all his works, especially over all his spiritual works in Jesus Christ, Psal. 145.9. Fourthly, it appears to be free, because it can be alone. God can love us, though no body else do: though Abraham know us not, yet God will be a father unto us, and never leave us nor forsake us, Esa. 63.15, 16. Ob. But might some one say, In the second Commandment it is plain, that God shows mercy to them that keep his Commandments. It seems then, his mercy is not free, but he hath respect to deserts in us. Sol. First, our keeping of the Commandments is not alleged as the cause of mercy, but as the sign of mercy. The words show to whom God will show mercy; not for what cause. Secondly, when he saith he will show mercy, it evidently excludes merit: For it is mercy that God will bestow such great things upon men for their works; for there is no proportion between our works, and the goodness we receive from God: When we have done all, we should account ourselves unprofitable servants. Ob. But it seems, God's mercy is caused by merit; for God shows us mercy for the merits of Christ: If Christ deserve it, than it seems 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 God's mercy. Fourthly, God's mercy is the more admirable yet, in that it is eternal. God's mercy is eternal. God will not change his Word: He keepeth his covenant and mercy with his servants, 1 King. 8.23. God's mercies have been 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 kindness shall follow them all the days of their life, Psal. 23. ult. His mercies are new every morning; he hath never done showing 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 sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more cover the earth: so hath he sworn he will no more be wrath with his people. The hills may be removed, and the mountains may depart, but God's covenant of peace shall not be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee, Isaiah 54.7. to 11. If God's 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 ●eed, jerem. 33.25, 26. But we see the course of nature is firm, and therefore aught to be more assured of the firmness of the covenant of God's mercy to his people. The effects of mercy follow. To obtain mercy, is to obtain those benefits which God hath promised to his people, as the fruits of his mercy. Where God shows mercy, Nine effects of God's mercy. First, he will hear 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 work for the best, Rom. 8.28. It is God's love that maketh him correct, Heb. 12.6, 7. Thirdly, he heals their natures from the diseases of their minds: for to show mercy is likewise to cure us, and sanctify us; and God promiseth it, Host 14.3. Fourthly, he multiplies pardon, Isa. 55.7. It is not grievous to forgive s●n daily when they seek to him for forgiveness. Fifthly, he delivers the soul, absolutely, from the pit: they are free from condemnation, job 33.27. Psal. 86.13, etc. 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 ways: He that hath mercy on them (saith the Prophet) shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them, Esa. 49.10. The World is like a wilderness, the wicked are like wild beasts in a desert; God's children are so provided for, that God preserves them, yea and himself finds them out means of singular refreshing all their days. Eighthly, he crownes them with blessings, Psal. 103.4. Ninthly, he gives them assurance of an immortal inheritance, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4. The consideration of this marvellous mercy which the godly have obtained, may teach us diverse things: Use 1. First, with all thankfulness to acknowledge the mercy of God: we should always mention the loving kindness of God, in all the experiences we have of the truth of his mercies toward us, Esa. 63.7. We should frame ourselves to an easy discourse of the glory of God's Kingdom, and talk of his power, Psal. 145.8, 9, 10. We should be so persuaded of this truth, as freely to say, that we know that the Lord is gracious and very merciful, Psal. 116.5. It is a great sin not to remember the multitudes of God's mercies, Psal. 106.7. Oh that men would therefore indeed praise the Lord for his goodness, etc. Psal. 107. four times repeated in that Psalm. Christian's should glory in it: not in their riches, strength, wisdom, etc. but in this, that they know God that exerciseth mercy, jer. 9.24. Secondly, in all our ways heartily to disclaim merits of works, or opinion of our worthiness or deserts: say still with the Prophet in the Psalm, Not unto us, not unto us Lord, but to thy Name give the glory, for thy mercy and truth's sake, Psal. 115.1. The whole frame of our salvation depends upon God's grace, not on works, Eph. 2. Tit. 3.5. Thirdly, let us with David resolve to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, since our happiness lieth in mercy, and since we have the tidings of mercy in God's house: there the fountain 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. ●. 7. and 23. ult. Fourthly, we should learn of God to be merciful: let us strive to comfort others with showing them mercy, as we have received mer●y from the Lord. Oh let us be merciful, as our heavenly Father is merciful, Luk. 6. Fifthly, we should hence be encouraged and resolved, since we know our privileges, to go boldly unto the throne of Grace upon all occasions, to seek mercy to help in the time of need. We have obtained mercy of the Lord, and therefore may and aught to make use of our privilege, Heb. 4.16. Use 2. Secondly, this doctrine of God's mercy may serve for singular comfort to the godly, and that both in the case of sin, and in the case of afflictions. 1 Against the disquietness of the heart for sin, 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 go with our bodies, yet God hath mercy on our souls. 2 That it is mercy that our afflictions are not worse, that we are not consumed, Lam. 7.22. 3 That in the worst afflictions God doth many ways show mercy; his mercies are new every morning, Lam. 3.23. 4 That though God cause grief, yet he will have compassion to regard us according to our strength, he will deal with us in measure, Lament. 3.32. Isaiah 27.7. 5 That he doth not afflict willingly, Lament. 3.33. 6 That all shall work together for the best, Rom. 8.28. Deut. 8.16. 7 God will give a good end, jam. 5.11. He will lift up from the gates of death, Psal. 9.13. God will give thee rest from thy sorrows, and fears, and hard usage, Isaiah 14.1, 3. Psalm. 57.3. He will send from heaven to save thee. 8 He will afflict but for a moment, Esa. 54.7. But in both these cases we must remember, First, to seek mercy of God, Ezek. 36.32. Secondly, if we be not presently answered, our eyes must look up to God, and we must wait for his mercies, Psal. 123.3, 4. Thirdly, we must check ourselves for the doubtfulness of our hearts, as David doth, Psal. 4.7, 8. and 77.10. Fourthly, because we live too much be sense, we must beseech God not only to be merciful, but to let his mercy be showed, and come to us, Psal. 85.8. and 116.77. Fifthly, we should also beseech God not only to let us feel his mercies, but to satisfy us also early with his mercies, Psal. 90 14. Sixthly, we must look to it that we walk in our integrity, Psal. 26.11. and live by rule, Gal. 6.16. Lastly, howsoever, we must trust in God, and look to it that we rest upon the Lord, Psal. 32.10. and 33.18, 22. For God takes pleasure in those which hope in his mercy, Psal. 147.11. Quest. But how may a man that is not yet comforted with God's mercy, take a sound course to obtain mercy? Answ. That men may obtain mercy; First, they must take unto themselves words, Helps to obtain mer●y. and confess their s●nnes to God, and heartily bewail their offences, joel 2.13. Host 14.3. Secondly, they must turn from, and forsake their evil ways, and their unrighteousness inward and outward, Isaiah 55.7. Thirdly, they must be careful to seek the Lord while he may be sound, Isaiah 55.6. Fourthly, they must be merciful, and love mercy: for than they shall obtain mercy, Matt. 5.6. Fifthly, they must learn the ways of God's people, and learn them diligently, jer. 12.15, 16. They must have pure hands, and a clean heart, and not lift up their souls to vanity, Psal. 4.5. Sixthly, they must hate the evil, and love the good, Amos 5.5. Seventhly, they must cry unto God daily, Psal. 86.3. Eighthly, there must nought of the cursed thing cleave unto their hands, Deut. 13.17. Ninthly, when the Lord saith, Seek ye my face: their hearts must say, Thy face (O Lord) will we seek, Psal. 27.7, 8. Vers. 11, 12. Dear beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul: And have your conversation honest among the Gentiles; that they which speak evil of you, as of evil doers, may by your good works which they shall see, glorify God in the day of their visitation. THese words contain the epilogue or conclusion of the whole exhortation, as it concerns Christians in general, from verse 13 of the former chapter, hitherto: and it hath in it matter both of dehortation and of exhortation, as answering in the substance to all that he hath hitherto entreated of by way of use. The dehortation is in verse 11; the exhortation, in verse 12: in the one showing what they should avoid, in the other what they should do. They should avoid fleshly lusts: and that they should do, is, to live honestly. In general, we may note, That it is the proper effect of all sorts of doctrine in Scripture, to make an impression of care in our hearts, about the reformation of our lives; that it is in vain heard which doth not some way breed in us a hatred of vice, and a love of honesty: This is the use of all Scripture, 1 Tim. 3.16, 17. Which may serve for trial of such as come to the Word. They may know whether they be good or evil hearers, by the impression made upon their hearts by the Word. And it may serve for information, to show us the excellency of the Word above all other Writings, because there is no line in Scripture, but some way it tends to the redress of our natures from sin, and to plant holiness in us: which can be true of no humane Writings. And withal, it shows the happy estate of the godly, who, though they have many diseases in their natures, yet they have wonderful store and variety of medicines in God's Word, to heal their natures. If, for the diseases of our bodies, there be but one herb in the whole field that is good for cure, we have reason to think that God hath provided well in nature for us: but how is his mercy glorious, who in the spiritual field of his Word, hath made to grow as many herbs for cure of all our diseases, as there be sentences in Scripture! And lastly, it should teach us to use the Scriptures to this end, to redress our ways by them. And thus in general. The first part of the epilogue hath in it matter of dehortation: where observe, First, the parties dehorted; who are described by an epithet importing their privilege above other men, viz. Dear beloved. Secondly, the manner of propounding the dehortation, viz. by way of beseeching: I beseech you. Thirdly the matter from which he dehorts, viz. fleshly lusts. Fourthly, the manner how they are to be avoided, viz. abstain from them. Fifthly, the motives: first, Ye are strangers and pilgrims: secondly, these lusts are fleshly: thirdly, they fight against the soul. Dear beloved. This term is not used complementally or carelessly, but with great affection in the Apostle, and with special choice and fitness for the matter entreated of; which we may observe in the most places, where this lovely epithet is given to the godly in other Scriptures. God is exceeding choice of his words: he never mentioneth the terms of love, but he brings to his children the affections of love, as I may so say. Men, through custom, use fair compliment of words, when their hearts be not moved: but let our love be without dissimulation. But let that go. The point here to be plainly observed, is, That Christians are beloved: of all other people they are most loved. I will but briefly explicate this. First, God loves them, How many ways Gods people are the only beloved ones. and that with infinite and everlasting love, and hath manifested it by sending his own Son to be a propitiation for their sins, 1 job. 4.9, 10. Secondly, Christ loveth them, which he showeth by giving his life for them. Thirdly, the Angels of heaven love them; which they show by joying in their conversion, and by their careful attendance about them. Fourthly, the godly, in general, love them. There is no godly man that knows them, but loves them: for every one that loves God that begot them, loves every one that is begotten of God; every one, I say, that he knows, 1 job. 5.1. Lastly, the godly Teachers love them; which they show, in that they are not only willing to impart to them the Gospel, but even their own souls, because their people are dear unto them, 1 Thess. 2.8. Now this love of God, of Christ, of the Angels, Use. of godly men and Ministers, should serve to support us against the contempt and hatred of the world. We have a love that is much better than the love of worldly men can be to us: First, because it is of better persons: and secondly, because it is of a better kind; for it is more servant, and it is more pure, and more constant. Worldly men can show no love that hath comparison to the love of God, or Christ, or any of those, for the servency of it. And if worldly men love us, it is to draw us unto one evil or other; and beside, it will not last: for, wicked men will agree with themselves no longer than so many Curs will agree: they are always contending, hateful, and hating one another. Secondly, this point should much check the unbelief of Christians, and their unthankfulness: for many times they are affected as if they were not beloved of any: whereby they much dishonour the love of God, and of Christ, and of Christians towards them also; and thereby they flatly contradict the Text, which saith, They are beloved. Thirdly, impenitent sinners should be moved hereby to become true Christians, because till then they are monstrous hateful creatures: God loathes them and their works, joh. 3.36. Esa. 1.11, etc. And such vile persons are vile and odious in the eyes of the godly, Psal. 24.4. Psalm. 15. Fourthly, Christians should labour to preserve this love unto themselves, How Christians may preserve this love. with increase of the comfort of it: and so diverse things would much advantage them in this love: as, 1 Faith. To live by faith commends them wonderfully to God's love; as being the condition mentioned when he sent his Son into the world, joh. 3.16. For without it, it is impossible to please God. 2 Humility would much commend them to the love of the Angels; who rejoice more in one sinner that is penitent, than in ninety nine just men that need no repentance. 3 The fruits of wisdom, mentioned, jam. 3.17. have a marvellous force to win love among men. To be pure, in respect of sincere Religion, to be gentle and peaceable, free from passion and contention, to be easy to be entreated, to be also full of mercy and good works, and all this without judging or hypocrisy; to be no censurers, nor counterfeits: Oh this is exceeding amiable, if these things were carefully expressed. 4 And for their Ministers, two things would much increase their love to them. First, obedience to their doctrine: for this will prevail more than all the bounty in the world, 1 Thess. 2.13. Heb. 13.18. Secondly, to converse without backbiting, or uncharitable judging of them. By these two, the Philippians and Thessalonians were highly advanced in the affection of the Apostle: and through the want of these, the Corinthians lost much in the love of the Apostle. Thus of the persons dehorted. The manner of the dehortation follows. I beseech ye.] In that the Apostle in the name of God doth beseech them, diverse things are imported: as, First, the marvellous gentleness and love of God to men: he that may command, threaten, punish, yea cast off, yet is pleased to beseech men. Secondly, the dignity and excellency of a clean heart, and honest life; It is a thing which God (by his servants) doth vehemently beg at our hands. Thirdly, the honour of a Christian; he is spoken to as to a great Prince, as the two former reasons show him to be. Fourthly, a rule of direction how to carry ourselves towards others in the case of reformation; we must learn of the Apostle to express a Spirit of meekness, and love, and humility. Passion and pride work unspeakable prejudice and hurt in the care of other men's faults. Fifthly, with what reverentnesse and earnestness we should speak to God, when he speaks thus to us. Thus of the manner of propounding the dehortation. The matter to be avoided is lusts. Abstain from fleshly lusts.] By lusts are sometimes meant gross sins and disorders, which are the fruits of lust; and so the sins mentioned chapter 4.4. of this Epistle, are called lusts of the Gentiles. By lust is sometimes meant corruption of nature: But I think it is taken neither of these ways here. By lust is sometimes meant the filthy desire of the heart after bodily uncleanness, and so called the lusts of uncleanness, Col. 3.5. Rom. 1.24. But by lusts here (I take it) is meant all sorts of evil desires in the heart of man, and so called worldly lusts, Tit. 2.12. And in special these sorts of lusts are named in Scripture, which Christians should especially avoid. Lusts to be● especially avoided. First, the lusts of uncleanness: filthy desires. Secondly, the lusts of covetousness, and worldly cares. Thirdly, the lusts of vainglory, whether of envy, conceitedness, or desire of applause. Fourthly, the lusts of Epicurism: those desires after delicious or excessive fare, or vain apparel. Fifthly, the lusts of malice and revenge. These and such like, are the lusts which Christians must forsake. The use is diverse. Uses. First, for information: and so it may show us, 1 That outward honesty will not serve the turn: It is not enough to be free from gross sins. What case then are civil honest men in? 2 That in reformation it is not enough to forsake the evils we have no desire after, but we must leave our own lusts. Secondly, for consolation. Here is imported an excellent comfort to the godly in the case of inward and hateful temptations. When vile things come ento the mind of the godly, if they dislike them, and do not lust after the●, nor entertain them with spiritual dalliance, they may be assured, that those evils shall not be charged upon them: For before a temptation can be a sin, it must have somewhat of coveting in it. Christ was tempted as we are, and yet he sinned not, because he liked them not, but rejected them. Abstain from them.] The manner how they are to be avoided, is contained in this word abstain: which doth import diverse things; First, that without departing from iniquity, we cannot have comfort of our repentance. To come into the company of the godly, to make show of Religion, to come to Church, or use private means, or barely to confess sin, or to feel terrors for sin, is not enough, unless we leave sin. judas, Demas, Cain, and the wicked Israelites could do the former; yet never repent. Secondly, that the occasions of lusts will be daily offered to us from the world, or the devil, or our own corrupted nature. Now it is not an argument of our misery to have them, but to entertain them. Uses. The use may be, 1 For information: The true abstinence is to abstain from sin: the other abstinence from meat, or the like, is but circumstantial, and not in itself acceptable to God, Esa. 58. 2 For trial: Those are sound Christians indeed, that abstain from fleshly lusts. Quest. But are there not lusts in godly men, as well as in wicked men? Answ. There may be, but with great difference: for, 1 The godly man may be entangled with evil desires, Three differences of lusts in godly men and wicked men. but the wicked man is more: For he burns in lust, yields himself over to his hearts lusts: He is given up to his lusts, he takes care for the lusts of the flesh to fulfil them: He serves his lusts, etc. 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 himself, and judgeth himself for them, and grieves for them; whereas the wicked boasteth himself of his hearts lusts, and placeth his contentment in them, Psal. 10.3. 3 The godly man, if he be yet overcome, he will break off his iniquity by repentance; whereas the wicked in his lusts is like the devil. He is incorrigible, no ill success, or judgement, or reproof can break off his desire of transgression: yea his lusts are called, The lusts of his father the devil, joh. 8.44. Thirdly, all godly Christians should learn from hence to be seriously bend to preserve themselves in the purity of Christian Religion, and to keep their hearts from these soul annoyances. Quest. But what should we do to be preserved from lusts? Answ. First, thou must avoid the occasions of lusts: such as are, 1 Evil company, and therein evil example and evil counsel, Psal. 1.1. Helps to avoid lusts. 2 Idleness and solitariness. 3 Excessive desire after, and delight in riches, 1 Tim. 6.9. 4 Ignorance, 1 Pet. 1.14. 5 Intemperance, drunkenness, and fullness of bread, and deliciousness of fare, and apparel. 6 Hardness of heart, Eph. 4.17, 18. Secondly, we must walk in the Spirit, cherishing all good motions, and pure imaginations, yielding our hearts over to the government of God's Spirit, doing all duties with the powers of our soul, Gal. 1.16. Thirdly, we must crucify them, if they arise among ourselves, with the same mind was in Christ, and resolve to suffer in the flesh by the sound practice of mortification. Fourthly, we must strive after contentation, 1 Tim. 6. Fifthly, we must get knowledge: for as ignorance brings them in, so knowledge fills the heart, and dares them out. Thus of the manner of avoiding them. The motives follow: and the first of them is, Ye are strangers and pilgrims.] A stranger is he that lives in a place that is not his own Country, or Kingdom, 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 traveleth onward from place to place. Godly men are said to be strangers, and not strangers, in diverse respects. It is said, they are not strangers in respect of freedom to the City of God, and the Commonwealth of Israel, Ephes. 2.29. They are strangers in respect of their absence from the heavenly Canaan, which is their own home, to which they were borne by regeneration. In this world then, all the godly are but strangers and pilgrims; which may serve, Use. First, for reproof even of diverse godly men; and that in diverse 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 Inn to be in for a little time? 2 For their meddling with other folk's business. A stranger only thinks of his own affairs, and doth not interpose himself in the affairs of others: so should we study to be quiet, and meddle with our own businesses. 3 For discouragement of heart under the sense of our own weaknesses and weariness in spiritual things: we must expect in such travel much weakness and weariness. 4 For impatience, either under the crosses of life, cast on us by God (whereas strangers arm themselves to bear all weathers) or under the scorns and contempt of the world: whereas we should look for it, that the world should gaze at us and deride us, as usually men do at strangers. Nor should Christians be at leisure 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 ourselves like strangers and pilgrims; 1 By having our conversation without covetousness. 2 By our language, speaking always as may become the people of God, and heirs 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 heedful of his ways in all places where he comes. 4 By our daily enquiring after the particular way to heaven. 5 By our thankfulness for the favours we find while we are in the world, seeing it is a place we are not to look for much in. 6 By our apparel. If stranger's be known 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 go with us to heaven. 8 By our affection homeward: our minds 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 Commonwealth of Israel, and in the Kingdom 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 Inns. God provides their resting places, and no good thing will he withhold from them. That God which commands men to regard strangers, and show them mercy, will himself much more be careful for his strangers. Thirdly, their pilgrimage will not be long. Fourthly, they have good company: all the godly travel their way. Fifthly, God hath appointed them guides: yea, Christ himself will be their way. Sixthly, by prayers they may send home continually. Seventhly, it should much comfort them, to think 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 diverse respects: Lust's are fleshly in diverse respect▪ First, because they please after the flesh, which is the corrupt nature of man: they hold no delight, or show of profit, but to the flesh: they are exceeding noisome, and grievous and foolish to the Spirit. Secondly, because they reign only in fleshly persons: they be the lusts of Gentiles, and such as are strangers from the life of God. Godly men complain of them as an extreme misery, Rom. 7.1 Pet. 4.3. Thirdly, because they arise most from the body, which is but a servant to the soul: and it is an extreme unmanliness, for the soul to be at the command of her servant the body; which concludes against the lusts of uncleanness, riotousness, drunkenness, vanity of apparel, etc. Fourthly, because they proceed from the old man, or corruption of nature, or the flesh, considered as the enemy to God, and man's salvation: and so it is an argument taken from the hatefulness of the flesh, and her working in us. The lusts and desires of the flesh ought to be hateful, and we should suspect and abstain from the projects of the flesh, if we consider, 1 That the flesh savoureth not the things of God, Rom. 8. Eight evil properties and effects of the flesh. 2 That she opposeth all good ways, partly by objecting against them, and partly by making evil present, when we should perform them. 3 That her wisdom is against God: her fairest reasons are pleaded for things that are hateful to God: such also are her excuses, and extenuations, and promises. 4 That if she be followed, she will lead us by degrees into all abominations; as whoredoms, murders, debates, heresies, etc. these are her fruits, Gal. 5. 5 She will betray us to Satan, that he may by himself set up strong fortifications in our souls: and her treason is the more dangerous, because she is a domestical enemy; and by his working in secret, our hearts may become a very cage or sty of unclean spirits. 6 She hath already spoiled the Image of God in us, and made us look most deformedly. 7 If she once get power▪ she is most tyrannical: no respect of credit, profit, no nor salvation itself, can stir: she will be served, whatsoever come of it. 8 We should abhor her, for the very mischief she doth to our posterity: we cannot look upon our children, but we may see what woeful hurt she hath done by the infection they received in their propagation. Uses. The use may be, First, for reproof of such as lay the blame of their faults upon their evil luck, or evil counsel, or the devil: whereas they ought to lay the fault upon their o●ne flesh, even their own ill nature. The devil no● the world could never hurt us, if the flesh did not betray us by defect, or consent, or evil action. Secondly, for information. We may see what we should mortify, and abstain from. Religion doth not bind men to mortify the substance of the flesh, but the lusts of the flesh: we are not to destroy any faculty of the soul, or in the soul, or part of the body; but the inordinate appetite and desires of either; we are not to abstain from the necessary means of life, as house, lands, diet, apparel, company, etc. but the evil concupiscence about these. Thirdly, for instruction. It should teach us therefore to restrain the flesh as much as we can; and therefore we shall with the same labour, restrain the lusts of the flesh: and to this end, 1 We must with all fear and jealousy watch our own natures, as mistrusting. 2 We must silence the flesh, and not suffer it to plead for sin. 3 We must by a daily course of mortification, judge the flesh; that so we may be, as it were, condemned in the flesh. 4 We must keep from it what may pamper it; as idleness, excess of diet, apparel, recreation, etc. Which war against the soul.] These words may be considered either in their coherence, or in themselves: in their coherence, and so they are the third reason taken from the evil effects of those lusts. In themselves there are two things to be opened; both what the soul is, and what this war in the soul is. The point is clear, that fleshly lusts do much hurt the souls of men; and so, both the souls of wicked men, and of godly men. First, of wicked men. These lusts hurt their souls, 1 Because they provoke the wrath of God upon them. The Israelites were not estranged from their lusts, How these lusts hurt the souls of wicked men, and therefore the wrath of God came upon them, Psal. 78.29, 30, 31. 2 Because they make us resemble the devil, joh. 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 soul in bondage: so as all the conversation of the soul is in a manner about those lusts of the flesh, Eph. 2.2. 5 Because they make all their prayers abominable, jam. 4. 6 Because sometimes they are scourged with a reprobate mind, being given up to their lusts, Rom. 1. 7 Because they may drown the soul inperdition, 1 Tim. 6.9. If godly men entertain these inward evils in their thoughts and affections, many evils will follow. 1 They hinder the Word. as also the souls of godly men. 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 soul. 6 They make the mind soul and loathsome: they defile. 7 They may bring outward judgements upon thee, or inward terrors of conscience. Use. The use may be partly to declare the misery of such Christians, as are fallen away from the acknowledgement of the truth, by entertaining these loathsome lusts: of whose fearful estate at large, 2 Pet. 2.18. to the end. Partly it should work in all the godly obedience to the Counsel of the Apostle here, in abstaining from these lusts, as grievous hurts to the soul, or their souls: they should put on the Lord Jesus in sincerity, and never more take care to fulfil these lusts of the flesh, Rom. 13.13. Thus of these words in the coherence: The sense will be more full, if we consider more at large two things in the words. First, what the soul is. Secondly, what this war in the soul is. Two things have made the inquiry about the soul exceeding difficult. The first is the nature of the soul. For it is a spiritual 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 soul of man. Now besides this transcendency, as I may call it, of the soul, the fall of man, and custom in sin, and the remainders of corruption in the best, have made this doctrine so hard, that wicked men scarce discern that they have a soul; and godly men are very ignorant, and impotent in conceiving the condition of the soul. This word Soul is diversely accepted in Scripture: for it signifies sometimes The life of man, as Matt. 6.25. Be not careful for your souls, Soul taken in diverse senses. what ye shall eat, etc. Christ: because look what the soul is to the body, that is Christ to the whole man: so Psal. 16.10. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, that is, Christ, Act. 2.25, 29, etc. 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 soul than 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 soul, may be comprised briefly in this description of the soul. The soul of man is a substance incorporeal, invisible, and immortal, A description of the Soul. created of God, and united to the body, and endued 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 contains an excellent commendation of the soul, and should much affect us with admiration of God's workmanship, and his love to us in making us such excellent creatures; and withal it should breed in us the care which the Apostle here calls for, of avoiding all things that might defile our precious souls. The soul 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 works: For all things meet in man, who consists of a substance partly corporeal, and partly spiritual. 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 spiritual, as the Angels. Now I say, man may resemble both sorts of creatures; the visible in his body, and the invisible in his soul. Now the former description of the soul of man doth commend the soul for seven things. Seven things very considerable in man's Soul. First, that it is a substance. Secondly, that it is incorporeal. Thirdly, that it is immortal, and cannot die. Fourthly, that it is created of God immediately. Fifthly, that it is joined to the body after a wonderful manner. Sixthly, that it hath these excellent faculties. Seventhly, that hereby man hath honour to know God and his works, which all other creatures in this visible world want. The first thing then to be enquired after is, what the soul 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 soul is not the harmony, or right temper of the harmonies of the body, as Galen that great Physician is said to affirm; which appears evidently by these reasons: 1 That then every body, in which the harmonies, or four elements are tempered, should have a soul in it, and so stones should have souls, yea such as man hath, endued with reason, etc. And therefore simply the soul cannot be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or temperature of the elements or humours. 2 It is apparent, that the soul governs 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 soul were nothing else but the temperament of the humours, than it were but a mere accident, in that it can be present or absent as the corruption of the body: but we see that cannot be: For remove the soul from the body, and it ceaseth to be a living body. 4 By Scripture it is evident, that when the body was form, the soul, as a thing distinct from it, was infused into it by God himself, Gen. 2.7. Secondly, the soul is not a power, force, or faculty infused into the body, by which it is able to live, or move, or work: For then removing the body from it, it cannot subsist; whereas we shall prove afterwards, that the soul will subsist without the body, and therefore cannot be an accident in the body, or a power only of the body. Besides, the soul is the subject of virtues and vices, of sciences and arts: Now, no accident can be so. Thirdly, the soul is not the life of man: that is apparent in Scripture, when a difference is put between the soul and life; Psal. 49.18. as, what soul shall be blessed in life? So 2 Sam. 11.11. By thy life, and the life of thy soul. The soul than is a substance of itself, put within us by God, distinct from the body: this may be evidently proved. The Soul is a substance. First, God, after he had made the body, is said to breath into it the breath of life, to note, that his soul was a substance distinct of itself. Secondly, because it can subsist without the body, as is apparent in the soul of Abraham, Lazarus and Dives, Luk. 16. And of the soul of the thief on the cross it is said, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. Thirdly, God is said to have form the Spirit in the midst of man; so it is a substance of itself: 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 plain; The body returns to dust, and the Spirit to God that gave it: therefore there is in man a Spirit, which returns to God. Sixtly, Paul desires to be desolved, and to be 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 soul is incorporeal. It is joined to the body, but it is no body; it informeth the matter of man which is his body, but it is without matter itself: it is immaterial: it is wholly a spiritual substance: It is not a bodily substance, no, not a most subtle, or pure body, but altogether incorporeal: This is a high doctrine, and shows the soul to be an admirable kind of sustance. Now that the soul is void of matter, and is no bodily substance, may be plainly proved, though not easily explicated. The soul is not a bodily substance. First, it is expressly 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 God's creation, that he made in man a spirit. Secondly, the soul is after the Image of God, and hath imprinted upon it the similitude of the goodness, wisdom, and holiness of God. Now it were not like God if it were a body, nor were it capable of such habits which can be stamped upon mere natural or bodily things. Thirdly, the soul performeth those actions which depend not upon the body, and are done without bodily instruments; for it understandeth and willeth. Fourthly, if the soul were a body, than it must be corpus animatum or inanimatum: but to say it is without life, is senseless, because it enlives and animates the body: and to say it is animatum, enlived itself, 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 soul is invisible. This shows the transcendency of the nature of it; and experience in all men proves this: for, who ever saw a soul? Obj. The soul of Dives in hell saw the soul of Abraham and Lazarus: and john saw the souls of those that suffered for the testimony of Jesus, Revel. 20.4. Sol. These souls were seen by the eyes of understanding, not by the bodily eyes. The fourth thing to be proved, is, that the soul is immortal, it cannot die: The soul is immortal. when it is once kindled, it will never go out, or be extinct; as the Sadducees wickedly imagined, and some Athiefts still think the contrary. This is a point necessary to be known; as for the truth itself, so for the use of it in our lives. For, to doubt of immortality makes us miserable; and to believe the souls are mortal, makes men Epicures: Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die. But to be fully assured of an estate after life, makes a man careful so avoid sin, lest his soul live for ever miserably; and to serve God, that he may live for ever happily. Now things may be said to be immoral two ways: either absolutely, and in their own nature; and so God only is immortal: or else they are so by the will and pleasure of God, and not by their own nature; and so the souls of men, and so the Angels are immortal. There have been two sorts of men that have denied the immortality of the soul: the one were the saducees among the Jews, who held that in death the soul of man is utterly extinct, as the soul of a beast: the other were certain Arabians, of whom Eusebius and Saint Augustine make mention; who said that the soul died with the body, Eus. Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c 26. Aug. tom. 6. de haeres. c. 8.3. 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 soul. For here in this life good men have not all their happiness; and evil men live in prosperity: so there must be another life, where justice must be done. 2 Religion confirms this: for to what end were religion and serving of God, if the soul died, like the soul 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 soul live not at all after death. 3 The wisdom of God proves it: for else man were not in better case than the beast, yea, in some cases worse. For, man from his infancy to his death, is liable to many diseases, subject to cares and griefs, which the beast is free from: yea, this adds to man's misery, that he knows 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 himself so much in the glory of his beginning? 4 The conscience of malefactors proves this, who fear a judgement after this life, and an estate of misery. 5 The nature of the soul proves it; for it is simple, and void of all contrariety, and accidents, and causes of corruption or putrefaction, and is, beside, the Image of God. Now, no mortal thing can be the image of that which is immortal. These reasons make it exceeding probable. But I am of their minds, that think it may be believed by faith, but not be proved by reason. The Scripture therefore only makes this point clear, such as these: First, our Saviour proves it out of the Word of God; saying, I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, etc. Secondly, it is most plain, Mat. 10.28. Thirdly, eternal life is every where promised to them that believe. Fourthly, such places as treat of the Resurrection, last Judgement, and the Glory of heaven, prove it. Now for the other sort, that confess the life of the soul after the last Judgement, but deny that the soul lives after death till then, there are diverse Scriptures against their opinion: As, First, the former Scriptures. The soul cannot be killed at all, Matth. 10. And God was presently the God of Abraham, as then living: and for eternal life, it is not said, He shall have; but, He hath eternal life that believeth. Secondly, Christ said to the thief, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise; not at the last day. Thirdly, Ro. 8.38. Death cannot separate us from God in Christ, as it would if the soul were dead, or asleep, and did not enjoy God. Fourthly, the dead that die in the Lord, are forthwith blessed, Rev. 14.14. Fifthly, the souls of Abraham and Lazarus were in joy and alive after death; so was the soul of Dives in hell. Sixthly, john saw, under the Altar, the souls of them that were slain for the testimony of Jesus, and they cried with a loud voice, O Lord, how long? etc. Revel. 6. Seventhly, the souls 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 soul; it is profitable, briefly, to answer certain objections which may be brought out of some words in the Scriptures: as, Ob. 1. The soul that sinneth, shall die, Ezek. 18. Therefore it seems the soul is mortal, or at lest for sin it must die; and the rather, because it was threatened in Paradise: That day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death. Sol. The Scriptures evidently show, that since the fall, and sin, yet the soul doth not die, as the places before alleged prove: But the answer is, That this death threatened, or inflicted, is not the destruction of the being of the soul; 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 Solomon, but of the Epicure, who is here, as in other places of that book, brought in, declaring his mind of things: For, Solomon himself concludeth evidently, that the soul 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 soul lieth asleep 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 continual motion and action of the soul. Object. 1. It is said that man, when he dies, sleepeth; as Christ said of Lazarus, He sleepeth, joh. 11. and, Stephen slept in the Lord, Act. 17. Sol. Other Scriptures add another word, viz. in the grave, or in the dust, job 7.21. and Psal. 78. sleeping in their graves; but it is evident, that the soul cannot sleep 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 seems, cannot be true, if the soul enjoy blessedness without the body. Sol. The immortality of the soul, and the resurrection of the body, are conjoined: For the Soul without the body can be for ever, because it is the form of the body. Though God for the time do, by his power and race, provide for the soul in glory, yet it is not at full happiness, till it be joined to the body again: For without the body it hath no use of vegetation, or senses, but only 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 pains, 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 soul thinks of nothing after death, till the day of judgement. Sol. The place is corruptly alleged, two ways: 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 be 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 souls 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 Psalms must not be 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 believe in God, or serve him, as in this life they might. Thus of the immortality of the soul. The next thing to be inquired after, is about the original of the soul: The original of the soul. and about this point in several ages diverse men have breathed diverse and strange conceits, erring, because they knew not or regarded not the Scriptures. First, some conceived so highly of the soul, as to think it was no creature, but uncreated and eternal, without beginning; but this must needs be false, 1 Because then the soul should be God, and infinite too; for God only is uncreated. 2 Because then the soul had understanding, and thoughts, and willed from eternity, whereas till it was in our bodies it did not work: and to imagine, it should be as a dead lump all that while, is monstrously absurd. Secondly, others have conceived, that when men die, their souls go into the bodies of other men that be borne; and so our souls heretofore were the souls of some men that be dead. This was the opinion of diverse of the Philosophers. And it is apparent, that diverse of the Jews were infected with it: for about Christ they said, Some, that he was Elias; some, that he was jeremias; and some, one of the Prophets; and some, john Baptist. Now they saw that his body was not theirs, and therefore they thought, that his soul was the soul 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 Jews is told with dislike. 2 Because the souls that were delivered out of the miseries of this life, should be brought from their blessedness into misery again; which is most absurd. Thirdly, others have imagined that the Angels should beget our souls, as our parents beget our bodies: but this is extremely absurd; 1 Because then our souls should be in the Image of Angels, whereas they were made in the Image of God. 2 Because this was an heresy long since condemned, and with hatred cast out of the Church. Fourthly, many Divines, both of ancient and modern Writers, have declared themselves to be of the mind, that the soul comes from the parents by generation, per traducem, and that the parents do beget the whole man, which consists of soul as well as body. Anima non est ex traduce. 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 been by the greater part of sound Divines, and by reasons unanswerable: for, if the soul come from the parents, than it must come either from the body of the parents, or from their souls. Now it is apparent it cannot come from their bodies, 1 Because a bodily substance cannot beget a spiritual substance; because it cannot derive from itself that which it hath not. 2 Because the soul must consist of the four elements, of which the body is compounded: but it is apparent, there are no bodily humours in the soul; for it is not hot, nor cold, nor moist, nor dry. 3 Because nothing that is mortal, can beget a thing that is immortal, such as the soul hath been proved to be. Nor can the soul come from the soul of the parents, First, because if it did, either the whole soul was derived of the parents, or but a part of it. If the whole soul was derived, than the parents should die: nor can a part of the soul be derived, because the soul 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 souls of men produce souls, because they are spirits as the Angels are. Nor can the soul come from the whole man: First, because it is evident by experience, that after the parents have done the work of generation, the first matter lies diverse days in the womb; in which the parts of the body are secretly form, before it have life, or a living and quickening soul: which is an evident demonstration, that from the parents comes nothing but the bodily substance, which is fashioned by degrees, to be a mee●e Tabernacle for the soul afterwards to be infused into. Secondly, because if the parents did propagate the soul, they must propagate such a soul as at that time they had; which cannot be: for then godly parents should derive a soul 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 original sin. Thirdly, because it is contrary to the Scriptures; which acknowledge, that the soul was form by God himself: which was true both of our first parent Adam, Gen. 2.7. and of the souls of all his posterity, which are expressly said to be made by God, Esa. 57.16. Lastly, it remains then, that the souls come from God. Now, if the souls come from God, than it must needs be, as God is the material cause, or as he is the efficient cause. It is true, that some have imagined, that the soul 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 himself, 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 heretical: for, Then man should be God. For, whatsoever God begets from himself, is God: and therefore we say, Christ is God. Then some part of God's nature should be infected with sin and ignorance, and be damned in hell too; which is wonderful blasphemous to believe. Now for the places alleged, That in Gen. 2. must be understood figuratively: for God hath not properly breath; but he meaneth, that God after a wonderful manner did infuse the soul into the body. And for the place in the Acts, we are said to be the progeny of God● not in regard of substance, but in respect of resemblance in gifts, with which man's 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 wisdom, goodness, holiness, in some kind of likeness of God. It remains then, that we are of God effectually, God creates the Soul. because God hath created our souls, and form them in us. This then is the truth, that God doth create the particular soul of every man, and inhere it to the body, when it is form and distinguished in the parts thereof. This may be proved diversely: First, it is clear, it was so done with the soul of Adam: for his body was already framed, and then his soul breathed into him. Now, if the soul of Eve, and of all others, had another manner of beginning than the creation of God, it would have been 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 God's work then to create the heart. Fourthly, Solomon saith, Eccles. 12.7. The body returns to the dust, and the soul to God that gave it: in the dissolution of all things, they return to the first causes and matter. As the body may be proved originally to be of the earth, because it returns to dust: so must the soul be of God, because it returns to God which is said to have given it. Fifthly, the Prophet Esay useth this phrase concerning God, and in his name: The souls which I have made, Esa. 57.16. Do you ask how the soul comes into the body? The Lord answers, I made it. Sixthly, the Prophet Ezekiel, showing how man becomes a living creature, speaks 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 clear. 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 soul of every man, and that it is his only work. For first, he saith expressly, God form the spirit in man. Secondly, this work of God is compared to two other works, 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 himself, of nothing, without any means. Lastly, that place in Heb. 12.9. is most clear. The words are these: We have had the fathers of our flesh, which chastised us, and we reverenced them: how much more should we be subject to the Father of our spirits, and live? Where is a manifest antithesis between 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 add the reason, taken from the manner of giving of the soul of Christ: for, he was made in all things like to us, sin only excepted. Now it is evident, that Christ's soul was not begot by carnal propagation; and therefore it was created of God. Ob. 1. Now against this is strongly objected, that if the soul be created immediately of God, than it is created either pure or sinful; if pure, then how is it that the soul is guilty of original sin? if impure, then how can it be avoided but that God must be the author of sin? Answ. This reason drove diverse of the Fathers in the time of Hierom●●, especially the Western Fathers, to believe that the soul was propagated from the Parents: and Saint Augustine is doubtful 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 soul is created of God, pure, but joined to a body conceived in sin: which is no injustice in God, because he delivers the soul, but into such an estate as man had cast himself into by his own wilful sin, bringing this corruption not only upon himself, but upon all his posterity, who fell in him. He by agreement with God, being as the common sort of mankind, was with him to stand or fall, in that general respect. Nor may it be doubted, but that the body may work upon the soul: as we see by experience, when the body is full of choleric humours, it inclines the soul to anger; and so when the body is burdened with melancholy humours, it evidently makes sadness even in the very mind, etc. Another answer may be this: God creates the soul pure; but yet that soul is guilty of owing though not of doing; debendi, though not agend●: it is charged with the debt of Adam, as children may be charged with their father's debts. Now this is one part of original sin. 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 sin from the womb. Both are to be believed, though in this life we cannot explicate it. And what hurt is it if we be ignorant how sin entered into our natures, seeing it concerns us to know it is there, and to learn how to get our natures recovered? Ob. 2. Other living creatures beget the like to themselves, both in body and in soul too: and therefore by this doctrine men should be more unable and unperfect than any living creature. For, if he do beget but only the body, he doth not beget one in specie like to himself. Answ. Though God create the soul, yet it follows not, but that it may be truly laid, that man begets a man, and that he is not more unperfect in generation than any other creature: for, First, the Virgin Mary did bear Christ-man in her womb: and Christ-man is said to be of the seed of the Virgin; and yet his soul was created of God, as hath been showed before. Secondly, though there be 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 bea●t begets his young, and brings him forth strong, covered with a hide, able to feed himself presently, full of leaping and other actions: But man brings forth an Infant, weak, crying, naked, unable to feed itself. 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 God's instrument for the begetting of a body fit to be united to such a soul. God also doth hereby commend the generation of man, and dignify it, that he is pleased so to work in man's generation as he doth not in any other creature, vouchsafing to give unto man's generation such an admirable soul 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 soul into him. Object. 3. It is a peevish objection that some make, thus: If God create the soul in all men, then when any is borne of Adultery, God should cooperate with the adulterer, and so be either the author, or the approver of sin, that will give the soul to such a wicked generation. Sol. Some answer thus, That God is not the author or approver, because out of evil he only works good for his own glory. Others answer, That God only cooperates with the action, not with the sin of the action, or the evil of the action, or the evil 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 seed that is cast into it, without difference, whether the seed be lawfully taken out of the barn, or stolen by fraud. The stolen grain 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 justify the action of him that stole the grain: so is it with God that works according to the grounds of nature, and his own decree and providence. He is not to be blamed for the evil of the action, when he works according to the rules of nature, and will glorify himself by raising a frame of good out of that which by men was ill done. Object. 4. We see, that children resemble the virtues or vices of their parents; and therefore as from the bodies of their parents they receive a likeness to them in body, so is it that from their souls they receive this similitude of their virtues or vices. Solut. Experience shows, that this is not always true. For many children have no resemblance in them of their parents qualities. Secondly, where this is true, it is not because their souls are derived from the souls of their parents, but they have it from the bodies of their parents: For the soul after suffers from the sympathy with the body; as by reason of certain humours in the bodies of parents, that incite wrath, or grief, or lust, or the like, may come infection to the child, but not from their souls. Thirdly, rather the argument may be retorted upon them, that in as much as the souls of all children are not like in qualities to the souls of their parents, that therefore they receive not their souls from their parents. Ob. 5. Gen. 9 Leu. 17. The soul is said to be in the blood: Now it is evident, that the blood is from the parents. Solut. The soul is in the blood, but how? By the effect of it, which is life: otherwise the soul is neither devoured in the blood, nor depends upon it in itself. Ob. 6. It is said, Gen. 2. That God rested from all his works. Now if he did daily create new souls, than he rested not from all his works, but continues creation still. Solut. The meaning of Moses cannot be, that God rested simply from all creation. For than it must needs follow too, that the soul of Christ was not created, but propagated: which cannot be true. But his meaning is, that he rested from creation of things in specie; he made no more new sorts of things. That hinders not creation in individuo, which is a work of God, preserving those sorts he had made at the first, by creating successively a new supply, as in this case of the souls of men. That God did not rest absolutely, is plain by the words of our Saviour Christ: My Father worketh hitherto, and I work, joh. 5. Hitherto of the original of the soul. The union of the soul with the body follows, which is a consideration of no less difficulty than the former, no less needful to be known, no less certain. That it is united to the body so as to make it one man, is apparent by the words of God in the creation: He breathed into him the breath of lives, and so Adam became a living soul. He became then a man, or a living creature, distinct from other creatures, upon his conjunction of the soul 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 soul 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 itself living without the body; and that is the reason why man is not absolutely perfect after death in his soul, till the day of judgement. For though the soul do enjoy an estate free from sin, or pain, or misery: yet two of the faculties of the soul are without exercise, till it be united again to the body, viz. the faculties of vegetation and sense, which cannot be exercised but in the body. The manner how the soul is united to the body, is full of difficulty to express: Union of the soul with the body, how. The question is, whether the soul work upon the body from without, and so is by that means joined to it; or whether it be placed in the body, and work there, and from thence. This latter is the truth: for the soul doth not work from without: which I show by a comparison. The light and the eye are joined together in seeing: But how? The light, from without, extends itself to the eye, and so is joined to it: so is not the soul joined to the body, but is seated within the body; which appears so, partly by experience: for we may all perceive that our thoughts, reason, will, affections, etc. do discover themselves within us; and it is manifest that God infused the soul, not upon the body, but into the body, seating it within us. The soul, then, is within the body, and so joined to it; But how? Divines have sought out diverse similitudes to express their minds. And first to show how it is not joined: First, not as water and the vessel that holds it are joined by contact, or touching one another: for, the soul is not a bodily substance, and therefore cannot be joined by touching; nor do the water and vessel make one thing, as the soul and body do one man; nor do they work together, as the soul and body do: for the water doth all the work thereof in watering or cleansing, without the vessel. Secondly, not by mixture, as water and wine are mingled together. For things mingled cea●e to be what they were: for there is no longer water nor wine now they are mingled; nor is the soul material, 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 joined to the water as the former, yet it is but an accidental form; and they are one by accident, not per se. Thirdly, not as the voice is in the air: for though the voice be dispersed abroad the air, and doth likewise carry something to the understanding, besides the sound; yet doth not this reach to express the union of the soul with the body. For, the voice is not the form of the air, nor is it conceived in the air, without the breaking of the air; and besides it presently vanisheth: whereas the soul is a substance, and doth not easily depart out of the body. Fifthly, nor as the Mariner is in the ship with the Governor, for the dispatch of his journey: for though the body be as a tabernacle wherein the soul dwells, yet that similitude doth not express this union, because the soul 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 soul and body are soon, that by sympathy what one suffers the other feels; whereas the wounding of the Mariner is not the tearing of the ship, or chose. There are two similitudes that do more nearly reach this secret. The first is of Christ. For, as God and man make one Christ, so the soul and body make one man. But I will not meddle with the breaking open of that dreadful mystery. The other is of the light of the Sun in the air: for there are many things in this comparison, do fitly resemble this divine light; which is our souls as they are joined to our bodies. 1 This light doth fitly resemble the soul, because it is a thing that cannot be corrupted or divided. 2 This light doth so pierce into, and penetrate the air, that they are both made one, and are not separated: so doth the soul the body. 3 The light and the air, though joined together, are not confounded or mingled together: for, the light remaineth light, and the air the air; so is it in this union between the soul and the body. 4 The light is so in the air, that the air being smitten, yet the light is not touched, nor divided, nor carried about, as the are is: so doth the soul remain unpierced, though the body be wounded, and fall, yea, and die too. 5 As the light is only from the Sun: so is the soul only from God. 6 As the air, without the light, is as it were dead, because it is dark, and cold, and will putrefy: so is the body without the soul. 7 As no man can show, by what bands the light is fastened to the air: so is it extremely difficult to show how the soul 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 essential form of the air: only this comparison doth in many things satisfy the question, in that it shows, that the soul is in the body by penetration, or immeation, as they call it: it pierceth thorough the whole body. Only we must take heed of two things; First, that we imagine not the soul to be in the body, as in a place, or as contained of it: For the soul cannot be circumscribed by the measure of a place: we may not imagine, that the soul is just as big as the body, and no bigger. For though it be true, that the soul is in the body, and the whole soul too, yet it is not contained there, as bodies be contained in their places: for rather the soul sustaineth the body. Secondly, God is said to be in us: and so is the soul, but not alike. For God is in us by his virtue, and grace and operation, but not as our former: whereas the soul is the form of the body, and both make one man. Quest. But some one will say, Can it not be showed by what band the soul 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 certain humour, which is fitted for this union; and so they say, the soul is united to the body by the vital spirits, which are of nature mixed, partly corporeal and partly spiritual: For as those vital spirits do consist for the matter of them, of the radical heat and moisture in man, so they are corporeal; and as they have an unexpressable nimbleness in working, or sparkling in the body; so they draw near to the nature of the soul; and by these vital spirits thus enlived, are the soul and body joined together. Quest. There yet remaineth another question, and that is, Where the soul resides in the body? in what place is it centred? Answ. The most say, that the whole soul is in the whole body, and the whole soul in every part of the body. Others say, it is a vain question, seeing the soul 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 essential form is in the matter; which cannot be locally. Others say, that the soul is seated in one principal place of the body, as the chief palace and seat of residence, and is in all other parts by diffusion of virtues, through the instruments thereunto fitted and placed of purpose by God in the framing of the body: and thus the soul reasons in the head, wills and affects in the heart, sees in the eyes, etc. The chiefest mansion of the soul seems to be in the heart, because it is the last that dies in us. Hitherto of the union of the soul with the body: The faculties of the soul follow. There are three faculties, or powers of the soul, by which it works: or there are three things which the soul effects, viz. The faculties of the soul. 1 Vegetation: 2 Sense: 3 Reason. And thus the soul may be considered, either as it works upon, or by the body only, or as it works in and by itself chiefly. Upon the body, and by certain instruments in the body, it works vegetation and sense; and by itself, without the necessity of using the body, it works reason. 1 Vegetation. The first power than is vegetation, by which the soul works four things distinctly upon the body. 1 Life: 2 Nourishment: 3 Growth: 4 Procreation. The first thing then by the vegetative power of the soul, wrought upon the body, is life; which is in respect of the body nothing else but the kindling the radical and vital heat in the body, through the conjunction of the soul with the body, and the continuation of that hea●, until the time appointed of God for the dissolution of it. So that life is two ways to be 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 form with the matter, and by that instrument of the vital, or radical heat. The continuance of it, is nothing else but the preservation of the motion and duration of the working of these vital spirits. The second thing wrought upon the body by the vegetative power of the soul, is nourishment: and this power of nourishing is a faculty, by which food taken into the body by the force of natural heat, is turned into the substance of the body, for the repairing of that which is consumed in the body. And this is a work to be admired: For the soul by the use of natural heat is fain 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 soul works upon the body by the vegetative power, is growth. And this it doth, by employing 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 bigness and force, which increase for the convenient actions of the body: and this work is done upon the body, but unto a certain time of man's age, or till about thirty years; and then, because nature tends not into infiniteness, she gives over this work. Lastly, procreation is the fourth work of the vegetative faculty of the soul, by which it raiseth up seed in the body, and formeth in it a mere substance like unto the body, from whence it comes unto the perpetual 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, immortal. 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 works of nourishment and growth, only serve for that body in individuo; but this power of procreating reserves the sort or species from ceasing to be. Thus of Vegetation: Sense follows. The second thing the Soul works either upon or by the body, is Sense; 2 Sense. and by this faculty, a man, in his body, is enabled to discern things without himself, and accordingly to desire and move to them, which the former faculties did not reach unto. Now as the soul works sense upon, or by the body, it must be considered two ways: First, as it works either apprehension: secondly, or motion. The apprehendnig senses wrought upon the body by the Soul, are of two sorts: first, either outward; secondly, or inward. Outwardly the soul works upon the body five senses, 1 Outward. or five ways of apprehending things by sense. The body of a man is enabled by the soul, to discern of things without itself by outward helps five ways: viz. By 1 Seeing. viz. By 2 Hearing. viz. By 3 Smelling. viz. By 4 Tasting. viz. By 5 Feeling. And these ways of discerning, are not to be contemned: For admirably ought it to be conceived of God's wisdom 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 air, or sight from man, the works of God are buried, as it were, in the dark; yea, the body of a man is, as it were, but a dungeon without sight; and what the Sun and Moon are in heaven, that are the eyes in man, shining in his head, as these Stars in the firmament. The fight is a chief help for all the great employments of life in all callings: The eyes are as watchmen set on high in their watch-Tower, to discover the coming of enemies. The eyes are also as the true windows of the soul, by which the Species or forms of things are taken into the soul: For, God hath caused all substance in the World, to cast out beams, as it were, which have the pictures of the things themselves carried about; and these coming to the sight, are by it (above all other senses) taken in, and delivered to the Souls within, the eyes being a looking glass that resemble the things seen. And this noble sense may put us in mind of God's knowledge, if we mark the degrees of seeing. The eye of man discerns at once, a great share or quantity of things together: The mind of man will take-in a far greater quantity and number, and yet is finite, for it cannot reach to all things that God hath made at once. Now God's understanding is infinite, and beholds all at once. For the second, the sense of hearing is worthy to be thought on, if we consider either the benefits come by it, or the manner how it is performed; for by hearing is let into the soul and body, not only sounds of delight or wonder, but also sounds of necessity, both for natural life, by letting in speech and discourse, and for eternal life, by letting in the Word of God. First, the manner of hearing is admirable: Sound is the breaking of the air, stirred up by the dashing or collision of solid bodies, and is spread in the air, as a stone cast into the water makes and draws from it circles. Thus▪ the sound being brought to the ear, the hollow turnings in the ear 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 Anvil, by which stroke the spirits in the hearing move, and are stirred up: and so they take in the sound, and carry it to the brain, 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 discern of meats profitable or hurtful for the body. Fourthly, by smelling we receive in those delightful savours God hath caused to arise from diverse of his creatures, and to avoid things by savour noisome 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 Soul. 2 Inward senses. Thus of the outward senses. The soul worketh likewise inward senses upon and by the body; and the general 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 diverse things, which they carry with them home to the inward senses. Now there are three inward senses. 1 The common Sense. 2 The Fantasy. 3 The Memory. And these are lodged in three several rooms or little cells in the brain. First, the common sense lieth in the former part of the head, and contains 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 go to the circumference, meet all in the Centre: so do all the outward senses meet in the common sense. And hither likewise are all the forms of things taken by the outward senses brought, and distinguished. Secondly, the fantasy is lodged in the middle part of the brain, where, as in a shop, it takes in the Images of things brought to the common sense, and there forms 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 brain, which is as it were the treasury to keep what the Fantasy as a Judge hath sentenced to her keeping, the common sense being but as the doorkeeper unto the Fantasy. And these three senses differ in the ability to receive, and keep the impression of the images of things brought to them: For the common sense is seated in the more soft part of the brain, and so not able to keep them long: as wax over-soft doth not long keep the impression of the seal. The pantasie is placed in a harder part of the brain, and therefore keeps 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 stiffness of the brain, it keeps the impression longest. Now that natural heat with the animal spirits, is like a fire to keep the brain soft in the degrees thereof, that it may receive the impression, as hot water the wax fit to be marked. Thus of the senses. But before I pass from them, it is profitable to note certain things which befall the senses for the good of the body, and soul; and that is the binding and losing of the senses. For God hath so tempered the state of the senses in man, that they should neither always rest, nor always work. Hence, from their resting comes sleep, and from their working comes waking, or watching. We make, when the senses are loose; & sleep, when the soul binds them up: both are thus wrought; when the vegetative power wants help for concoction of the meat, the natural heat is sent from the senses to dispatch that work, and then we sleep; and when that is done, the heat returns to the senses, and tickles them, and so they awake. But it is to be observed, that though in sleep the common sense, and so the outward senses are all bound, yet the fantasy and memory do 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 soul may appear, if we consider the strange things are fashioned in our imagination in our sleep: yea, the reasonable soul in sleep comes into this shop of the fantasy, and there doth strange works, which, as I said, are vented in our dreams; in which we find as effectual use of reason, as we had waking. Thus of the soul, as it worketh apprehension. Now followeth it to consider, how the soul works motion upon the body. It is out of all doubt, that motion in the body is from the soul. For of itself it is but a dead lump, as it shows itself to be, when the soul is gone out of it. Now the soul gives unto the body a threefold motion. First, the vital motion. Secondly, the motion of appetite. Thirdly, the motion from place to place. The vital motion given to the body by the soul, is wrought two ways, both by the pulse and by breathing; both of absolute necessity to preserve life in the body. The motion of pulse is begun at the heart, which is made continually to beat by the soul; which beating of the heart begets those sparkles, which we call vital spirits, arising out of the finest of the blood, which spirits are carried by the pulse thorough the arteries, and they shine in the whole body, according as their passages are more or less open. Breathing is another strange motion of the soul in the body, by which both air is fetched in continually for the cooling of natural heat in the heart, and other members, and the spirits refreshed, and also the gross and more smoky spirits are exhaled out of the breast. Thus of the vital motion. The motion of appetite is a contrary commanding motion in the creature, by which he is inclined to take to him such things from without, as he conceives good and needful for him, and so likewise to avoid things hurtful, and so the soul begets diverse 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 far forth as they are seated upon the body, and exercised by instruments in the body; such as, in general, breed sorrow, or pleasure, or passiveness in us; such as are joy, grief, anger, and the rest, etc. It were too difficult and too tedious for popular reaching, to show in particular, and distinctly, how the soul admirably worketh about each of these. The motion from place to place is the last: and this is a strong work of the soul, driving on the body to the motion of the whole, or of some part of the body. The body cannot remove itself, but it is of the soul that it is stirred up and down: for when the soul is gone, it can move no longer. And in vain were appetites or desires given to the creatures, if this motion from place to place were not given, because without it, it could never compass things desired. Hitherto of the working of the soul 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 souls of brute creatures: but, as their souls differ exceedingly from the glory and excellency of the souls of men, so are the effects upon their bodies but certain glimpses of those things which are done exactly by the souls of men; I mean, in respect of the inward senses of fantasy and memory: there is in beasts but only a dark shadow of them, in comparison of what is in men. Of the faculty of reason in the soul, & wherein it excels. But for the third faculty of the soul, which is reason; therein men excel all creatures in this visible world: and it is profitable for us to know what God hath done for us in our souls, generally considered above all other creatures. And so man excels in respect of his reasonable soul: 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 soul as the Sun doth upon the body: or whether we believe it to be a light conferred upon the understanding; by which from within, it discerns things. 2 In that it can conceive of things that never were in the senses; as things absent, that never were seen: yea things altogether immaterial; as Angels, and virtues, and vices. 3 In that it can conceive of the nature of God, and discern God from his works. 4 In that it can conceive of things by a discerning reflection; as it can conceive of itself, and understand that it doth understand. 5 In that it can distinguish between good and evil, truth and falsehood; I say, of the moral goodness of things: whereas the fantasy can judge only of so much of the natural goodness of things, as they show to the outward senses. 6 In the largeness 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 compass. 7 In that it can invent things that never were in being: and thus we see daily, what strange things, for number and skill, are invented for the use of the life of man, by art and skill of man's understanding, in every calling of men. 8 In that the reasonable soul governs, and appoints, and crosseth, and fetters, and altars, and rectifies the other faculties of vegetation and sense; and in respect thereof can turn, and tame, and rule, and order all sorts of other creatures. 9 In that, by begetting with strange variety, it can make known what images are within, whether begotten by the senses, or by the mind itself. 10 In that it is the faculty by which only true blessedness is apprehended and attained. 11 In that man's 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 he in him the images of all things, printed as it were in his understanding. This is a most dreadful dignity in the souls of men; yea, herein he resembles God in the creation of the world: for man's reasonable soul doth, as it were, form worlds of things in itself. If any object, that the sensitive soul 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, only of such things as have colour, found, taste, smell, or touchable qualities: but the mind can beget the images of all things. Secondly, that those images in the senses, are dull, and dark, and confused, in comparison of the likeness of things in the mind. 12 In that he hath a will, in choosing or refusing things good or evil, that cannot be 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 be constrained. 13 In that it hath in it that divine thing which we call conscience, which is given to the soul 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 soul with unexpressible afflictions many times for sin: it is a Judge, witness, and executioner many times in us. Now, if the soul be thus admirable in any estate (for all these things are true of the reasonable soul, even in the estate of corruption) than how excellent was the estate of man in respect of his soul, before the Fall? and how doth it excel in the godly, who have their souls enlightened 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 Kingdom of heaven? So that, as the whole man, made in God's image, is (as it were) the visible God in this great world: so the soul is as it were a little god in the l●sser world, which is the body of man. And thus much of the faculties of the soul. Now the end of all this follows. The Lord made the soul, The end why the soul was made. 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 God's workmanship, but discern nothing of God, or themselves, or other things. The creatures with sense discern 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 soul, of purpose that he might discern God aright, and serve, and worship, and praise him. Use 1. The consideration of the excellency of the soul, and of the end why it was created, should stir us up to make conscience of the service, and knowledge of God: it is as if we had never been, if we answer not this end: We should be fired to the observation and praise of God, and of his love to man. And withal it should make us wonderful careful of our souls, since we see they are such excellent creatures: Our soul is more worth than all this visible world beside. Especially it should fire us to a care of things that concern the blessed immortality of our souls: we should be forced to all possible care of all such things▪ as might be provision for the eternal well-being of our souls. And in particular the excellency of the soul should dissuade us from fleshly lusts, and all inward impurity, by which the soul is defiled or wounded. Hitherto of the description of the soul. The war against the soul is now to be considered of: Concerning which I propound these things to be handled: First, who are the combatants. Secondly, by what ways and means the soul is assaulted and opposed. Thirdly, why God would suffer the soul to be thus assaulted. Fourthly, what reason Christians have to be careful of themselves, and provide against this war. Fifthly, by what means we must resist and defend the soul. Sixthly, what hope there is of victory. Seventhly, how many ways we may obtain victory. Eighthly, by what signs we may know that we are not overcome. And then the use of the whole. Four kinds of war against the Soul. For the first, there are four kinds of war, waged against the soul, as it is encountered by four sorts of adversaries. For both God, and the world, and the devil, and the flesh, war against the soul of man: briefly of the three first. God wars against the soul, either in earnest and in deed, or in show and appearance, and not as an adversary in deed. In earnest God fights against the soul, by the threatenings and rebukes of his Word, when he smites and beats men down by the word of his mouth, Esay 11. and also by torments of conscience poured out upon the wicked men; and so he fought against Cain and judas. Sometimes, God is but a purative adversary, and doth but seem to fight against them; and so he warreth against his own servants: either by outward crosses, or by desertion, or by fear and terror; and thus he fought against job. And in this case, God is like a Captain training his soldiers, or like a Fencer teaching his scholar to fight. The world wars against the soul two ways; by the enticements of profits, pleasures, honours, evil counsel, or example: and by persecution either of the tongue or hand. The devil wars against the soul by evil doctrine, or temptations, or illusions. But none of these three are principally intended here: it is the flesh that maketh war against the soul, that is here meant. By the flesh is meant the corruption that is in the nature of man, called the old man, and the Law of the members. By the soul is here meant the spirit, or regenerate man, the new man, the grace of Christ in the soul. Thus of the first point, who are the combatants: the flesh is the assailant; the spirit the defendant. For the second point: the flesh encounters and wars against the soul diverse ways, and by strange kinds of fights: as, The flesh wars against the soul five ways. 1 By mists of ignorance: it casts mists before the eyes of the soul, that it might be blinded; for there is a manifest combat between the natural understanding, and the regenerate mind: carnal reason and saving knowledge often fights it out within a man. 2 by doubtings and distractions: and so the flesh casts ou● such questions as these, as so many darts into the soul; Whether there be a God, or the Scripture be the Word of God? Whether Christ be the Son of God, and our Mediator? Whether it be the true Church we are in; or whether our sins be forgiven, or we be in the state of grace? Whether there shall be any resurrection, or heaven, or hell, or immortal being of the soul? Against all these the soul is driven to make often defences, and drives them out with hard conflicts. 3 By rebellious denial of obedience to the law of the mind, exalting itself against the obedience enjoined by Christ to the soul, Rom. 7. 2 Cor. 10. and ●asting out resolutions of denial, and thoughts that say they ought not, or will not obey. 4 By hindering the work of the soul that overcomes the former resolutions, and will obey: and that it doth by making evil present when she should do good; or by hindering and dulling of the affections of the heart, or by casting-in of other projects, of purpose to breed distractions in the time of doing good duties, Rom. 7. 5. By lusting, that is, by bringing-in of contrary desires, evil concupiscences, longings after forbidden things: and in these lusts usually the flesh combines with the outward adversaries of the soul, the world and the devil; and kindles the fire of those inordinate desires, by dalliance with the world, or the devil's temptations. And thus of the second point. The third thing is a question; Why God should suffer the soul to be thus annoyed by the flesh; saying, He could have made man again in Christ, as he made Adam in Paradise, and so have utterly abolished the flesh? Why God doth suffer this war. For answer hereunto, three things may be said: First, that we are bound with all thankfulness to praise God for that grace he hath given us in Christ, though it be not full perfect; and so ought not to reason with God, why he gave us not more grace; and the rather, because we look for a time, when we shall be more happy in that respect, than ever Adam was: and beside, though grace given us be imperfect in respect of degree, and so less than Adam's was; yet it is perfect in respect of continuance, and so it is better than Adam's. Thirdly, there may be diverse reasons assigned, why God did suffer the flesh to remain in us after calling, for a time, that is, while we war in this world. For, 1. It shows the greatness of God's power, that can keep us, notwithstanding such continual danger we are in. 2. By this conflict diverse graces of the Spirit are raised up and exercised, which else were of little use; as godly sorrow, poverty of spirit, desire of death: and faith also hath much employment about this combat. 3. By this combat all the graces of God's Spirit are proved to be right, and not counterfeit in the true Christians: for no man can constantly bear arms against the flesh, but he is a new creature. This combat than serves for the trial of the gifts and graces of Christians. 4. By this combat we are cured of the horrible disease of self-love & pride in ourselves, and made more to love God, and trust in him; as knowing that we deserve no favour at his hand, nor can be strong in our own might. 5. It is equal we should war before we triumph; that we should fight in the battles on earth, before we reign in heaven. Lastly, it makes heaven & grace more precious in our sight, and breeds in us a desire to be dissolved, and so warns from the love of this present evil world. In the fourth place we must consider, by what means the soul may preserve itself against the treacheries and assaults of the flesh: and so the means is to be used either before the conflict, or in the conflict, or after the conflict. Before the conflict, if we would take a sound course to be preserved against the danger of the flesh, we must look to these things: 1 We must stand upon our guard, and keep a daily watch over our hearts and ways, and not be reckless to despise our own ways, or never take notice of our hearts: he lives dangerously, that lives securely: we must take a diligent view of our own natural dispositions, to be able to discern distinctly, what it is the flesh usually is prone to, or employed in. 2. We must be sure to commit ourselves to God, and by faith lay hold upon Jesus Christ, and settle ourselves in our assurance: for that cuts off many of the main advantages of the flesh, especially it quencheth all those hellish darts that arise from doubtings and despair; which is to discern the flesh. 3. We must quicken in us our hope of a better life: for that will show us so much glory to be had in the service of Christ, as all the motions of the flesh will seem vain in comparison: we are never alured by the lusts of the flesh, but when we have forgotten heaven, or are destitute of the lively hope of it. 4. We must be sober in the use of outward things, 1. Pet. 1.13. and remove from the flesh those things we observe the flesh to be apt to dally withal: if the flesh could be divorced from the world, there were little or no danger. 5. We must with all readiness, upon all occasions, entertain all good motions any way cast into us by God's Spirit: for as those are set up and nourished, the flesh is subdued and kept under. 6. We must daily commit ourselves and our souls to God by prayer, and beseech him to keep us, and accordingly to beg strength to avoid those evils, which by nature we find ourselves most prone to, 2. Tim. 1.12. Now if the flesh, notwithstanding, do on the sudden (either provoked by the world, or enticed by the devil) make assault and lust after evil things; then in the conflict, our armour must be, 1. Contrary lustings, Gal. 1.17. The Spirit must lust against the flesh, by raising up holy desires, and loathing of those base affections of the flesh. 2. Prayer: we must crucify them, drag them before the Cross of Christ, and there accuse them, shame them, judge them, condemn them, and beg virtue from the death of Christ to kill them. 3. The Word of God. For as Christ beat away the devil, by alleging what was written: so should we get store of places of Scripture, which we might allege to our own hearts when we are enticed to any sin: and so the promises of the Gospel would be as shoes to our feet; that neither thorny care prick, nor vain pleasures defile us: and so those promises are, because they both show us greater things then fleshly pleasures can be, and withal show us such treasure in Christ, as may free us from living in care. Two rules are of excellent use for this purpose. 1. To silence the flesh: When it assaults, not to suffer it to plead much, but presently resist it. 2. To look to the beginnings of any corruption: not to dally with it, and give it way upon pretence of safety: for it may strangely provoke, and beyond expectation, if it be not looked to at first. After the conflict, we must remember two things. 1. To give thanks to God for the help of his presence, as accounting it a singular favour to be protected against so vile an enemy. 2. To take heed of our security; so to consider of present deliverance, as to for more conflicts. In the frft place it is profitable, considering what reasons Christians have to be careful of themselves, and attend their souls in respect of the flesh. For, 1. This combat is a daily combat: the war is never at an end: it is an adversary that never takes so much as a day of truce. 2. There is no safety or help by running away: for thy adversary is seated within thee, and thou canst not run from thyself. 3. The flesh hath might and continual aid from the devil and the world; which, almost with infinite variety of occasions, ministers obstinacy to the flesh. 4. For want of care many worthy Champions have been for the time foiled shamefully; as were Noah, Lot, David, Peter, and others. 5. No Christian can avoid it, but hath this combat within him, Gal. 5.17. And as these or the like reasons may breed care and watchfulness; so hath the true Christian no cause of despair, but rather many arguments of hope of good success, and daily victories and triumphs over the flesh, if he be watchful. For, 1. God hath provided him of armour against those kinds of assaults: and it is mighty to preserve and subdue, 2. Cor. 10.3, 4. 2. Christ in his power doth rest in us, for this end, to assist us in the combat, as we cry for help, 2. Cor. 12.10. 3. We fight against an adversary hath been often foiled by all sorts of Godly Christians, and by ourselves in diverse particular combats; yea, against an adversary that hath received a deadly wound that cannot be cured: for so the flesh (the first day of our conversion) was mortified. All that are Christ's have mortified the flesh with the Insts thereof. 4. We have assurance of victory if we resist, Rom. 8.38. 5. An incorruptible Crown is laid up for all that overcome, 2. Tim. 4.7, 8. Re. 2. Now, for the seventh point: we obtain victory against the flesh diverse ways; as, 1. In our justification, when we by faith obtain the pardon of our sins committed, and a righteousness able to cover us, How many ways we get victory over our lusts. notwithstanding all the spite the flesh doth us. This is our victory in Christ, Rom. 7. 2. In our sanctification: and so we get victory, 1. When we conquer some sins wholly, so that we never commit them again. 2. When we turn, and subdue the power of the sins that remain; so as they cannot reign, though they rebel. 3. We shall have our final and full victory in our glorification in the day of Christ, when the flesh shall be utterly abolished for ever. Now for the eighth point: we may know that we are not at any time overcomne, by these signs, if we find them in us. 1. If we judge ourselves for all known sins; so as there be no sin arising from the flesh, but we condemn it, Signs to know whether we be overcomne of our lusts. and keep ourselves as men condemned in the flesh, being grieved at the rebellion of the flesh in us, Rom. 7.1. Pet. 4.7. 2. If we hold fast our assurance of faith: we are safe so long as we keep the faith, 2. Tim. 4.7. 3. If we go on in our Christian way or course, and do not give over the practice of known duties against the light of our consciences: if we finish our course, 2. Tim. 4.7. Use. The use of all should be, First, for information; and so two ways: for, 1. It shows the miseries of such persons as never feel this combat, that have all quiet in them: it is a sign the flesh and the devil rule all, and there is no sanctified Spirit to resist. 2. It shows the folly of some godly persons, that are troubled as if their states were not right, because they find such a combat in themselves: whereas they should rather conclude the contrary, that therefore there is some workmanship of Christ in them, which is so opposed by the flesh and the devil; and that it is the case of all the godly to be assaulted with rebellious thoughts and desires, and other practices of the flesh, reckoned up before. Secondly, for instruction: and so it should teach Christians, and warn them to take heed of three things, viz. of security, despair, and fainting: for all these are mischievous. We may not be secure, sith we have such an enemy within us: nor must we be too much out of hope, or despair of success, for the reasons before alleged: nor yet must we give way so much as to fainting of spirit; but pluck up our own hearts, and, with trust in God's grace, resist still the risings of corruption, till we get a final victory. VERSE 12. And have your conversation honest amongst the Gentiles; that they which speak evil of you, as evil doers, may by your good works which they shall see, glorify God in the day of their visitation. HItherto of the dehortation. The words of this verse are an exhortation: wherein consider both what he exhorts to, and by what reasons. The matter he exhorts to, concerns their outward conversation, which he would have to be honest and amiable. The reasons are, First, because the Christians lived among Gentiles, that embraced not the true Religion. Secondly, because diverse of these Gentiles were so spiteful against the Christians, that they would take all occasions to speak evil of them. Thirdly, because some of them that now did speak evil of them, might hereafter be converted to the true Religion. Fourthly, because if they now observe their good works, when they shall be visited of God, they will much magnify them to the great glory of God. That which he then exhorts them to, is the care of their conversation; which he amplifies, by showing what kind of conversation he would have it to be, viz. A fair or honest conversation. And have your conversation honest.] Divers things may be hence observed: First, that a sound Christian must show himself to be so by his conversation; a Christian must show the power of his Religion by his works, and by sound practice; and that too, amongst men abroad: he must be known by his fruits, Col. 1.9, 10 Tit. 2.12. and therefore the Apostle beseecheth them to prove before the Gentiles, that they were true Christians, by their works and conversation. This reproves their discontentment that are vexed because they are not reputed for sound Christians, and yet show no care of a conscionable behaviour in their dealings and carriage among men; and withal, this may warn all sorts of Christians to look to themselves, that they be not deceived with vain shadows in pretences; for 'tis not talking and discoursing of Religion will serve turn, nor the frequenting of the exercises of Religion; nor is it enough to do secret duties: but they are bound to the good behaviour generally in their carriage amongst men. This is the first point. Secondly, from the coherence we may note also, that a man must first reform his heart, and then his life; he must first get a clean heart, freed from lusts, and then look to his conversation: holiness must be both within and without. He is an hypocrite, that hath a fair conversation, and a foul heart: neither may he plead the goodness of his heart, that leads a foul conversation; both must be joined together. Thirdly, we may hence note, that every Christian must be careful, and look to it in particular, that his conversation be honest: honesty of life is with special care to be intended. Now this must be explicated. The word translated Honest, signifies properly, Fair; and the Translatours● respecting the matter of our conversation, render it well, Honest; so as withal, for the manner we add, that it be a fair conversation: so that two things must be observed in our conversation, the Matter and the Manner. For the Matter: We must be sure that we be honest: It is a vain thing to think of being religious, if we fail in honesty; we must not only study the duties of the first Table, but we must be careful to prove the power of our Religion in the sound practice of the duties of the second Table: we must live righteously as well as religiously, Tit. 2.12. we must add virtue to our faith, 2. Pet 1.5. and withal, we should labour to excel in honesty, to carry ourselves so in all our dealings, that our carriage might allure, through the fairness of our behaviour; we must in the things of honesty, strive for an alluring carriage. There be diverse things in our outward conversation, which set a great gloss upon many actions, and certain particular duties which show exceeding comely in a Christian man's behaviour; those the Apostle would have us to study and be careful of, even all things that are honest, and might win credit to the profession of Religion, Phil. 4.8. This then is the question: What are those things which would so adorn the outward conversation of Christians, and make it fair and amiable? For answer hereunto, there are Six things which are of singular praise, and much adorn a Christians conversation, and make it fair. The first is harmlessness; to be free from all courses of injury, and cruelty, Six things to be looked to, to express a fair conversation. and oppression, and the like. A hurtful and injurious conversation is a foul and unseemly conversation. The second is discretion: when men carry themselves with all due respect of their words, and the consideration of the time, place, and persons with whom they converse. A discreet conversation is a wonderful fair conversation: when as a foolish, vain, rash, conceited, talkative behaviour, is extremely irksome and loathsome, Col. 4.5. jam. 3.13. The third is quietness and gentleness: which excels, as it shows itself, first, by humbleness of mind, thinking meanly of himself, and esteeming others better than himself, Esay 4.2. in giving honour going before others, Rom. 12.13. Secondly, by peaceableness, when men study to be quiet, Eph. 4.11.12. and meddle with their own business, and avoid contention by all means, rather suffering wrong than prove quarrelsome, Heb. 12.14. Thirdly, easiness to be entreated in case of offence taken, & willingness to be guided in things profitable and good, jam. 3.17. The fourth is sobriety: when a man lives so, as he is not blemished, either with filthiness, or drunkenness, or covetousness: A man that is unspotted of the world for any foul crimes, and withal can show a mind not transported with the greedy desires after earthly things, is much honoured, and justly, amongst men: the worst man cannot but acknowledge the praise of such: So as men show this in their dealings evidently, Rom. 13.13. jam. 1.26. The fifth is fidelity and plainness: when men are just and true in all their dealings, and will keep their words and promises, and abhor the sins of deceit, and avoid subtlety and worldly wisdom, and show themselves to be plain men, as it was said of jacob, that he was a plain man, not like subtle Esau. This aught much to be sought after by Christians, that men may see their hearts by their words, 2. Cor. 1.12. The sixth is profitableness: rendered in the end of this verse, good works. They lead a fair conversation, that do good, and are helpful to others, and ready to show any kindness or mercy to any that live near them, or have occasion to use them. This is an admirable praise. The use should be, therefore, to teach us to study how to adorn our conversation with such integrity and virtuous behaviour, Use. as may win praise and reputation to our profession; especially we should at least shun all those hateful evils, which by experience we find to be grievous and loathsome, and are to be accounted as blemishes in our conversings; being things as are in a special manner loathsome, and provoke ill opinion in others, as being against honesty and that fair conversation should be found in us: as, First, the sins of uncleanness, and whoredom, and fornication, and lasciviousness, and filthy speaking, Rom. 13.13. Eph. 5.3.4. Secondly, the sins of drunkenness and riotousness, Rom. 13.13. 1. Pet. 4.3. Thirdly, the sins of passion, malice, wrath, bitterness, clamour, and evil speaking, Eph. 4.31. Fourthly, sins of deceit, lying, dissimulation, and hypocrisy. Fiftly, pride, stateliness, desire of vain glory, Gal. 5.26. Sixtly, backbiting, complaining, censuring, judging, Mat. 7.1. jam. 4. Gal. 5.13. Seventhly, idleness and slothfulness, 1. Thes. 4, 11.12. Eighthly, to be a busybody in other men's matters, prying, and enquiring, and meddling with things that belong not to them, 1. Thes. 4.11.12. 1. Pet. 4. To which, add prattling and talkativeness, 1. Tim. 5.13. Ninthly, such courses as have appearance of evil in them: such are, the use of vain apparel, and wilful resorting to persons and places that are of evil report. Thus of the matter to which he exhorts. The reasons follow, why they should be careful of an honest and fair behaviour; and first, because they live among the Gentiles. Among the Gentiles.] Those Gentiles were such as lived in their natural idolatry, the nations that had not received the Christian faith. Those that think this Epistle was written only to the provincial Jews, allege the words of this verse to prove it: for, say they, it was written to such as lived among the Gentiles, and were no Gentiles; and they only were the Jews. But this reason is of no force: for those Gentiles, that were converted to the Christian faith, became Christians, and so were no more Gentiles or Pagans. And so these words may be understood of all sorts of Christians that lived among the unconverted Gentiles, whether they were in their natural estate, either Jews or Pagans. In that the Christians lived among the Gentiles, and must, by their fair conversation, be rightly ordered towards those Gentiles, diverse things may be observed: First, we may hence note, how hard a thing it is to recover men from a false religion, though their religion be grossly absurd. In this place, whither the Gospel came, we see multitudes of men remained Gentiles still, and would not receive the Christian faith. And this is the more to be noted, if we either consider the reasons the Gentiles had to remain in their religion, or the manifest causes they had to move them to embrace the Christian Religion. For, for their own religion, they might easily observe these things amongst many other: First, their palpable and sottish idolatry, in worshipping so many gods, and those so accounted to be gods, being many of them apparently but senseless creatures; as, the Sun, Moon, and Stars; others of them but dead men, and others of them such, as of whom there was not the least colour or appearance of Divinity. Secondly, the most notorious wickedness of life, which did every where abound in all the nations that were Pagans, Rom. 1. Thirdly, that they followed a religion that gave them no hope of a better life after death, nor could describe any estate worth the desiring. Fourthly, there was no agreement among them what should be the chief good while they lived; but men were carried according to the sensual desires of their own hearts. On the other side, for the Christian Religion, they saw that the doctrine of it was every where proved by miracles; and that their own Oracles, in every place where the Gospel came, were put to silence. Besides, they might observe, that the Christian Religion did teach the most absolute way for holiness of life, and that the Christians did live the most unrebukeably of all others, yea did with gladness dye in the defence of their religion: and further, the Christian Religion did show them the glory of heaven, and discovered that certain estate of most blessed immortality. Quest. But, may some one say, what might be the motives to the Gentiles, to make them continue so obstinate? Ans. There were, chiefly, five things which caused this obstinacy in the Gentiles. The first was the tradition of their fathers & forefathers: thy would not forsake that religion, which for so many hundred years their Ancestors had professed, 1. Pet. 1.18. Secondly, the God of this world did mightily labour to blind their eyes, that they might not understand the Gospel, 2. Cor. 4.4. Thirdly, they saw that the Christian Religion was persecuted in all places, both by reproaches and martyrdom. Fourthly, they would not receive the Christian Religion, because there were but few that professed it, and that their wise men and great men of the world, for the most part, did reject it, 1. Cor. 1. The last and chief reason was the love of their sins, which they saw they must forgo if they embraced the Christian Religion. It was true also, that the wickedness of some hypocrites that crept in among Christians, did make the way of God evil spoken of, and many Gentiles to blaspheme, Rom. 2. I might add, that the doctrine of Christ's Passion, was a scandal unto many Gentiles, who accounted it as a foolish thing, to believe him as a Saviour, that could not save himself from so ignominious a death; being willingly ignorant of the necessity of that oblation of Christ, as the Surety and Sacrifice for our sins. It is profitable to consider of the obstinacy of these Gentiles, together with their motives: for, first we may see that they stood upon the same grounds in effect, upon which the Papists do rest at this day; for the Papists main allegations are, the traditions of Fathers and Forefathers, together with the multitudes of people that follow their Religion; but especially the consideration of the woeful estate of forborn men, should teach us with the more thankfulness to celebrate the praise of God's mercy to us, that did subdue our natures, and draw us out of blindness and wickedness, into the true Religion, and into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. And Ministers should hence learn with patience to do their work, and not to be discouraged, though multitudes of people be not brought to the obedience of Christ. They must not look to speed better than the Apostles, who in all places left thousands of people that would not regard them nor their Ministeries, 2. Tim. 2.25, 26. Lastly, we should learn even of wicked men, how we should entertain the truth; for if it be so hard a matter to get men to change their minds when they hold gross errors and falsehood, how ought we to stick to the truth when we have received it, and not receive any other doctrine, though an Angel from heaven should teach us otherwise than is written in the Word of God? Gal. 1.7. Doct. 2. We may hence also note, that God is pleased to suffer his children in this life to live amongst wicked men. A godly man can live no where, but there are some wicked living there; the Tares will grow up with the Wheat. There may be diverse reasons assigned of this, why God doth not gather his people altogether from the places where wicked men dwell: as first, God doth hereby try his people whether they will forsake the enticements of the wicked, and cleave to him and his truth; the more byways there are, the more praise to him that keeps the right way. Secondly, God doth by the wicked many times refine and purify his servants; by reason of the wicked, he both keeps them clean, and if they gather any filth, by them he washeth them. Wicked men are many time's God's Laundresses to godly men: for, if God appoint them to chasten his servants; they will do it throughly, both by reproaches and other ways. Thirdly, the Kingdom of Christ must be set up among wicked men, because amongst them are many of God's Elect, which are in due time to be converted from their wickedness. Fourthly, hereby the power of Christ is magnified, that can set up and maintain his Sceptre in the midst of his enemies. Fiftly, by this course God's patience is prolonged; for God is pleased, for the godlie's sakes, to forbear those destroying judgements which else would fall upon the wicked. The use should be, to teach us to bear with patience the inconveniences which befall us in our places and callings, by reason of the neighbourhood of wicked men, as knowing that it is the condition of all the godly, and hath always been so, and is so in all places; and therefore to resolve with our selves, rather to learn how to carry ourselves fairly and honestly among them, than through impatience without calling, to shift our places, or without charity, to make any schism or rent in the Church. Secondly, since on earth it will be no better with us in respect of our habitation; we should therefore learn the more to desire to be in heaven, where all the people shall be righteous: since there is so much unrighteousness in this Wourld, we should long for these new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. We should be the more thankful, if God ease us, in any degree, of the molestations of wicked men, either ridding out manifest Idolaters, Pagans, or Papists, or restraining those that are with us from unquietness, and tumult, and daily slander, or comforting us with a large fellowship of the godly. Fourthly, it should teach us circumspection, seeing the days are evil, both to hold forth our own light in the midst of their darkness, & to take heed that we trust not every man, nor believe every thing: a holy reservedness will become this Doctrine. Fiftly, the zeal of God's house should the more overcome us to strive to win men to God, and provoke them, as we have occasion and ability, to the love of God, and the true Religion. Sixtly, we should cleave the faster to the society of the godly, and strive together, and contend for the faith, seeing that we are always in the midst of our enemies. Lastly, it may be a great comfort to such as can quiet themselves well towards wicked men, that can keep their way, and be still upright and undefiled, that can also keep peace, and win love from their very enemies, that can do valiantly in the winning men to the liking of Religion for their sakes. To be good among the good, is not singular; but to be evil among the good, is abominable; and so is it an admirable praise to be good among the evil. Doct. 3. That in some cases the conversation of a Christian may extend itself even to wicked men. Someone will say, We are forbidden conversation with them, how then can we converse with them? Ans. First, our conversation may reach unto them by fame or report; so the Christians conversed among the Gentiles, in that what they did, was discoursed of among the Gentiles. But this is not all; for in some cases we may go among them lawfully, even into their presence and company; In what cases it is lawful to converse with wicked men. as first, in case of negotiation in things of necessity, as trade, public service, or the like. Secondly, in case of natural or civil obligation to them; as children, wives, servants, subjects, may not withdraw their attendance or service from them, but may and must converse with them. Thirdly in case of Religion, men that intent to admonish, confute, persuade or win them to the love of Religion, may for that end converse with them. But then two cautions must be observed; first, that the party that would so converse with them, must be able to admonish or confute, etc. Secondly, such an end must not be made a pretence, only to cover needless society with them. Lastly, a difference must be put between the open enemies of God, and such as give some hope of inclination to Religion, though yet they be not manifestly religious. There are some persons that are inoffensive, so as they are not guilty of any gross and open crime, and seem to favour Religion and the exercises thereof, and do desire the society of the godly, and take no pleasure in evil company; now we must beware that we judge not rashly of these, to account them as Gentiles, and such as are without; and with these we may hold more sure society. Doct. 4. It may be lastly hence observed, That to convince or win the Gentiles, honesty of conversation is chiefly to be respected; honesty, I say, not Religion. To show the practice of religious duties before them, is a way to irritate them: they must be beaten with their own weapons, and overcome in the things they profess to be good. The way to amaze them that are without, is to show that religion forms in us such things as they confess to be good, yet cannot come to, or not in such a manner or degree: such as are faithfulness, chastity, meekness, wisdom, taciturnity, mercy, or the like. The use should be therefore to teach godly Christians, in the places where they live, to look to this point: not only to live without offence, but to strive to excel in the virtues that concern outward honesty of life. And to this end it were excellent, if Christians would mark, in what things the men of the world, where they live, do strive to excel; and not rest satisfied, till they can make all sorts of men discern, that Religion hath made them even in those things to go beyond them. And thus they should not suffer themselves to be put down by Papists or any carnal persons, in works of mercy, or truth in their words and promises, or quietness of disposition, or magnanimity, or the like; and the rather, because their praise is of God: whereas carnal men have only the praise of men. And beside, the true Christian shall have a recompense of reward in heaven, Ephes. 6.8. whereas the Pharisee hath his reward only in this life. And further, we should be more careful to win praise to our God and the true Religion, than they are to get applause to themselves, or a strange god. And we are in the light, they are in darkness: it were a shame they should do their work better in the dark than we in the light, Rom. 13. Thus of the first reason. The second reason why they should be careful of their conversation, is, because the Gentiles are apt to speak evil of the Christians, as evil doers. That where as they speak evil of you, as of evil doers.] From hence three things may be observed: First, that it hath been the lot of godly men to be evil spoken of and traduced: as we see the Christian Churches in the primitive times were exposed to the infamous reports of the Gentiles. Two things would be here explained: First, that it hath always been so: And then the causes of it. For the first, that it hath always been so, is clear by instances of all times: before the Law, under the Law, and in the time of the Gospel. 1. Before the Law. Ishmael scoffs at Isaac● and Joseph's brethren scorn and revile him. job was accused as an Hypocrite by his own friends, and scorned by the basest of the people, job. 30.1. So was it with Moses and the Israelites, Heb. 11.26. 2. Under the Law. David was slandered by many, Psal. 31.12. The abjects tore his name, and ceased not, Psal. 35.15. the drunkards sang of him, Psal. 69.13. he was a reproach of men, a byword, a proverb, etc. So in the Prophet Esay's time, Esay 8.18. and 59.16. and 51.8. jeremy complains, that they consulted how to devise devices against him, and to smite him with the tongue. 3. Under the Gospel. 1. Look to the Author and finisher of our faith, Christ Jesus: he was charged with gluttony, Mat. 11.18. blasphemy, Mat. 26.65. madness, joh. 10.20. to be a deceiver, joh. 7.22. and to have a devil, & work by the prince of devils. 2. The Apostles were made a spectacle to men and Angels, and accounted as the off-scowring of all things, 1. Cor. 4.9, 10, 13. 3. Yea it is foretold to be the case of all Christians, Mat. 5.12. Gal. 4.29. The causes of those reproaches follow. First, in wicked men: it is their natural hatred of the truth and goodness, 1. joh. 2. and 3. Secondly, in the devil: it is his policy, hereby, 1. To keep men from embracing a religion that is so traduced, Acts 28. Causes why godly me● are evil spoken of. 2. To discourage and hinder the weak Christian, and to make him fearful in the way of God. 3. To pull back certain men which were going towards the Kingdom of God. Thirdly, in God's will: hereby to try the constancy of his servants ● and to make them live more watchfully. Fourthly, in Christians themselves: it is Sometimes long of hypocrites that break out into scandalous courses, and so make the way of God evil spoken of. Sometimes it is the indiscretion and weaknesses of some Christians, which first set wicked men a-work. But chiefly it is their goodness, because they will not run with the wicked into the same excess of riot, 1 Pet. 4.5. Psal. 38.1. joh. 3. Thus of the first doctrine. Doct. 2. The second thing may be noted from hence, is, That to speak evil of the godly is a property of wicked men, of men not yet visited of God. Such as dishonour godly Christians, did never endeavour to glorify God himself, 1 Cor. 6.9.10. Psal. 15. Rom. 1.29, 30. and therefore their tongues that are given to reviling of the godly, are said to be set on fire from hell, jam. 3. Doct. 3. The third thing is, That to speak evil of the good, is a vice that all wicked men are guilty of: as here he supposeth it to be the sin of all the Gentiles, so of all men by nature, Rom. ●. 12, 13. It followeth that I should show the uses may be made of the three doctrines together: but first a question may be asked; and that is, Quest. Whether may not evil be spoken of godly men at all, and in no case? I answer, Evil may not at all be spoken of them in these cases following: First, in things that are hidden thou mayst not judge them; as, thou mayst not meddle with them for the thoughts and intents of their hearts, In what cases it is hurtful to speak evil of godly men. 1 Cor. 4.5. Secondly, in things doubtful, of which there is no proof: for in such cases all men must speak and judge the best. Thirdly, in things indifferent they may not be censured, either for their judgement, or practice, Rom. 14. Fourthly, things secret, though evil, yet may not be carried about or discovered: for he that reveals a secret, goeth about as a slanderer. Fiftly, they must not be evil spoken of for mere frailties and infirmities: for love must cover a multitude of those evils; and their nakedness herein must be covered. Sixthly, they must not be evil spoken of behind their backs for any evils, unless it be when they are incorrigible, or may infect others; or otherwise, that their sins be spoken of for some manifest glory of God: Backbiting is directly condemned. Seventhly, not for any faults for which they have truly repent. Eighthly, not in any case so as to judge them with a final sentence: to pronounce absolutely of their estates, that they are hypocrites, or shall be damned. Lastly, evil must never be spoken of them for welldoing: no man may dare to call good evil. Otherwise in things that are apparently evil, they may be reproved by Magistrates, or Ministers, or Parents, or Masters: yea and by any that is able to admonish, so as their sins be not spoken of with hatred or mere desire to disgrace them. The uses of all this are for instruction: and so both to wicked men and godly men. And so it is needful to be attended, because all of us either do reproach, or are reproached. Wicked men should be warned, if it be possible, to repent of this sin and forbear it; and that for many reasons: First, if they consider God's commandment, which forbiddeth all excesses of this kind, Reasons against evil speaking. Psal. 33.13. Tit. 3.1. Secondly, if they consider the causes of their evil speaking; which, as was showed before, is the malice of their own hearts against the truth, and the especial working of the devil, who is the fire of hell, that sets their tongues a-work, jam. 3. Thirdly, if they consider that this is the devil's special sin, to be an accuser of the brethren, and from thence hath his name in other languages: And wilt thou make a devil of thyself; or discover such a devilish property in this nature? Fourthly, if they consider the effect of this sin of reproaching & slandering the godly, either to the godly, or to themselves. First, to the godly: what mischief do they? Evil words are compared to swords and razors. It is a kind of murder: it is as hateful as if they did cut or pierce their bodies: and beside, to what grievous contempts and indignities many times dost thou bring them by thy lies and slanders? Secondly, to thy se●f: consider what thou bringst by speaking evil of the godly. 1. Though thou do it never so secretly behind their backs, yet it is overheard, and will come out: how wouldst thou be ashamed, if he of whom thou speakest stood behind thee when thou didst slander him? O man, consider, though the godly man never hear thee, yet God doth hear it, and all thou sayest, thou must bear thy shame for it. 2. Observe what interpretation God makes of it: he calls this sin blasphemy: for so the word is in the original, Col. 3.8. to note thereby, that he is vexed at this sin of vilifying his people, as if it were the reproaching of himself. 3. Consider what a shame it will be to thee when God shall clear the innocency of his servants: how wilt thou be confounded when they are justified? 4. Consider what hurt it doth thyself and others; it is a great means to set you further off from the Kingdom of God and to harden your hearts against the cares of your own reformation and salvation: Evil words corrupt good manners. Thou losest so much even of natural honesty, as thou admittest of evil in thy tongue. 5. Consider the punishment from the Lord. This is a sin that God hath grievously threatened, as these places show: Psal. 50.20. and 109.29. Esay. 51. 18. Psal. 31.18. Esay 41.11, 12.1. Pet. 4.4, 5. And as it is evil to speak evil of those that are godly, as it appears by these reasons: so it is monstrous to be guilty of speaking evil in any of the cases following: as, 1. To speak evil of the absent, that cannot defend themselves. In what cases in particular it is odious to speak evil. 2. To speak evil of such as God hath humbled and afflicted, and do judge themselves for their sins. 3. To speak evil of such as have been friendly to us, and showed their loving respect of us, and done us good. 4. To speak evil of our superiors; as godly Magistrates, & good Ministers. 5. To speak evil of such as are nearly linked unto us; as of our parents: and so it is monstrous uncomely, when wives speak evil of their husbands; and chose. 6. To speak evil of any simply for godliness sake. 7. To speak evil of others, and yet be guilty of the same offences themselves. 8. And so it is monstrous, when men speak evil of such behind their backs, to whom they speak fair before their faces: this hooding of hatred and cursing with lying lips is abominable. So then this doctrine against evil-speaking doth in a special manner light upon such persons as are guilty of any of those ways of evil-speaking. And thus of the uses that concern wicked men. Secondly, godly men be also instructed from hence. For, since this doctrine tells them, that it hath been the lot of godly men in all ages, to be evil spoken of in all places where they live, they should thereby be made careful to order themselves aright, in bearing reproaches in a right manner; as resolved to prepare for the trial of this affliction, if they be not scourged with it: for as the devil, when he gave over to tempt Christ, is said to cease but for a season; so if wicked men hold their tongues, we must not think they will be quiet always: for till God turn their hearts, they are apt to speak evil. Now, that a godly man may be rightly ordered in respect of reproaches, he must look to three things. Helps against reproaches to ●eare them. First, he must be sure he be free from this evil himself, that he help not the wicked against the righteous, and by his own intemperance raise evil fames, by reason of which Religion is evill-spoken of: for railing, cursing, slandering, censuring, and the like, will make the very godly look like wicked ones, yea like the devil himself. Shall it be accounted a Paganish offence, and shall a godly Christian be guilty of it? Especially such Christians should be extremely abased for their evil natures, that raise evil reports of other Christians, in cases where wicked men themselves are silent. Secondly, that he carry himself in a holy manner when he is reproached: and so he must remember two things. 1. That he render not reviling for reviling; but if he find himself stirred, with David to go to God, and betake himself to prayer, Psal. 109.4.1. Pet. 3.9. 2. That he strive to confute them by real apologies: and so he doth, if he endeavour to put them to silence by his good works, and a careful course of conversation. Thirdly, because the godliest men may have their passions, and may be stirred up with such indignations (as appears, jer. 8.18, 21,) he must labour to sense his own heart with store of arguments, that may make him patient & comfortable under this cross: and thus it should comfort him to consider, 1. That no reproaches can make him vile in God's sight: how vile soever he seem to be unto men, yet in God's eyes he is honourable, Esay 43.4. 2. That thou art but as an evil doer, not an evil doer. It is not miserable, To be as an evil doer: but it is miserable, To be an evil doer, 2. Cor. 6.8, 9 3. This is not to resist unto blood, Heb. 12.3. This is a far less cross than hath been laid upon many of the best servants of God: they have lost their lives in the defence of pure Religion. 4. That howsoever it go with thee in this life, yet in the Day of Jesus Christ thy innocence shall be cleared, and thy faith and sincerity shall be found unto praise, and honour, and glory: thou shalt have abundant praise in that Day, 1. Pet. 1.7. Thus of the use that concerns either wicked men, or godly men. There is yet a use that concerns all men: and that is, To take heed o● receiving evil reports against the godly: for seeing it is so usual for ill-minded men to devise and divulge evil reports of them, all men should be wary, and take heed of receiving the evil speeches that are bruited or spoken of any in the business of godliness. The receiving of false reports is forbidden in Scripture, as well as the devising or divulging of them, Exod. 23.1. And it is made a sign of a wicked disposition, To give heed to false lips: and that man is himself a liar, that harkneth to a naughty tongue, Pro. 17.4. And therefore God will plague in hell, not only liars, but such as love lies, Rev. 22.8. And a good man is said to have this property, that he will not receive an ill report against his neighbour, Psal. 15. And by receiving evil reports, a man becomes accessary to the slander, & guilty of it: for as it is true, that the receiver of evil-gotten goods is accessary to the theft; so is it in the case of slander, & somewhat worse: for there may be thiefs, though there be no receivers; but there can be no slanderers, without some to receive the slander. Neither is there any great difference between the tale-bearer and the tale-hearer: for the tale-bearer hath the devil in his tongue, and the tale-hearer hath the devil in his ear. Quest. But what should we do to avoid talebearers, or if we do hear reproaches or slanders of other men? Answ. As the North wind drives away the rain; so must thy angry countenance do the slandering tongue: thou must not any way show any liking of his discourse, but the contrary: yea, and further, thou must, as far as thou art able, make an apology for the godly man that is evil spoken of. And the tongue of a godly wise man should be in this sense healthful, because it should be ready to heal that wound which the tale-bearer hath made in the name of his neighbour, Prov. 12.18. and 25.23. Thus of the second reason. The third and fourth reasons are contained in these last words, viz. That they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. The reasons are, because God may visit them: and if he do, they will glorify God upon the remembrance of your good works. But here I purpose to handle the words as they lie in the order of reading them: and so I have four things to consider of. First, of good works; secondly, of the beholding of good works; thirdly, of the glorifying of God; fourthly, of the day of visitation. Good works.] Divers observations are implied here. First, that Religion sets men to work: there is labour in godliness. He must work that will be truly godly or religious. God entertains no servants, but he sets them to work: they are called to labour all the days of their life. We must work out our salvation: without working we cannot be saved, though our works be not the cause of salvation. This point proves, that the Gospel is not a doctrine of liberty: religion doth call men to working, not to live as they lift, but as he lists that died for them, and requires their service. And secondly, this doctrine shows who is a true Christian. For as the Scripture is wont to describe a profane man, by saying, that he is a worker of iniquity: so doth it avouch, that he is a godly man, that worketh truth and righteousness, Psal. 5. Prov. 14.23. joh. 3.21. Psal. 106.2. To be a worker of iniquity, imports three things: First, gross known sin; secondly, a daily custom in the practice of it; and thirdly, an estimation of sin as the means of our happy life. The wicked man lives by sin, as the labourer doth by his trade. So here, that man that will labour, and that constantly, about the works of a holy life, making it his every days care to do Gods will, and accounts it the happiness of his life to do good duties, that man is a godly man. It is not talking of Religion will serve the turn, nor the shows of it, but he must work, and endure the labour of godliness, jam. 1.25. Act. 10.36. And further, this should teach Christians often to remember their holy calling, and examine themselves what works they have done, as such servants as desire to give a good account to their Master; and the rather, because no servants can have fairer work: it is all good work: and servants were so engaged to their masters, nor did owe more service; and because never was there a master that gave better wages than God doth to his servants. And therefore let every Christian be daily careful to look to his work, that when his Master cometh, he may find him so doing. Thus of the first point. Doct. 2. Secondly, that works do specially commend us to the good opinions of men: it is our works must justify us before men: by good works we must win testimony to our sincere religion from men. Faith justifies us before God, and proveth us to be true Christians; as works do before men prove us to be so. And therefore we should strive, by well doing, to win as much credit as we can to our Religion among men, jam. 3.13. Doct. 3. Thirdly, that the foundest way of confuting our Adversaries, is by our works: we must make real apologies: we must put them to silence by well-doing. Now, in that he calls the good works done by them, their good works, I might note diverse things. 1 The necessity of good works: they must have works of their own: the good works done by others avail not them, nor justify them. 2 The goodness of God, that vouchsafeth to call those works their works, when yet they were wrought by him, as having had their beginning from his grace and Spirit, Esa. 26.12. 3 It is true, that they only can do good works; good works are only theirs: a wicked man cannot do good works, because his person is hateful to God, and his nature altogether impotent; and though he may do some actions, which for the matter of them are good, yet he pollutes them with his sins, of which he hath not repent; and cannot bring them forth complete for matter, manner, and end, Tit. 1. ult. Mat. 6. But it is the goodness of works which I specially intent to entreat of in this place. Good works.] The goodness of men's works may be diversely considered; either according to the differences of works good, from such as are not so, or according to the forms of good works, or according to the time of doing works, or according to the uses works are put to. Wherein works are good. For the first. Some men's works are neither good nor seem to be so; as are the apparent sins of men. Some men's works seem good, but are not; as the alms, and prayer, and fasting of the Pharisees. Some men's works are good, but seem n●t so, at least in the eyes of some men: and so the religious duties of godly Christians seemed to be vain practices of Sectaries and innovators, Act. 28. and so Paul's zeal and knowledge seemed madness to Festus, Act. 26. Some works seem good, and are so: such are the open good works of the godly in the judgement of godly men guided by charity. For the second. If works be tried by their form, than those works are good works which are done with correspondency to the revealed will of God in his Word they must be commended in the Word, and done according to the directions of the Word; so that all works done beside or above the Law of God, are sinful and naught: and the doing of the works of supererogation, or those works they call Counsels, fall to the ground. And yet we confess, there were some works good, which were not commanded in Scripture; as Phine●● his work in slaying the fornicators; and Mary's work in anointing Christ unto the burial (for so it is called a good work, Mat. 26.10.) and abraham's work in sacrificing his son, and the like: these were good works, and had no● warrant from Scripture, but were warranted by extraordinary calling thereto: and so they differ from the works of superstitious persons, done without warrant ordinary or extraordinary. For the third. The time of doing some works, adds much to the consideration of their goodness: as for instance; The charitable & religious works done by men before their conversion are not to be reckoned good works, because the person that doth them is not reconciled to God, and lives polluted in his sins. Likewise the works of our calling, done in the weekdays, are good works; but done on the Sabbath day, are evil works. So works done too late are not good; as their prayers that would not answer when God called them, Prov. 1. For the fourth▪ If the uses of works be respected, the outward works of wicked men, that for the matter of them are required in the Word, may be said to be good works, become they are good for men unto whom they are done: as the alms of a Pharisee is a good work, in that it is good for the relief of the poor, though it be not good in the sight of God; as failing of the right end, which is, God's glory. Thus of the acceptation of the terms. The good works here mentioned, are such as are good in God's sight, as being done in obedience to Gods will, and by persons that are godly. Now concerning those good works, I propound diverse things profitable to be considered of. First, the rules of good works, which do tell us what must be had, before a work can be a good work. Secondly, the kinds of good works, or what works we may account in the nature of good works; how many sorts of good works there are. Thirdly, I would answer a question or two, needful to be considered of, about good works; and in the last place, the uses of all. For the first of those. There are many rules to be observed, before we can do works that God will account good. And those rules are absolutely necessary, and they are these: First, the person must be reconciled unto God in Jesus Christ, Rules to be observed in doing good works. or else all he doth will be abominable in God's sight. He must be turned in Jesus Christ, Eph. 2.10. He must be pure, or else his work is not right but polluted, Tit. 1. ult. Prov. 21.8. The people that do good works, must be purified unto God, being redeemed by Jesus Christ, & so made a peculiar people, Tit. 2.14. He must be purged, and sanctified, and so prepared to good works, 2 Tim. 2.21. Secondly, his works must be warranted and required and prescribed in the Word of God: he must walk by rule: his pattern must be found in the Scripture, Gal. 6.14. he must come to the light of the Word, that his works may be manifest that they are wrought in God, joh. 3.21. The Scripture is given by inspiration of God to this end, that the man of God might be perfectly directed unto every work that is good, 1 Tim. 3.16, 17. Thirdly, he must propound a right end in doing his works: or else though the matter be good, yet the work is polluted, as was showed before in the instance of the alms of the Pharisees: and this right end is not the praise of men only, or to merit thereby, but the glory of God chiefly, in the discharge of our obedience to God, and the edification of our neighbour. Fourthly, the works must be done in the name of Jesus Christ. We must rely upon the merits and intercession of Christ Jesus, as that which can cause our works to be pleasing to God, Col. 3.17. Whatsoever it is we do in word or in deed, all must be done in the name of Christ, or it is done in vain. Without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11.6. Now our works are done in faith, first, when we believe and know they are warranted by the Word, joh. 3.21. Secondly, when we believe Gods promises concerning the reward of well-doing, Heb. 11.6. Thirdly, when we fly to Jesus Christ to cover the imperfection of our works from the sight of God: and so in that place, Col. 3.17. and fourthly, when our belief of God's goodness to us, makes us careful to do all the good we can. Fifthly, his works must be done with repentance for his sins, and the judging of himself for the evil of his best works. By repentance, I mean not the first work of a sincere turning to God, for that is comprehended in the first rule: but the preservation of himself in his uprightness, and the daily judging of himself for his frailties. For if a godly man after his calling fall into presumptuous sins, his works done all the time he liveth in beloved sins, without the renewing of his repentance, are polluted, Esa. 1. Sixthly, his works must be done willingly, not grudgingly or of constraint, or only to avoid shame or punishment: God loves a cheerful giver. That alms that is given with an ill will, or forced from men by the laws or otherwise, is not accounted a work of mercy in God's sight: to do mercy, is not enough to make it a good work pleasing to God, but to love mercy▪ Mic. 6.8. and to come into God's presence to do his service, is not pleasing, unless we humble ourselves to walk with our God. Seventhly, his works must be finished: to intend it, or promise it, or begin it, will not serve turn: as in the case of mercy, to promise to contribute, or to begin for a day or a week, is not sufficient, unless we do it constantly, 2 Cor. 8. and 9 So it is in repentance: it is then a good work, when it is finished, not when a man hath had some remorse, or uttered a word or two of confession, or prayed for a day or two: but when a man having repent, reputes still, till he have sound humbled himself for his sins, and reform his ways, jer. 31.19, 20. So it is in general in any work God sets us to do, joh. 4.3, 4. Eighthly, his works must be his own fruit, such as belong to him in his place and calling. As in the calling of the Ministry, his good work is, to preach the Gospel with all frequency, and diligence, and power, etc. So in the Magistrate, to do the works of justice: so in other callings, every man must look to the duties of his own place: and so it is in our general callings; as Christians, we must do those which are meet for repentance, which not only concern a penitent life, but such as have a due respect unto the performing the things we are called to in our repentance, Luk. 4.44. Act. 6.20. Every tree must not only bear fruit, but his own fruit, proper to his kind: as the proper fruit of rich men is mercy: and if they had never so many praises otherwise, that they were courteous, wise, just, chaste, etc. yet if they be not merciful, their works are not good works. Ninthly, his works must be full before God. It was an objection against the Church of Sardis, that her works were not perfect (or full) before God; & therefore she is threatened, if she repent not, to feel the heavy hand of God, Rev. ●. 1, 2. No●, as I conceive, a man's works are not full, when he is not careful of every good work, which he knows concerns him; as for instance: if a man pray, and yet be not careful of hearing the Word, his prayers are abomination to God, because his works are not full. There be some duties which he makes no conscience to obey in, though he know they be required: he that turneth away his ears from hearing the Law, his prayers are abominable, Pro. 28.9. If a man would be never so careful about God's service, and yet make no conscience of the works of mercy required of him, his sacrifice is not accepted, Host 6.6, 7, etc. Thus the long prayers of the Pharisees will not be regarded if they devour widows houses, Mat. 23. and so on the other side, if a man were never so merciful a man, if he were not also a religious man in the things of God's service, his works would not abide trial before God: they were not good, because they were not full. And for this reason the works of civil honest men are not good: such were Paul's works, Phil. 3.6. which he accounts but dross and dung in comparison (vers. 8.) of such as these. Thus of the rules of good works: the kinds follow. The vulgar commonly when they hear of good works, think of nothing but alms and hospitality or other courses of showing mercy. Now though it be true, that works of mercy be good works, yet they are but one sort of good works; whereas the Christian is bound to be ready to every good work, 1 Tim. 3.17. and therefore it will be profitable to inform ourselves of the many ways by which we may do good works: for thereby such Christians as are not able to give alms, may see a way how to enrich themselves in well-doing other ways. These than are the sorts of good works: Kinds of good works. First, to believe is a good work, yea it is instead of many good works, yea in some sense it is to us instead of the works of the whole Law; as it is a means to lay hold on all the good works that ever Christ Jesus did. To put on the ●ord Jesus, is a good work in a high degree: and so every act of faith in all the passages of a man's life, is a good work: for this is the work of God, to believe, as our Saviour shows, when he gives that for answer for such as asked what they must do, to do the works of God, joh. 6.28. Rom. 13.12, 13, 14. This is clearly acknowledged in these other Scriptures, 1 Thes. 1.3. 2 Thes 1.11. Secondly, all works of piety are good works; all works of worship, that is, such works by which a man doth service to God, are all in the number of good works: and so to pray, to fast, to hear the Word, to receive the Sacraments, etc. are good works; for godliness hath the promises of this life, and of the life to come: and therefore it is profitable to all things, 1 Tim. 4.8. And these works must needs be accounted good works, for they are dear works: the blood of Christ was poured out, that we might be cleansed from dead works to serve the living God, Heb. 9.14. Thirdly, all works of repentance: all that a Christian doth about his humiliation or reformation, are evangelically good works; as, if he confess his sins, and do execution upon his sins; if he make satisfaction for his trespasses to men; if he reform himself, or his household, or his charge: these and the like are all good works, 2 Chron. 19.3. Fourthly, to suffer for a good cause, is reckoned in the number of good works; as to forsake father or mother, house or land, wife or children, liberty or life, for Christ's sake and the Gospels, it is in the number of those good things that shall have a good reward, Mat. 19.29. jer. 31.16. Ruth. 2.11, 12. Fifthly, works of men's particular callings, whether in the Commonwealth, or Church, or family, or any vocation or trade of life: so, works of Justice are good works; and to obey Magistrates, is called well-doing, vers. 14. of this chapter: so to preach the Gospel, is a good work, 1 Tim. ●. 1. So in the family, for parents to bring up their children well is a good work, 1 Tim. 5.10. yea the labours of servants in the family are such works as shall have reward of God, as well as works of piety, Esa. 6. Col. 3. Sixthly, works of mercy are good works, whether it be spiritual mercy to instruct, admonish, or reprove, or comfort, Psal. 140. or whether it be outward mercy, in giving, lending, visiting, defending the poor, or the like. All confess these to be good works, Act. 9.16. But that alms may be a good work, these three rules must be observed: First, that it be given of goods well gotten, else no good works. Secondly, that he that gives it have a good eye, Esa. 16.8. to distribute where there is need: for to keep a good house, and to entertain russians, and drunkards, and gamesters, is not a good work, nor hospetality, because here is not a good eye. Thirdly, alms mu●t be given to a good end, not for the praise of men, or to merit thereby, Mat. 6. Thus of the kinds of good works. The questions follow. Quest. 1. How can any works done by any man in this life be accounted good, seeing there is none that liveth and sinneth not? yea all our works, even the works of the most righteous, are as a menstruous cloth, Esa. 64.6. For answer hereunto, I say, It is true, that if God look upon the best works of the most godly in this life, and examine them by the rigour of his covenant, which he called, His covenant of works, than no flesh living can have comfort of his works, but all will appear loathsome as a menstruous garment. But the works of the believing Christians are otherways to be considered of: for, First, they are tried by the covenant of grace, How a godly man may comfort 〈◊〉 in his works. by the benefit of which covenant he is delivered from the rigorous perfection of the Law, & his uprightness is accepted instead of perfection: he is now no more under the Law, but by God's grace and acceptation, his works are taken as if they had been perfect. Secondly, he hath the benefit of Christ's intercession, who presenteth his works before God, covering the evil of them, and tendering them to God, who accepts them for the love he bears to his Son. And thus we read in Scripture, that Christ presents the prayers of the Saints. Besides, that the Christian may not think too vilely of his works, but be comforted in the Lord concerning them, let him further consider these things: First, that his good works have the Spirit of Jesus Christ, which is in him, for the fountain of them, 1 Cor. 12.11. Esa. 26.12. Secondly, that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed, not only for his justification, but also for his sanctification, Heb. 9.14. Thirdly, that though his works are not good effectu, yet they are good affectu, they are good in desire: his desire was to have them as good as God himself did require. And this God is pleased to accept, as if the work were perfectly done. Quest. 2. What are works good for, in that they are called good works? Answ. I answer, first, affirmatively: they are good, What works are good for. 1 To testify our thankfulness to God for all his benefits, in respect of which we are debtors unto God, Rom. 8.12. 2 To assure the truth of our faith, as the fruits of faith, Mat. 7.17. 1 Tim. 1.19. james 2. 3 To witness our election, and to make our calling sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. 4 To discharge our duty of obedience, unto which we are bound even in the covenant of grace. 5 To further the edification of our brethren, whom we help both by example, and by well-doing to them. 6 To win wicked men to a better estimation of our Religion, and to stop their mouths, as here, so vers. 15. 7 To glorify God, as is in this place mentioned. 8 They are good to make us capable of rewards from God in heaven, Heb. 10.36. Rom. 2.7, 8. yea and in this life too, 2 Tim. 4.8. Secondly, I say, they are not good, 1 To justify us before God, as it is at large proved by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians; only they are good to justify us before men, jam. 2. 2 Not to merit or deserve heaven by them: men's evil works do merit punishment: (for the wages of sin is death:) but our good works cannot merit, both because the Scripture denies it expressly, Eph. 2.8. as also (to omit other reasons) because the nature of merit casteth away our works: for there must be three things in a work that must merit. First, it must be a free work, that was not due by any debt: whereas our works are a part of ou● duty; and we owe more to God, than we can do, Luk. 17.9. Rom. 11.35. Secondly, the work that should merit, must be profitable to him of whom we would merit; but no goodness of ours can reach to God to profit him, Psal. 16.3. job 22.2. Thirdly, the work that must merit, must be of equal value with the thing that is given for it; but neither our sufferings, nor our deeds in this life can be worthy of the glory that is to be revealed, Rom. 8.18. and therefore is eternal life called, The gift of God, Rom. 6. 2●. The uses follow, and are especially for instruction: for this doctrine of good works should teach us, First, to take notice of this doctrine, and as we are careful to believe, so to be careful to maintain good works; and hereby to confute the malicious Papists, that falsely charge us to deny and disgrace good works, Tit. 3.8, 14. Secondly, every man should be ready to do good works, yea to every good work: since they are required of God, and are so many ways good, and serve us for such excellent uses: yea we should be zealous of good works, wonderful eager and desirous to enrich ourselves that way, Tit. 3.1. & 2.14. yea we should hereby show that we are indeed wise Christians, and well skilled in the use of our Religion, jam. 3.13. and not men only, but women also should be forward in good works, 1 Tim. 2.10. It is their best apparel: which should be a special motive to them that are so careful of their attire. And indeed good works are to be desired and laboured for, as the best apparel of any Christian; yea, they are his armour too, Rom. 13.13. yea, they are a principal way for his enriching and preferment, 1 Tim. 2.20. so as it is a great curse upon a Christian, to have no mind to do good works, to be reprobate to every good work, Tit. 1. ult. Thirdly, since there are so many things necessary to the constitution of a good work; Christians should (in stead of prying into the lives of others) every one try his own works, and turn often to the light, that it may be (indeed) manifest that his works are wrought in God, Gal. 6.4. for one day every man's works shall be tried in the fire, when times of trial, by great afflictions, either upon men's Consciences or otherwise, come; that man's works that never seem glorious and praise worthy, will be rejected and cast away, even by ourselves, as vile and unprofitable. Besides, at the best, in our prosperity, if the most of our works be tried by the fire of these rules of God's Word, it is much to be doubted that our works will burn, though upon our repentance for the evil that cleaves to our best works, ourselves may be saved in the day of the Lord. Let Christians therefore be careful, that they lose not the things which they have wrought. Now a Christian may lose his works diverse ways: How a man may lose his works. First, if he be but a Christian in show, he may, nay he shall lose all he doth. The Pharisees lost all their works, because they were done in hypocrisy. Secondly, the Christian that hath some kinds of heavenly gifts, and temporary graces, by falling away in the time of temptation loseth all that he had wrought before. God requires patient continuance in well-doing, Rom. ●. 8. Thirdly, the true Christian may lose what he wrought, if he do his works without respect of these Rules: If it be not manifest that his works are wrought in God, they are lost to him, so many of his works as are so wrought: Besides, he loseth the comfort of all that he hath wrought, and the sense of it, if he fall into gross sin after calling, for so long time as he continueth in sin without repentance. Thus of good works. Which they shall behold.] It is manifest from hence, that good works may, and aught to be so done, as that men may see them. It is not true that all good works must be hid from the view and beholding of other men. This may seem strange, because the Pharisees were blamed for doing their works to be seen of men: but yet it may be easily and plentifully proved. I will first prove it, and then explain it. For proof, our Saviour Christ requires that the light of men's good works should shine, that men may see their good works, Mat. 5.16. Christians in respect of their practice, should be as shining lights in the midst of a froward and crooked generation, Phil. 2.15, 16. They must maintain good works, Tit. 2.8. They must show their faith by their works, and so they are justified before men, by the works which they behold, jam. 2. They are the express words of S. james also, in his third chapter, vers. 13. Let him show by good conversation, his works. And the Apostle Paul saith, If there be any praise, think on those things that may get praise, Phil. 4.8. Yea some Christians are charged to be patterns of good works, Tit. 2.7. Now for explication of this point, I would consider (first) what works may be showed; and then (secondly) what works may not be showed. For the first, I will only (now) instance in the Apostles catalogue in the second of Titus. What works may be showed. Old men may safely show sobriety, gravity, temperance, soundness of their faith, love, and patience. Old women may safely carry themselves in a holy behaviour, and be teachers of good things, especially to the younger women. Young women must show their sobriety, love, and obedience to their husbands; discretion, chastity, care of their children and household affairs. Young men may show, that they be sober-minded. Ministers offend not, by teaching uncorrupt doctrine with gravity and sincerity, nor when in conference they speak sound, and things that cannot be justly taxed. Servants offend not, by showing obedience to their masters, and all good faithfulness, and desire to please them well in all things. For the second: the show is condemned in diverse sorts of works: as, What works ought not to be showed. 1 Secret duties, of what kind soever, must not be done to the beholding of others: thus, to pray or fast, that others may see or hear, is not lawful, Mat. 6. 2 Such works as are done deceitfully, are justly taxed for the show of them: as when Ananias and Sapphira will make a show of bounty, which was not performed as they pretended, Act. 5. 3 All works that are done with affectation, when the praise of men is simply and only sought, are Pharisaical, and ill done. 4 All the works that are done about the use of the means of godliness, if practice be not joined with them, are rejected of God, and the show of them is condemned. Thus to make a show of hearing Sermons, reading the Scriptures, frequent and long prayers, strict observing of the Lords day, and the like, when there is not a sound care of a holy life, are not good works, n●r is the show of them commended, Esa. 1. Mic. 6. 5 To show care of lesser duties, and live in the careless and manifest neglect of greater and more necessary duties, is likewise Pharisaical, and condemned, Mat. 23. Thus of the beholding of good works. They may glorify God.] To glorify God, is, in the etymology of the word, to make God glorious. Now the glory of God is the excellency of God above all things, as is by way of exposition added, Esa. 35.2. The question than is, How can God be made glorious or excellent, seeing his excellency is as infinite as his nature is; and to that which is infinite nothing can be added? For the resolving of this question, we must understand, that if God's nature be considered in itself, it is so excellent, as nothing can be conceived or done, that should bring glory to it. But when the Scripture speaks of glorifying of God, it means it of such an excellency, as (to our capacity) by reflection, and resemblance, some way expresseth the similitude of God's excellency, which we call his glory. And so God is glorified by himself or by us. How God is glorified by himself. God hath made diverse impressions of his own excellency, and set it out by way of image or similitude: as, First, in the divine nature of Christ. For Christ, as the Son of God, is said to be the splendour and brightness of his Father's glory, Heb. 1.2. Secondly in the humane nature of Christ. For in his humane nature did the Godhead dwell, and shine as the candle in the lantern: and so the glory of God appears amongst men: for when Christ was incarnate, and came to dwell amongst men, they saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God, job. 1.14. Thirdly, in his works: for the invisible things of God (as his power and wisdom in the excellency of them) are made visible unto our observation in the creation and government of the world: in the great book of the creatures is the glory of God written in great letters, Rom. 1. Thus the heavens declare the glory of God, Psalm. 19.1. And in this great book the glory of the Lord is said to endure for ever, and the Lord will always rejoice in this impression of his glory in his works, Psalm. 104.31. and as all the works of God are his glory, in that they do some way set out his excellency; so especially miracles are in a high degree resemblances of God's glory, and therefore are these works of wonder called the glory of God. Thus the power of God in raising Christ, is called his Glory, Rom. 6.4. and so the marvellous works mentioned, Psal. 97.4, 5, 6. so Christ in working the miracle in Canaan of Galilee is said to show his glory, joh. 2.11. And as works of miracles are called the glory of God, because God hath in them stamped some lively resemblance of his excellency: so also works of special justice done upon God's enemies are called his glory also, as the se places show, Exod. 14.14. Num. 14.21. Esa. 13.3. So also God's mighty working in delivering his servants, is called his glory also, Psal. 105.5, 6. and 57.6. and 85.9. Fourthly, in man God hath imprinted his glory, and so in all sorts of mankind: they are called the glory of God in respect of their resemblance of God's sovereignty: man is as it were a visible God in this visible world, and in respect of his superiority over the creatures, resembles God, 1 Cor. 11.17. And as God hath imprinted his glory upon all men in general, so in a special manner upon some men: as, 1 Upon such men as shine in the outward dignity and preeminence of their places in this world above other men; their glory is said to be God's glory, 1 Chron. 29.11, 12. 2 Upon such men as are endued with the grace of God, and the virtues of Jesus Christ: these bear God's Image, and are therefore called his glory, Esa. 46.13. 2 Cor. 3.18. Psal. 90.17. 3 In a more principal manner, upon such as be received up to glory in heaven. Thus God will be glorified in his Saints at the day of Judgement, 2 Thes. 1.10. This is that glory of God, which the godly do hope for with so much joy, Rom. 5.2. Fifthly, in certain visible signs and testimonies of his presence. Thus the consuming fire on mount Sinah, is called the glory of God, Exod. 24.6, 16, 17. So also the cloud that filled the Temple, Exod. 40.34. and the cloud that rose upon the Tabernacle in the wilderness. And so the signs of God's presence in heaven, are in a special respect called his glory. Thus Stephen saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at his right hand, Act. 7.55. Thus we are said to appear before the presence of his glory, jude 24. Sixthly, in his Word: and so the Word of God is the glory of God, either in general, as it describes the excellence of God's nature in his properties or attributes, Psalm. 26.8. Or in special, the Gospel is called his glory, as it sets out the goodness of God, after a matchless manner, relieving for lost mankind, Esa. 6.1. And thus that part of the Word of God that doth describe God's mercy, is called his glory, Exod. 33.18, 19.22. Ephes. 2.16. Thus also that way of showing mercy, by bringing in the infinite righteousness of his own Son, is called the glory of the Lord, Esa. 40.5. Thus God glorifieth himself. Secondly, God is said to be glorified by us. Man may make God glorious▪ but that he cannot do by adding any glory to God's nature: and therefore we must search out to find by the Scripture, what ways man may glorify God; and so we may be said to glorify God, or to make God glorious three ways: How God is glorified of us in general. First, by knowledge, when we conceive of God after a glorious manner; thus we make him glorious in our own hearts, and this is a chief way of making God glorious: and this is one way by which the Gentiles glorify God: and this God stands upon, so as he accounts not himself to be known aright till we conceive of him, at least, as more excellent than all things. Seeing we can add no glory to God's nature, we should strive to make him glorious in our own minds and hearts. And we may by the way see, what cause we have to be smitten with shame and horror to think of it, how we have dishonoured God by mean thoughts of him. And hereby we may also see how far man can be said to have the true knowledge of God in him; yea, there is some comfort in it too to a Christian, that humbleth himself to walk with his God: for though at the best he come far short of conceiving of God as he is, yet God accounts himself to be made glorious by us, when we get so far as to conceive of him above all creatures; and that is, when he comes into our hearts as a King of glory, far above all that glory can be found in earthly Princes, Psal. 14.7, 9 And thus we make him glorious, not when we barely judge him to be more excellent than all things, but when our hearts are carried after the apprehension of him, so as we love him above all, and fear him above all, etc. And thus we make God glorious in our hearts by knowing him. Secondly, by acknowledgement, when in words or works we do ascribe excellency unto God; and to glorify him, is to acknowledge his glory; or as the phrase in Scripture is, To give him glory; and so there be diverse special ways, by which we are said in Scripture to glorify God: as, How God is glorified of us in particular. First, when in words we magnify God, and speak of his praises, and confess that he is worthy to receive honour, and glory, and might, and majesty: so Rev. 4.11. Psal. 29. & 86.9. Secondly, when men confess that all the glory they have above other men in gifts or dignity, was given them by God: So David glorifies God, 1 Chron. 29.11, 12. And thus we make God the father of glory, as he is called, Eph. 1.17. Thirdly, when men that are guilty of sins that cannot be proved against them, yet feeling themselves to be pursued by God, do confess to God's glory & their own shame, their secret offences: Thus Achan gave glory to God, josh. 7.19. And thus the penitent sinner glorifies God, when he cares not to abase himself in the acknowledgement of his own vileness, that God may be magnified in any of his attributes or ordinances by it, jer. 13.16. Mal. 2.2. Fourthly, when the praise of God, or the advancement of his Kingdom, is made the end of all our actions: This is to do all to his glory, 1 Cor. 10.31. Fifthly, when we believe Gods promises, and wait for the performance of them, though we see no means likely for their accomplishment: Thus Abraham gave glory to God, Rom. 4. Sixthly, when we publicly acknowledge true religion, or any special truth of God, when it is generally opposed by the most men: Thus the Centurion gave glory to God, Luk. 23.47. Seventhly, when men suffer in the quarrel of God's truth, and true Religion: So 1 Pet. 4.16. Eighthly, when on the Sabbath men devote themselves only to God's work, doing it with more joy and care, than they should do their own work on the week days, refusing to profane the Sabbath of the Lord by speaking their own words, or doing their own wills: Thus Esa. 58.13. Ninthly, when men do in particular give thanks to God for benefits or deliverances, acknowledging Gods special hand therein: Thus the Leper gave glory to God, Luk. 17.18. so Psal. 113.4. Tenthly, by loving, praising, admiring, and esteeming of Jesus Christ above all men: for when we glorify the Son we glorify the Father, joh. 1.14. and 11.4. Eleventhly, when we account of and honour godly men, above all other sorts of men in the world; and so these Gentiles do glorify God, in that they praise the Christians above all men, whom before they reviled: This is one way by which the Gentiles glorified God. Thus of the second way of glorifying God, which is, by acknowledging his glory. The third way of glorifying God, is by effect, when men make others to glorify God, conceiving more gloriously of him, or in praising God and his ways: Thus the professed subjection of Christians to the Gospel makes other men glorify God, 2 Cor. 9.13. So the fruits of righteousness are to the glory of God, Phil. 1.10. So here the good works of Christians do make new Converts glorify God: so every Christian that is God's planting, is a tree of righteousness that God may be glorified, Esa. 61.3. So are all Christians to the praise of the glory of God's grace, as they are either qualified or privileged by Jesus Christ, Ephes. 1.7. Use. The uses of all should be especially for instruction and humiliation: it should humble us, if we mark the former doctrine, in that it discovereth many deficiences in us: for besides that it showeth, that the whole world of unregenerate men lieth in wickedness, and that as they have all sinned, so they are all deprived of the glory of God, and altogether delinquent in each part of making God glorious; I say, that besides the discovery of the general and extreme corruption of wicked men, it doth touch to the quick upon diverse persons, even the godly themselves. To give instance In the first way of making God glorious. How meanly and dully do we, for the most part, conceive of God How far short are our hearts of those descriptions of God made in his Word! What strange thoughts come into our minds at some times! Oh how have we dishonoured the most high in our unworthy conceptions of his Justice, Power, Eternity, Wisdom, and Mercy! For the second way of glorifying God. What heart could stand before his holy presence, if he should examine us in justice. 1 For our language. What man is he that hath not cause to mourn for his want of language daily, in expressing of the praises of God When did we make his praise glorious? have our mouths been filled with his praise all the day long? 2 For our extreme unthankfulness, when we meet with God himself: we have been healed with the nine Lepers; but which of us have returned to give glory to God, in the sound acknowledgement of his goodness to us? It is required we should in all things give thanks, and yet we have scarce used one word of praise for a thousand benefits. 3 Our slight acknowledgements of sin, our backwardness to search our ways, our carelessness when we know diverse grievous faults by ourselves, either avoiding God's presence, and making confession for fashions ●ake, neither out of true grief for our sins: and in a special manner do we fail in those cases of trespass or sin that com● to the knowledge of others. Do we knowledge our sins one to another? Oh how hard it is to bring us to be easy to give glory to God herein! What man is he that liveth, and hath not failed of the glory of God about the Sabbath? Do we delight in God's work? Have we consecrated that day as glorious to the Lord? Have not our minds run upon our own ways? After what an unspeakable manner have we slighted God in his Ordinances? Lastly, what shall we answer to the Lord for our neglects of Jesus Christ? Have we glorified the Son? or rather have we not shameful wants still in our faith? Which of us can say that he lives by the faith of the Son of God? And are not our affections to the Lord Jesus extremely dull and adverse? Where is the longing desire after him, and the fervent love of his appearing? And for the last way of glorifying God by effect: How unprofitably and unfruitfully do the most of us live? Who hath praised God in our behalf? Whom have we won to the love of God and the truth? Where are our witnesses that might testify, that our good works have caused them to glorify God? But especially, woe be to scandalous Christians, that have either caused wicked men to blaspheme, or Gods little ones to take offence, and conceive ill of the good way of God: if they repent not, it had been better for them they had never been borne. And as for wicked men that are openly so (to give a touch of them and their estate) they have reason to repent in sackcloth and ashes, if their eyes were but open to see what terror is implied in this doctrine, and how God will avenge himself upon them, both for their not glorifying of him, and for changing his glory, and for the opposing of his glory. 1 In not glorifying God: they have spent their days without God: they have either not conceived of him at all, or in a most mean and vile manner: they have not honoured him in his ordinances, or in his Sabbaths: they never loved the Lord Jesus in their hearts, etc. 2 In changing the glory of God, they have done shamefully. Some of them have turned God's glory into the similitude of an Ox or a Calf that eareth hay. Some of them have given his praise to Images, and the works of their hands. Some of them have fixed the glory of their affections upon riches, pleasures, and favour of men. Some of them have made their belly their god: and some have given their bodies to harlots. Thirdly, in opposing God's glory, they have likewise offended grievously; they have spoken evil of the good way of God; they have abused his servants, and so despised him; they have set themselves against his Sabbaths, etc. to omit that they have opposed God's glory in their hearts, by setting up Idols there, & by allowing & striving to maintain Atheistical conceits against God. The second use should be therefore to beget in us a care to use all means to dispose of, and fit ourselves, that we might make God glorious, and so amend and redress our ways herein; and that we may the more effectually be wrought upon herein, I will consider of two things: First, I will briefly show the reasons should stir us to all possible care and diligence herein. Secondly, I would show how we may distinctly attain to the glorifying of God in all the three ways before mentioned. For the first. Divers considerations should move us to the care of magnifying or glorifying of God by all the ways we can. Motives to the care of glorifying God. First, it is a great honour that God doth unto us, to account himself to receive glory any way from our endeavours. Shall the creature be admitted in any sense to that glory, to make his Creator, to make him (I say) in his excellency or glory? God doth account himself to receive a new Being, as it were, by those inward conceptions of his glory, and by those outward honours done unto him. Shall the King of glory vouchsafe to dwell in our hearts? and shall we not be exceedingly desirous to entertain him? Secondly, not to glorify God is to sin grievously: it is not arbitrary, but most dangerous to allow ourselves, either in inward neglects of God, or in outward unfruitfulness. Shall we attribute so much every day to the creatures we deal with? and shall we know or acknowledge so little of the Creator? It cannot be safe to slight God. Thirdly, it is one of the first things that breaks out in the new Converts: so soon as any of the Gentiles are visited of God, in the same day they glorify him, by conceiving gloriously of him, and by magnifying God in himself, and his servants, and service, etc. And therefore without singular danger of losing our evidence of our calling, we must attend to this Doctrine, how hard soever it seem. Fourthly, we are bought with a price and are Gods, and therefore now both in soul and body we should be wholly devoted to his glory, 1 Cor. 6 ult. as God hath glorified us in our creation, and the many treasures he hath given us in Jesus Christ, and we hope the accomplishment of matchless glory in heaven: and shall we not be zealous for the glory of the Lord? Many glorious things be spoken of us through his grace: and shall we think or speak meanly of God? Fifthly, the Lord our God exceeds all things in glory, and therefore we should extol his praise above the heavens, and the whole earth should show itself to be full of his glory. Sixthly, he is our heavenly Father: and can we think too well of him, or do too much to win him praise? Matth. 5.16. Lastly, think with ourselves, What make we in God's Vineyard or Orchard? If we be trees of his planting, ought we not to be filled with the fruits of righteousness, that the Lord may be glorified? Esay 61.3. Thus of some motives. The main care should be to learn what to do, that God might be made glorious by us: and so we should distinctly consider how to make him glorious in ourselves or in others. In ourselves we should learn how to make him glorious, first, in our hearts by a glorious conception of him in our minds: secondly, in our words and works, by acknowledgement. The first question than is, what should we do that we might conceive more gloriously of God? For answer hereunto, we must look to our hearts in diverse particulars: for, that we may conceive of God according to his excellency, we must proceed by these degrees. 1. We must strive to bring God into our minds: Helps to glorify God. for naturally we live without God. And we may observe, that at the best we are wonderful prone to forget God: and therefore we must learn how to bring our hearts to the meditation of God. For not to think of God, or forget him, is a grievous offence, as well as to think of him after a base manner. 2. It is not enough to bring God into our thoughts, but we must then be wonderful careful that we bring not in an Idol of our own forming in stead of God: we must learn how to think of God as he is described to us in his Word: for fearful Idolatry may be committed in the heart of a man, as well as in his outward adoration; and therefore we must learn sound to conceive aright of the nature of God. 3. When we have God there in his own likeness, we must enlarge his room in our hearts: For the true knowledge of God comes in but by sparkles; and God will be magnified. We must make him great, and enlarge the thoughts of God when we conceive of him. This is that that is so often required in Scripture, under the term of magnifying God. 4. When we have attained to this, to think of God, with an ability to make him great in our hearts, than we must yet proceed to the establishment of this conception of God: for else the thoughts of God will pass thorough our heads like lightning, and be gone: and therefore we must be careful to establish the thoughts of God in us. 5 We must then labour to cloth the thoughts of God with glory and majesty: this is that which is here intended; we must not only make him in our hearts, and nourish the sparkles of his knowledge, but we must make him glorious also. 6 Yea yet farther, when God is conceived of according to his excellency, we must love the Lord thus conceived of, our hearts must cleave unto him, and esteem him above all things. So that here are six distinct things to be heeded of such as will conceive of God aright. Now how these things may be attained to by us, followeth to be considered of. Now for the first: to bring God into our minds, two things are of excellent use; By what means God may be brought into our minds. First, the enforcing of ourselves to consider of God's works, and so to strive still to read in that great book of the creatures. Secondly, the exercising ourselves daily in the Word of God: Without these two helps carefully used, experience shows, that God never comes into men's thoughts. And by the way, here may be framed an answer to that sorrowful complaint of many Christians, that they cannot meditate. Now if they would be taught to meditate, or would at any time have their thoughts set a-work, let them lay before them either of these books of God, either the great Book of the creatures, or little book of the Scriptures; and so praying God to direct them, take those things that easily offer themselves from thence. The other way of meditating without book, as I know not whether it be absolutely required, so can it not be so fruitfully performed, nor so comfortably. But to return, the viewing of God's workmanship in his creatures, and of his wisdom and rule in his Word, will help us in the first point, which is, to bring God into our minds. For the second: that we may not mistake, but conceive of God aright, we must look to diverse things carefully. Helps to conceive aright of God. First, we must resist and subdue, and no way harbour or favour any atheistical conceits against the doctrine of God's nature or providence. If we find our minds entangled with any such, we must labour to get them cured: for till our hearts be whole of such diseases, we are disabled from any true conception of God. Secondly, we must in thinking of God, then cast out all likenesses: we must not conceive of him in the likeness of any man or other creature, but get above all similitudes, and there rest in the adoration of him that is not like any of those things: we must have no Images of God, neither in our Churches, nor in our heads, Command. 2. Deut. 4. Esa. 40. Thirdly, we must learn distinctly the attributes of God's praises in the Scripture, and conceive of him as he is there commended to us: I mean, we should, as we are able, when we think of God, think of him as he is omnipotent, most wise, most just, most merciful, etc. It is an excellent praise of the diligence of a Christian, to accustom himself to conceive of God according to descriptions made of him in his attributes in his Word. Fourthly, it may much help us, if we conceive of God as dwelling in the humane nature of Christ, for thereby it may somewhat arise in our minds, if we be prone to conceive of likenesses: Mark it carefully, we may ●ot set before our mind's Christ-man, and so worship without any more ado: but if we conceive of the man-Christ, and then worship that Godhead that dwells in him, we do right; and beside attain unto a point farther, which is, to conceive of God in Christ. Thus of the right conceiving of God's nature. The third thing which we must labour for, is, to magnify God in our hearts, to make him great, to conceive largely, with full thoughts of God: and to this I add also, to conceive gloriously of him, to cloth our thoughts of God with a shining excellency above any thing else we think of. Now that God may be magnified, and thought on after a glorious manner, these things must be done. We must with all attendance and reverence wait upon the presence of God in his house, for that is the place where his glory dwelleth, Psal. 27.8. How God is to be magnified in our hearts, and by what means. And God hath magnified his Word above all his name, Psalm. 138.2. And the use of the Gospel is said to be the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God, because it doth with the liveliest impressions make a man's heart to discern God's excellency, Mic. 5.4. 1 Tim. 1.11. Secondly, the meditation of the wonderful works of God recorded in Scripture, or observed by experience, is good to br●ed great and glorious thoughts of God. For as the sight of the miracles of Christ, wrought this in the hearts of the people, Matth. 15.31. Luk. 7.16. so the contemplation of such great works may work the same effect in us: and the same effect also may the thoughts of the works of Gods special justice or mercy have, Ezek. 38.23. Esa. 13.13. especially the consideration of those works of favour or deliverance, by which God hath declared his special goodness unto us, Gen. 19.19. 1 Chron. 17.24. David also clotheth the thoughts of God with glory & greatness in his heart, by thinking of the monuments of Gods wonderful Power and Wisdom in the heavens, earth, and seas, etc. Psal. 104.1. etc. yea by thinking of his own forming and making in the womb, Psal. 139.15. Thirdly, we must pray earnestly to God (with Moses) and beg this of God that he would show us his glory. Thus also of the third thing. The next thing is, The thoughts of God's glory ●●o ways established. to learn how to establish the thought of God's glory in us: and this is done especially two ways. First, by striving to set God always before us, as David did, Psal. 16.8. Secondly, by remembering God in all our ways, doing all our works unto the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.31. Lastly, to make us in love with God thus conceived of according to his glory, the thorough meditation of his mercies to us is of singular use, to think either of the variety of them, or of the special respect God hath had of us above many others, and the frequency of his mercies, that he showeth us mercy daily: but above all to consider that his mercies are free; to think how vile we are, upon whom God looks with such grace and goodness. Thus the blessed Virgin taught herself to magnify God, and to love his name, Luk. 1.46, 48. Thus of making God glorious in our hearts by knowledge. Now for the second, which is to make him glorious by acknowledgement. The particular ways how that may be done have been reckoned before in the explication of the doctrine, only we must labour by prayer to fashion ourselves to that work, that God in any of those particulars doth require of us: and that is the most special help which I know thereunto. But by the way let me warn thee to look to two things: First, that in any course of glorifying God, Note. which is to be done by thy words, thou be careful to avoid hypocrisy; and be sure that thy heart be lifted up, and affected according to the glory of God: A double caveat in glorifying God. for the Lord abhors to be glorified with thy lips if thy heart be far from him, Esa. 29.13. And the next is, that thou presume not in any case to make the pretence of God's glory a covering for any wickedness: as the Pharisees that would hide their devouring of widow's houses under the praise of long prayer: or those in the Prophet Esay's time, that would persecure godly men, and molest them with Church-censures, and say, Let the Lord be glorified, Esa. 66.5. Thus of making God glorious in ourselves. Lastly, that we may make God glorious in the hearts of other men, Four things must be done by us to make others glorify God. and cause them to speak of his praises, we must carefully look to four things: 1 That when we speak of God or his truth, we do it with all possible reverence and fear; that we be careful, in all our discourses of Religion, instructions, admonitions, reproofs, confutations, or the like, to treat of these things with all meekness and reverence: God hath given us a commandment of purpose to restrain the taking up of his Name in vain. 2 That we strive by all means to live unspotted and inoffensive in life, that if any perverse men did seek occasion against us, yet they might find none; and to this end, striving to avoid those things distinctly, which we perceive, by the miserable example of others, do vex and provoke men to speak or think evil; such as are idleness, frowardness, deceit, conceitedness, and the like, Phil. 2.15. 3 That we show forth the virtues of Christ. It is a singular means to stir up others to glorify God, if they might perceive in us the sound habit of such Christian virtues, as are not to be found in other sorts of men; such as are humility, lowliness, contempt of the world, subjection to Gods will, love of the godly, and the like. The most of us have but the bare names of these: there is not a real demonstration of them. Christian virtues, set forth to the life, are amiable, and will compel men to conceive and speak gloriously of God and his truth. 4 That we be helpful upon all occasions to others, ready to every good work, and hearty in all works of mercy: it is our good works must make men speak well of us, and our God, and Religion. Hitherto of the doctrine of glorifying God. In the day of visitation.] 1 Men are said to visit diversely. This word Visitation is in Scripture attributed both to men and to God. To men in such cases as these: as first, to shepherds; who when they did specially survey their ●●ocke, with intent to redress what was amiss, were said to visit them, jer. 23.2. As also to such men as had the gathering of tribute: when they came to exact their tribute, to the great vexation of the people, they were said to visit them. So the word rendered Exactors, Esa. 60.17. in the Original is Visitors or Visitations. Thirdly, to visit was a term given to the Bishops & Apostles in the Primitive Church, that went about through the Churches, to take notice of the estate of the Churches, and to reform what was amiss, Act. 15.36. And so the original word here used is translated a Bishopric. Act. 1.20. agreeable to the Hebrew word used Ps. 109.8. Finally, to visit is reckoned among the works of courtesy or mercy, jam. 1.27. The Hebrew word in the old Testament signifies oftentimes to muster or number up the people: as 1 Chro. 21.6. But in this place visitation is not referred to men, but to God. Now God is said to visit, not only men, but other creatures: so he visited the earth, 2 God doth also visit many ways. 1 The creatures. graven Images, the vessels of the Temple, and Leviathan. He visits the earth, when he makes it in an especial manner fruitful, Psal. 65.9. He visited Images when he broke them to pieces, and confounded them. He visited the vessels of the Temple, by causing them to be brought back again into the Temple, jer. 27.22. He visited Leviathan the devil, by restraining his power, and disappointing his malice, Esa. 27.1. But, most usually, God's visitation is spoken of in Scripture, as it concerneth men. And so God holdeth two sorts of visitations: the one is the visitation of all men; the other of some men only. But especially men: and so either as ●e visits all men in general: The visitation called the visitation of all men, concerns either life or death. In respect of life, God is said to visit all men, in that he doth by his daily providence, both give and preserve life till the appointed time: so job 10.12. And in respect of death, God keeps his visitation, when he causeth men to die an ordinary death at the time thereunto appointed: so Num. 16.29. But it is not the common visitation is here meant. or some men in special. God's special visitation of some men, is when in a special providence he takes notice of certain men, and comes among them to work the redress of sin: and that is here meant. And this visitation must be considered, either according to the kinds of it, or according to the time of it, here called, The day of visitation. For the kinds: God doth visit men either with the visitation of justice, God visits men two ways especially. or with the visitation of mercy; in wrath or in grace: and the former words of this Text are true of either of these kinds. For if God visit wicked men by his special judgements, they will then give glory to God, and commend godly Christians; whom before, against their consciences, they spoke evil of: which they will also do much more, if God visit them with his grace, and convert them. First then, of the visitation of justice: and so the point to be here observed is, 1 In justice. That though God may spare wicked men long, and seem to wink at their faults, yet he will find a day to visit them for their sins: he will hold a visitation for their sakes: he will discover their wickedness, and avenge himself on them, Psal. 50.20. Eccl. 8. Ps. 37.13. job 18.20. As they have had their days of sinning: so will he have his day of visiting; and that not only at that day of the universal visitation in the end of the world, but even in this life also. Use. And this doctrine should especially humble wicked men, and awake them out of their security; and the rather, if they consider seriously of diverse things about this day of their visitation: First, that it shall certainly come upon them, Rom. 2.5. Secondly, that when it doth come, it will be a marvellous fearful time with them: for, 1 God will then discover their sins, and make their wickedness manifest in the hatefulness of it, Lam. 4.22. 2 God will inflict sore punishments upon them: he will be avenged on them. The day of their visitation will be the day of their calamity, jer. 46.21. 3 The punishments determined cannot be resisted: there will be no help, Esa. 10.3. and 29.6. and 26.14. 4 God will not then respect their strength, but their sin. He will recompense them according to all that they have done, jer. 50.29, 31. 5 If they escape one judgement, another will light upon them, jer. 48.44. 6 God will give them the repulse in all they do: even in his service he will not accept them, jer. 14.10. 7 It will be a time of great perplexity, and counsel will perish from the prudent, Mic. 7.3, 4. jer. 49.7, 8. 8 God will declare himself to be in a special manner against them, jer. 50.29, 31. Host 9.7. Quest. But what sort of men are in danger of such a fearful visitation? Answ. All men that live in any gross sin against their knowledge: such as are the sins of blood, whoredom, deceit, swearing, profanation of the Lords day, reproaching of God's people, and the like, jer. 5.9.29. and 9.9. especially where all or any of these things be found in them. First, extreme security in sinning: What kind of men in particular are in danger of this kind of visitation. God will surely visit such as are settled in their lees, Zeph. 1.12. Secondly, such as place their felicity in offending: such as love to wander, jer. 14.10. such as do evil with both hands earnestly, as the Prophet's phrase is, Mic. 7.3, 4. Thirdly, such as continue and persist in wicked courses: such as cast out wickedness as a fountain casts out water, as the Prophet speaketh, jer. 6.6. Fourthly, especially when men are shameless and impudent in offending, jer. 6.15. and 8.12. Use 2. And therefore men should be instructed and take notice of their condition and danger, and foresee this day, and use all means to prevent it: for if men would turn unto God speedily, & repent with sound sorrows for their sins, the Lord would perhaps be entreated, and forgive the punishment of their sins jer. 6.6. Thus of the visitation of justice. The visitation of mercy follows. 2 God visits in mercy; and so either in temporal things, as in the case of blessings, or in case of afflictions. The visitation of mercy is, when God comes amongst men, to show some special mercy: and so he visits either about temporal or about spiritual things. In temporal things he visits either in the case of blessings or afflictions. In respect of temporal blessings, he visited Sarah, (Gen. 21.1.) when he gave her a son. In respect of afflictions, God visits (first) when he sends such crosses as do try the innocence and sincerity of his servants: so Psal. 17.3. Secondly, when he lets his people know that he takes special notice of their distresses and sorrows: so Exod. 4.3. Thirdly, when he sends his servants special deliverances: and so to visit is to deliver. Thus of the visitation in temporal things, which is not here meant. God visits in spiritual things diversely. The visitation in spiritual things, is the gracious providence of God, revealing his marvellous and everlasting mercies unto his Elect: and so he visits man either by Christ, or by the Gospel: He visited his people when he sent his Son to redeem them, Luk. 1.68, 78. and 7.16. And so he doth when he sends his Gospel by his servants to this end, to reconcile the world to himself in Christ: and thus God visited the world, when he sent his Apostles unto all Nations, preaching the Gospel. And thus he doth visit a Nation, when he sends the Gospel thither; or a Congregation, when by the preaching of the Gospel, he gathereth a people to himself. There is also a personal and particular visitation, when God singles out this or that man from the rest, and converts him. And so in this place, to visit the Gentiles, is to gather out of the Gentiles a people to his Name, as in the case of this Apostle is said, Act. 15.14. Which place may well expound this: So that the day of visitation, if we respect whole congregations, is the time when God sends them the powerful preaching of the Gospel, and doth thereby muster and press a people to himself. And if we respect particular persons, it is the day when God effectually calls them, and converts them. Six things may be observed here concerning this visitation of grace. Doct. 1. First, that till God do visit wicked men with his grace from heaven, there will be no sound reformation in them. Their natural conscience, the shame and punishment of men, with the Laws of Princes or Churches, may restrain somewhat of the excess of sin; but it is God's visitation only that can work a sound and thorough reformation. There is little hope these Gentiles, which speak evil of Christians, will ever cease till the day of this visitation: and the reason is plain, because the laws and punishments of men cannot give a new nature to the offenders, which God in his visitation doth. Use. The use is therefore to confirm the patience of the Saints. They have endured and must endure the evil words of wicked men: and if any be weary of their injuries, they must pray earnestly for their conversion. The wolf doth not always devour, nor the fox always deceive, nor the dog always bark: but yet so long as they keep their natures, they will occasionally discover themselves. And therefore also Christians should learn discretion, not to trust worldly men over-farre, upon new pretences. Doct. 2. Secondly, hence we may note, that God hath his time wherein he will certainly visit his people: he hath his day of visitation. All that God hath given unto Jesus Christ shall be gathered in God's due time. That which was believed concerning the gathering of the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan, that God would surely visit them, and bring them out, Gen. 50.24, 25. is much more certainly to be believed of the spiritual gathering of the elect out of this world, into the Canaan of God. And the reason is, because their conversion depends upon God's eternal decree: and the foundation of God remaineth 〈◊〉, and he knoweth who are his, 2 Tim. 2.19. and not one of them shall be lacking in the season of their calling, jer. 23.3, 4. The use may be for the confirmation of our faith, concerning the calling of such Jews, Gentiles or Christians, as yet sit in darkness and want the means of their calling. God hath his day, and he will provide for the calling of all his Elect, how unlikely soever the work seem to us. Doct. 3. We may hence note, that when God hath visited a man with his grace, he is suddenly become another man, he is wonderfully altered from that which he was before. Use. The use should be for trial: No Christians can have comfort that they are visited with the grace of God, if old things be not past with them, and all things become new. For every man that is visited with true grace, Signs of such as are truly visited in mercy with true grace. First, hath a new Master: He will no longer serve any strange Lord; for he hath covenanted firmly with God to work righteousness, Rom. 6.16, 18. Secondly, hath new acquaintance: 1 He hath a new Lord. He that was wont to walk only in the way of the wicked, is now a companion only with them that fear God: all his delight is in them, Psal. 16. and 26. 2 New acquaintance. Thirdly, hath a new language: he speaks not as he was wont to do. For first, his Mother-tongue he hath utterly forgotten: He cannot curse, and lie, 3 A new language. and swear, and rail, and speak bawdily, as he was wont to do, which the coherence shows here. Secondly, in diverse things he is furnished on a sudden with language he could never speak before, as in the gift of prayer, he can now speak to God, and discourse with him, that before was dumb, and opened not his mouth, Zeph. 3.9. Fourthly, he hath a new heart, Zech. 36.27. 4 A new heart. Which appears in what he hath not, which was wont to be in his heart; and in what he hath, which was never there before. And for the first branch, there is not in him any of these things following: by the way understand, that these things are not in him as they were wont to be (that is) they reign not, or they lie adying: and so, 1 There is not guile there; his spirit is without guile, Special signs of a new heart. Psal. 32.2. which he shows, in that he avoids lesser sins as well as greater, is good in secret as well as in company, and serves God in his spirit as well as his body, 1 It hath no guile. and is more desirous to be good than to seem so. 2 There is not malice and passion there, Esa. 11. 2 It is void of malice. His outrageous and boisterous passions are subdued: of a Lion he is become a Lamb. 3 There is not covetousness or the love of the world there, 3 It is void of covetousness. 1 joh. 2.14. jam. 4.3. he useth the world, but he admires it not. His taste in earthly things is lost, he savours them not as he was wont to do, Rom. 8.5. And as in these things he is new, so in the furniture of his heart he is in many things new: for, First, he hath a new mind; he is renewed in the spirit of his mind: A new mind. which appears (first) by his capableness in spiritual things. He that lately could not perceive the things of God, 1 Cor. 2.14. now hears as the learned: he sees in a mirror: he looks and wonders. The veil is taken away, that before covered him, 2 Cor. 3. Secondly, by the transcendency of the things he knows: he can now look upon the very Sun: he knows God, and Jesus Christ, and the glory to come, and the excellent things given of God, which the heart of the natural man never perceived, joh. 17.3. 1 Cor. 2.9, 10. Thirdly, by the instrument by which he understands: he sees by faith and not by reason in many things: he is fully assured in diverse mysteries, where sense and reason can give-in no evidence. Secondly, he hath new affections: I will instance but in two of them; New affections. sorrow and love. He is another man in his sorrows: which appears both in the causes, and in the remedies of his sorrows. For the causes, he was wont never to be sorry for any thing but his crosses: now he is seldom sorry for any thing but his sin. And for the remedies, he was wont to drive away his sorrows with time, sleep, merry company: but now nothing but good words from God will ease him. His love may be tried by the objects: and so whom he can love truly, or whom he doth love vehemently. He can love his very enemies, which he could never do before. And he doth love Jesus Christ, though he never saw him, 1 Pet. 1.9. and so fervently, as he accounts all things in the world, which he was wont so much to dote upon, but as loss and dung, in comparison of Jesus Christ, Phil. 3,8,9. A new behaviour discovered diverse ways. Fiftly, he hath a new behaviour with him: he is wonderfully altered in his carriages: which appears in diverse things; First, in respect of the rule of his life: he walks by rule, Gal. 6.16. He cometh daily to the light, to see whether his works be wrought in God, joh. 3.21. This is a sign given by our Saviour Christ in that place. He is careful to order his behaviour by the warrant of the word, Phil. 2.15,16. Secondly, in respect of the means he useth for the ordering of his conversation. And so he taketh presently hold on God's Sabbath: he is careful to keep the Sabbath, honouring that day above all others, and esteeming and desiring it for the employment thereof. Thus the Lord of the Sabbath saith, that it is a sign by which he knows the people, whether they be truly sanctified or not, Exod. 31.13. Esa. 56.2.6. Thirdly, in respect of the things he imploies himself in, he chooseth the things that please God, Esa. 56.4. his desire is now in all his ways to do such things as might be acceptable to God: whereas before he was most careful to please men, or to satisfy his own lusts. Fourthly, in respect of the manner of his conversation. In which four things especially shine: first, humility. He shows that the great opinion of himself is taken down in him: he is lowly and meek, which he hath learned of Christ, Mat. 11.29. Secondly, affectionateness. He loves the name of the Lord, and to be the Lords servant, Esa. 56.6. He doth good duties with good affections. Thirdly, contempt of the world. He can deny his profit, pleasure, ease, credit, or the like. He is no more worldly or eaten up with the cares of this life: He doth not esteem of earthly things as he was wont to do, and shows it in his carriage. Fourthly, sincerity. For now he hath respect to all the Commandments of God: he desires to be sanctified throughout: he is not mended in many things, as Herod was, but is, in some degree, mended in all things: and beside, he is careful of his ways in all places and companies: he will obey absent as well as present, Psal. 2.12. and there is no occasion of offence in him, 1 joh. 2.8. He is wonderful wary and careful to provide, that he may not be an offence to any body: and withal, he is not found to strive more for credit than for goodness; or more ready to judge others than to condemn himself, jam. 3.17. If this description be throughly weighed, it will be found to contain the most lively and essential things that distinguish true converts from all other men. Nor may the force of any of these be weakened, because many that seem true Christians, do show the contrary to some of these: for many that seem just to men, are an obomination to God; and beside, these things may be in the weak Christian in some weak measure, though not so exactly. Thus of the third doctrine. Doct. 4. We may hence note, That there is a peculiar time for the keeping of this visitation of grace. All the times of men's lives are not times of visitation: there is a special day of visitation, called in Scripture, The day of salvation, the accepted time, the due time, the season of God's grace, 2 Cor. 6.2. That this point may be opened, first we may consider of the acceptation of this word Day. Many sorts of days noted in Scripture. It usually notes a natural day, that is, the space of four and twenty hours. Sometimes it notes the artificial day of twelve hours, from the morning to the evening: so, joh. 11.9. Sometimes it notes time generally: as in such Scriptures as say, In those days; the meaning is, In those times. Sometimes it notes some peculiar season for the doing or suffering of some notable thing: as the special time when God plagues wicked men, is called their day, Psal. 37.13. Io● 18.20. So the time when Christ declared himself openly to be the Messias, is called his day, joh. 8.46. So it is here taken for that special part of our time of life, wherein God is pleased to offer and bestow his grace upon us to salvation. Now this cannot be the whole space of a man's life: Note. for it is evident, that many men, for a long time of their life, have not at all been visited of God in this visitation of grace: they have fate in darkness, and in the shadow of death: and this time is called night, Rom. 13.13. Again, others are threatened with the utter loss of God's favour, if they observe not a season, as Heb. 3.6, etc. Luk. 19.41, 42. Yea lame men have lived beyond this season; and for not observing it, were cast away, Prov. 1.24, 28. The very term here used, shows it: for when he saith, The day of visitation, he manifestly, by the Metaphor of visiting, proves a limitation of the time: for all the year is not the time of visitation among men; but some certain season only. Quest. But how may we know when this season of grace is? Answ. How the day and season of grace may be known. It is then when God sends the Gospel to us in the powerful preaching of it: when the light comes, then comes this day: when the doctrine of salvation is come, than the day of salvation is come, and God offers his grace then to all within the compass of that light. God keeps his visitation at all times, and in all places, when the Word of the Kingdom is powerfully preached: the time of the continuance of the means is the day here meant, in a general consideration. But if we look upon particular persons in places where the means is, than it is very hard precisely to measure the time when God doth visit, or how long he will offer his grace to them: Note. only this is certain, that when God strikes the hearts of particular men with remorse, or some special discerning or affections in matters of Religion, and so bringeth them near the Kingdom of God; if they trifle out this time, and receive this general grace in vain, they may be cast into a reprobate mind, and into incurable hardness of heart: and so God shuts the kingdom of God against them, while it is yet open to others, Mat. 3.12. Esa. 6.10. compared with Mat. 13.14, 15. Use. The use is for the confutation, especially of the madness of many men, that so securely procrastinate and put off the time of their repentance, as if they might repent at any time; never considering that the means of repentance may be taken utterly from them, or that they may be cast into a reprobate sense, or that death may suddenly prevent them, or that the times are only in God's hand: it is he that appoints, and begins, and ends this day of visitation at his own pleasure; yea he doth not allow to all men, in every place, the like space of time for the continuance of the means. Against such as presume on late repentance. This day lasteth, in some places, to some men many years: whereas in other places the Kingdom of God is taken away from them in a short time; as when the Apostles in the Acts were driven from some Cities, after they had been in some places but a year or two; in others, but a month or two; in others, but a day or two. If men object that the thief on the Cross did delay, First objection answered. and yet found the visitation of grace at his last end; I answer four things. First, that the thief was by an unexpected death prevented of a great part of that time he might have lived by the course of nature: and therefore his example cannot patronise their resolution, that think they may safely put over all till their last end, and yet suppose they may live the full age of the life of man. Secondly, what can the example of one only man help them, seeing thousands have perished at their latter end, going away without any repentance or grace? Why rather, do they not fear, seeing so many millions of men are not visited in their later end? yea, at the very time, the other thief repented not: so that that example can show no more, than that it is possible that a man should find grace at the end: Note. it doth not show, that it is probable or usual. Thirdly, they should show the promise of grace, not such men as wilfully neglect the present means, and put all off to their latter end. What can be concluded from an example, when God's promise cannot be showed? If any object that they have a promise (for the Scripture saith, that At what time soever a sinner reputes himself from the bottom of his heart, God will forgive him;) I answer, that this sentence doth contain no such promise: for it only promiseth forgiveness to them that repent at any time, Second objection answered. but it doth not promise that men may repent at any time when they will. Besides, the words in the Prophet Ezekiel are only, In the day that he turneth; which import nothing to prove that a man may repent in any part of his life when he will. Fourthly, the conversion of the thief was without means, miraculously, by the divinity of Christ, and is recorded among the works of wonder; such as were, The raising of the dead, the trembling of the earth, the darkening of the Sun, and the like: and if men dare not be so foolish as to expect that at their pleasures these other wonders should be done, than neither may they in that of so late conversion without means. Third objection confuted. If others say that men were hired into the vineyard at the eleventh hour, and were allowed and rewarded as well as they that went in at the third hour; I answer, that the drift of the parable is only to show, that men that had the means later than other men may yet be saved: it cannot be stretched to so large a sense. Besides, being a Parable, it may illustate, but cannot prove without some other Scripture, to which it serves as an illustration. But my special answer is this, that those men were never hired before the eleventh hour: they went in so soon as any came to hire them. And so it is true that if men have lived till extreme old age, and never had the means till then, they may have as much hope as they that had the means in their youth: but that will not warrant the presumption of such, Note. as being called the third hour, will not go in till the eleventh hour. Use 2. And therefore the second use should be for instruction, to persuade all that mind their own good, to walk and work while they have the light, while it is yet to day, before the shadows of the evening be stretched out, as our Saviour exhorts in the Gospel. We should bestir ourselves to make all the profit we can of the present means God affordeth us: for the night may many ways come upon us ere we be aware. For first, who knows how soon the night of death may come upon any of us? and than if we have no oil in our lamps, it will be too late to go to seek. Secondly, the night of restraint may come upon us: the means may be taken away: we are not sure how long the Candlestick may continue before it be removed. God may take away good shepherds, and suffer idle shepherds to succeed in the room of them. Besides, a mighty storm of cruel persecution may surprise us. Thirdly, the night of temptation may come, and so, for the time, frustrate the life of the means: for either God may hide himself from us, and then the Sun will be set to us, even at noon day; or God may hide the power of the Word from us, even when it is of power to others, as David imports, Psal. 119. when he saith, Lord hide not thy Commandments from me: or the Lord may restrain the spirits of his servants that speak unto us; for the hearts of the Apostles themselves were not always enlarged in the like manner towards the people, as is imported, 2 Cor. 6.11. Thus of the fourth doctrine. Doct. 5. We may further hence note concerning the time of this visitation; that not only there is a season, but withal, that it is but a short time in comparison; therefore here called, The day of visitation. Now a day is one of the least measures of time: and this ariseth not only from the brevity of man's life, and the infinite mutations that befall the outward conditions of men, and the extreme malice the devil and the world bear to the Gospel, but also from the will of God, who will offer his grace in so special a manner, but for a short season. Neither is the Lord bound to give account to us of his so doing, Note. since we have more reason to admire his mercy that will offer us his grace at all, than to murmur because it is not offered always: yet this shortness of the season doth the more magnify God's power, that can so quickly conquer, and set up the Kingdom of Christ, and gather his elect. And some cause may be taken from the rebellion of wicked men, who when they despise holy things, and use them vile, the Lord, to show the account he makes of those treasures, removes them from them. Thus the Jews lost their glory, Act. 13. When a people grow obstinate, and will not be wrought upon, that God, that commands us not to give holy things to dogs, doth himself also many times remove his Word, for the unprofitableness and unworthiness of the people. Use. The use should be so much the more strongly to enforce the care of speedy profiting by the means, while it is yet called Today, as the Apostle urgeth it at large in the third and fourth chapters to the Hebrews. And withal, it should teach us to bewail the stupidity and carelessness of the multitude, that in these times of peace and spiritual plenty, have no care to make any provision for their souls: over whom we may lament, as Christ did over Jerusalem, Luk. 19.42. etc. And the shortness of the time should teach Ministers to labour more diligently: they that are the stewards of the manifold graces of God should be instant in season, and out of season, and with all authority beseech, rebuke, and correct; knowing that their time is short and uncertain. Doct. 6. We may here note, that the day when God visits a man with his grace, is a glorious day: The Apostle speaks of it, as of the most happy time of the life of man: and so was it ever accounted by the godly, Esa. 24.22, 23. And it must needs appear to be a day of singular happiness, if we consider what that day brings forth instantly unto the man or woman visited of God. For, First, in that day God reveals in some measure his love to the visited: which is the more admirable a benefit, because God's love is a free love, What glorious things the day of visitation brings forth. and it is everlasting, and is also immense. Secondly, in that day he gives that particular person unto Christ, and gives Christ unto him, with all his merits, joh. 10. and 17. Thirdly, in that he justifies him, both forgiving him all his sins, and clothing him with the righteousness of Christ. Fourthly, in that day he adopts him to be his own child, that was before the child of wrath, Rom. 8.16. Fifthly, in that day he gives him a new nature, and creates and fashions in him the Image of Jesus Christ: and so reveals Christ in him▪ Colos. 3.10. Galat. 2.20. Sixtly, in that day he gives him the holy Ghost, never to depart out of his heart, Gal. 4.7. Seventhly, in that day he makes him free: so as he is enrolled amongst the living, and acknowledged particularly of God amongst the Saints. He is written in the writing of the house of Israel, and is free from all the misery and bondage he was in before, or was in danger of: and he is henceforwards free of the house and presence of God: He may feed at his Table, and eat the food of life. He hath access with boldness at all times into the presence of God with any suits. He is also free to the Communion of Saints, and is restored to the free and lawful use of the creatures in general, Psal. 87.5. Esa. 4.4. Rom. 8.1. Gal. 1.6. Esa. 25.8. Mark. 11.24. Eph. 2.20, 21. Mat. 5.5. Eighthly, he sets a guard of Angels about him, to attend him all the days of his life, Heb. 1.14. Psal. 34. Ninthly, in that day he is received into God's protection, in respect of afflictions: which protection contains in it four things; First, the withholding of many crosses which do fall upon others. God spares him, as a man would spare his only son, Mal. 3.17. Secondly, the bounding of the cross, so as God appoints the measure, which is ever with the respect of the strength of the party, Esay 27.7, 8. Thirdly, the sanctification of the cross, so as all shall work for the best, Rom. 8.28. Fourthly, deliverance out of trouble in due time, Psal. 34.17. Tenthly, he assures and estates upon him the evidence of an inheritance that is immortal, undefiled, that withers not, reserved for him in heaven, 1 Pet. 1.3. Use. The use should be chiefly to move godly men to the exact study of those things, and to all possible thankfulness for God's visitation: and they should with much joy remember the very time (if it may be) when God did so visit them: and if the men of this world keep commemoration yearly of the days of their birth or marriage, how much more cause hath a Christian to preserve in himself, and to speak of it to the praise of God, the very day and season when God did first reveal his grace unto him? Note. Let none mistake me. I mean it not of all Christians: for many Christians did never observe or know distinctly the very first day of their conversion, being not called either by ordinary means, or not in such a sensible manner as some others were, or stood for a time in temporary grace: yet unto all the counsel is profitable, that taking a day in the sense as it is here, they should often think of with gladness the season of their conversion, or at least magnify God for the thing itself, that they are converted. And beside, all such as enjoy the means of grace, and yet have not felt this visitation of God, should be much alured to the care of attending upon the means, and be made desirous to receive the grace of God, and that effectually: it should much move them that God hath now sent them the means, and keeps his public visitation; and that God stands not upon desert, nor doth he make exception of them, but offers his grace unto all, and desireth not the death of any sinner, yea beseecheth them to be reconciled; and to that end hath committed the Word of reconciliation to his servants, with express commandment that they should be instant, and with all patience instruct men, and call upon them, and persuade them to save their souls. Doct. 7. We may yet further from hence observe, That before calling the very Elect of God may be as bad as any other; as here till God visited those elect Gentiles, they were railers as well as others: so were the former sins mentioned 1 Cor. 6.9. found in the very Elect, as the eleventh verse showeth. This appears by the example of Manasses, Mary Magdalene, Paul, and the thief on the Cross: see further, Tit. 3.3. And the reasons may be easily assigned. For first, the very Elect before calling, have the same corruption of nature that other men have; and so all have sinned, and are deprived of the glory of God: so as there is not one of them doth good, no not one. Secondly, they have the same occasions to sin from the Devil and the world. Thirdly, and were their natures somewhat better than other men's, yet they would have been leavened as they were a part of the lump of infected mankind. Use 1. This may both inform us and teach us in diverse things. It may inform us in three things, (viz.) about our election and our justification, and about the Gospel as the means of our vocation. For election, this point proves it must be free, seeing there was no goodness in the very elect more than in the reprobate in the estate of nature. And for Justification, the Apostle Paul useth the consideration of this doctrine in the third Chapter to the Romans, to prove it cannot be by works. And for the Gospel, we may here see the mighty power of it: it may well be called the Arm of the Lord, and his power to salvation, that can thus mightily and suddenly change men. And it should teach us also diverse things, as it concerns either ourselves, Use 2. or other men, or God. 1. For ourselves: it should teach us to walk both more humbly all our days, seeing we have been vile as well as others; and also more watchfully, seeing we carry about us a nature that hath been so rebellious against God: and beside, we should resist the beginnings of sin in us, as having known by experience whither sin will lead us, if we give way to it, and dally with it. 2 For others not yet called: it should teach us both compassion of their misery (it having been our own case) and a care to show all meekness to all men, in waiting for their conversion, and patience in bearing their wrongs. 3 For God: how can we ever sufficiently love him that hath showed such love to us, even when we were his enemies? Yea, wicked men that are smitten with terrors for the heinousness of their sins, should hence confirm themselves against despair, seeing they may hence learn, that as great offenders as they, have been converted and saved. 2 Tim. 1.15. There is one thing that from hence men must take heed that they do not learn; that is, that they abuse not these examples to confirm themselves in sin: for there is matter to daunt them, and fright them from this presumption. For first, not all that have lived licentiously, Note. but some few only have been saved, the rest perished in their own wickedness. Secondly, of those that were saved, none were saved without amendment of life and regeneration: and therefore so long as thou livest in thy sin, so long their example fits thee not. The last Doctrine that may from hence be made, is in particular concerning the sin of speaking evil of the godly, and the point is, Doct. 8. That God's gracious visitation doth cure that disease exactly. He will never rail any more, that is truly gathered unto God in his day of visitation. It is possible, Christians may speak evil one of another in particular, and it is lamentable when they do so; but that is upon supposal of particular faults in those of whom they speak evil. But that a man should speak evil of godly men in general, because they are godly, with desire he might find them evil doers, is a vice not found in such as are truly called. Note. And therefore let such as are guilty of that sin of speaking evil of good Christians, because they follow goodness, know, That their day of visitation is not yet come. Verse 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake: whether to the King, as superior. FRom the thirteenth Verse of the first Chapter, to the ninth Verse of the third Chapter, is contained matter of exhortation: and the exhortation is either general or special. The general exhortation concerns all Christians, and hath been set down from the thirteenth Verse of the first Chapter, to the end of the eleventh Verse of this second Chapter. Now those words, and those that follow, to the ninth Verse of the next Chapter, contain special exhortations which concern some Christians only; namely, subjects, servants, wives, and husbands. Of the duty of subjects he entreats from Verse 13. to Verse 18. Of the duty of servants, from Verse 18. to the end of this Chapter; of the duty of wives, in the seven first Verses of the third Chapter: and of the duty of husbands in the eighth Verse of that Chapter. So that the Apostle having taught all Christians before how to behave themselves in their general calling, he now undertakes to teach some sorts of Christians in particular, how to order themselves in their particular callings; and so he teacheth them in some things that concern the Politickes, and in some things that concern the Oeconomickes. Unto order in a Common wealth belongs the duty of Subjects: and unto household government belongs the duty of Servants, Wives, and Husbands. From the coherence, and the general consideration of the whole exhortation, diverse things may be noted before I break open the particulars of the Text. 1 The Word of God must be the warrant of all the actions of our life: it not only gives order about the businesses of Religion, but it prescribes matter of obedience in all our conversation; it tells us what to do in our houses, and in the Common wealth, as well as what to do at Church, which shows us the perfection of the Scripture. Theologie is the Mistress of all Sciences: it perfects the sound knowledge of the Ethics, Politickes, or Oeconomickes, and it should teach therefore in our callings, whether general or particular, to seek warrant from the Word, which warrant we may find either expressed particularly, or else employed in general directions: and withal we should take heed that we make not more sins in any estate of life than are made in Scripture, and so not affright or disquiet ourselves with vain fears that way. 2 The Apostle would have Christians in a special manner careful that they offend not the laws of the Princes of this world; this appears, in that he enjoines them the duties of subjects first, and in that they do teach them the duty of submission, both in this and other Scriptures, with great force and violence (as it were) of arguments: which shows that they were wonderful desirous to charge and instruct the Christians so, that if it were possible, they might not offend that way: and the reasons are diverse and many, why Christians should be above all men careful to keep the laws of Princes: first, because by breaking the laws of men they sin against God. Secondly, because evil minded men have in all ages watched godly Christians, to see whether they could find any fault by them in the matters of the kingdom. Thirdly, because if earthly Princes be provoked, it may cause a general trouble of the Churches; the offenders many times suffer not alone, but many others upon displeasure raised by them. Fourthly, because if earthly Princes be good, the careful obedience of their Subjects may encourage them to be great helps to Religion, even to be Nursing-fathers' and Nursing-mothers' to the Churches, 1 Tim. 2.2. Fiftly, because perverseness and contempt, and careless neglect of the laws of Princes many times proves scandalous, and We must not offend them that are without, 1 Cor. 10.2. Col. 4.5. Many that were somewhat inclined to embrace the sincerity of the Gospel, have been cast back, and profess that therefore they abhor such people, because they observe their disobedience against humane government, either through indiscretion, or nice scruples, or perverse wilfulness. The use may be to reprove the carelessness of many Christians this way, and that for diverse offences: as first, for sluggishness, in not studying the Laws of the Countries where they live. Some Christians have a secret jealousy against the Laws of men, and do in heart think meanly of them; and unless the equity of the Law stare them in the face, they do, without any further consideration, securely cast aside the care of it, and rush into the breach of it. Secondly, diverse Christians do much sin against the holy desire and direction of the Apostles, in the intemperancy of their words, when in ordinary discourse they speak with much scorn of the observation of the Laws of men, which they understand not. A Christian that will not study to be quiet in respect of the Laws of men, is a singular plague to the Church where he lives. Doct. 3. We may hence note, that it is necessary for Ministers often to teach their hearers their duty to Magistrates, & to show the power that Princes have to make Laws to govern them by. And this is fit to be noted, because of the strange weakness and perverseness of some Christians, that are much offended with their Teachers, if they fall upon doctrine of this nature, with any application to the times, they mistrust them, or censure them to be temporizers, and to speak out of flattery or wilfulness, or the like corruption of conscience. I speak not now of such Ministers as plead the rights of Princes only for their own ends, or in such a manner as they discover an apparent hatred of godliness itself (for these are worthy to be blamed;) but even of such Ministers as prove the rights of Christian Princes with compassion, and love, and meekness, without provoking or reviling terms: even these, I say, are mistrusted and censured▪ though we hear and see in other Scriptures, that they are bound to prove and defend the authority of the Magistrate in any thing wherein it is unjustly questioned. Doct. 4. It is necessary we should first be taught our duty to God, and those things that concern a religious life; and then our duty to man, and in particular, to Magistrates. This the Apostle intimates, in that he first instructs them as Christians, and then, as Subjects: and there is apparent reason; first, in respect of God; secondly, in respect of themselves; and thirdly, in respect of the Magistrate. First, in respect of God: for we are first and chiefly bound to God: our first covenant is made with God; and we are more beholding to God, than to all the world beside: and therefore again to respect his glory, and obedience to him in the first and chief place. Secondly, in respect of ourselves and our own profit, we must study God's Laws as well as the Laws of men; yea, with our first and chief cares, and accordingly yield obedience: because though by keeping the Laws of men we may live quietly and safely, and with much reputation, yet all this will not protect us against the breach of God's Law: but the hand of God may pursue us while we live, and we may be damned in hell when we die, for want of a religious life. Thirdly, in respect of the Magistrate; he shall have the better Subjects by it. Good Christians are the best Subjects; and the knowledge of Religion and God's Word makes men obey, not for fear or custom, but for conscience sake, and for fear of God's displeasure. And beside, it makes men humble and charitable: humble not to think themselves too good to obey; and charitable, in not suspecting the meaning of Princes further than they must needs. And it restrains the excessive proneness of men's natures, that are (without Religion) apt to speak evil of those that are in authority; and chiefly, because true Religion will make men pray heartily to God for their Governors: and God himself doth spare, or bless them the rather, for the prayers of the righteous. The use should be to inform and teach all sorts of men to take heed of separating what God hath joined together. It is an extreme folly to give unto Caesar what is due to Caesar, & not to give unto God what is due to God: and so it were to give unto God what is due to God (if men could do it) & not to give to Caesar what is due to Caesar. The respect of God's Laws should make us more careful to observe man's Laws. And chose, it is a fearful case that many live in, that think they have done enough, if they live in obedience in respect of the authority that rules them in the places they live in: they would be much troubled if the Magistrate should be offended with them, but are never troubled though they provoke God to his face: and they are maliciously foolish, that would have the Laws of men obeyed, when they are against the Laws of God; or would have men so rest in observing the just Laws of men, as not to be so forward and busy about the duties of Religion. Further, a question may be here asked, Why the duty of Magistrates is not here set down, as well as the duties of Subjects? I answer, that in those times of the Apostles, the Magistrates were without; so far from being Christians, that they did, for the most part, persecute that way: and therefore they do avoid meddling, or undertaking to teach them that would not learn, but rather be incensed against such Teachers. Besides, if this and other Scriptures of the New Testament be marked, we shall find, that the duty of Inferiors is both more often, and more fully taught, than the duty of Superiors: for in that new and tender world, great care was to be had, that, under pretence of Religion, civil obedience, either in the family or Commonwealth, were not neglected. And it is a truth to be known at all times, that God would not have Inferiors too skilful in the duty of Superiors, that they might first learn to show duty, before they called for duty from their Superiors. That may be one reason why the duty of Masters is not here handled, and in other places of the Epistles but briefly: for many times the description of the duty of Superiors is used but as a glass by the Inferiors, to pry into the faults of those that rule them; and so grow careless, and wilfully stubborn, under pretence of the faults of their Superiors. But some one might say, that by this means, if the Magistrates did turn Christians, they were left without rules of direction, and so they should not know what to do. Answ. That inconvenience was long before prevented, because the duty of Magistrates is fully taught in the Old Testament, which unto a godly mind is of as great authority as the New. Thus of the coherence and general consideration of all the words. The duty of Subjects follows to be particularly considered of. Submit.] Concerning Subjects, here are five things to be considered of: First, the proposition of Doctrine, in these words; Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake. Secondly, the exposition of it in one case, and that is, the persons to whom they were to be subject; to all sorts of Governors, to Kings, or any other Governors. Thirdly, the confirmation by reason. Ver. 14, 15. Fourthly, the answer of an Objection, Ver. 16. Fiftly, the conclusion, Vers. 17. In the Proposition consider, 1 The duty to be done: Submit. 2 The persons must do it: yourselves. 3 The things to which they must be subject: Ordinances: where is a double extent, (viz) to every ordinance, & though they be ordinances of men. 4 The manner or motive, For the Lords sake. Submit.] The duty is to submit unto Magistrates, Rom. 13.1, 2. For Explication, two things are to be considered, Why we must submit? and, How we must submit? For the first, we must submit; 1 Because God is the Author of Magistracy, Gen. 9.6. Deut. 16.18. Pro. 8.15. Dan. 2.21. joh. 19.11. Rom. 13.1, 4, 6. Object. The Devil is said to be the Prince of this world, and he claimeth all the kingdoms of the earth, joh. 12.31. Mat. 4.8, 9 Sol. He is the Prince of this world by malicious usurpation, not by any right. 2 He is so in relation to wicked men, he is their king, but not of others. 3 He speaks like himself, that is, like the father of lies, when he claims all the kingdoms of the earth: for no part of the world is his, because The earth is the Lords, and all that therein is. Object. But God was angry with the Israelites for their ask of a King; and therefore it seems it was not his ordinance that there should be Kings. Sol. He was not angry with them for desiring Governors, for they had Governors before sent of God, and the very King they had afterward, God gave them him, Host 13.8. but he was angry for the cause of their request. Their faith and hope was in a manner spent, and they conceived more hope in a King, than in God that had been such a King to them so many years. 2 Men must be subject, because God hath taken men's consciences bound to subjection, Rom. 13. 3 Because Kings are heads of the people, and therefore as members, it is agreeable that they should submit, and be ruled and guided. 4 In respect of the benefit men receive by Magistrates, both in outward things, and in matters of Religion. For outward things, men enjoy public peace and quietness, and protection by the help of the power of the Magistrate: And for matters of Religion, earthly Commonwealths are as it were Inns to lodge the Church in, and Prince's power affords protection, so as Christians may more safely follow their calling; and if they be godly Kings, they are the very nurses of Religion. And thus of the reasons. For the second, this Submission hath in it six things: the first is, What Submission hath in it, viz. six things. obedience to their laws and commandments, Tit. 3.1. The second is honour; Rom. 13.7. for they are principalities and powers: as the Angels shine in heaven, so do Princes on earth. Yea, they are called gods: and so in two respects; first, as they are Gods Deputies and Viceroys: God executes a part of his Kingdom by Kings. Secondly, as they bear the image of God, and his authority and sovereignty. Now we must perform this honour by reverence, and by fear of them, and by judging the best of them and their actions, without conceiving suspicions of them, or receiving evil reports against them, or daring to speak evil of those dignities and Rulers of the people: and by all thankfulness for the good we receive by them, acknowledging to the full all their praises. The third is loyalty, by which we resolve and endeavour to the uttermost of our powers, to maintain and preserve the persons, rights, prerogatives, crowns and dignities of Princes. If we must lay down our lives one for another, then much more for our King and Country. The fourth is piety: we must pray for them with all manner of prayer, we must make supplications for God's blessing upon them, and deprecations for the removing evils from them: and if they should sin, and God be wroth with them, we should stand up in the gap, and make intercession for them, and we should give thanks for all the mercies the Lord shows unto them, 2 Tim. 2.1. The fifth is maintenance: tribute must be paid, Rom. 13.7. Christ himself submitted herein. The last is subjection to their punishments, Rom. 13.4. yea, to their injuries, as David, Christ, and the Apostles did submit themselves to the injurious dealing of Saul, Pilate, and the Tyrants, when perhaps they could have made resistance. Use 1. The use may be first, for terror to the seditious: great hath been the vengeance of God upon Traitors; the earth swallowed up Corah, Dathan, and Abiram for their rebellion: Absalon was hanged up by the hair between heaven and earth, as unworthy both of heaven and earth. The words of our Saviour Christ are in an high degree true in this case, He that taketh ●up the sword, shall perish by the sword. And S. Paul saith, They shall be damned that resist the power. Secondly, it should much humble the better sort of men, for diverse 〈◊〉 that are too common; such as are the receiving of evil reports and speaking evil with too frequent intemperancy, grudging at the payment of tribute and taxations, evil surmises of the actions of Princes, and the aptness ●o favour themselves in the liberty of doubting, concerning obedience to them in things indifferent. Thirdly, all good Christians should be persuaded to make conscience of this submission, and to that end they should be at the pains to study this Doctrine, and withal pray to God to direct them and keep them in his fear and obedience herein: and beside, they should be sure that they meddle not with the changers, or with the seditious, Pro. 24.22. Yourselves.] These words may note either the manner of our submission, or the matter: the manner, thus, Submit yourselves: that is, yield obedience uncompelled, do it of yourselves, stay not till you be forced to do it: and so the Apostle should thereby import, that our submission even to men should be performed willingly, and so we should willingly and cheerfully obey their laws, honour and defend their persons, pray for them to God, yield them tribute; yea, we should without murmuring submit ourselves to their punishments, yea, cheerfully bear their injuries; and so it removes grudging and force from our submission. But I rather understand the words to note the matter to be submitted, and that is ourselves; not our goods only for tribute or custom, but our persons also must be at the Prince's service; our very bodies must be submitted both to do the labour tha● belongs to the beating of any office for the public good, and to the enduring of any punishment, by the laws to be inflicted upon the body; and to the employing of the body and life in defence of the true Religion, and of the King's person, law and desire, in war or otherwise. This is manifest by the frequent wars in the Old Testament, both required and performed: nor may any say, that Christians in the New Testament are not charged in the business of war; for, First, It was Christ's main intendment to form a spiritual Kingdom to God: he left the state of earthly Kingdoms to the condition they were in before. Secondly, when the Apostles do in the general require the submission of Christians to their Magistrates, without exception of their obedience in war or otherwise, it is manifest that they leave them to the laws of nature, and the laws of God before. Thirdly, even in the New Testament this is employed by Iohn Baptist's answer to the soldiers, Luk. 3.14. and the praises of those worthy warriors, Heb. 11.33, 34 (In which place also is a manifest proof for subjection, even in our bodies, to the sentences of Magistrates, whether just or unjust.) And the Magistrate's sword, Rom. 13.4. is not only a sword of justice upon malefactors in his own land, but of revenge on the enemies of God, or the Church, or Commonwealth abroad. And for that saying of our Saviour to Peter, He that taketh the sword, shall perish with the sword, Mat. 26.52. it is spoken of him to whom of the Lord it is not delivered; that is, of him that hath not authority from God, as Magistrates have to command others to take the sword: and it was spoken to Peter, a Pastor of souls, Put up again thy sword into his place. That material sword was not for him to use. Thirdly, note, that it is indefinitely propounded▪ Yourselves; that is, all of all sorts, no man can be exempted from subjection to Princes. Christian's must obey as well as Pagans, strangers as well as home-born, while they are within their gates. All the doubt is, whether Churchmen are to be subject to secular Princes. The Papists deny it: but we affirm it, and have reason so to do. First, because the precept is general without exception. Secondly, because the Apostle saith, Rom. 13.1. that Every soul must be subject: and therefore if Churchmen have souls, they must be subject to the higher Powers. Thirdly, because Princes have executed their authority over Churchmen, whereof we have manifest examples in the Word: as, David appointed the orders and offices of the Levites. Solomon put down Abiathar from the Priesthood. josiah burned the very bones of the Priests upon their Altars, and also purged the Temple, and restored the Passeover. Christ himself was subject to the authority of Princes: he gave tribute, and appeared at their Tribunal. Paul was subject, and appeared before the Magistrates, and used their power when he appealed to Caesar, 3. Thes. 2. Fourthly, there is manifest reason for it: for if Churchmen be citizens or members of the Commonwealth, than they must be subject to the Rulers and Laws of the Commonwealth. Fiftly, the doctrine of the purest times since the Apostles, is agreeable hereunto: for chrysostom upon the thirteenth to the Romans, avouches it, that Priests and Monks, yea, Apostles, Evangelists, and Prophets, must be subject to secular Powers. And Bernard reasons out of that place th●s: If every soul must be subject, then yours also that are Churchmen: who hath excepted you from this All? Siquis tentat excipere, con●tur decipere. Agnoscit dominum suum & ●●er●. If any man go about to except you, he goes about to deceive you. And Pope Gregory acknowledgeth the Emperor Maurice as Lord of him and the Clergy. They object, that the ecclesiastical government is greater than the secular, jure divino: and therefore Churchmen ought not to be subject, because the Superior ought not to be subject to the Inferior. Ans. The ecclesiastical government is superior to the secular government, and it is inferior to it: it is superior, in respect of the rule over themselves in the things of the kingdom of heaven, by means appointed of Christ, viz. the Word and Sacraments, etc. but it is inferior, in respect of civil subjection in the obedience or submission that concerns body and goods. The Prince must be subject to the Church in matters of faith and godliness; and the Church subject to the Prince in matters of this life, and civil subjection. How far Princes have power in cases ecclesiastical, will be showed afterwards. They object, that diverse Counsels do except the Clergy from the Bar and Tribunal of Princes; and diverse Popes have discharged the Clergy of such subjection. Answ. Counsels and Popes cannot decree against the Word of God: beside, they judge and determine in their own case; for what were the Popes or Counsels but Clergymen? Moreover, the Popes assumed a power to themselves, which was never given them: for they were so far off from having power to free their Clergy, that they had no power to free themselves, 2. Thes. 2.7. They object again, and say, that it is absurd the sheep should rule and judge the shepherd: Princes are but sheep, and Priests are the shepherds. Answ. Magistrates are not sheep in all things, but in spiritual things, in matters of faith; and so Ministers are shepherds to feed their souls: but in civil things, the Magistrate is the shepherd, and the Clergymen sheep, because citizens or subjects. But they say, that Clergymen are freed by privilege from the Emperors, and by the Laws of the Empire. Ans. If that be so, than their privilege is, jure humano, not divixo. Secondly, they plead a false privilege: for in things in question they were never privileged; that is, in matter of obedience to the Law, or in matter of punishment in things criminal. Thirdly, if it were so, than they are subject to Princes: for he that grants a privilege, is greater than he to whom it is granted. But the last and best answer is, that Princes can grant no such privilege. Can a father free his son that he shall not honour him? or a husband free his wife that she shall not be subject to him? No more can a Prince free his subjects from obedience or subjection, because the subject is tied by the Law of nature and by God's Law, which Princes cannot undo. Thus of the third point. Fourthly, when he saith, Submit yourselves, he doth not require them to submit those things to the pleasure of the Magistrate which are not theirs. Every godly Christian hath some things which are not his own, but Gods, and those he must not subject to the will of Princes: as his Religion, his Faith, the Word of God, the Sacraments, his prayers: for those are none of Caesar's, and therefore must not be given to Caesar. Thus of who, or what must be submitted. To every ordinance of man.] There are two senses given of these words: some understand them of Magistrates themselves; some of the Laws of Magistrates. It is not easy to tell how to restrain the text to either of these; for both are true, and the former included in the latter, and the latter employed in the former: and therefore I purpose to handle the words according to the sense in both respects. First then, we must be subject to every ordinance of man; that is, to all sorts of Magistrates. And the Apostle seemeth to expound it when he saith, Whether it be to the King, or to the governor's, as importing that they were the ordinances he spoke of before. Now concerning Magistrates as they are here entreated of, these things are to be noted. First, that Magistrates are an ordinance of men; and so they are in diverse respects, because magistracy is a thing proper to men. Secondly, in respect of the end, because it is ordained for the good of men. Thirdly, because the choice of the kind of Magistrates hath been for the most part left unto men: for God hath not tied all nations to a kind of government, but left them for the most part free: and therefore some governed by Kings, some by Emperors, some by Consuls, some by Dukes, some by Princes or Earls, or the like. Fourthly, because in the New Testament Christ did not at all employ himself in settling any order for the corporal government of his Church in this world, it being specially his intent for the raising of his spiritual kingdom, and the ordering of the government that concerned the souls of men and their full subjection. Only we must take heed of one sin here, and that is, that we conceive not the Magistrates are man's ordinance, as if man appointed or ordained, or invented them, for that is contrary to express Scripture, that calls all those earthly powers God's ordinance: they are by divine institution, Rom. 13.1, 2, 3. Pro. 8.15. 2 Chron. 19.6. Dan. 4.14, 22. Ob. Host 8.4. it is said, They made them a King, but not by me. Sol. God disclaims not the ordinance: for he himself had appointed jeroboam to be King (of whom the Prophet speaketh;) but he disclaims the manner or the choice of him as it was done by the Prophet, which chose him in a mutiny, and without respect to Gods will. Ob. Nimrod was the first that brought in Magistracy, and he is taxed for it in Gen. 10.9. Ans. The words are, Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Now these word● have been interpreted either properly thus: He was a hunter of beasts before the Lord, that is, which beasts he would sacrifice before the Lord; or metaphorically, that he was the first that set up Monarchies of the thraldom, appointing Laws and a form of Government: A●●● Ezra. and this he did by instinct from God, for the protection of the Church and Commonwealth, against the injuries of those that dwelled near them. Secondly, say that he is in these words condemned as a hunter, that is, a tyrant, as the word is taken, Lament. 3.5. jerem. 16.16. Ezech. 32.30. & c. and that it is added, Before the Lord, to note, that he did oppress men by manifest violence openly, shaking off all fear even of God himself; yet it follows not, that his power was not of God: the manner of getting it was evil, but the power was good. Thirdly, it will not follow that Magistracy is evil, or not of God, because it had an ill beginning, if it were granted, that it did begin in Nimrod: For so the translation of joseph into Egypt, and the Kingdom of Saul, and jeroboam, etc. should be evil, and not of God: for they had ill beginnings. But lastly, I answer, that Nimrod was not the first beginner of authority, or power, or government, though he were of that kind of Governors; for there was a hunter both Ecclesiastical and Civil before; yea and there were Cities in the world before, therefore there must needs be government and Governors: Cain built a City, yea and God himself ordained Magistracy after the flood, when he said: By man shall his blood be shed, Genes. 9.6. In short, Nimrod was the author of the babylonical tyrannical Monarchy; not the author of the Magistracy, or civil authority over others. Object. Many Kingdoms and Officers are gotten by evil means. Solut. So many men get goods by usury, or robbery; yet the things are of God. Object. But we see, that Magistrates are chief, and set up by men. Solut. So the fruits of the earth are gotten in by the labour and care of men, are they not therefore of God? Ministers are chosen of men, is not their calling therefore of God? Second causes do not exclude the first. To conclude, the Magistracy is the ordinance of men subjectively, 1 Subjectiuè. as it is enjoyed or borne by men; and objectively, as it is employed amongst men, 2 Objectiuè. and in respect of the end, as it is for the good of men. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. But the true word Creation or Ordinance shows it is God's work, or institution, 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. or appointment. Secondly, it is to be noted, that we are bound to submit ourselves to the ordinances, that is, to the office, or calling, or authority: he doth not mention the persons so much as the calling; because oftentimes there is found in the persons vices, and some causes of not obeying: but in such again, we must not consider the person, but the ordinance, or calling itself. Thirdly, we must submit ourselves to their ordinances, that is, to all sorts of Magistrates. Now all Magistrates may be distinguished, either in respect of 1 jurisdiction, 2 or Religion, 3 or Objects, 4 or Affairs, 5 or Office, 6 or Adjuncts, 7 or Dignity. First, in respect of jurisdiction: some are superior, that they have none above them but God; as Emperor, King, Dictator, Senate, etc. or inferior, which is appointed by the superior; as are all inferior Governors and Officers. Secondly, in respect of Religion; some are believers, as David: some infidels, and so are either such as persecute Religion, as Herod, julian; or tolerate it, as Trajane. Thirdly, in respect of Objects, some be Togati, Governors; some are Armati, Marshal men. Fourthly, in respect of Business, some are Counsellors, some Senators, some Judges, etc. Fifthly, in respect of Office, some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Lawgivers; some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Law-keepers, as Justices and the like. Sixthly, in respect of Adjuncts, some are lawful and just, and good Magistrates, who come by their power by lawful election or succession, and do exercise it well: others are are unlawful or bad Magistrates, as having (in respect of the manner) attained their places by unlawful means, or do exercise their authority with cruelty or partiality, or the like. Seventhly, in respect of Dignity: some have dignity and not authority; as such as enjoy the titles of Dukes, Earls, Lords, Knights, Esquires, or Gentlemen: some have dignity and authority also, as such of any of the former kind, or the like, as are likewise called to any office of rule and government, or service. Now we must be subject not alone to the King or Superior, but to governor's under them, as the Text shows. We must be subject to Prince that are Infidels, as well as to Christian Princes; for such were the Magistrates for the most part when the Apostles writ: So we must be subject to unworthy, or vicious, or tyrannous Princes, as well as to godly, and virtuous, and loving Princes, which the word here translated Ordinance, imports: for it signifies creation. And so Magistracy is a creation in diverse respects; First, because God was the author of it, as he was of the world. Secondly, because Magistrates are raised beyond expectation. Thirdly, because many times God, as a righteous Judge, suffers many m●n to get into high places of honour and authority, that have no worthiness, or fitness, or stuff in them, more than he would have to rule or furnish itself: even to such Magistrates also must we submit. Only for the last distinction, there is a difference for such as excel only for titles of dignity, and have not authority: we must reverence and show as civil respect unto them, as belongs to their places: but we are not bound to submit ourselves to them by way of obedience; for that is due only to such as have authority as well as dignity. Thus of subjection to Magistrates: subjection to the laws of Magistrates follows. Concerning the laws and ordinances of Magistrates, two things may hence be gathered. First, that we must subject ourselves to such laws and ordinances as men that are in authority do make: we are bound to this subjection, even to men's laws: that we are bound, the very words of the Text prove: howsoever, or in what respect we are bound, is to be distinctly considered. For man's laws do not bind as God's laws do: for God's laws do bind not only the outward man, but the inward man also, even the very consciences more distinctly and particularly. The laws of men bind only the outward man properly: for God reserveth the conscience of man only to his own command. Now whereas the Apostle saith, Rom. 13.5. We must obey Magistrates not only for fear, but for conscience, it is thus to be understood: First, that men are not only driven to obedience of Magistrates for fear of punishment, but even by their own conscience, ever testifying that they ought to obey them. Secondly, that the conscience is bound to obey Magistrates by the virtue of God's Commandment, that requires this obedience of men, not simply in respect of the laws of men. Secondly, that we are bound to obey every ordinance of man, that is, all sorts of laws made by men. This needs explication: for it is evident by diverse examples in Scripture, of godly men that have refused to obey in some cases: and the Apostles have left a rule, Acts 5. that in some cases it is better to obey God than man. And therefore I would consider of it distinctly, in what things they have no authority to command, and in what things they have authority. For the first. In some cases Magistrates have not authority: and if they do command, we are not bound to obey. For every Magistrate stands bound himself to look to it, that he transgress not in these cases: In what things the Magistrate is not to be obeyed. He is bound to the law of nature as he is a man, and to the law of God as he is a Christian, and to the fundamental laws of the Kingdom as he is a Prince or Magistrate: so that he must make no laws or ordinances against any of these Laws, especially he may command nothing forbidden in God's Word, nor forbid any thing that is commanded in God's Word: some instances will be given afterwards. For the second. In what things they may make laws, In what things they are to be obeyed. there is no question in these cases I now maintain: as if they make laws in mere civil things for the good of the Commonwealth, there is no doubt but we must obey: the express words of the Text require our submission; and so i● they make laws to enjoin their subjection to do such things as are commanded by God in Scripture, or to forbid the doing of such things as are expressly condemned in God's Word. There are other cases that have been by men of diseased minds doubted of: but yet submission is by the Word of God required in them, as well as in other cases. For instance: Men ought to submit themselves in these cases following; as first in civil things, if men's laws be in some sort injurious, as in matter of men's goods. A Prince makes laws to lay too heavy taxations upon the subject, yet the subject must submit: and therefore the ten Tribes did sinfully to refuse Rehoboam, and rebel against him for that reason. If any object that Naboth did not yield to Ahab when he desired his Vineyard; I answer first, that some difference must be put between the occasions of Princes, I mean their desires, and their laws: the inordinate desires of Princes are not always necessary to be fulfilled. Secondly, Naboth was tied by the Law of God to keep his inheritance: for God had tied every man to keep his ancient inheritance, and to marry within his Tribe, that so it might be clearly manifest of what stock the Messias should come, Leu. 25.23. Num. 36.7, 9 But this was an ordinance peculiar to the Jewish government. Secondly, in Churchmatters the Magistrate may command, and the Subject must obey. Now because many questions are moved about the Magistrate's authority in Church-affaires, and about Churchmen, therefore I will here proceed distinctly, and show first what they cannot do about Religion, and then what they may do. These things they cannot do, that is, they have no power or authority to meddle in them: as, First, In what matters ecclesiastical ●he Magistrate hath no power. the civil Magistrate hath no power nor authority to execute the office of the Church-Minister: he may not preach in the Church, or administer the Sacraments, or execute the censures of the Church, Heb. 5.5. 1 Cor. 7.10. The presumption of jeroboam and Uzziah herein was punished, 1 Kings 13. 2 Chron. 26. Secondly, he hath no power to make laws that shall bind men to believe his devices, as matters of faith and doctrine: for these things depend upon the will of God, not of Princes. Thirdly, he hath not power to bring in any idolatrous service into the Church, as a part of God's worship, Esay 29.13. Mat. 15.19. And therefore jeroboam was condemned for the Calves, and Ahab for Baal, and Ahaz for the Altar of Damascus, and all the Kings for the high places. Fourthly, he hath no power to set up a Ministry in the Church, that for the substance of the calling was not instituted by Christ, Ephes. 4.11, 12. Heb. 5.5. All Ministers of the Gospel have their mission from Christ. In what things he hath power ecclesiastical. Thus of what they cannot do: what they can and aught to do follows. For it is certain, that in many things the Magistrates authority may and aught to be extended in spiritual things for the good of the subject: and therefore, in respect of Religion, they are said to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers. The Apostle saith, Rom. 13.5. of the Magistrate, He is the Minister of God for thy good. Now the good of the Subject is not only a civil good, done civilly; but done spiritually, a spiritual good, which is the greatest good of the Subject, and therefore to be most sought for by the Prince. And as in respect of their civil good he must provide that justice may flourish in the Commonwealth: so in respect of their spiritual good, he must provide that Religion may flourish in the Church: and to this end, First, he may and aught by his laws to enjoin the profession of the true Religion, and the confession of faith according to the Word of God. Secondly, he may and aught to provide to the uttermost of his power, that the Churches may be furnished with able Ministers, and that they likewise may have power to call and ordain other Ministers, and dispose, or depose, as may be best for the good of the Church. Thirdly, he may and aught to provide by his laws and order, that the Word of God may be sincerely and purely taught, and the Sacraments rightly administered, and the censures of the Church executed according to the Word. Fourthly, he may and aught by his laws to forbid, and accordingly to punish blasphemies, heresies, idolatry, sacrilege, and the like. Now that the godly Princes have had power in these and the like cases about Religion is plain: Moses by the appointment of God gave order to Aaron and the people in the business of Religion: josua appoints circumcision, josh. 5. proclaims the law of God, josh. 8. renews the covenant with God, josh. 24. David disposeth of the officers about the Tabernacle, 1 Chro. 23. and brings home the Ark, 2 King. 6. Solomon dedicated the Temple: Asa the King made such a law as this, that whosoever would not seek the God of Israel should die: Ezechias broke down the brazen Serpent, 2 Kings 18. commanded the Priests to cleanse the Temple, 2 Chron. 29. and to celebrate the Pas●over; and commanded the Levites to help the Priests, because the Priests were not then clean, 2 Chron. ●0. josias destroyed the Idols, sent his Princes to see to the restoring of the House of God, appointed the Priests to their Ministeries in the Temple, etc. 2 Chron. 34. and 35. And whatsoever power the Princes had in the Old Testament, the same power Christian Princes have in the New Testament. Many testimonies might more be added. Solomon deposed Abiathar: jehosaphat sent his Princes to see that the Priests and Levites did teach the Law of God in their cities: But these may suffice. Quest. But may the Magistrate lawfully make or appoint any orders to bind the Subjects about the worship of God? Ans. The Magistrate may and aught to determine the circumstances of God's worship, which are not determined in the Word: he may not appoint any more duties as a worship to God, but as a keeper of the first Table. He may give order for the circumstances in or about the doing of religious duties in the Church: as, he may appoint the time, place, and outward form of prayer, administration of the Sacraments, fasting, alms, or the like. These things must not be done tumultuously, or confusedly, but in order, and that order the Magistrate may prescribe. Actions about God's w●rsh●● of two sorts. All actions about God's worship are of two sorts: some differ not from the worship itself, but are things that God especially looketh at in his worship, such as is the purity and sanctity of the heart: some belong to the worship of God, as he●ps and instruments for the better performing or declaring of that worship. The first sort of actions must be prescribed only by God: who only can give what he requires; and of this sort whatsoever is not commanded, is forbidden: no man may add, or take away, or change in these things. The second sort are not all of a kind neither. Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. For some are necessary in respect of the being of them; as th●t there should be Churches, marriages, or that the Sacraments should be administered, etc. and these also must be instituted of God only: but some are contingents, and belong to the manner, how or when, as may best agree to the condition of each particular Church. Now these last God hath left to the Church, and so to the Christian Magistrate to dispose of, so as God's truth, Christian simplicity, or public edification be not hindered or violated. Quest. But here might some one say, In these things the matter was appointed of God: the Magistrate meddles only with the manner or the circumstances. But may Magistrates by their own authority, bring into the Church things that for matter or manner were never appointed by God, and so enjoin their own inventions to be observed by the subject? Ans. Inventions of men are of divers sorts: for, First, some are impious and contrary to the Word of God in their own nature; such as are, The invocation of Saints, Whether any inventions of men ought to be obeyed. selling of Masses and Indulgences, the forbidding of marriage and meats, making of Images, consecration of Altars, the use of holy water, prayer for the dead, monastical vows, worship of relics, the exalting of one Bishop to be over all the world, and such like: these may not be commanded: they are the leaven of Pharisees, and will spoil all, and therefore may not be brought in by any authority. Secondly, other inventions of men there are that concern only things that in their own nature are indifferent, neither commanded nor forbidden of God: in these the Magistrate hath power to command, but yet not an absolute power: for he may offend in commanding, and subjects may offend in obeying. And therefore I distinguish thus: If the Magistrate command things indifferent in their own nature to be used, Gal. 5. Mat. 15. Command. 2. and profess that he requires them with opinion of worship, holiness, or merit, or necessity to salvation, than the Magistrate sins in so commanding, and the subject sins in obeying: but if the Magistrate command things to be used which in their own nature are indifferent, and profess to disclaim the opinion of holiness, worship, merit, or necessity, than it is lawful to obey his commandments in such cases. So then, traditions brought in with an opinion of necessity, etc. are unlawful: but traditions brought in for order and decorum, are lawful, 1 Cor. 14.40. and this is apparent. For if God have left the ordering of things indifferent to men, why may not Magistrates appoint that order? And if Christians may take in or bring up customs in the time of God's worship, why may not the Magistrate do it by his authority? If Christians may make an order for what garments women should wear on their heads in the time of God's worship, why may not the Magistrate make an order, what garments Ministers should wear in the time of God's worship? If subjects may of their own heads appoint a feast of their own making, at the time of God's feast, as they did their love-feasts in the Primitive Church, and withal appointed the action or gesture of kissing one another; why may not the Magistrate by his authority bring in an action or gesture, it being such a gesture as God hath neither commanded nor forbidden? Finally, if in things indifferent a private man may use things indifferent of his own head, why may he not use them which the Magistrate commands, and when he commands him? and if he may refuse to use some things only because of his own will, why may he not refuse them when the Magistrate forbiddeth him? But that this point may be more clear, I will set down a Catalogue of inventions of men used for religious ends and uses, without any commandment of God, and that both before the Law, and under the Law, and under the Gospel. First, before the Law we read of these things. The laying of the hand under the thigh in swearing, Genes. 24. etc. Jacob's pillar erected, as a religious monument, Genes. 28.18. Secondly, under the Law we read of these instances. The Altar of the two Tribes and an half, jos. 22.10. and 27.30. David's dancing and playing on all sorts of instruments and songs before the Ark, 1 Chron. 13.8. and 15.16. and 2 Sam. 6.14. David's wearing of a linen Ephod, the garment of the Levites, 1 Chr. 15.27. David's appointing of the offices of the Levites, and his bringing in of the new order of singing men into the Temple, 1 Chron. 24. and 25. The use of sackcloth and ashes in fasting. Solomon built another Altar besides the Altar of the Lord, 2 Chron. 7.7. Hezekias' kept the Passeover at a time not appointed by the Law, and the people kept it seven days longer, 2 Chron. 30.2, 3, 27. About the celebration of the Passeover it is manifest, that the godly jews brought in of their own heads, 1. The gesture of sitting, which Christ himself also used. 2. The solemn use of the cup, of which mention is made also, that Christ used it, Luke 22.17. The Rechabites abstinence not only from wine, (according to the Law of the Nazarites,) but from husbandry and houses, jerem. 35. The Jews had every where Synagogues which were not commanded by the Law, Luk. 7.5. Mardocheus appointed the feasts of Pur or lots. judas Maccabeus appointed the feast of Tabernacles, which our Saviour graced with his presence. Thirdly, under the Gospel. Our Saviour Christ approved the gesture of sitting, and the Cup at the Passeover, the Jewish Synagogues, and the feast of Tabernacles. The Apostle Paul used the Jewish ceremonies, when they were no more the ordinances of God; as Circumcision, shaving the head, purifying, vowing, contributing, yea sacrificing, Acts 21. Abstaining from meat sacrificed to Idols. The observation of the Jewish Sabbath. The women's cover, 1 Cor. 11. The Love-feasts. The holy kiss. Quest. But here might some one say, Things indifferent in their own nature, in the uses of them not inconvenient, may be commanded by the Magistrate, and subjects must obey; but what if the Magistrate command some things to be observed, as are very inconvenient and burdensome, though they be not unlawful? Ans. Things inconvenient, even in matters of Religion, may be commanded in some cases: as when it is to redeem a far worse inconvenience. For of two evils of punishments, the Magistrate may take the less, as well as any other private man. And if that subjects to prevent worse inconveniences, may use inconvenient ceremonies, then may the Magistrate, to prevent worse inconveniences, command inconvenient ceremonies. If the Apostles may use the inconvenient Jewish ceremonies, Circumcision was a burden, Acts 5 10▪ and these burdens 〈◊〉 necessary things, v. 28. and they were 〈◊〉 to do well if they observe them, v. 29. than the Apostles may enjoin for a time the use of inconvenient ceremonies: as they did make ordinances about things which yet they called burdens, Acts 16. And Moses may make an ordinance about the use of a bill of divorcement, which yet was a grievous inconvenience to redeem a worse inconvenience. But if Magistrates do appoint inconvenient things, and burden the Church with them, when there would be no great inconvenience to the Church if such things were not, than such Magistrates must give their account to Christ for so doing; but yet the people are bound to obey still, because we cannot be freed from our subjection laid upon us by God, except it appear to us, that they command not only an inconvenience, but a sin, as all sound Divines confess. But that this point may be distinctly understood, let us survey the inconveniences amongst us usually pretended, and then inquire whether such things may be, viz. There be five things are thought each of them to make the inventions of men very inconvenient and burdensome, and so not to be used: as, Pretended inconveniences by human Laws surveyed. First, if there be no necessary use of them. Secondly, if they swarve from some pattern may be had of such things in Scripture. Thirdly, if they be things have been or are abused to superstition. Fourthly, if they have signification put upon them by men. Fifthly, if they be scandalous in the use of them. For the first: It is manifest that there was no necessary use of the Jewish ceremonies: For, now the substance and body was come, there was no need of those shadows, and yet they were used by the Apostles. For the second; in ceremonial and circumstantial things, it is not always a sin to swarve from examples in Scripture. It doth not follow that Christ did sit at the Lords Supper, and therefore it is unlawful to kneel: For I can show that godly men have swarved from the show of patterns, that did serve to bind stronglier than that example, or such like can do. As for example: The godly Jews did sit at the Sacrament, when yet the gesture imported in the Law was standing. And this sitting at the Passeover was manifestly an invention of man: For it was no where commanded. Yea and the Christians that now object the example of Christ in the gesture, yet do not hold themselves tied to follow the example of Christ neither in diverse circumstances about the Sacrament; as, that it was received at night, in a chamber, after supper, in unleavened bread, only by Ministers, not by women, etc. nor in the matter of gesture in other things, as, that he sat & prayed: and yet none of them pleads that it is necessary for our imitation. And further it may clearly be showed, that the commandment of God about circumstantial and ceremonial things, might in some cases be transgressed without sin: which shows that those precepts did never in God's intendment bind the conscience absolutely, as moral precepts in things substantial did. As that every man should be circumcised the eighth day, was God's commandment: yet the children of Israel were not circumcised for forty years in the wilderness, josuah 5.5, 6, 7, 9 The law was, that None should eat of the shewbread but the Priests: yet David did eat and was blameless, Mat. 12. ●. The Priests in the Temple did work or profane the Sabbath, as it is translated, Mat. 12.5. and yet were innocent. It was the law that None must sacrifice any where, but on the one and only Altar of the Lord: yet Solomon sacrificed on another altar, for the reason mentioned in that Text, 2 Chron. 7.7. 1 Kings 8.64. In Hezechias his time they kept the Passeover neither at the time, nor in the ceremonial manner, as was required in the Law; and yet they sinned not, 2 Chron. 30.2, 3, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 27. To abstain from meats sacrificed to idols, was enjoined by the Apostles, Acts 15. and yet that did restrain Christian liberty, being a thing indifferent: and afterward to eat meat sacrificed to idols, swerved from the pattern of that ordinance. For the third. It is also manifest, that things that were abused to superstition and idolatry, had notwithstanding a lawful use when their abuse was removed from them. Acts 15.1. As for instance: The Jewish ceremonies, especially Circumcision, were notoriously abused by the perverse Jews, who held very corrupt opinions about them; and yet the Apostle Paul did not make any doubt to use them. Again, the meat sacrificed to idols, when it comes out of the idols temple, is pronounced to be clean, and not polluted, by the Apostle Paul. Besides, it is manifest, our Temples, Bells, Chalices, and such like, have been abused by idolaters, and yet there is not any question made of the lawful use of them by Divines on either side. That this point may be a little more understood, we must confess that in the time of Moses Law, whatsoever thing had been upon or about the idol, was infected and made unclean by the idol: but withal we must understand that the idol, even in those times, did never pollute all things that were of that sort which were before it: it did pollute that very thing in individuo, not all in specie of the same sort. And further, we must now know, that the idol is nothing, and can infect nothing of itself out of the idolaters use; and so, that those laws about pollution of idols are ceased: for the Apostle Paul shows that the very meat that was sacrificed to idols or devils, out of the idols temple, was not polluted, but was lawful to be used. It was not near an execrable thing, as was the Babylonish garment in the time of the Law in Achan's possession. jacob erected a Pillar, as a monument that concerned the true God; and yet it is manifest that the Gentiles have most idolatrously abused themselves in that course of erecting Pillars, Leu. 26.1. For the fourth point. Such ceremonies as had signification put upon them, were notwithstanding lawful, as is manifest by the consideration of most of those ceremonies mentioned before: the Altar by Jordan, the Cup used at the Passover, the Cover on the heads of women, and the love-feasts with the holy kiss: and so had all the Jewish ceremonies. Now for the last thing, which makes things indifferent, with us scandadalous: we are not left without witness from the Scriptures in such cases; but that ceremonies known to be scandalous, were notwithstanding used. For it is manifest concerning the Jewish ceremonies, that they were scandalous in the usage to the Gentiles, and in the omitting to the Jews, Acts 21. 21, 22, 27, 28. Gal. 2.3, 9, 12. But that this point of scandal may be distinctly understood, diverse rules are to be considered of. First, Rules about taking and giving scandal at humane ceremonies. that the angering or bare displeasing of other men, is not the offence or scandal condemned in Scripture, as not only the words in the Original show, but all sound Divines grant. A scandal is a stumbling block, that occasions a man to fall from grace in the profession of it, into sin or error. Secondly, that to give offence by doing any thing which is simply evil in itself (as David did by his adultery and murder) this is out of all question abominable. Thirdly, that the offence of Aliens is to be regarded, that is, we must not do any thing by which men that are not yet converted, may be hardened from the liking of Religion: and so offence must not be given either to the Jew, or to the Grecian, 1 Cor. 10.31. Fourthly, that when the authority of the Magistrate or Church hath determined concerning the use of things indifferent, we are not now left free, nor are bound to look at the scandal of particular persons; but must make conscience of it, that we offend not the Church, by working a greater hu●t or loss to the Church, than the particular hurt of private persons can extend unto. In such cases as this the Apostles rule holds: If any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor the Church of God, 1 Cor. 11.16. And we are bound in this Text of the Apostle Peter, to obey the humane ordinances of men in authority; from which obligation other men's offence cannot free us. And the Apostle chargeth us to look to it, that we offend not the Church in prescribed ordinances, and that we be careful not to offend private men in free ceremonies. Fifthly, that where ceremonies are left free and indifferent, and have no commandment to restrain their use, or enjoin it, there are men to redeem the offence of their brethren with no other price, than the loss of liberty in things indifferent. The Apostle Paul faith rather than he will offend his brother, he will never eat flesh while he liveth, 1 Cor. 10.8.13. He doth not say, He will never preach the Gospel while he liveth, or never receive the Sacraments while he liveth: a necessity lay upon him to preach the Gospel, and to yield to the use of all lawful things to get his liberty, whosoever be offended. Sixthly, that where the person that takes offence is wilfully ignorant, and by all means avoids instruction, and will not have the patience to be taught, such offence is not to be regarded. Thus our Saviour Christ teacheth confidently his doctrine of eating his flesh, though the Capernaites were offended: and some of his Disciples turned Apostates about it, being such persons as would not abide the exposition of his meaning, john 6.52. Seventhly, the like is to be said of such persons as take offence out of envy or malice, as the man in the Parable that envied Christ's bounty, or the Pharisees that out of malice were offended at Christ, Mat. 20.15. Mat. 15.14. 1 Pet. 2.8. Eighthly, that in things that have proved scandalous, yet we are not bound to lose our liberty, till the weak brother declare his offence. Meat sacrificed to idols was offensive to many in all countries, yet the Apostles rule is, Eat, and make no question, unless one say, This is meat sacrificed to idols, 1 Cor. 10.25, 28. Thus of the five things that make things indifferent to become inconvenient, and yet not unlawful. I might add some other things; as that a man may practise and use such ceremonies for the advancing of the substantial part of God's worship, as he himself hath every where preached against, Acts 22.21. and in some cases hath refused to do, Gal. 2.5, 24. Again, that such inconvenient ceremonies may be imposed upon such persons and Churches as never received them before, Acts 15.19, 38. and 21.25. Quest. The last question is, Whether we must submit unto Magistrates, when they command unlawful things? Ans. A great difference is to be put between things commanded by Magistrates, concerning the lawfulness of which was doubt, and such things concerning which the Subject is assured, that they are unlawful. It is clear, that if I know the Magistrate commands a thing unlawful, I must not do it, because in that case I am bound to obey God, and not men: but suspicion or doubting of the lawfulness of things, is no discharge for obedience. It is true, that in things indifferent, which I may do or not do, I must be fully persuaded; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin: but I suppose, that the Inferior is not discharged from his obedience in any case, but when he knows the Magistrate commands a sin. Infinite confusion would follow in the family, and Commonwealth, and Churches, if the conjectures and suspicions of the Inferiors might warrant their refusal of subjection. Secondly, though I must in things unlawful refuse to obey, yet I must look to the manner of refusal: I must take heed that I be not guilty of that sin of speaking evil of dignities, 2 Pet. 2. jude 8. Which prohibition was given them when the Magistrates were wicked men, and did command unlawful things. Thus of the doctrine and explication of these things that concern man's ordinances, and their authority in the extent of them. The uses follow. Use. The use may be for reproof; and so both of those that offend in the excess, and of those that offend in the defect. First, some men attribute too much to the ordinances of men, and that diverse ways: as when they account men's ordinances (in the observation of them) to be a worship to God, or to be meritorious, or to be necessary to salvation, or in themselves simply to bind consciences: and also when more care is had for the keeping of men's ordinances than of God's Commandments: or when God's service is hindered, or transgressed, or neglected for men's traditions. Secondly, some men offend in the defect: as, 1. Such Christians as deny obedience to the ordinances of men in the indifferent or only inconvenient things. 2. Such Christians as in the manner show no scruple, nor fear, nor trouble of mind for breaking Gods express Law, in requiring obedience to Magistrates, while they are ignorant whether it be a sin or no to obey; and yet on the other side are extremely fearful and troubled in themselves, to vary from the advice or example of such men as they account godly, or fathers to them or others in Religion, and so are more fearful to break men's traditions than God's Commandments. Tradition is ill, as well when it comes from good men, as when it comes from bad men. 3. The Jesuits, that maintain that horrid doctrine of deposing, or murdering of Princes; so far are they from obeying them. Persons rather to be confuted by strokes than by arguments, as men that offend not only against the Laws of God, but the Laws of Nations, and the Law of Nature. Hitherto of the things to which they must submit themselves, viz. to every ordinance of man. The motive or manner follows. For the Lords sake.] These words do import both the cause and the manner of submission: they must submit for the Lords sake: and so, First, there are diverse things in God, which should move Christians to all possible care of pleasing and obeying their Magistrates: as, First, Gods and men's Magistrates were ordained of God, and therefore for his sake that set them up we should obey them. Secondly, God's Commandments: God hath required our submission, and therefore for the respect of the duty we owe to God, we should obey them. Thirdly, God's Image: Magistrates are little Gods in the world, they resemble God's sovereignty, or Majesty, and therefore because they are like God, we should obey them even for so much of the similitude of God as we may behold in them or their authority. Fourthly, God's mercies: we are infinitely bound unto God, and therefore for his sake, even for the love we bear to him we should do this which he requireth. Fifthly, God's glory: God shall get much honour, and his religion will be well spoken of, if Christians live obediently: and chose, if Christians be not obedient, God may be much dishonoured thereby, and great storms of affliction may be brought upon the Church by the wrath of Princes. Sixthly, the judgements of God, because they must give account to God for their behaviour toward Magistrates, as well as for their behaviour towards God himself. Secondly, these words may note the manner of obedience: we must obey Princes for God's sake: not only for conscience sake, but even as if we did obey God himself, and with a due respect unto God; and so it may make also a limitation. We must so obey man, as we still have respect unto God, so as nothing be done against the Word or pleasure of God. Use. The use should be therefore for instruction, to teach us to look carefully to ourselves in our submission, and so to obey, First, from the heart, because God is entitled to this service. Secondly, with fear, because God will be an avenger of disobedience and resisting of the powers. Thi●dly, though our subjection should be to our loss, or discredit, or danger, or hurt any way; yet for the Lords sake we should do it. There is motive enough in God, though there were not worthiness in the Magistrate, or recompense to us. Again, it serves to show the hatefulness of those transgressors that resist the power, and will not make conscience of it to submit themselves to the ordinances of Magistrates. For this is to resist God himself, this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: and God will certainly be a revenger of this disobedience, it being his own cause as well as the Magistrates. Besides, it serves to inform us concerning the admirable power and wisdom of God, in effecting the subjection of man, to authority of Magistrates. All men naturally affect to excel, and like not superiority in other men. And beside, it is needful that one man should govern and keep in order millions of men, disposed as before. Now this well points at the cause of this order and subjection, which is the respect of God. God naturally hath planted in the hearts of men a fear to rebel or disobey, even for fear of God himself more than Princes: and beside, God hath made man to see by experience, that he doth defend the persons and rights of Kings, by revenging the disobedience of men: this natural conscience keeps under natural men. Now though the Apostle would have godly men to obey for the same reason, yet it i● upon an higher ground: for godly men are instructed by the Word of God to obey Princes; yea, herein differed the obedience of the godly from the wicked, that the godly man obeys for the mere love he bears to God, and the wicked only for fear of vengeance from God: so both obey for an higher reason than the respect of Princes themselves, even for the Lords sake: the one for the love of God and the care of his glory, the other for fear of his punishments and judgements. Lastly, it shows men must so acknowledge the glory of Princes, as that especially we have respect unto the glory of God, who is King of Kings: we must obey Kings in the land, so as God be not disobeyed. Thus of the Proposition, the Exposition followe●. The Apostle labours to clear this doctrine from diverse scruples might be conceived by Christians, whether they arise from the diversity of the sorts of Magistrates, or from their sovereignty. For the sorts; he shows they must obey Magistrates of all sorts, both superior and inferior; the highest and those which are subordinate to them, both Kings and Governors also for their sovereignty. He teacheth them to observe the supremacy of Kings and Monarches. In general, we may learn from the Apostles care, to prevent mistaking herein, that he accounts it a pernicious thing to err about the authority of Princes and their Governors. And experience shows it to be pernicious sometimes to the persons of Kings, who are often by treason murdered upon wicked and erroneous grounds; and sometimes to the subjects, who draw upon themselves not only fearful sins, but miserable punishment also, by erring herein: sometimes it is pernicious to religion itself, and religious causes, giving not only scandal, but procuring desolation in the Churches through errors, sometimes on the left hand, and sometimes on the right hand. Whether to the King.] It may be questioned, whom the Apostle means by the word King? Such as understand the Epistle to be written to the Jews, may perhaps conceive that the Kings that ruled by deputation in Judea should be meant, such as were Herod and Agrippa. But in as much as the Jews were scattered thorough the Provinces, and those provincial Jews were most in quiet: and in as much as for the reasons afore given, it is likely that the Epistle was written to all Christians, both Jews and Gentiles; therefore by the King he meant Caesar. And then a more scruple ariseth, for the Romans hated the name of a King, and Caesar was an Emperor: to which diverse things may be answered. First, that though the present Governor was an Emperor, yet the Apostle knowing that the most monarchies in the world would rest in the title of King in all ages, therefore he useth that title that may concern the most of the Elect in all ages. Secondly, that though amongst the Romans the title of King was not used; yet the Grecians, in whose language he writ, did familiarly use the word which we translate King. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Thirdly, the Apostle might have respect unto the signification of the word, as unto a word which was most effectual to note the highest dignity among men. For it notes him that is the stay or foundation of the people, or the Commonwealth: and though ambitious men sought new titles as higher, yet the Apostle knew that this was most majestical and honourable: for the term of Emperor, in the signification of it, may agree to any subordinate ruler, who governs or commands other men. Fourthly, it may be that the Apostle, knowing the hypocrisy of those Emperors (who only disclaimed the name of Kings to avoid the hatred of the people, and yet sought the full right of Kings, a●d so to destroy the liberty of the people) giveth the name they sought in substance, though not in term. Where by the way we may note, Hypocrisy. how hateful hypocrisy is to God, and how vain it is. God will unmask even Kings, if they dissemble with him: He that trieth the hearts and reins judgeth according to truth, and will not be deceived with pretences. Though men durst not charge Caesar to affect the Kingdom, yet God dares, and will require at his hands the ambition of his heart. And if God will not bear with dissimulation in Kings, much less will he bear it in meaner men: he hates hypocrisy and feigned pretences, and painted shows wheresoever he finds it, which should teach us all to labour for a plain and upright heart in all things, to direct our words and carriage, according to the true intent of our hearts. For besides that God will plague men for their dissimulation, which cannot be hid from him, it falls out usually, that such as use dissembling are perpetually suspected (all their fair pretences notwithstanding) as those Caesars were. Lastly, the Apostle may name Kings, to prevent rebellion in the subjects, which either should fear such as affected the title, or live under such as professed themselves to be Kings; and so the meaning is, that he would have them obey even Kings, how hateful soever naturally that kind of government did seem unto them. It may be that the Apostle mentioneth Kings, as the last kind of government; a Monarchy being in many respects the most excellent form of government, as being such a form of government as comes nearest to the similitude of God, who is not only one in nature, but in government also; and is most agreeable to nature, which doth affect unity, as well in the body politic, as in the body natural. But I let this pass as a question belonging rather to the Politics than to Divinity, to be discussed at large. Thus conjecturally of the reason, why the Apostle useth this term. Concerning Kings, I propound these things to be considered of. First, the original of Kings. Secondly, the excellency of Kings: both these tend to work in man the care of obedience to them and their Laws. Thirdly, the indefinite manner of propounding the term, showing that this submission belongs to all Kings. Fourthly, the uses of all. For the first. It is not unprofitable to consider how men came by degrees, Original of Kings. at length to subject themselves to this government of Kings. First, man by the instinct of God, and by the nature given him, Homo naturâ est animal politicum. tends to society. Of all creatures man is unaptest to live alone. Man's language shows that he was made to society: and man's disposition shows that it likes not any estate that must be removed from the knowledge and conversation of other men. He that can live without society, is either better than a man, as is God; or worse than a man, as is a beast. The first kind of society was economical, as household society: Divers kinds of societies. where was first a society between man and wife; and thence by propagation grew the society to a full household, by the coming in of children and servants. And hence was the first form of government; where the father of the family was the Head and Ruler. The second kind of society was a Village or Town, which contained in it the government of diverse houses or families: and this was occasioned either by increase of posterity, or for prevention of harms, or out of necessity for supply of necessaries. At the first, a Village or Town contained (as is thought) only the several branches of the same family, that is, when men lived so long, such as were descended of their blood, and were ruled by the chief and first of their blood. Afterwards, strangers of other families that were fewer in number mingled with them, to avoid the danger of wild beasts, or the injuries of other men: yea, one of the words used for a village is derived from a word that signifies a Fountain, and so importeth, Pagus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. that necessity drew men to dwell together, that so they might enjoy the benefit of nature for water, which in the Country's first planted was not universally to be had, but one Well must serve diverse households: and so the Springs of water was one cause to bring men to this kind of society and dwelling together. The third kind of society was a City, which consisted of the people of many Villages: and into this society men came both for commodity and necessity. For commodity, as namely for trades, and the education of children, and the exercise of Religion, and the administration of justice: for necessity, that so they might be strengthened against their enemies; and to this end they walled and ditched about their Cities: as also to keep in offenders that they might not flee, and to keep out such as were banished that they might not return: and in this society first began the government of Kings. For from the beginning it is thought, that every City had a King, as a Monarch to rule and defend it, as appears in Genesis, There was a King of Sodom and Gomorrah: and so every of the other Cities had their different Kings. Fourthly, when men increased so fast that one City could not hold the people which lived in it, than began Countries and Provinces: and at length the whole Nation consisting of many Cities became subject to one King: and afterwards by conquest or marriage, divers Nations yielded obedience to one King. Now the ends why humane societies became subject to Kings and to superior Powers, were the Commonweal and the benefit of the people so united: for power was given to Kings, that so men might be protected in the practice of virtue, that peace might be preserved among the Inhabitants, that the common privileges might be maintained, that courses for raising of riches and trades might be held. Each man did look to his own wealth, but the King was to look to the Commonwealth. And thus much of the Original of Kings. Their excellency above other men follows. The excellency of Kings above others. Secondly, it must needs appear that Kings are of all men most excellent, in respect of their outward condition and calling; 1. Because God himself was a King, and is delighted to rank himself among men of that degree. 2. Because their creation is from God: they are a special sort of men raised in a peculiar manner to their places by God, who pleads it as his glory that King's reign by him, Prov. 8. Rom. 13. 3. Because God hath communicated to Kings the image of his own Majesty, and printed in the natures of men a natural form of Kings, as the Vice-gerents to God himself. 4. Because a divine sentence is in the mouth of the King, as Solomon faith: their judgement is God's judgement: and God would have the people to believe that what they say in judgement, God himself saith it. 5. Because they have a power above all other men; of which when I come to treat of the word Superior. 6. Because they take accounts of all other men, but give accounts only to God. 7. Because they have the treasure of honour: they give all the honour which is possessed by any of their subjects, and so do they all offices of honour and government in their Dominions. 8. Because they are the Basis, or the foundation, or stay of all their subjects; who are maintained in Religion, Justice and Peace, by their means. And thus of their excellency. Thirdly, it is to be noted that the word is set down indefinitely: and so it shows that this honour belongeth to all Kings in the substance of it, whether he be a King of one City, or many; whether he be a Jew or Gentile, a Christian or Pagan, Heretical or Orthodoxal, Caesar or Herod, young or old, virtuous or vicious. Use. Fourthly, the use should be therefore from hence, to enforce upon our hearts an increase of care and conscience, in acknowledging the honour and right of Kings, and in loyal and sincere observance and obedience to their Laws. It should not seem grievous to men to be held under the yoke of obedience, and to be subject to others that are but men as well as themselves. There are many things may encourage the hearts of subjects, without grievance to bear the superiority of Princes, and not to be discontented: for, First, Kings have nothing but what they have received. Secondly, if Kings do wrong, they must give account to God for all the wrongs that they have done. Thirdly, God hath charged Princes to be careful of their subjects: he hath given them laws though they be Kings. Fourthly, Princes subjects are first bound to God: and therefore they are not tied to Princes in any thing contrary to God's Word. Fifthly, though the outward man be subjected to the power of Princes, yet their consciences are free: in spirit they are subject only to the God of spirits. Sixthly, the hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord, and he turneth them as he pleaseth, Prov. 21. Seventhly, though God hath set up Kings, yet he hath not put down himself, but he ruleth in all these things: he is King of heaven, Dan. 4.34. and he is King of all the earth, Psal. 47.8. He is a King immortal, 1 Tim. 1.12. Eighthly, whereas thousands of subjects cannot attain to the sight of the King, nor obtain any particular suit from him, nor can the King provide for them in particular: yet may they go to God and Jesus Christ, who is King of righteousness and peace; they may get great suits in heaven, and shall be provided for in all needful things, Psal. 23.1. and 5.3. and 48.15. and 74.12. and 80.2. Esay 49.10. Mat. 2.6. Revel. 7.17. Lastly, though they be subjects now in respect of earthly Princes: yet in respect of God they are anointed to be Kings themselves, and shall receive a Kingdom better than all the kingdoms of the earth. The Princes of this world are but mortal Kings; but every godly man is a King immortal, he partakes the title of God himself. God is a King immortal by nature, 1 Tim. 1.12. and he is a King immortal by adoption and grace: and beside, the poorest subject that is a true Christian, entertaineth the King of glory every day, Psal. 24, 7, 9 As superior. [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] The word signifieth one that hath above the have of other men: and so the King hath more than all his subjects, not only in matter of maintenance, but also in matter of authority and supremacy: this his having in supremacy is here meant. That the King is supreme, is so manifest by this text as it needs no proof: Princes are called therefore in the Old Testament, Heads of the Tribes, or of the people, to signify that they were not only higher in place, but had sovereign and supreme authority over all the people. This supremacy of Kings gives them authority in all causes both ecclesiastical and civil, and over all persons, Churchmen as well as Laymen, as hath been proved at large before in the former parts of this verse. The use is therefore to coufute the damnable plead of the Popes of Rome and their adherents, that claim to have the right of supremacy above the Kings and Princes of the world. There are diverse manifest arguments to overthrow the supremacy of the Pope. First, this express text, that acknowledgeth the Kings to be superior; this was the Doctrine in the Apostles times. Secondly● it is more to be noted, that Peter himself, who by the opinion of the Papists had the height of place in the Church, that even Peter (I say) is so far from claiming this to himself, that he directs Christians to acknowledge supremacy only as the right of Kings, yea and flatly forbids dominion in the Clergy, 1 Pet. 5.5. Thirdly, our Saviour Christ at large beats down this primacy, or supremacy in his Apostles and all Churchmen, showing that they had not authority as the Kings of the earth had; it must not be so with them: and much less had they authority over the Kings of the earth, Matth. 20.25. Luke 22.25. Fourthly, every soul must be subject to the higher powers. If every soul, than Churchmen if they have souls must be subject, and therefore may not rule, Rom. 13.1. Fifthly, Christ and the Apostles never claimed any such supremacy, but showed the contrary by their doctrine and practice. Sixthly, it is made the express mark of that man of sin, that he lifts up himself above all that is called God, that is, above Magistrates, 2 Thess. 2. This hath been the constant Doctrine of the ancient Fathers. Origen Homil. 7. in Isai. faith, He that is called to a Bishopric is not called to principality, but to the service of the Church. Tertullian lib. ad Scapul. faith, We reverence the Emperor, as a man second to God, and the only one that is less than God; and also, Tertullian de Ido. Capite 18. Nazianzen orat. ad subdit. & Imperat. All men must be subject to higher powers. The express testimonies of chrysostom and Bernard upon Rom. 1 3. have been quoted before, read Bernard. de consid. lib. 2. Capite 4. Hilar. ad Anx. Chrysost. homil. 42. in joan. Ambrose in 2 Tim. 2.4. Secondly, this should confirm every good subject to acknowledge and maintain the King's supremacy, and willingly to bind himself thereunto by oath: For the oath of supremacy is the bond of this subjection, and this oath men must take without equivocation, mental evasion, or secret reservation; Bernard. Epist. 170. yea it should bind in them the same resolution was in Saint Bernard: who faith thus, If all the world would conspire against me, to make me complot any thing against the King's Majesty, yet I would fear God, and not dare to offend the King ordained of God. Or unto governor's.] By governor's, he either means all other sorts of Magistracy besides a Monarchy, or else such Magistrates as in a Kingdom have commission from the King to hear and determine causes, or any way to rule and exercise any Laws of the King: and it is the Apostles meaning that Christians should be subject to all sorts of Magistrates, of what form or dignity soever, from the highest to the lowest, so as it should be no more lawful for them to disobey an inferior Magistrate, than to disobey the King: so far forth as the inferior Magistrate hath authority, and doth proceed according to his commission in lawful things. This point needs not to be further handled, having been entreated of in the general doctrine in submission to all Magistrates before. And thus of the exposition: the confirmation follows. Verse 14. Or unto governor's, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. THe Apostle in this verse and the next confirmeth the exhortation, partly by reasons, and partly by answering an Objection: the reasons are in this verse and the next, and the prolepsis, verse 16. The reasons may be referred to two heads; the one taken from the calling of Magistrates, verse 14. and the other from the will of God, verse 15. The calling of Magistrates is considered two ways: First, either in the author of it, and so they are sent of God. Secondly, or in respect of the end of it, which is partly the punishment of the wicked, and partly the praise of them that do well. As they that are sent of him.] Of him, either may be referred to the King, or to the Lord: If it be referred to the King, than it shows that all inferior Magistrates receive all their authority from the King; they have no more authority than other subjects, but as it is bestowed upon them by the King: and withal it shows a secret in all well governed Monarchies, which is, that the King reserves the giving of honours and offices to himself, which more obligeth the Under-officers and Magistrates to him; and he is thereby the better acquainted with the State of the Kingdom. But I am rather of the mind of those Interpreters that refer it to the Lord. And so the sense and doctrine is, That both the Kings and the Governors are sent of God: it is God that prefers them, whatsoever the second causes be. Though election or succession seem to make a King, and Kings make Governors, yet have we been taught that none of these come to their places without the providence of God, Prov. 8.15. Now God keeps this business in his own hands to see to the calling of Magistrates, because of the service by them he can execute: For a great part of his Kingdom is managed by their deputation. By them God scourgeth the sins of the wicked, yea of the whole world, either by suffering them to be public miseries, or by guiding them to punish offenders by the sword of justice: and by them he many times brings many common blessings upon worlds of people, as the next words show. Uses. The uses are diverse, some particular, some general: In particular it should teach us, First, by prayer to seek Magistrates of God: subjects might get great blessings of this kind, if they would pray hard for them. For God it is that sends Magistrates. Secondly, with patience to bear the wrongs of evil Magistrates, seeing there is a hand of God in it. Thirdly, with thankfulness to give the praise to God for good Magistrates, seeing it was he that sent them as a common blessing. Fourth●y, in all suits about the lives, or duties, or successions of Magistrates to trust unto God: For though we know not where to be provided in earth, yet God can send one from heaven as it were. The word sent imports, that God can raise him up beyond expectation. In general it should stir us up in all things done by outward means in this world, to strive for the skill to find out, and acknowledge God's hand and providence in it, seeing in these things which are apparently done by means for the most part, yet God's providence is in it. Thus of the Author of their calling: the end follows. For the punishment of evil doers.] Divers things may be noted from hence. First, that in all Commonwealths in the world there will be evil doers: though there be a King and Governors, and Gods Commandments lie hard upon men's consciences, yet there will be evil doers. And the point shows the horrible strength of the poison of natural corruption, which no Laws of God nor man, nor experience of evil, nor example can restrain or dry up: and withal it shows their solly and weakness that will forsake Christian assemblies for the wickeds sakes; whereas the Apostle improves, that even in Christian Commonwealths there will be this part of a Magistrates virtue to punish the evil doers, such as are known to be so: and therefore such curious persons must go out of the world, if they will go from evil doers. And withal it should breed in men a greater care to look to themselves, that they be not infected by them: since there is no society of men in which this plague-fore of sin runneth not, we must redeem the time, because the days are evil. And further, it should breed in us a loathing of this wicked world, of this present evil world, and a desire of heaven; since we shall never live in a place where the people will be all righteous, till we come to heaven. And finally, it confutes their folly, that from the viciousness of some men, conclude the faultiness either of the doctrine, laws, or government. Secondly, that evil doers must be punished, Rom. 15. and great reason: for first, evil doers in any society are infectious: many may be defiled by them. Secondly, they work much disquietness, and trouble humane societies. Thirdly, if they escape without punishment, they may bring down the judgements of God upon the place where they live. Uses. Which may serve for terror to other offenders. First, the very sight of Magistrates should affright them, considering that God sent those very Magistrates to punish them. It importeth that though they escape the hands of men, they shall not escape the hands of God. Secondly, it should teach men if they would live out of the danger of the Magistrates punishment, to take heed they be not evil doers. Quest. Now if you ask who are evil doers: Who are branded for evil doers. Ans. I answer: Such as live in notorious offences, such as are swearers, drunkards, whore-mongers, railers, thiefs, idle persons, murderers, Sabbath-breakers, sowers of discord, and the like. The original word doth point at some special sort of offenders: For, naming evil doers, such especially must not escape, as 1. Invent evil where it is not. 2. Or sin not out of ignorance, but wilfully. 3. Or are leaders of other men to evil. 4. Or make a trade of offending by custom in sin. 5. Or study how to do mischief, gathering together, as things might further their evil courses. All this may be included in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 3. Thirdly, there are from hence many to be blamed, that speak evil of such as take any course to reform abuses. 4. Fourthly, Magistrates must look to their calling and God's Commandment, to see abuses amended, or else they must account to God for it. 3. The third doctrine which may be noted from hence is, That all evil doers are to be punished without respect of persons; they are to look upon men's works, and not on their persons: great men must be punished if they be evil doers as well as poor men, many men as well as one man: yea, if good men do evil, they must bear the punishment of their sin, Christians as well as Pagans. 4. That evil doers are not accounted safe members of any society, and therefore are distinguished from good subjects, as not fit to be of that order. 5. That such as transgress the laws of men are accounted by the Apostle evil doers, as well as such as transgress the Laws of God: for he here speaks especially of such as are evil doers in respect of humane ordinances, which may be a warning to such as securely live in the transgression of the commandments of Christian Magistrates: and withal, it may impair the honour of their condition that live in the breach of the Laws of God without repentance: For if it be so hateful a thing to be a breaker of the laws of men; in what case are they in that have so grossly broken the Laws of God? 6. That punishment of evil doers is in the power of the Magistrate: private men cannot reform public abuses, they may pray for reformation, they are not to execute it but by authority. 7. That there are diverse evils which men cannot punish: for the Magistrate can only punish evil doers, that is, such as offend in word or deed: evil thinkers they cannot meddle withal. Which may warn Magistrates to be wary how they punish men only upon suspicion, or presumption, without proof that they are evil doers: and withal, it shows that God hath reserved th● judgement of men's works also to himself. For God hares the sins of the heart as well as the sins of life: and therefore since for these evils men answer not to men, they must provide to answer before God. 8. That a Magistrate that punisheth sins doth but execute the commission he received from God: he was sent of God to that end, and therefore may comfort himself in the Lord, how ill soever his execution of justice be spoken of among men. Thus of the punishment of evil doers. The second end of the sending of Magistrates is for the praise of them that doewell. For the praise of them that do well.] By such as do well, he means such as in public societies live without offence, and carry themselves honestly in their places; especially such as are profitable, and do good to others, whether it be to the minds of men, by instructing or reproving; or to the bodies or estates of men, by works of mercy or righteousness: and among these he meaneth especially such as 1. Are Inventors of good, the first Authors of the public good. 2. That do good daily and frequently. 3. That study how they may do all the good they can, and do employ all the helps and furtherances of good they can. Here may many things be noted from hence. First, that all that are members of public societies, are bound to be careful to do good to others; and to live so that the Church and Commonwealth may be the better for them. Which should much humble such Christians as live and do little or no good, and should quicken in all sorts of good Christians a desire to serve the public: we are not set here to do good to ourselves only, but also to others. Secondly, that in this world it is not to be expected from men, that all that do well or deserve well should be rewarded by them: he saith, For the praise, not, For the reward; as importing, that many a man may deserve well, that shall never have recompense from men. And this ariseth partly from the corruption of Magistrates, that are not careful to dispose preferments or recompense to such as are worthy, and partly from the insufficiency of any earthly greatness to do it. For great men can reward all their servants or friends: but no King can give the honour or preferment that is due to all his subjects that deserve well. Which should teach us partly to do good without hope of reward from men, and partly to quicken our hearts to the admiration of the reward that God gives in heaven: we should provide to be his subjects, and then we are sure to have a full reward of well-doing in heaven. Thirdly, that to be praised, or to have a good report among men is a great blessing of God: and therefore in the Old Testament, blessing and praise i● expressed by one word, Prov. 28.20. And this may appear to be so, 1. Because God himself seeks praise from his creatures, and accounts himself honoured by it, Psal. 50.23. Ephes. 1.6, 12, 14. 2. Because praise is a part of the glory of God shining upon a man. 3. Because it is in Scripture preferred before things of great price, as great riches, Prov. 22.1. and precious ointment, Eccles. 7, etc. 4. Because it so much refresheth a man's heart, it makes his bones full, Prov. 15.35. 5. Because an ill name is noted as an extreme curse, job 18.17. and in many other places. Uses. The use is, first, to comfort godly men, and to make them thankful if God give them a good report here: but especially it should comfort them to think of the praise they shall have at the last day. For if it be a blessing to be praised of men, what is it to be praised of God? If it be such a comfort to be praised by a Magistrate before the Country, what is it to be praised of Christ before all the world at the greatest and last Assizes? If praises be good in this world, where there is mutual vaunting, and they may be blemished; what is it to have praise in that day that shall last for ever unstained? If it be such a comfort to be praised of a Magistrate for some one good deed, what shall it be to be praised of Christ for all that ever was good in thoughts, words, or works? Secondly, it should teach men to seek a good report, and to do all things that might have a good report, Phil. 4.9. As a man may seek riches, so he may seek and desire a good name, Prov. 22●. But the praise of men is then unlawful and unlawfully sought, Wherein it is unlawful to seek the praise of men. First, when men do things only to be seen of men, and have no better respects than applause, Mat. 6. 1 Thess. 2.6. Secondly, when a man praiseth himself with his own mouth, Prov. 27.2. Thirdly, when it is challenged of others, and men will not stay till God give them a good report, joh. 8.49,50. Fourthly, when men seek praise only for the show of goodness, and are not good in deed. Fifthly, when men seek praise of men, but seek not the praise of God, or the praise that comes from God only, which is tried in this, that they will not do duties that God only cares for, or that are disgraced in the world, Rom. 2.28. joh. 5.44 and 12.42, 43. Otherwise it is lawful to seek praise: and there is an infallible sign to know whether praise be not ill for ●s, and that is, if praise make us more humble and more careful of sound holiness, and do refine us: then praise is lawful and a great blessing, when it is like the refining pot, it melts us and makes us better, Prov. 27.21. Further, if praise be so great a blessing, than an evil name must needs be a great curse, when it is for evil doing: and if it be so evil to be dispraised of men, what shall it be to be dispraised of God, not for one, but many sins; not before a few, but before all the world; when it shall be not to mend a ●●n (as the Magistrate's reproof may be) but to his eternal confusion? Thus of the third Doctrine. Doct. 4. It may hence be noted, that the best men need praise, and therefore God provides that they shall be praised: even such as do well need to be commended. 2 Cor. 12.11. And this may appear both by the comfort they take, if they be commended, Prov. 15.30. and by their earnest desires to clear themselves if they be dispraised, as we see in David, Christ himself, and the Apostles, especially the Apostle Paul. Use. And therefore the use should be to teach men to acknowledge the good things done by others, and to give them praises, especially if they be godly and humble men: it may do them much good, and greatly both comfort them and encourage them. This made the Apostle Paul so rejoice in the Philippines, Phil. 3. ult. It was no flattery. It is flattery in some other men, if they do commend others for their own ends, or with selfe-praises, or without daring to reprove their faults, or to get praise to themselves, or for any other corrupt end, especially when our praises are to such as are public instruments of good in Church or Commonwealth. And it is a course of singular use to be held in private families, if such as do well might have praise, as well as such as do evil dispraise. Use. 2. Secondly, it may much condemn the corruption of heart, which appears in many men in this point in sinning against the just praises of others, either by speaking evil of them, and blemishing their good names (which is to steal their riches from them): or by withholding due praise (which is to withhold the good from the owner thereof.) It should much affright such as are guilty of this fault, that our Saviour Christ measures our love to God, by our readiness to praise for the works of God done by another, joh. 5.41, 42. It is a sign that men love not God, when they love not goodness in others, which sure they do not if they commend it not. Doct. 5. Well doing aught to be esteemed wheresoever it is found, in a subject as well as a Prince, in a servant as well as a Master; in all estates and conditions of men. For God doth so, as may appear, Ephes. 6.7, 8. and grace and goodness is alike precious, wheresoever it is in the like degree: which serves to rebuke that secret corruption in the natures of men, that are apt to observe and praise good things in greater persons, but withhold the encouragement is due to other men, only because they are poor, and because they are worse, jam. 2.1, 2, 3. You may now by this doctrine try whether they be good themselves: For it is a sign of goodness, to observe and love goodness wheresoever he seeth it, in a servant as well as in a friend, and in a poor Christian as well as a rich. Doct. 6. It may be yet further observed, that if men would be praised they must do well: praise is only due to well-doing, Rom. 2.10. 2 Tim. 2. 20, 21. 1 Thess. 4.4 Rom. 13.5. And therefore it is a poor praise that men raise to themselves for other things: all that same which is raised for any thing but well-doing, is external and vain: and therefore they are greatly deceived, that rest in the report that is raised from their wit, or beauty, or birth, or preferment, or sumptuous buildings, or the like. Those may cause a great fame, but only well-doing can cause a good fame. Secondly, it shows that hypocrites, that have gotten reputation only because they are thought to be good, have but built in the sands. joh. 5.36, 37. For when in time it shall appear that their own works do not praise them, they shall find that the praise of men will not last. It is not saying well that works a durable good name, but doing well. It is but complementing at the best, to profess and promise great care of practice and praising, and yet be barren and unfruitful. Use. 3. Thirdly, this shows the great corruption of their nature, that so unquietly seek after praise, and complain how much they be neglected, and yet their own consciences know how idle and unprofitable they are, and which is worse, that they not only do not well, but manifestly do evil, and sin daily in pride and envy, in passion and wilfulness, or other open transgressions. This thirst after respect above others, is a sign of a great strength of hypocrisy, when they are more desirous to be thought good than indeed to be so, and more careful of the praise of men than of God. Fourthly, they sin shamefully that praise the wicked, and justify him that God condemneth: but Sal●mon hath set a note upon those persons, that they are naught themselves: For he saith, that they that break the Law praise the wicked, Prov. 28.4. and 24.25. Psal. 10.3. Fifthly, they are yet worse that glory in their shame, that seek praise for the excess of wickedness committed by them, either against God or men: as they do that would be commended for their cost bestowed on Idols, or for their worshipping of Saints or Angels, or for their revenges and wrongs done to men, or for their mightiness to hold out in drinking wine, or for their filthy acts of any kind, or for their excesses in strange apparel, or for the raising of themselves by unlawful means, or for their deliciousness in their fare, or the like. As those glory in their shame, so their end is damnation, Phil. 3.18. Lastly, this doctrine should beget in men a great desire to live profitably, and to do good, and in a special manner to apply themselves to such works as are most praiseworthy. Quest. Here then ariseth a question, What things in particular do most advantage a man's just praises? Answ. The answer is, that there are diverse things will make a man to be much praised: as, Helps to get praise from men. First, to honour God: he hath promised to honour those that honour him, Prov. 8.17. Now to honour God is to seek his Kingdom first, and to confess his name before men, though it be in evil times. Secondly, humility and a lowly carriage with meekness. For the humble shall be exalted, and the proud brought low, Luk. 1.14, 20. Thirdly, mercy to the poor. This made the Macedonians famous in the Churches, especially to show it liberally and readily, 2 Cor. 8. Fourthly, diligence and exact carefulness to discharge the labours of our particular calling with all faithfulness: this made the good woman famous, mentioned, Prov. 31.27, 28, 29, 30, 31. especially if wisdom and providence be joined with diligence. Fifthly, to live in peace, and study to be quiet, and meddle with our own business, and to be a peacemaker, wins a great deal of praise, 1 Thess. 4.11. Matth. 5.9. Sixthly, to be exactly just in men's dealings, and true in his words and contracts, this will make men abound with blessings. The word is praises, as it is in other places translated, Prov. 28.20. Seventhly, to be courtous is to be amiable, so as it be done without affectation, and not directed for thy own ends, and not done with dissimulation. Eighthly, to do good to our enemies, to be not only ready to forgive, but to pray for them, and forbear to wrong when it might be executed, and to show all willingness to overcome their evil with goodness, Rom. 12. 20, 21. Ninthly, a care in all things strictly to submit ourselves to the just Laws of men, avoiding transgression for conscience sake, as the coherence in this place shows. And thus of the sixth Doctrine. Doct. 7. It may yet further be observed from hence, that God doth require Magistrates in a special manner to look unto it, that they do all they can to praise and encourage godly men, and such as do good in the countries where they live, Rom. 13.5. This is the end of their calling, job 29.25. This will prove heavy one day for those profane Magistrates, that in the places of their abode disgrace none more than such as are godly, and countenance none more than such as are most dissolute and lewd of life. The judgements of the Lord will be terrible against these unrighteous men. Lastly, the Antithesis is here to be noted. For when he saith, that such as do well should be praised; he doth not say, that such as do evil should be dispraised: and this may be considered of, either in the case of private persons, or in the case of Magistrates. For private persons, they are bound to the good behaviour, in respect of the evil of others many ways. First, till their evils are known, not to mistrust or condemn others. Secondly, when their evils are known, if they be secret, they must not be revealed: if they be open, and the persons be good men, they must do what they can to cover them; and if they be evil men, they must not speak of their dispraises without a great respect of glorifying God by it: and beside, they must not venture so far to judge of the final estate of any man for any evils, till the end come. In the case of superiors it is true, they may use dispraise, but it must be as a medicine which must be applied with many cautions, and the ingredients must be God's word, and not their own. Verse 15. For so is the will of God, that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. IN these words is contained the second argument taken from the will of God. God is specially desirous that Christians should do all the good they can, and in particular should be careful to obey the Magistrates, because by that means, they may confute such ill-minded men as are apt to speak evil of religion: so that the words contain a choice rule prescribed unto Christians, to be carefully observed. In which rule consider, First, the authority of it, So is the will of God Secondly, the matter of it, well-doing. Thirdly, the end, which is the silencing of wicked men. For.] This word For seems to give a reason (not of what went next before in the former verse, but) of the exhortation to Christians as they are subjects, showing the happy effect of well-doing in general, and in particular of their submission to Magistrates, and how orderly and profitably their life should be, as they are good subjects and serviceable to the Commonwealth. For so is the will of God.] The will of God is diversely accepted in Scriptures: for though God's will indeed be but one, yet for our infirmities sake it is considered of with distinction: and so it is either personal or essential. There is a will of God that is personal, restrained to some of the persons: so the Father wils the obedience and death of the Son, and Christ obeys that will of his Father, joh. 6.38, 39, 40. Mat. 26.39, 42. But it is the essential will of God here meant: the former is the will of God ad intra; and this the will of God ad extra, as they say in schools. The essential will of God is taken sometimes for the faculty of willing, sometimes for the act of willing, sometimes for the thing willed, and sometimes for the sign by which that will is declared; as, his Word is his will. So here by his essential will, God wils both good and evil. Good is the object of God's will properly, and of itself. Evil is the object of the will of God, but only under some respect of good. Evil is either of punishment, or of sin. Evil of punishment God wils, and is the Author of, Psal. 115.3. as the just Judge of the world: and punishment of itself is a good thing, as it is a work of justice. Evil of sin God only wils to permit, Acts 14.16. but it is not God's willing of evil is here meant. As the will of God concerns us in matter of good, it may be considered either evangelically or legally. Evangelically his will gives order what shall be done with us: and so he wils the salvation of his Elect, Ephes. 1.11. joh. 6.40. Legally his will gives order what shall be done by us: and so he wils our sanctification in all the rules of it, and in every part, Col. 1.10. By the will of God in this place than he means the Word of God, as it contains the revelation of what God would have done by his servants in the cases specified in this Text. Many things may be observed out of these words. Doct. 1. First, we may take notice of the two only Springs of all things to be known in Religion, in these words, viz. God and his will; God and the word of God. God is principium essendi, the Author of their being: and the will or word of God is principium cognoscendi, the fountain of the knowledge of them. Doct. 2. God doth will all that which is to be done by his servants in any part of their obedience, or in any case of their lives: as here the course they are to take either toward the Magistrate, or toward their enemies, God wils it, that is, he doth in himself approve, or determine, or appoint, and by his Word he doth warrant and require it. And the same is true of all the well-doing of godly men, God wils them: which I observe for these uses. Uses. First, it may be a great comfort to a Christian, when he knows he hath done what God would have him to do: for than he may be sure God will not forget his labour, and work of love and obedience, Heb. 6.8. The Hebrew that signifieth will, signifies pleasure and delight: and when it is given to God, it notes that what he wils he takes pleasure in; as in Esay 62.4. Hophzibah, My will is in her, or, My delight is in him: God takes great delight when we do his will. Every careful Christian is his Hophzibah. And beside, if God do will, we should do so. God will defend and protect us in our ways: that may support us against all the crosses or oppositions that may be like to befall us. And that made the Apostles place in every Epistle, that. They were Apostles by the will of God. And so such godly Christians as obey the humane ordinances of men in these times of quarrel and contention, must comfort themselves with this, that Thus was the will of God that they should so obey: and that must support them against the contrary wills of men otherwise minded, how well soever reputed of; and make them bring their own hearts into obedience to that which God would have them to do, etc. Doct. 3. The word of God is the willing of God, and so called here: and God's word may be said to be his will in two respects, either because of the form, or in respect of the matter. In respect of the form, it may be called his will, because it is digested in form of a Testament; and Christ the Wisdom of God hath set it in such form, as if it were his last Will and Testament; as in some respects it is: Or else chiefly, because what God doth express or require in the Scriptures, is agreeable to the very nature and will of God, he doth in himself will it, as well as in his Word promise or require it. Which shows a great difference between the laws of Princes and the Laws of God: For many times the laws of Princes agree not with the natures and hearts of Princes; whereas God's word is always agreeable to God's will: and withal this should the more quicken to obedience, because by conforming ourselves to God's word, we conform ourselves to God's nature. And further, it may comfort us in the hope of strength to be enabled to do God's will, and what he requires, because he wils what we should do: For God's will causeth an impression upon the creature, it gives assistance, it will see it done, he will work our works for us; God's word is a Word of power, it works what it wils, which men's laws cannot do. When we know God wils such a thing in his Word to be done, we should conceive that he doth not only show us by that place what is to be done, but also what assistance we shall have to do it. Doct. 4. The will of God is the rule of our actions, what he wils we must do, and so it is urged here by the Apostle; and therefore it should teach us to labour to understand what his will is, since all is lost that is not conformed to this rule, Ephes. 5.10. We must get us to the Law and to the Testimonies. For whatsoever is not directed from thence, hath no light in it, Esay 8.20. Secondly, we must go to God, and pray him to teach us to do his will, since he hath enroled it in his Word, Psal. 143.10. Thirdly, if this doctrine were throughly digested, unruly, froward, and wilful Christians would make more conscience of their passionate and incorrigible courses. Let them look to it in time, they must give account to him that so hath prescribed rules by his will, that he will not admit of courses carried only by their wills. Fourthly, inferiors must look to the warrant of their actions: it is not the will of man, but the will of God can justify them to do well, 1 Pet. 4.2. Lastly, if his will rule us, than we must take heed of that fault of making the laws of our wills the causes of his will, as they do that think God must will to do nothing with wicked men, unless his will be confined to certain rules which they conceive in their wills. Doct. 5. That the bare signification of Gods will should be argument enough to persuade a godly Chistian to do any thing, though it be to deny himself, or to go a course which is cross to his own desires. The knowledge of God's will alone doth compel a godly mind to obey. It is not the Majesty, or the rewards of God, but God's will which alone sufficeth to guide him: which may try the obedience of man by the motives. For only the sound Christian will obey simply for the commandment sake, and must teach us to stick to it: the bare will of God must rule us, though there were never so many men contrary-minded. Use. The use is for trial of hypocrites: the true Christian lays down all his own courses, as soon as ever he hears the sound of Gods will. Doct. 6. The practice of a Christian must be conformed just according to the pattern: so is the will of God; it must be just so as the will of God is: so from the manner as well as from the matter. Which should teach us three things; First, to walk circumspectly, seeing we must look so precisely to the manner, as well as to the matter of God's will, Ephes. 5.15. Secondly, we must therefore increase in the knowledge of his will, Col. 1.10. for the more things are to be done, or the more exactly God wills us to do, the more care we must have to increase our knowledge, and study his will, since all must be just so as he wils to have it. Thirdly, we should be stirred up to pray for ourselves, and one for another, seeing it is such a hard thing to live a Christian life, and to please God. Mark with what force of words the Apostle prayed about this point, Heb. 13.20, 21. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord jesus that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting Covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen. Quest. But can a Christian be so exact as to answer the pattern, to do just so as God wils him? Ans. 1. He may for the substance of the obedience, though not for all the degrees or circumstances. 2. He may do it in desire: he must set his pattern before him, as that he desires to follow, and strives as well as he can, and is vexed because he cannot do it: and with God if we have always done as much as well as we did desire to do, he accepts the desire for the deed: but it is certain of the most of us in the most things, that we have neither done the things right, nor brought the desiring to do them: and therefore it is just with God, if we lose what we have wrought. Doct. 7. That in some cases God would have us take notice of his will in more especial manner, he hath certain special wills: there are some things that he doth as it were more stand upon than other things: and these special wills of God we must heedfully take notice of: as for instance, 1 Thess. 4. a●out avoiding fornication, this is the will of God, he meaneth his special chief will: so about thanksgiving, 1 Thess. 5.18. where the Apostle urgeth the will of God as a thing that God would above many other things have done. Above all things give thanks: for this is the will of God, etc. So our Saviour Christ notes in his own occasions, an especial will of God, joh. 6. 39▪ 41. So here God doth in a special manner will us to obey Magistrates, and to silence wicked men by well-doing. Use. The use should be, to teach us to mark what things God doth specially require of us, and to apply ourselves to his will, that the Lord may take pleasure in us, & say of each of us as he did of Cyrus, He is the man of my will: which is here explained. He is the man that executeth my counsel, Esay 46.11. It was David's singular glory, that he would do all Gods will: whatsoever special service God had to do, David was ready to execute it, Acts 13. For herein lieth the trial of a sound Christian, he doth the will of his heavenly Father, and ●ests not in talking of Religion only, and professing it, Mat. 7.21. Rom. 2.11. 1 joh. 2.17. And in particular, in this text we see there be two things that God would fain have us do to silence wicked men, and stop their mouths: First, he would have us so to behave ourselves, that we keep out of their danger in respect of the laws of Magistrates. Secondly, and then to live such a discreet and profitable life, that they may see that we differ from all other sorts of men in the goodness of our conversation. If we would do what might be specially pleasing to God, we must be careful of these two things. Doct. 8. Lastly, we may here note that the will of God may be known effectually, though it be not known distinctly. The Apostle is sure this is the will of God; and yet there is no book, chapter, nor verse quoted, nor can any particular place be alleged that these precise words do express God's will: but in as much as the meaning is to be found in the scope of many places of Scripture, therefore it may be well so called. The will of God. Thus of the authority of this rule. The matter of it follows, which is well-doing. With well-doing. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] The word is not the same with that in the former verse: for here it is a participle of the present time, and notes the continual custom of well-doing, and gives us to understand, that if ever we would effectually silence wicked men, we must be continually exercised in well-doing. Our good works (though of great excellency) yet work but a sudden blaze: the effect of them will be quickly ended, or soon put out, and then will wicked men return to their old course of reproaching, if they be not daily confuted by the still fresh and new fruits of a Christian: we must be full of new and good fruits, jam. 3.17. and never weary of well-doing. The sense of the word than is this, as if it were rendered thus: This is the will of God, that they are daily exercised in doing good, should put to silence foolish men: for the original word doth note the person as well as the good done, which affords another doctrine. Doct. 2. God would have good men that are full of good fruits to enter into the lists against wicked men, to vanquish and silence them; which implies that God would not have formal Christians or hypocrites to meddle with the quarrel of Religion: for they will spoil all in the end, when their hollowness and hypocrisy is discovered: they will make foolish men raise and blaspheme worse than before. Such are fit to plead for, and defend Religion, as be manful and full of good works. And therefore the weaks Christians should not be overbusy and fiery in meddling with wicked men, or putting themselves forward to defend sincerity, till their works could plead for them: before we set on to be great talkers for Religion, we should provide good store of good works, by which we might demonstrate the truth and power of godliness in us. Of well-doing in itself, I have entreated before: only before I pass from it, me thinks it is lamentable that our hearts can be no more fired to the care of it. Oh that we were once brought but to consent from the heart, with confirmed purpose, to set up a course by our lives to win glory to our Religion! We see how fain God would have us do so: and it would plague wicked men that would fain rail at us: nothing would more confute them. And beside, other Scriptures show no life aboundeth more with steadfastness and contentment than a life fruitfully spent: especially how can we be still thus careless, if we remember the great recompense of reward in another world? Oh this formality and outward show, and serving God for fashion! how deeply is it seated in men's manners! It is likely the most of you that hear this doctrine will say it is good, and perhaps some one or two of you will be a little touched with a kind of consultation in yourselves which way you might do well: but alas, alas! out and alas! Oh that I could get words to gore your very Souls with smarting pain, that this Doctrine might be written in your very flesh, for a thousand to one you will go the most of you away, and not redress your ways. Religion shall not be honoured by you more than before: cursed be that worldly dross or spiritual security that will thus rob and spoil your souls, and keep Religion without her true gloss and bea●ty, and shining glory. I might here also note, that submission to the ordinances of men is one part of a Christian man's well doing, and a special ornament of the sincere profession of religion, because it is the discharge of the duty enjoined us by God, and so is a part of the obedience due to God himself; to keep their ordinances is to obey God's commandment. Secondly, because such a conscionable submission to man's Laws, makes the religious works of Christians to be the more unrebukable in the eyes of wicked men, and therefore they are to be warned of their rashness that say, that conformity to men's laws is evil doing, when God says it is well doing: they say it is a sin, God says it is a good work. It is nearer to the truth, and safer to say, that not conforming is a sin, because it is a breach of God's express commandment in the former verse: and therefore also godly Christians, whether Ministers or private persons, that obey the laws of men simply out of conscience of God's Commandments, and not for corrupt ends, may comfort themselves, that the good God doth like of what they do, because it is his will that so they should do, and he says they do well; though some good men are contrary-minded, & out of weakness censure them as evil doers. Then it is employed here that the conscionable conformity of godly Christians shall be rewarded in Heaven; for all well-doing shall be rewarded in Heaven: but submission to humane Ordinances is well-doing, and therefore shall be rewarded in Heaven. Paul is crowned in Heaven for his holding to the Jewish ceremonies▪ to win the Jews, and further the liberty of his Ministry. Thus of the matter required. The end follows. That you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.] The word here rendered, To put to silence, is diversely accepted, or the force of it is showed by divers terms in several Scriptures. Sometimes it is translated, to still a thing that is tumultuous and raging: and so the sea was silenced or made still, Mark 4.39. Sometimes it is translated, To make speechless or dumb, so Mat. 22.12. Sometimes, To confute, so as they have not a word to answer, so Mat. 22.34. Sometimes, To muzzle, or tie up the mouth: so 1 Cor. 9.9. 1 Tim. 5.18. and so it signifies properly: and so well-doing is intended here as a means to muzzle the mouths of wicked men. The word here rendered, Foolish men, signifies properly men without a mind, or men that have not use of their understanding, and so are either natural fools, or mad men. The Doctrines that may be gathered from hence are many: For it may be evidently collected from hence, Doct. 1. That wicked men do usually in all places speak evil of godly men, they are prone to it, they do it usually. The holy Ghost here supposeth it to be done as the usual course in all ages and conditions of the Christian Church: and no marvel: For it hath been in all ages past the condition of godly men to be evil spoken of and slandered. God, children were as signs and wonders, Esay 8. And whosoever refraineth himself from evil maketh himself a prey, Esay 59.15. The throats of wicked men are the ordinary burying places for the names of the Righteous, Rom. 3. And this is the more to be heeded, if we mark in Scriptures either persons reproaching, or the persons reproached, or the matter of the reproach, or the manner. For the persons reproaching, we shall read sometimes that men are reproached by such as are of the same Religion with them, Psal. 50.16. Esay 8.18. Cant. 1.6. Yea, sometimes that godly men are reproached by such as are of their own house and kindred, as Isaak was by Ishmael, and joseph by his brethren: the parents are against the children, and the children are against the parents: and a man's enemies are those of his own house. And for the persons reproached we shall find them to be the most eminent and godly persons; as job, cap. 30.1. Moses, Heb. 11.26. David, Psal. 35.15. jeremiah, c. 18.18 the Apostles, 1 Cor. 4.9, 10, 13. yea, the Lord Jesus Christ himself, Heb. 12.3. And for the matter objected, we shall find the godly men have been reproached with the most vile slanders that almost might be. I may spare other testimonies now, seeing Christ himself was charged with gluttony, blasphemy, sedition, deceit, diabolical working, and to have a devil in him: and he supposeth it to be the case of Christians, to be spoken against with all manner of evill-saying, Mat. 5.12. And for the manner two things may be noted: First, that many times wicked men set themselves to study and invent, without all colour of occasion, mischievous things to reproach godly men withal: thus they devised devices against jeremiah. Secondly, that when they have evil reports afoot, they pursue them, and divulge them with all possible forwardness and malice: thus the abjects tore david's name and ceased not, Psal. 35.15. and ill-minded men cease not, till that good men may be every where evil spoken of, Acts 28. The reason of this strange kind of ill humour in wicked men is twofold: First, there is their natural hatred of goodness; it is not because of the sin of godly men, but simply because they follow goodness. There is a natural antipathy between a good life and a bad man, 1 job. 3.13.14.1 Pet. 4.5. Psal. 38.20. Secondly, the other is because it is one of the rules of the devil, To be an accuser of the brethren and good livers: and the works of their father the devil they will do, job. 8.44. The use is divers: for, Uses. First, it should inform men not to think it strange when they see such things come to pass: for no other trial in this point of reproach befalls godly men, but what hath accompanied the condition of all godly men almost in all ages. Secondly, godly men should be the more stirred up to prepare apologies, and in all places where they come, to contend for the truth, and strive together to preserve the reputation of one another, Prov. 12.18. Thirdly, godly men should arm themselves and prepare for reproaches, and accordingly stir up their hearts with comforts out of the word of God, against the time of evil and trials. Fourthly, they should be made for that reason the more careful of all their carriage, that they give not occasion to people that are so apt to speak evil of them, as was urged out of verse 12. of this chapter. Fifthly, all men should look to their ears, and take heed what and how they hear reports. It is an ill sign of a vicious nature, to be apt to believe scandalous reports of godly men, Prov. 17.4. And God will plague men in hell not only ●or making, but for loving lies, though they be made by other men, Revel. 22.8. And therefore as the Northwind driveth away the rain, so should their angry countenance drive away the showers of reproach that fall from backbiting tongues, Prov. 25.23. Thus of the first point. Doct. 2. It may be hence also noted, that reproaches are to be avoided as much as lieth in us. God would have us do all we may to live so, that we might not be reproached, Psal. 39.8. Phil. 2.15. We must strive to be unrebukable: And the reasons are, first, because every Christian is not able to bear reproaches, when he shall find himself to be slandered. David shows himself very unquiet when he was slandered, especially in some cases, as diverse Psalms ●hew: and jeremy falls into desperate extremities about them. jer. 8.18, 21. Secondly, because reproaches and slanders have diverse ill effects for they are like swords and razors, and a man should avoid the wounds of sword's and razors as much as he can. Thirdly, and be●●des, some kinds of slanders do keep many men off from embracing Religion: as the Jews would not receive Paul's doctrine, because that way was every where ill spoken of. And further, many times in the best minds, that are persuaded the things objected are untruths, the reproaches leave a kind of stain, and work a kind of suspicion, and lessen the estimation of the person traduced. Fourthly, it is to be avoided, because it is so easily diffused: slanders will run strangely. A whole Country, yea the whole Kingdom will be in a short space filled with the slanders: which must needs come to many persons that are destitute of all apology for the innocent. And lastly, the showers of slanders that are cast upon godly men many times are but forerunners of grievous storms of perfecution. And therefore they do very foolishly that desire to be reproached, and by their indiscretions irritate the tongues of wicked men against them. It is a gross folly in some Christians, that will of purpose do things that be cross to the course of the world in things indifferent, thereby to proclaim a wilful opposition to the world. And therefore also we should be very thankful to God, when he gives us any breathing times from reproaches and slanders, by all good means to keep wicked men quiet if it may be. Doct. 3. It may here be further noted, that it is a hateful thing to be an ignorant & foolish man in spiritual things: they are mentioned here with a kind of grievous scorn. Many reasons make this point evident. For first, the sacrifices offered for the ignorances of the people, showed them that it was a vile thing to be ignorant, Heb. 9.7. Secondly, the very nature of ignorance shows it to be a vile thing; for is it not a hateful thing to us to be blind in our bodies? how much more is it to have the eyes of our minds out? Thirdly, because it argues that a man hath not the Spirit of God in him; for God's Spirit is given to men that they might know the things of God: and therefore when a man cannot know the things of God, it is a sign that he wants God's Spirit, 1 Cor. 2.12, 14. Fourthly, because when God would of purpose plague a man with a special or horrible curse upon his soul, this is it, to give him up to a sottish spirit, job. 12.40. with Esay 6.10. Fifthly, it may appear by the effects of this sottishness, when we respect the sins it breeds, or the punishment it brings upon the ignorant persons for sin. It is certain that ignorance is the mother of vice and corruption: an ignorant person may quickly make himself guilty of a world of sins: yea there is no sin so grossly absurd or abominable, but this kind of men may commit it, and without sense or care too. The Prophet Isaiah opens the dotage of Idolaters, and shows the root of it to be their blockish ignorance, Esay 44.18, 20. As ignorant persons may be made wilful Idolaters, and that easily: so may they be whoremongers, Prov. 7.22. drunkards, etc. yea, they would at some times kill Christ himself, if he come in their way, Luke 23.34. Vide Ephes. 4.17, 18. We see into what sins ignorant persons fall, into such as whoredom, Sodomitry, buggery, stealing, murder, drunkenness, swearing, and yet see not their danger, but like brute beasts are senseless; and for the offences in respect of punishment they are fearful, whether we respect this life or another world. In this life their ignorance deprives them of the sight of all those things that have true glory or comfort in them. To live in ignorance is worse for the wicked, than it is for the body to live in a dungeon: beside, all their best works are lost, all they do is abominable, Hosh. 6.7. Psal. 14.1, 2. and it is in vain to plead their good minds and meanings: For without knowledge the mind is not good, Prov. 19.2. and if they were never so zealous, yet they lose their labour, Rom. 10.2. And further, this sottishness brings many a curse upon men; yea, when it is general it brings fearful public plagues, Esay 1.3, etc. and 5.13. Hosh. 4.1, 2. and which is worst of all, after all the miseries of this life they must go down to hell, they are utterly undone for ever; this is the place of all them that know not God, job 18. ult. and Hosh. 4.6. Uses. The use may be, first, for to show the lamentable estate of multitudes of Christians that frequent our assemblies, and yet are still extreme sots in regard of spiritual things: they favour nothing but the things of the flesh, and relish nothing but what flows from fleshly wisdom. Ask the Labourer of his work, or the Artificer of matters of trade, or the Husbandman of the fruits of the ground, or the Gentleman of his pleasures or the news of the world, or the Scholar of humane learning, and you shall have an answer many times to admiration: but ask of Heaven and heavenly things, except a few general sayings, they can say nothing but froth or error, they are as blockish as if they had never heard of the Gospel. How many Masters are there in Israel, and yet know not the things that concern sound regeneration and a true sanctified life! David calls himself a beast in respect of the remainders of ignorance in some things, being excellently qualified with true knowledge. Oh how brutish then must these persons account themselves to be! What heart can stand before the serious thoughts of the damnation of multitudes, that now sit with us in the House of God, even for this very sin of ignorance? Hosh. 4.6. And the more lamentable is it to observe the unspeakable avertnesse that is in man, that of all sorts, though they be warned, yet some will on still and die without wisdom, job 4.20. and which is yet more, in places where men have the means plentifully, yet what number doth the god of this world keep in blindness, so as they live and dye very sots, even in those places where they have ●ad line upon line, and precept upon precept, and yet the people no more instructed than the child new weaned from the breast? Esay 28.9. Yea, the more fearful is the estate of diverse, that they do not only want knowledge, but they reject it and blaspheme it, as if it were not only unnecessary, but hateful: they love darkness more than light, and therefore their damnation sleepeth not, job. 3.19. job 21.14. But on the other side, so many as have their hearts touched from God, let them be warned to avoid ignorance as they would avoid the death of their souls; let it be hateful to them to be babies in understanding, 1 Cor. 14.20. Ephes. 5.16. and learn of Solomon above all things to get understanding, Prov. 4.7. and to that end to pray with David, That God would give him understanding that he might live, Psal. 119.144. And when men have the light, they should walk in the light: and when God gives the instructions, they should take heed that they be not as the horse or mule, to learn nothing but what they are forced unto; but rather with all diligence and readiness to wait daily at the gates of wisdom, Psal. 32.8, 9 But if men be still senseless and wilful, than I say to them as the Apostle said, if the hatefulness of their ignorance will not appear; Let him that is ignorant be ignorant still, 1 Cor. 14.38. Doct. 4. It may be likewise noted, that in the language of God, unregenerate men are fools, or rather mad men, men without minds, Rom. 1.3. Tit. 3.3. And that this point may be more clear, I would consider of the signs of a spiritual mad man or fool. And that this point also may be clea●ed, you must remember, there are two sorts of men are said literally to be without minds: the one is natural fools, and their disease is called moria: the other is furious mad men, and their disease is called mania: both suffer alienation of mind, they want their minds or the right use of them: and so there are two sorts of men which spiritually want minds: some are resembled by fools, and some by mad men. A spiritual fool may be known especially by two signs; First, Signs of spiritual folly. Prov. 17.16. by his mindlessness: he hath no thoughts nor words about the kingdom of heaven; he is altogether careless and senseless, he sits still without any regard of it, as some children that are mopish and heed nothing, or some that are sick of a kind of melancholy, that will neither speak nor eat; these loose time and will not buy it, Ephes. 5.16. Secondly, by his sottishness: this sort differs from the former; for these will talk and be doing, and many times very busy, but it is without any spiritual sense or discerning, their words and works are all idle and sottish, and cross to the word of God: and these are discovered by diverse signs diversely; as, First, the wisdom of God seems foolishness to them: let heavenly things be spoken of with never so great wisdom and power of words, yet these sots have one senseless objection or other, in respect of which they reject all they hear; and being led by their sensuality or their carnal reason, Prov. 23.9.1 Cor. 1. and 2. go no further; but in these cases think they are in their own conceit wiser than any man that can give a better reason and proof. Secondly, they discover it by senselessness and incorrigibleness, when they are pursued by the hand of God many times round about, jer. 5.3, 4. Though God should seem to bring all to the first Chaos, yet they understand not: you cannot heat into their heads the hatred of their sins, or the cares of a better life, jer. 22.20, 21, 22. Isai. 42.27. This Apathy is only in mad men and fools, Prov. 17.10, and 27.22. Thirdly, they discover it by their continual entertainment of the innumerable enormities of their thoughts, which arising from their heart in the dark, they play withal with as much earnestness and attendance, as if they were some needful and profitable things. This customary daily entertainment of vain thoughts is a sign of a spiritual sot, Rom. 1.21. Fourthly, they discover it by their continual grasping at shadows, that is, their doting upon earthly things with strange cares, and pains, and jollity, without any sound endeavour to provide for their souls and eternal salvation, Psal. 49.10. Luke 12.16. to 21. jer. 17.11. Fifthly, some of them discover their sottishness by following the service of idols, which they worship in stead of the living God: this is called brutishness, Deut. 32.6, 16, 17. Esay 44.19, 20. O what a number of these sots are there in the world, if the worshippers of idols, of Romish and Paganish idols were summed up! Sixthly, others discover it by making clean the outside of the cup and platter, but never regard the filthiness of the inside: such are they that are only careful of the show of their actions before men, while their inside is full of ravening and wickedness. These our Saviour calls fools or sots, because he that made that which is without, made that which is within also, Luk. 11.39, 40. Seventhly, some of them discover themselves, by suffering themselves to be buffeted and abused, and yet are content to be used so still: and such are they that will suffer themselves to be abused by false teachers, so they be of their own humour, though they devour them in their estates, and bring them into bondage in their minds, though they take of them, and exalt themselves insolently among them, 2 Cor. 11.19, 20. Eighthly, they discover it by building the hopes of the salvation of their souls upon most vain and insufficient grounds: they build on the sands, they trust upon an universal mercy of God and the example of the most, and upon the bare use of God's ordinances, without any power of faith, or practice in their hearts or lives: and therefore in time of tribulations their hope is as the giving up of the ghost: all is ruined, and their souls are desolate, Mat. 7.26. They will be at no pains to be assured of their salvation and religion, but go on without any particular regard of their own way to heaven, Prov. 14.8. A spiritual fool than is discovered, first, by his mindlessness; secondly, by his uncapableness and contempt of heavenly doctrine; thirdly, by his incorrigibleness; fourthly, by the vanity of his thoughts; fifthly, by his dotages about earthly things; sixthly, by his idolatry; seventhly, by his hypocritical tricks; eighthly, by suffering the injuries of false teachers; and lastly, by the vain grounds of his hope and faith. The spiritual mad man follows to be described: and so these sorts of men following are convicted of madness in the Scripture; Signs of spiritual madness. 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 he that denies the providence of God, Psal. 14.1. and 94.8. Secondly, the swearer. The fools or mad men blaspheme God's name, Psal. 74▪ 18. He were a mad man that would daily rail at the King to his face; and such are blasphemers. Thirdly, the persecuter. The Apostle speaking of men that resist the truth, as jannes' and jambres resisted Moses, saith, that their madness shall be manifested to all men: so that he particularly calls tesisting of the truth madness, 2 Tim. 3.9. Fourthly, the idle person. He is a mad man that will eat his own flesh: but such a one is the slothful person, because he brings poverty upon himself like an armed man, or else destroys the health of his body by his laziness, or brings misery upon his wife and children, or because his soul is eaten up with rust, and the canker of his negligence, Eccles. 4.5. Fifthly, the wilful offender. He is a mad man, that when he hears of some imminent danger, yet will not avoid it; such a one is every gross offender, that hearing of the judgements God will bring upon him for such sins, or perceiving that the wrath of God is broken out upon others for the like offences, yet will madly go on without fear. The prudent man feareth and departeth from evil, but he is a fool or mad man that rageth and is confident, Prov. 14.16. jerem. 5.21, 22. Sixthly, the senseless pra●er. We discern him to be a mad man, that talking continually falters in his words, and utters sentences that are unperfect without sense or coherence: such persons in religion are those prating fools Solomon speaks of, that are full of words, and void of sound judgement: as the legs of the lame are not equal, so is a parable in a fool's mouth. As you discern a lame man by this, that his legs are one longer than another, so you may discover a spiritual mad man by his discourse about the high points of religion, for his words agree not together, his sentences are senseless and unequal. A fool hath no delight to get sound understanding in these things, and yet is wonderful forward to utter his mind, though he 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 he hath done some mischief: and such are all they that make a sport of sin, Prov. 10.23. and 14.9. and 15.22. Eightly, the railer. He is a mad man that will go up and down a Town or a City, and set fire on the houses of other men as he goes: and therefore is the railer called a fool, because in his lips there is a burning fire: he devours the reputation of good men every where where he comes. The Apostle james calls it, The fire of hell, jam. 2. Prov. 16.27. jude 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 wh●ch they were said to be mad, Luke 6.11. Ninthly, the Apostate or backslider in Religion. Thus the Galatians were bewitched with madness, that had begun in the Spirit and would end in the flesh; that had forsaken the glorious ornaments and privileges of the Gospel, so trust upon beggarly rudiments, that forsook the precious merits of Christ's righteousness, to trust to the stained clouts of their own unrighteousness, Gal. 3.1, 3. Tenthly, the unthankful and injurious person. He 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 himself, and will speak things that force strokes upon himself: so is every unquiet, intemperate busybody. A fool's lips, saith Solomon, enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. A fool's mouth is his destruction, & his lips are the snare of his soul, 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 Bear robbed of her welps, Prov. 17.12. They are mad men that will hear no reason. A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both, Prov. 27.3. Thirteenthly, all men that abuse their prosperity to the greater liberty of sin and injury. They are mad men that cannot be ruled, unless they be kept fasting. A man distracted, if you let him have his belly filled, will trouble the whole house: so a wicked man, if he enjoy prosperity and success, will disquiet the whole town where he lives. There are four things, saith Solomon, disquiet the earth, and one of them is a fool 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 show the misery of all unregenerate men, that live in a continual frenzy, or de●ect of all spiritual understanding. It is a woeful judgement to have our reason taken from us in natural things; but much more in spiritual: for upon this ground it manifestly follows, 1. That they lose all the benefit of spiritual instruction: all the Ordinances of God, during the time of this folly or madness, are merely in vain to them. Their frenzy makes them not only to want sense, but withal to despise all God's counsels, Prov. 1.7. 2. That they shame themselves in all their dealings: for when a fool walketh by the way, he saith to every one that he is a fool, Eccles. 10.3. And thus they will undo themselves soul and body, if they hold on. A mad man if he govern his estate will soon ruin it, job 5.3. 3. That they live shut up from all the sound comforts of life, as fools and mad men: they are shut up in darkness, Eccles. 2.14. God useth them as we use mad men: for though he let them go up and down the world, and so they have a larger room to walk in than ordinarily our mad men have, yet God hath chained them (though insensibly): the world is but a house of darkness to their minds: the saving light and all the fruits of it are withheld from them. 4. That they are in great danger to dye of their frenzy, and to perish for lack of wisdom, Prov. 22.23. job 36.12. And therefore in the second place this may serve for instruction unto unregenerate men to apply their hearts to wisdom, and embrace the counsel of God that offers them knowledge and grace, as is urged in many places, as Prov. 1.20, 24. and 8.5. and 9.4. and the rather, because if they be wilful and reject knowledge, God may be provoked to forsake them for ever, Prov. 1.24. and 28.31. and 26.10, job 5.3. Thirdly, it shows the wonderful mercy of God in saving sinners: for what were we all by nature, but a generation of fools and mad men? And therefore it shows the riches of his mercy, and the freeness of it: the riches, in that he glorifies such unworthy creatures; and the freeness of it, in that they are utterly disabled for deserving any thing at his hands. For what can fools and mad men do, that they should merit any thing at God's hands? Fourthly, it should teach godly men, both with patience to bear their wrongs seeing they are distracted, and with discretion to avoid them, and to have as little to do with them as may be: For what should the sons of God do with the sons of Belial? And if they abuse them in words, to learn not to answer a fool in his folly, Prov. 26.4. Fifthly, all this description of folly and madness may strike some kind of amazement and sorrow into the hearts of godly men. For, as they are unregenerate in part, there are left some dregs of this frenzy and folly here in them. And hence it is that we find in Scripture folly charged upon them. It is true, that sometimes they are said to be fools by the world for things they do wisely in; and so the Apostles were fools for Christ's sake, 1 Cor. 4.10. and Paul ironically calls himself a fool, 2 Cor. 11.1. Sometimes they are called fools, not because they are so, but because that they do hate some kind of likeness to folly, 2 Cor. 11.17. but yet withal it is true, that seriously godly men are said to be abased in themselves for very folly and madness which they see in themselves, and so we shall find every godly man called beasts by themselves, and sometimes by God himself: and so it is folly and madness in any, Wherein godly men sometimes show folly. 1. To hate reproof, Proverbs 12.1. It is there said to be a brutish thing. 2. To be censurers of their friends rashly: so jobs friends are charged with folly, job 42.8. 3. To be pertinacious in defending their innocency, striving to make themselves seem juster than they are: this was jobs madness, cap. 42.3. and 34.35. 4. To neglect knowledge, and to be careless to use the means for instruction, and the understanding of holy things, Pro. 30.2.3. This made Agur say, that he was more brutish than any man, and that he had not the understanding of a man in him. So much of ignorance as is left in us, so much of folly and madness is in us. 5. To fret and be unadvisedly angry and froward: for anger rests in the bosom of fools only, Eccles. 7.10. Pro. 24.29. Tasty and hasty persons not only have folly, but exalt it. 6. To be indiscreet in words, or insufficient to speak with God or men, as becomes the matter, or to carry ourselves indiscreetly: this made David loathe himself so, Psal. 38.5. 7. To be vexed and impatient, and full of fretting in adversity. Godly men play many mad tricks this way; one while fretting at the prosperity of their adversaries, and another while murmuring in their hearts at their own condition, or plotting courses how to conform themselves to the world, and so to report of their repentance. This made David call himself a beast, Psal. 73.3, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22. 8. After one hath had experience of God's gracious providence, and protection of God, to fall to trust upon outward things. Thus it was madness in David, after so many trials of God's power, for him to stand about to number the people, and to rest upon the strength and multitude of his subjects, 2 Sam, 24.10. 9 To be slow of heart to believe and treasure up the promises of God, and the proofs of Scripture, that should comfort us, and warrant the ●●●th of our salvation in Christ, Luke 24.25. 10. To speak proudly or wickedly, and with provocation to others, especially to wicked men, or if they themselves be wicked men, Pro. 30.32, 33. 11. All dotages about earthly things are in a great degree madness. For godly men, that are heirs of the promises, and of the kingdom of heaven, to yield themselves over to the enticements and lusts after worldly things, is marvellous folly and madness, especially in them who have tasted and known better things, to neglect their glory, which is their souls, (for so David calleth his soul Psal. 3●. ult.) and to serve the sensual desires of their flesh is miserable folly. 12. All sinful courses are foolish courses, and to deal sinfully is to deal madly, Psal. 69.5. The last use of this doctrine may be to show the vanity and insufficiency of all humane wit and learning, and moral endowments, in comparison of heavenly and spiritual knowledge and understanding. For if all unregeneratemen be foolish men, than it will follow that a man may be a great wise man in this world, and endued with all the ornaments of humane learning, etc. and yet at the ●ame time in Gods fight be accounted but as a natural fool or a mad man, in respect of his want of the true wisdom from above, to discern things that are excellent, that is, spiritual things. Thus of the fourth doctrine. Doct. 5. It is a hard task to overcome and cure ignorance: Ignorant men, especially those that are bend against godliness, are wonderfully unteachable; God himself is fain here to devise a strange way to silence them. Solomon observed, that these men are wiser than any man that can give a reason. And if a fool be brayed in a mortar, yet his folly will not depart from him: and a reproof will enter more into a wise man, than 100 stripes into a fool: yea it is here to be noted, that it is hard to silence them from their reproaches and follies. The reasons are, Why it is so hard to cure ignorance, and silence ignorant men. First, because it is natural to them to be hateful, and hating others: and it is a hard task to overcome a natural disposition in man, Titus 3.3. Secondly, because the unregenerate mind of man is full of objections, and the Devil suffers many heads of purpose: he prompts them, and supplies them with cavils. Thirdly, because many withhold the truth in unrighteousness, they do willingly misprision the truth, they desire not information, they love darkness and lies, and therefore are loath to have what might satisfy them, and resist the power of the truth, and willingly strive to neglect doctrine in public, and Apologies in private. Fourthly, because they encourage one another in an evil way, they observe that the great men of the world, and many that are in reputation for wisdom and learning, are scorners as well as they: yea it mightily confirms them, to hear many times in the very pulpits showers of reproaches, which ambitious and malicious temporizers pour out to strengthen the hands of the wicked, and discourage the hearts of the righteous: they think they may revile securely, because they hear that way every where evil spoken of: that cause and language is the cause and language of the multitude. Fifthly, because many ignorant persons, when they are confuted, yet are so foolish that they will wilfully persist in their objections, upon this pretence, that though they cannot reply against the answer, yet they think if such and such were there, that have more experience and learning, they would confirm and make good what they say. Sixthly, because malice hath no ears, they hate the truth and godly men, and therefore are utterly unwilling to abate any thing of the disgraces of the truth, or godly persons. If it be not as they say, yet their malice would fain have it so; and if it may disgrace the godly, they care not whether it be true or no. Seventhly, because many times God gives them over to such a reprobate sense, that through custom, and evil thoughts, and evil surmises, they think verily they do not much amiss to oppose and hate such persons. This was the case of such as reviled and persecuted the Apostles, they thought they did God good service, as Christ prophesied of them. The Uses of this doctrine follow. Uses. First therefore we should not wonder if we see this daily come to pass, that men of all sorts should reproach● the good way of God so unjustly, so foolishly, so pertinaciously. Secondly, it shows that godly men had need to be circumspect, and to watch their words and works with all exactness; and that they which will confute ignorant men must strive to be very able and throughly furnished with wisdom of words, and abundance of good works. Thirdly, it shows that ignorant persons are in a lamentable case, that are so enwrapped in the snares and cords of their own folly, that so willingly and wilfully run towards the gates of death and ruin, that are so hardly cured of this spiritual blindness. Fourthly, it imports that study, self-willed, perverse Christians, that cannot be diverted, or advised, are to be reckoned in the rank of these fools, what show soever they make of a better estate. Fifthly, it doth comfortably import, that when one is teachable, and hates reproaching, and will do or say nothing against the truth, and is not pleased with his ignorance, but judgeth himself for it, and useth the means to get the knowledge and love of the truth, that such a person is escaped from the congregation of these fools, and is in some measure enlightened with true wisdom from above. Sixthly, it may warn all that love their own souls, hereafter to take heed, and with care to avoid wilfulness and self-conceitedness. Let men take heed they be not wise in themselves, but strive to frame themselves to be true workers of wisdom, and withal to take heed of a multitude of words: he that cannot be silent, cannot be wise of godly. And thus of the fifth doctrine. Doct. 6. Sixthly, we may here note, that welldoing is the best way to confure wicked and unreasonable men. A sound and fruitful life is the likeliest and surest way to still them: if any thing will do it, it is the best way for diverse reasons. 1. Because we see here it is a course of Gods choosing, and he saith, it will even muzzle them, and bind up their mouths, and he will give success to the obedience of his own commandments. 2. Because by a conversation full of good works we do not only confute them ourselves, but we make others able to answer for us in all places. 3. Because if a man undertake to answer them by words, he is in danger to be provoked to speak unadvisedly, and so many prove like those fools whom he reproves, Pro. 26.5. 4. Because the natural conscience of the wicked is as it were feared to take notice of a good conversation, and will struggle and resist within the wicked man, so as he cannot so securely vent his reproaches. 5. Because it is a way that brings most peace and comfort to ones own heart. If he deal with them by words, his heart may afterwards smite him for some absurdity or other he hath committed: whereas he is safe that fights against them by his good works. 6. Because it is the surest way of revenge, to overcome their evil with goodness, especially if thou canst get but the advantages to do good to them that reproach thee Rom. 12.18, 19 Use. The sound consideration of this truth should subdue in us that over-eager desire of answering such as wrong us by bitter words, or works of revenge; yea it should compel upon us a consultation, whether it be best to deal with them at all by words. God's way is by works; and thou must get a great deal of temperance and wisdom if thou think thyself able to confute them throughly by words. It is true also, that in some cases we may resort to the Magistrate to punish them that abuse us: but yet still this counsel of God, that bids us silence them by well-doing, should intimate, that other courses must be used, with much caution, and without rashness or confidence in them. Secondly, this may reprove that unquietness and impatience which is found in some Christians, when they are reproached and wronged: they are much vexed at the indignities offered to them, & think it strange that wicked men should not cease traducing of their names; whereas perhaps, if they examine themselves, they may find that they have not used the means to still them, they have not muzzled these dogs, and therefore no wonder if they bark and bite too: and muzz'ed we see here they will not be, but by their good works. And therefore if they be barren and unfruitful, they must take notice of the fault in themselves. There are other things that may be noted out of these words: but I will only touch them; as, Doct. 7. That only foolish men do reproach godly men. Such as revile and censure many, are usually either openly carnal men, as they were drunkards that reproached David, and abjects, Psal. 35.15. and 69.13. They were either fools, or the children of fools, but viler they were than the earth, that had job in derision, cap. 30.1,8. men that ran into excess of riot, as the Apostle writeth, 1 Pet. 4.5. or else hypocrites, that have nothing in them but words and empty shows. Or if at any time there be a sin found in godly men, it is in such as are but babes, and look like carnal men, and have a great deal of their natural folly and madness unsubdued in them, 1 Cor. 3.1, 2, 3. But for the most part it is a fault found only in wicked men. Doct. 8. That it is a great pain to a wicked man to be restrained from reproaches. He is as much vexed when he cannot or dare not speak evil of godly men, as a dog or an ox 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 wickedness. 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 ●2. yet ordinarily they will do wickedly, even in the land of uprightness, Esay 26.10. Verse 16. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. IN the two former verses he confirms the exhortation by reasons: in this he answers an objection. The objection seems to be that Christians are made free by Christ, and therefore are not to be, tied with the bonds of humane ordinances or subjection to men. The Apostle answereth, that it is true that Christians are made freemen; but so as they must not use their freedom as a cloak of maliciousness, and the liberty of sinning either against God or men: for they are still God's servants, and bound to do what he would have them to do, and so consequently to obey Magistrates, since God requires them so to do. So that in this verse he entreats of Christian liberty. And so first he grants the use of it, or the right of it in these words, As free. Secondly, ●ee removeth the abuse of it in these words, Not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness. And thirdly, he gives a reason of his removal, Because they are the servants of God still. In the first part you must consider what he granteth, viz. that they are free. Secondly, how far he grants it, viz. that they are as free. Free.] Freedom is either civil or spiritual. Civil freedom is when a servant is manumitted or made free, that was an apprentice or bondslave before: & so when a stranger is admitted to the right of a City, or a Commonwealth, or the like The spiritual freedom is that estate which Christians do enjoy by God's favour in Christ after their calling. It is a spiritual manumission or freedom that is here meant: and this is called Christian liberty, partly because it is a freedom that we have only by Christ, and partly because it is a freedom now only 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 amiss to reckon up all the gifts in order, that the relation which this gift hath to the rest may appear. The gifts than that Christ hath bestowed upon Christians are these: Special gifts of Christ, bestowed on the godly. First, their ransom paid unto God for their redemption. Secondly, their vocation by the Gospel, calling them out of the world into the Church. Thirdly, the holy Ghost, which he sends into their hearts. Fourthly, their justification, imputing his own righteousness, and procuring forgiveness 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 privileges: 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 immortal 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 concerns either the soul or the body. The glory or liberty of the soul is the freeing of it from all sin 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 freedom they enjoy even in the grave. Quanquam humantur, non tamen damnantur. For though they be buried, yet they are not damned to hell there, but rest in hope of their final deliverance; and with this liberty of glory, both soul and body are made heirs of heaven, Rom. 8.21. It is the liberty of grace is here meant. And that this part of the Christian happiness may the better appear, I will consider, first, what he is freed from, and secondly, what he is freed to. For the first, there are diverse things he is freed from: as, First, from the rigour of the moral Law: From what a Christian is made free. he 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 fulfil the Law perfectly, but may be accepted of God if he obey it in the uprightness 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 terror again proclaim in giving his Law in Sinai: so as now in Christ our yoke is easy, and our burden light, Matth. 11.29. Rom. 6.14. Christ our surety hath fulfilled that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or exact righteousness of the Law for us, Rom. 8.3. Gal. 4.24, 26. Heb. 12.18. Rom. 7.6. etc. Secondly, for the execution and condemnation into which the Law for our sins hath cast us, our expiation being made in the blood of Christ, who was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a curse for us, that we might be justified from these things, from which by the Law of Moses we could never be absolved, Rom. 8.1. Gal. 3.13. Thirdly, from the tyranny and damnation of sin that dwells in us, Electi sunt liberi à damnatione legis, & à dominatione regis peccati. the force of it being mortified by the spirit of Christ, and so weakened, that though it may rebel, yet it cannot rage and rule as it did before, Rom. 6.14. joh. 8.34. 2 Cor. 3.17. Rom. 6.6, 18. Fourthly, from bondage under devils: those spiritual 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 cruel jailers, Ephes. 2.2, 4. by Christ they are thrown out of possession: they may tempt still, but the gates of hell shall never prevail again over the godly, Col. 2.15. Fifthly, from the Laws of Moses. The ceremonial and judicial Laws, which Laws were a yoke that neither the Jews nor their fathers were ever able to bear, Acts 15.10. The ceremonial Laws were a very seal of our condemnation, a hand-writing against us, wherein men many ways acknowledge their guiltiness: beside, they were extremely burdensome, in respect of the rules of them, and the strict observation required from them. Our deliverance from these laws these places prove, Acts 15.1 Cor. 9.1, 19 2 Cor. 3.17. Heb. 9.10. Col. 2.17. There were four respects which the ceremonial Law had, or four uses. First, these ceremonies as I said before did signify our sin-guiltiness, and were as an obligation and hand-writing against us, Col. 2.14. Secondly, they were a badge to distinguish the Jews from all other nations, Gen. 17.13, 14. Thirdly, they were shadows and typical adumbrations of Christ and his benefits, Heb. 9.9, 10. and 10.1, 4. Fourthly, they were as a Tutor or Schoolmaster to instruct and keep 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 canceled, Col. 2.14. and the Gentiles and Jews are made all one people, Ephes. 2.14, 15. and Christ the substance and body is come, and therefore the shadows must vanish, Col. 2.17. and the heir is as it were now at age, and therefore needs not Tutors and Governors, Gal. 4.1, 2, 3. As for the freedom of Christians from the Judicial Laws, that must be understood with a distinction: for so many of the Judicial Laws as did agree with the common political law of Nature are in force: only so much of the Judicial Law as did only concern the singular and particular policy of the Jews is abolished. Where the reason of the Law is universal the Law binds all, where the respect and reason of the Law is fitted only to the condition of that people, there the Law is●abolished. Sixthly, from servile fear, unto which we are and were in bondage by Nature, and so we are freed from the servile fears of the grave, of men, of death: there was a spirit of bondage in us by nature, we durst not come into God's presence, and legal terrors did lie at the door of our hearts, to drive us to despair of mercy or acceptation. But when Faith came, than the spirit of bondage went away, and the hearts of Christians are emboldened with spiritual liberty and firm 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 fear of the reproach and rage of men and the oppositions and scorns 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 Patriarches, and Moses, etc. and from the fear 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 diverse comfortable considerations. To what a godly man is made free. First, we are free to the favour and fellowship of God the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, 1 joh. 1.3, 7. 1 Cor. 1.9. joh. 17, 21. 2 Pet. 1.4. 1 joh. 5.24. Secondly, we are free to the Communion of Saints, we 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 firstborn: This is an Article of our Faith, Ephes. 2.20. and 3.6. and 4.4, 5. Heb. 12.18, etc. 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 God's chamber of Presence: we may go in when we will, and ask what we will, and it shall be done unto us; we are free to put up as many petitions and suits as we will; we are free to the Throne of Grace, Heb. 4.16. Ephes. ●. 12. and so in general we are free in the whole House of God, even to the use of all his ordinances, joh. 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 lawful: All things are pure to the pure, Titus 1.15. 1. Tim. 4.4. Rom. 14. so are days, meats, garments, etc. 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 think Christian liberty doth only make reference to omit, but not to use meats, garments, days, or indifferent ceremonies; whereas they restrain 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 showed before, of the opinion of merit, worship or necessity to holiness 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 employed, 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 laws: 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 sailings 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 i● bondage to the tyranny of their own sins, and have the devil entrenched in strong holds in their souls. They would be troubled to know, that the devil did possess their bodies; and yet do not consider, that the devil doth certainly possess their souls: every wicked man is possessed. Besides, they are in bondage by these servile fears: they dare not set their hearts in God's sight. It is a death to them: nor dare they for Religion's sake displease men: and the fear of death is like a continual 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 sin, and power of the devils, and from servile fearest only in the new Testament there are these three things added. 1. That the doctrine of liberty in the former things is more clear, and more generally revealed. 2. That we are freed from the Mosaical Laws. 3. That we have liberty in things indifferent. A third Use may be for instruction, to teach men to try their interest to this freedom. For such men only are made free, that believe in Christ, joh. 1.12. and resolve to continue in the Word, joh. 8.31. and are weary and heavy 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 we consider seriously the great miseries we are freed from, and the great privileges we are freed to; and the rather, because our freedom proceeds from the reader mercy of God, Luke 1.78. and was purchased at a dear rate by Christ, 1. Pet. 1.18. and the Patent of it is sealed by the holy Ghost, Eph. 1. 13. and also because it is granted to none, but to the sons of God. As free These words restrain the gra●t of our liberty, and show, that though we be made truly free by God▪ yet in diverse respects we are but as free, rather like freemen, than so indeed: and so we are but as free, In what respects we are but as free. First, in respect of others: for by the judgement of others no freeman can be known infallibly, but only in the conjecture of charity. Secondly, in respect of ourselves: and so we are but as free, 1. In respect of the rigour of the Law: For most Christians through ignorance & unbelief, live under the bondage of Legal perfection, and so discern not, that uprightness in the Gospel is accepted in stead of perfection. 2. In respect of the malediction of the Law, and so, many Christians are but as free, First, because they doubt of God's savour. Secondly, because though the curse be removed, yet the things that are cursed, are not removed: for the matter of affliction is still the same, in respect of which, our life may be said to be hid with God, Col. 3.3. 3. In respect of the power of sin. For though the dominion of sin be taken off: yet sin rebels in the most godly, and many times prevails in a great degree through their security or infirmities, Rom. 7. Fourthly, in respect of things indifferent, whether we respect God or ourselves: God hath freed us in respect of right, but restrained us in respect of use, by a threefold commandment, viz. of faith, of charity, and of obedience to Magistrates. The commandment of faith binds us not to use our liberty, unless we be fully persuaded of our right that is in things we may either do, or omit at our own pleasures, Rom. 14.6. The commandment of charity in things we may either do or omit at our pleasure, bind, us not to use our liberty, when the weak brother will be offended. The commandment of obedience binds us to submit the use of things indifferent, to the commandment of the Magistrate; so as if the Magistrate make ordinances about the use, or restraint of things indifferent, God hath bid us to obey those ordinances: and so, though we be free still in respect of our right, yet we are not now free in respect of the uses of them. Again, many Christians bind themselves, where God bindeth not; sometimes by thinking things indifferent to be unlawful, and sometimes by thinking themselves free to leave them, but not to use them. Lastly, servile fears do much darken the glory of Christian liberty in the hearts of many Christians, whilst through ignorance, or wilful unbelief, they trouble themselves with conceits, that God doth not accept their service; or when they admit too much respect and fear of the displeasure of men; or when they use not the means to bear the fear of death in themselves. Use. And therefore the Use should be, to teach Christians so to study the Doctrine of Christian liberty, and so to attend the informing and reforming of their own hearts, that they may no longer restrain their own liberty in any part of it: and withal since in some things we are not fully freed in this life, they should the more earnestly stir up themselves to hope for, and long for that glorious and perfect liberty in heaven, purchased by Jesus Christ. Not using your liberty, as a cloak of maliciousness.] In these words, the Apostle removes the abuse of their liberty. The word rendered maliciousness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. signifies usually any wickedness generally or in general. His drift is to warn them, that they should not any way abuse their liberty, & make it any way a pretence, cover, colour, or means of sin, or malice. Men may use their liberty, and the doctrine of it, as a cloak of wickedness, taking the word in the general sense five ways. Men may use their liverties as a cloak of maliciousness five ways. First, when men reject their liberty, and spurn at it, and trample it under feet, as if it were a doctrine of sinning, or made a means of sin. Thus he that would not eat, did reject those ceremonial meats, as very badges of wickedness, and did by that sign judge of such as did use them, to be hypocrites, Rom. 14.3. as we see now many Christians do reject and spurn at the ceremonies imposed, and do judge all that use them, to be but formal Christians and hypocrites, and such as persuade to the use of them, to use such persuasions, but as cloaks for their ambition and hope of preferment, how godly soever they be, or how sure soever they be of their lawful use of their Christian liberty therein: and so this is one way of abusing our liberty, when we throw it away as if it were a very cloak of maliciousness. Secondly, when men make a show that they are freemen, and yet are in bondage to sin and the world still: and thus do all hypocrites sin that have a form of godliness, but deny the power of it, 2. Pet. 2. 19 20. that seem as if they were godly and devout to Jesus, and yet have never repent of their sins, nor forsaken the world: such are they, 1. That seem outwardly godly, and yet live in some horrible secret abomination, as either whoredom, or the sins of deceit, or any vile affections, Matth. 23.27, 28. 2. That do profess Religion, and yet live as unreformed in the course of their conversation: such are they, Isaiah 1. verses 13.16. 3. That though they are not scandalous or injurious to others, yet they are in bondage to the world, and are entangled either with the cares or losses of life, as the conforming themselves to the vanities, and excesses, and fashions of the time make apparent. Thirdly, when men rest in the outward show of liberty, and think it is enough: but this will turn to wickedness. It was the manner when servants were manumitted and made free they went with hats, whereas before while they were bondmen and apprentices they were bareheaded. Some think the Apostle alludes to this: and then the sense were, that he would not have them rest in the bare show of free men, as if it were enough to wear a free man's hat; but they must fall to their trades, and so set up in godliness, as they that did employ all their labour, and stock, and credit, to grow wealthy in spiritual treasures: else if men rested in the outward sign of free men, and were idle and unprofitable, this would be occasion of much wickedness: for, 1. To show ourselves in the habit of free men is not that which God requires, if we employ not the portion of gifts he hath given us; nay, God will require this unfruitfulness at our hands as a great offence: the show without substance is painted wickedness. 2. This resting in the outward form of godliness may breed a dangerous habit of hypocrisy. 3. Their natural corruptions f●ll hang upon them: and then this show of liberty is but a cloak to hide them. Fourthly, when men take liberty to sin under pretence of their Christian liberty. God hath freed us in Christianity from the ceremonial Law, not from the moral: for though he hath delivered us from the malediction and reign of the moral Law, yet he never freed us from the obedience of the same, Rom. 6.15. jude 3. And it is manifest, that Christian liberty can give no toleration to sin: for Christ died to free us from sin, and not to let us lose to sin more freely: we were freed from sin that we might be servants to righteousness, Rom. 6.18. Besides, God hare's sin by nature, and not by precept only; and therefore God himself can give no liberty to sin: God himself cannot dispensewith the breach of the Laws that be moral in themselves: and such Laws as be moral in themselves, I account to be all the ten Commandments, but the fourth. The fourth Commandment is moral by precept, not by nature; and so the Lord of the Sabbath may dispense with the literal breach of the Sabbath: but the other nine are simply indispensable. That Abraham was commanded to kill his son, was but a Commandment of trial. And when God willed the Israelites to take the jewels of the Egyptians, he did not will them to 〈◊〉: for God himself was chief Lord of all the earth and all things therein, the Egyptians were but his stewards. Fifthly, when men use Religion and their liberty in Christ, of purpose to hide and cloak themselves in the practice of known sins, as when Simeon and Levi pretended the necessity of circumcision to hide their murderous intents: and Herod pretends his coming to Christ to worship him, and yet intends to kill him: and the Pharisees use and make long prayers, for a pretence to cover their devouring of widow's houses, Luke 20.47. And so under pretence of giving to the Priest they free children from relieving their parents, Matth. 35. And so when men preach Christ only to get living, 1 Thess. 2.5. And so when men enter into profession of Religion, only to advantage themselves in wicked purposes, as to satisfy their lusts, or further their own carnal desires. Thus liberty is abused as a cloak of wickedness. Now more particularly, liberty is abused many times as a cloak of maliciousness, when Christian liberty especially in things indifferent, is pretended, and made a cloak to cover vile malice, or ill affections toward their brethren. Now Christian liberty may be made a cloak of malice in things indifferent, which lie under the commandment of the Magistrate, and that two ways: How Christian liberty is made a cloak of malice in things indifferent. First, when the authority of the Magistrate is pretended, urged, and used as a means to empty men's malice upon their brethren, when they hate them not because they break men's laws, but because they keep Gods Laws. Secondly, and so also on the other hand, Christian liberty is abused as a cloak of maliciousness, when under pretence of liberty by Christ, men refuse to obey the Christian Magistrate in things indifferent: and this is the main thing intended by the Apostle in the words of this verse. For having exhorted them to submit themselves to the Ordinances of men, he brings in these words (as was showed before) to answer their objection, that might pretend that they were freed by Christ from all ceremonies, or ordinances in things indifferent: The Apostle answers, that that were to make their liberty in Christ to be a cloak for their maliciousness, that is, for their ill-affectednesse toward the Magistrate. Where note by the way, that upon all pretences to withdraw obedience from the laws of Magistrates in things indifferent, is in God's account a sin of malice; partly, because God reckons it as hateful as malice, and partly because it slows usually from a heart that is not well-affected unto the Magistrate, but some way is wanting in that hearty respect ought to be borne to the Magistrate. Secondly, in things indifferent that are left free to use or not to use, and so Christian liberty is abused when it is urged to defend such things as are scandalous, or offend such as are weak: and this is that which the Apostles in other Scripture so much urge, when they write of offending the weak brother. Thirdly, in things indifferent, whether free or under the Ordinances of men. There be cases wherein Christian liberty may be vilely abused: As, 1. When things indifferent are urged as matters of necessity, and with opinion of holiness and merit, Gal 5.1, 2. 2. When Christians do bite and devour one another by quarrelling, censuring, backbiting one another, and make divisions about these things; this is a reciprocal abuse about these things of Christian liberty and zeal ill spent, seeing brotherly love is the fulfilling of the Law, etc. Gal. 5.13, 14, 15. and the Kingdom of God stands not in garments, gestures, meat and drink; but in righteousness, power, and joy in the holy Ghost, Rom. 14.17. As the servants of God.] These words are the reason, why Christians must not neglect their obedience unto the Magistrate, nor abuse their liberty to licentiousness or maliciousness: For though they be free by Jesus Christ, yet they are entertained by God still in the nature of servants, and so are bound to do what he commands, and he doth command them to submit themselves to the ordinances of the Magistrate. For matter of Doctrine two things may be here noted. Doct. 1. God entertains none by Jesus Christ, but he takes them bound to be his servants. All God's people are God's servants. And thus it is with men not only in the New Testament, but was so always before: Thus Abraham, job, Moses, and David, are called Gods servants. Use. The use should be for instruction diversely. First, seeing we are Gods servants, we should make conscience of it to do his work: he hath by the Gospel hired us to that end, to employ ourselves in the works of righteousness, mercy and piety, Tit. 2.12. Secondly, since we belong to God who is so great a Master, How we must serve God. we should not only do his work, but do it in such a manner as becomes the servants of the King of all kings. God's servants should serve him; 1. Reverently, and with fear and trembling: we must humble ourselves to walk with God, Psal. 2.11. Mic. 6.7. 2. Zealously: we should be zealous about this work, and so we should do it readily. It is a shame for us to be dull, and careless, and prone to shifts and excuses: the Centurion's servants go when he bids them, and come when he calls for them, and do this when he requires it; and our zeal should be shown by our cheerfulness & willingness. Rom. 12.45. Heb. 9.14. God's people should be a willing people, and our hearts should be full of desires above all things to approve ourselves to God: we should make it appear that we not only are his servants, but love to be his servants, Isai 56.7. and in matters of his worship, or the means thereof, the zeal of his House should eat us up. 3. Wisely and discreetly. King's get the wisest men they can light upon to serve before them: and therefore the King of all kings will not be served with fools. Since we serve God, we should be circumspect, and be sure we understand what the will of God is, Ephes. 5.15, 16. And therefore we have need to pray with David, that God would give us true understanding hearts to search his Law, Psal. 119.124. 4. Sincerely, josh. 24.14. And this sincerity in God's work we should show five ways. First, in seeking none but him, Deut. 6.13. We must not be the servants of men, 1 Cor. 7.23. to satisfy men's humours, or stand upon their liking or disliking. We may not serve Mammon in our own lusts. No man can serve two masters. God refuseth us for his servants if we serve riches, Luke 16.13. Secondly, we should show our sincerity in obeying him in all things: there is no work he requires that we should think ourselves too good to do it: we must not dare to neglect any thing he requires. They are none of God's servants that will do only what they list in Religion. Thirdly, we should show it in doing all things that may be best for his advantage, seeking his glory in all things, 1 Cor. 10.31. We must not seek our own praise or profit, but his whom we serve. Fourthly, by doing his will indeed without dissimulation, 1 Chron. 28.9. Fifthly, in newness of Spirit, bringing new hearts to his work, not trusting the old man to do any work for God, Rom. 7.6. 5. We must do his work constantly. A servant is not he that doth a day's work and so is gone; but he that works all the year; nor hath God any servants that he hires not by life. He hath none from year to year, Psal. 119.17. We must finish his work, and never give over till we fulfil the task appointed us, Luke 1.74. Rev. 7.17. 6. We must serve him with our spirits: God is a Spirit, and will be 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 souls, Deut. 10.12. Phil. 3.3. 7. Confidently. Servants to ill or poor masters, are fain to trust them for diet and wages: how much more should we rely upon God, and commit ourselves wholly to him, taking no care but only to do his work, 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 self-conceit, or conceitedness; acknowledging that when we have done all, we are unprofitable servants, Luke 17.10. and with sorrow for our failings, Acts 20. Luke 15.29. and the rather, because God can find faults in his best servants, job 4.18. Use 3. Thirdly, since God's people are God's servants they should learn 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 God's people are his servants, and do his work, it serves for the discovery of the miserable condition of multitudes in the visible Church, who are hereby proved not to be God's people, because they are not Gods servants. And so these sorts of men following are rejected as none of God's people, because they are none of his servants. Who are rejected from the number of God's servants. First, all profane persons, that ask what profit it is to serve God, job 21. 15. Malac. 3.15. and serve their own lusts, Matth. 24 49. Secondly, all worldlings, that work about nothing more than the things of this life, Luke 16.13. Thirdly, all unprofitable Christians, that live and do no good, will do no work, but spend their days in spiritual idleness and unfruitfulness, making no conscience of the means or opportunities of well-doing, Matt. 25.26, 28. Fourthly, all backward and dull Christians, to whom it seems evil to serve the Lord, that account all religious duties to be tedious and irksome, and never from their heart's consent to obey: Deut. 28.47. but do what they do upon compulsion from the laws of men, or fear of shame, etc. They are Gods servants no otherwise than the devil is. For the devil is forced to do God some work sometimes, but it is always against his will that God hath any glory by it. Fifthly, all ignorant Christians, that are so far from doing good works, that they understand not Gods will, nor are careful to redeem the time that they might get knowledge. Sixthly, all hypocrites, that have the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof, promise to do much work, but do it not. These (especially so many of them as know their Masters will and do it not) shall one day feel the weight of God's hand. Seventhly, all quarrelsome and contentious Christians, that make division, and cause offences contrary to the doctrine of God's word. These the Apostle saith, serve not the Lord Jesus, but their own belly, and by smooth pretences deceive the simple, Rom. 16.18. Use. 4. Lastly, since God's people are God's servants, they are to be much reproved, that take liberty to judge and censure other men for infirmities, or things doubtful or indifferent: for what have they to do to judge another's servant? They are Gods servants, and must make their reckoning to him, and therefore stand or fall to their own Master. Thus of the first doctrine. Doct. 2. Secondly, we may hence learn that it is an excellent freedom to be God's servant. They are all freemen that serve God, as the coherence shows. No freemen can enjoy better privileges than God's servants do: and never were there any servants that enjoyed such prerogatives as God's servants do. And this may appear many ways: for, First, all sorts of men are Gods servants. Prerogatives of God's servants. All his subjects are his servants, Psal. 135.14. yea all his sons are servants: yea Christ himself, 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 God's servant: the Kings of the earth accounted it to be the best part of their title, to be God's 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, God's service may become any freeman in the world, if we consider what kind of entertainment God gives his servants. For, First, all his work is fair work. It is no disgrace for any man to do it; and he requires no more of the meanest servant he hath, than he doth of the greatest Prince on earth, after he hath retained him to be his servant. Secondly, if it fall out that they endure any hardship, or be put to bear any inconvenience, it is no more than what the Master himself doth, or hath endured, Matth. 10.25. Thirdly, & that the difficulty of this work may not dismay thee, he pours out his own spirit upon his servants, joel 2.29. and guides them so that in effect he doth all their work for them, Esaiah 26. Psal. 90. Fourthly, when they endeavour themselves to do his work in sincerity, he accepts their service marvellous graciously, he is so well pleased with them that his countenance doth shine upon them, Psal. 31.16. yea he boasts of their service, job 1.8. and 2.3. Fifthly, if through ignorance or infirmity they miss it sometimes, and so mar his work, if they but come to him and confess it, he is ready and easy to forgive, and plenteous in mercy, Psal. 86.4, 5. Esay 44.20, 21. Mal. 3.17. Sixthly, no men are kept and entertained more comfortably than they are: he doth not only find them food, but gives them gladness of heart; where a thousand of other men that have means enough have so many sorrows among, that they bear their names as a very curse, Esay 65.13, 14. Seventhly, if by wilful ignorance or carelessness they offend him, yet he will correct in measure, jer. 30.10, 11. and will quickly repent himself of his judgement concerning them, Psal. 135.14. He never puts away any servants, Esay 41.8, 9 If they should at any time run away and be lost, he will never cease seeking them till he find them, and bring them home again, Psal. 119. ult. Eighthly, he gives great wages, none like him: all his servants have a great reward, Psal. 19.11. And in the end he bestows upon them great inheritances, besides what free-holds he bestows upon them in this life, Psal. 126. 22. 1 Pet. 1.3. Ninthly, he takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants, Psal. 35.27. It is a joy to him when they do well and thrive. Tenthly, besides what they get for themselves, they get great suits for others also: they beg many a pardon, and obtain any of them, yea great suits, job 40.5. joh. 15.15, 16. Eleventhly, when any thing ails them, his merciful kindness is a wonderful comfort to them, Psal. 119.70. And if they should fall into danger in respect of the debts of other men, God becomes surety for them, and sees all discharged, Psal. 119. verse 122. Twelfthly, no men have such protections. Their adversaries are sure to come to confusion: the men that strive with them shall certainly perish, Esay 41.11, 12, etc. The hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants, and his indignation towards his and their enemies, Esay 66.14. Thirteenthly, they shall not lose what they have wrought, but God will establish their work: he will never forget them, and their works shall be had in everlasting remembrance, Esay 44.20. Psal. 90.16, 17. Lastly, God doth not only thus extraordinarily provide for his servants, but he takes order and provides also for the seed of his servants, which few or none of worldly masters do, Psal. 69.37. Uses. The use should be threefold: First, it should teach Christians to live with contentation, and in all things to give thanks, and to say always with David, O Lord, thou hast dealt well with thy servant, according to thy Word, Psal. 119.65. Secondly, it should make them take great delight to do his work: they should love to be servants to such a Master, Esay 56.6. Thirdly, they should every where speak of God's praises that entertains them so graciously: they should open their mouths all the day long with the praises of such a Master, Psal. 134.1. and 135.1. Verse 17. Honour all men: love the brotherhood: fear God: honour the King. THese words are the conclusion of his exhortation to subjects. Wherein the Apostle doth not only repeat the substance of a subjects duty to his Sovereign; but withal, doth summarily commend unto them the description of an absolute Subject or Citizen in all his relations, and tells them in a few words, what would make a Christian living in humane societies, eminent for exactness of his behaviour: for he in these words forms him in his carriage to all men, to good men, to God and to the King. And so his charge enjoins, First, courresie to all men. Secondly, charity to godly men. Thirdly, piety to God. Fourthly, loyalty to the King. Honour all men.] The first thing that the Apostle would have a Christian that lives in humane societies look to, is a right behaviour of himself toward all men, that is, toward the multitude in general; not because that is his greatest care, or the greatest part of his care and duty, but because the greatest offence many times arises from the neglect of his outward carriage towards all sorts of men, and because Christians are usually faulty in not watching over their ways herein. By all men he means the general body of societies where we live, even all sorts of men, good and bad; whether religious or profane, friends or enemies, acquaintance or strangers. Nor ought they to be scrupulous of giving honour to wicked men: for though many men or women in the places where we live, may and aught to be contemned for the wickedness of their lives; yet there are none so vile, but there are some grounds of honour in them, either in respect of some remainder of God's Image in them, some gifts worthy praise, or some place of eminence or authority, or some outward blessings in which they excel others; as riches, birth, strength, valour, or the like. Now Christians have diverse ways, by which they may express this general honour to all sorts of men. First, in their salutation. By what ways we may express our honouring of men. It is a very comely thing in Christians to salute willingly, and in words and in gesture to show civil respect, even to wicked men: Abraham's behaviour towards the Hittites may shame the most Christians, Gen. 23.7, 12, etc. Yea the very Hittites themselves may teach them good manners in this kind. Secondly, in their communication: and so it is an excellent rule given by Solomon, that a man should consider to speak what is acceptable, and avoid what may irritate, Prov. 10.12, 13. and 15.23. Thirdly, in their conversation: and so they should show a worthy respect of such among whom they live, if they look to these rules: 1. To avoid those persons or things may bring trouble, or wrongs, or offence to the multitude. And this they shall do, if they strive to live without offence themselves, 1 Cor. 10.30. and do shame the company in respect of talebearers, Prov. 15.3. and 20.19. Levit. 19.16. and such as cause divisions and offences amongst men, Rom. 16.17. and that they do not vilify any rashly, either by reproaching them for outwards defects; and so they must not curse the deaf, Levit. 19.14. or by peremptoty judging of the final estate of the souls of men, especially about doubtful or indifferent actions of men, 1 Cor. 5.10. jam. ●. 17. 2. To show all meekness and gentleness to all men, striving to be soft and amiable in all their occasions of conversing, Tit. 3.1, 2. jam. 3.17. studying to be quiet, and to meddle with their own business, 1 Thess. 4.12. following peace towards all men, Heb. 12.14. Rom. 12.19. Only in this general respective behaviour towards all sorts of men, Christians must look to two rules: First, the one is, that they never justify the wicked nor condemn the righteous, Prov. 17.15. Secondly, the other is that by needless society they make not themselves companions with open evil doers, Psal. 1.1. Love the Brotherhood.] The second thing requisite to the framing of a complete citizen or subject, is the soundness of his affection or carriage towards such as be religious in the Commonweal where he lives. The brotherhood is the society or company of so many as are true Christians in the place of a man's abode or acquaintance: that which is required is that howsoever we should show a general respect of all sorts of men, to carry ourselves fairly towards them; yet we should in a special manner set our love upon such as be religious persons, and should show upon all occasions that we do honour and affect them as heartily and as tenderly, as if they were our very brethren in the flesh, or rather more stricter, in that they are allied unto us in a far greater and better bond than that natural consanguinity. This is that which is also earnestly required and urged in other Scriptures, as Rom. 10.12. Heb. 13.1. 1 Pet. 1.22. joh. 13.34. Ephes. 2.5. Now this love to the godly of our acquaintance we should show diverse ways: First, by making choice of them as the only companions of our lives, How we show our love to the brotherhood. Phil. 1.5. All our delight should be in them, Psal. 16.3. And so we should receive them and entreat them as Christ received us to glory, that is, freely, and with all heartiness of affection, thinking nothing too dear for them, Rom. 15.7. 1 Pet. 4.9. This is the noblest kind of hospitality: no fellowship like the brotherly society of true Christians, so it be without dissimulation, and constant, Rom. 12.10. 1 Pet. 4.5. Secondly, by employing our gifts the best that we can for their good, 1 Pet. 4.10. Now our gifts are either spiritual or outward gifts. First, spiritual gifts are knowledge, utterance, prayer, or the like. Now these are given to profit withal, not ourselves only, but others, 1 Cor. 12. Thus Christians should help others with what they have learned when they meet together, Prov. 15.7. 1 Cor. 14.26. Col. 3.16. And thus they must help one another by prayer, whether they be absent or present, 2 Cor. 1.11. Secondly, outward gifts are riches, friends, authority, and the like: and these should be employed especially for the good of the brethren, Psal. 16.3. Gal. 6.10. Phil. 2.4. And all this we should do with all faithfulness, 3 joh. 3.5. and with all compassion, putting under our shoulders to bear their burdens, Gal. 2.6. Now their burdens are either inward temptations, or outward afflictions: in both these we should help to bear their burdens. If they be burdened with infirmities or temptations, we should bear their burdens by laying their griefs to our hearts, and by striving to comfort them; and if their sorrows be for wrongs done us, we should let them see how easily we can forgive them. If it be outward afflictions that burden them, we bear their burdens when we sorrow with them that sorrow, and are ready to the uttermost of our power to advise them, or relieve and help them. Thirdly, we should show our special love to them, by striving together with them in the cause and quarrel of Religion, striving by all means to be of one opinion and affection with them in matters of Religion, and to the uttermost of our power to defend them by word and deed, according to our callings and occasions, Phil. 1.27. 1 Cor. 1.10. Phil. 2.3. Uses. The use may be first, for the discovery of the notable wickedness of multitudes of Christians, that are so far from loving godly men in the places where they live, that of all other men they most dislike them, and show it by reproaching them, by traducing them, by avoiding their society, by diverse hatreds of them, and by many injurious causes against them. And this is the condition of multitudes of Christians that embrace any fellowship with other sorts of men, though never so vile, and stand in direct opposition to the godly: yea so blind are the most, that they almost think they do God good service, if they could rid the country of them, Esay 65.5. The misery of such men is manifestly described in diverse Scriptures, and by this sign they are discovered to be no Christians indeed, 1 joh. 2.9. but rather of the race of Cain, or Ishmael, 1 joh. 3.20. Gal. 4.29. and therefore most hateful to God, 1 joh. 3.15. Secondly, we may hence gather a sign of such as are in the state of salvation actually. For if we love the brotherhood we shall be saved, as the Apostle is peremptory, 1 joh. 3.14. and the more apparent will be the sign, if we love all the godly, and for godliness sake, both which the word brotherhood imports. Thus of the first doctrine. Doct. 2. Secondly, I might hence observe also, that all the godly are brethren: and so they are in diverse respects; In what respects godly men are brethren. First, in respect of profession: they have all one faith, and wear one and the same livery of Baptism, and serve all one Lord, Ephes. 4.4. Secondly, they have all one Father, Mat. 2.10. one God begat them. Thirdly, they have all one mother, the Church. Fourthly, they must needs be brethren, they are so like one another: they are all fashioned in the image of God, and are all like the Father. Use. 1. The use should be, first, for instruction; and so to teach Christians to take heed of judging and censuring one another, Rom. 14.10. of offending and grieving one another, Rom. 14.13, 21. of contentions and schism one from another, 1 Cor. 1.10. of going to law one with another, 1 Cor. 6.1, 2, etc. to verse 8. of cozening and defrauding one another, 1 Thess. 4.6. of accepting of persons, to prefer a rich man before a poor believer, jam. 2.1, 2. of detracting one from another, or grudging or complaining one of another, jam. 4.11. so also, Matth. 23.8. of all dissimulation and guileful courses, Rom. 12.9. All these things ought to be avoided in our carriage toward godly men, because they are our brethren. Have we not all one Father? why then do we transgress even more against our brethren? Thus Mal. 2.10. And secondly, it should teach us diverse things to be done or sought after; as for instance: 1. It should teach us unity, to live together with all concord, because we are brethren: For how comely a thing is it for brethren to live together in unity? Psal. 133.1. 2. It should teach us mercy, and that both spiritual and corporal, as was in part showed before: they are brethren, and therefore if thou be converted strengthen them, Luke 22.32. If they trespass against thee, and confess it, forgive them, Mat. 18. If they fall by temptation into any sin of infirmity hate them not, but reprove them plainly, Leu. 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 relieved to the uttermost of thy power, Leu. 25.35. 3. All just and faithful dealing should we show one towards another, because we are brethren: yea, none of us should allow himself liberty, so much as to imagine evil against his brother, Zach. 7.9, 10. Thirdly, Superiors also should learn here not to be tyrannical, or hardhearted, or proud, or arrogant in their carriage towards their inferiors: for they rule their brethren, not their slaves. Deut. 17.19. Phil. 10. Nor yet should inferiors for this reason grow careless or disobedient: for the Apostle shows that that were an abuse of this doctrine, 1 Tim. 6.1, 2. Use. 4. Fourthly, all poor Christians that are true Christians, have much cause to rejoice, jam. 1.9. for they have a great kindred. 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 himself is not ashamed to call them brethren, Rom. 8.29. Heb. 2.10. Mat. 12.49. I might add, that wicked men should take heed how they oppose godly men: there are a great kindred of them; and they never prospered that wronged them: yea, some great Ones have been 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 piety to God. Fear 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 o●ly, but for practice, 1. joh. 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 give to God; I say, religious honour, to distinguish it from that civil honour which in general 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 Superiors. This worship of God is either internal, or external. The internal, is the worship of the heart: the external, is the worship of the body. The internal, is the very life and soul of the external; without which, the external 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 enjoin them to come to Church, to hear the Word, receive the Sacraments, or pray, though these be elsewhere required; but especially requires, that they look to the heart within, that the true fear of God be preserved in them, and that especially for two causes. First, The Apostle doth especially urge the inwar● worship of God. because men may do 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 form in the inward devotion of the heart, that will constrain 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 think it is to be taken here. The fear of God, what it is. It is twofold. The fear 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 terror 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 sin: 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 filial fear is here meant: this fear 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. ●his filial fear to God, is an affection which Gods children bear to God, whereby they reverence his glorious nature and presence, and withal carefully honour him in his Word and Works; being afraid of nothing more, than that they should despise him that hath been so wonderful good unto them. That this definition of the true and filial fear of God may be rightly understood and form in us, we must kno●, that there are six distinct things we should fear and stand in awe of in God. First, his Majesty and glorious Nature. We cannot rightly think of the transcendent excellency of God's Nature and supreme Majesty, Six things in God we are to stand in awe of. as King of all kings, but it will make us abase ourselves as dust and ashes in his sight, Gen. 18. If we fear Kings for their Majesty, 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 sin, should make the hearts of men afraid; and woe to men, if they fear not: for, according to their fear, is his anger, Psal. 90. Thirdly, his goodness 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 goodness, is only found in true Converts, Host 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 God's Word, God doth not only require, but accept very graciously, Esay 66.3. And so godly men do tremble as much at God's Word as at his blows. Fiftly, his mighty works and marvellous acts are to be exceedingly reverenced, of what kind soever, Revel. 15.3, 4. Lastly, if God would never punish sin, 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 diverse: First; we should be hence incited to seek the true fear of God, and to labour to fashion our hearts to it: it being a special part of the Apostles charge, we should specially respect it. And it is not unprofitable to consider some motives that might beget in us an earnest desire after it, and care for this true, pious, and filial fear●of God. First, if we respect ourselves, we should strive to be such as fear God: Motives to get the fear of God. For if we were never so good subjects to Princes, or never so courteous, and faire-dealing men in our carriage towards all sorts: yet if we did not fear God, we were but vile creatures, that had not the qualities of a man in us. For to fear God and keep his commandments is the whole property of a man, Eccles. 12.13. And the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom: He is not a complete man, that doth not fear God: that is all in all, job 28.28. Secondly, if we consider what God is: He is our Master: and therefore where is his fear? Mal. 1.6. He is our praise, our good God, he worketh fruitful things and wonderful, and shall we not fear him? jer. 5.22. Deut. 10.20. Thirdly, if we consider but the benefits will come unto us, if we be religious persons, and truly fear God: Great is the Lords mercy towards them that fear him, Psal. 103.11. whether we respect this life, or a better life, whether we look for temporal or spiritual things. For temporal things, such as fear God, have a promise of great prosperity, Deut. 5.29. Eccles. 8. 13. If any thing be welcome, as prosperity in this world, it is Religion, and the fear of God: For to him that feareth God, is promised wealth and riches, Psal. 112.1, 3. and honour, and long life, Pro. 10.27. and 22.4. protection from the pride of men, and the strife of tongues, Psal. 31.19. and strong confidence, Pro. 14.26. and they shall want nothing, Psal. 34.9. And for spiritual things, the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear God, and he will show them his covenant, Psal. 25.14. and the Sun of Righteousness shall rise unto them that fear God, and there shall be covering under his wings, and they shall go forth and grow as fat calves, Mal. 4.2. and the Angels of the Lord shall pitch their tents round about them that fear him, Psal. 34.7. And for eternal things: there is a book of revelation to such as fear God, where God keeps the records of them, and all the good they say or do, Mal. 3.16. and at the day of Judgement they shall have a great reward, Revel. 11.18. Great are the privileges of such as fear God in this life: but who is able to express how great the goodness is (as the Psalmist saith) which God hath laid up for them that fear him? Psal. 31.19. And if it should so fall out, that God should not see it fit to give us any great estates in this world: yet a little is better with the fear of God, than great treasures, and those troubles therewith, which the sin of man, or the wrath of God will bring in with them. But if we would have these benefits, we must be sure that we do indeed and truly fear God. For there are many men in the visible Church, that bear the name of God's people, which yet God protests against, as such as do not fear him indeed: as, First, they that pity not men in affliction, fear not God, job 6.14. Secondly, What kinds of men do not fear God. they that oppress their neighbours by any cavil or unjust dealing, as by usury, or the like, fear not God, Levit. 25.17.36. Thirdly, they that make no conscience to pay their tithes, or at least, will not give first fruits, or free will offerings; such as will pay no more for religious uses than they are forced unto, these fear not God, Deut. 14.23. Mal. 1. Fourthly, they that account it a burden, and a course of no profit to serve God, or to be so religious, Mal. 3.14, 15. jos. 24.14. Fiftly, they that make no conscience of secret sins, or hypocrisy in God's worship: these fear not God, because they set not the Lord always before them, nor fear to omit or do such things as the world cannot take notice of. Sixthly, they that meddle with the seditious, or changers, how forward soever they seem in religion: yet such as are set to be so inclinable to be led by changers, have not the true fear of God in them, Pro. 24.21. Seventhly, they that live in any known sin, and make no conscience to depart from iniquity, Prov. 3.7. and 14.2. Such are they that are mentioned in the Catalogue, Mal. 3.5. Sorcerers, Adulterers, etc. especially the men that bless themselves in their hearts, when they are guilty of hateful sins, Psal. 26.1, 2, 4. On the other side, such as truly fear God may be known by these signs: Signs of God's fear. First, they make conscience to obey God in their lives, and keep his ordinances, Deut. 6.2. They show that they fear him by serving of him. Secondly, they do believe God, and his servants speaking to them in his name. This was a sign the Israelites feared God, because they believed God, and his, servant Moses, Exod. 14.31. Thirdly, they that truly fear God do depart from evil, and dare not live, or allow themselves in any known sin, whether it be sin in opinion, or in life. In opinion: they that fear God, will give him glory, though it be to change for the opinions not only they, but all the world have held, Revel. 14.7. And so in practice, he that truly fears God, hates all sin in some measure. It is a foul sign one doth not fear God, when he will not forsake his errors or faults, though he be convinced of them. Fourthly, they that make a conscience of it to obey God in all soundness of practice in their conversation, and so not only in worshipping him with reverence, Psal. 5.8. but in striving to do all the good duties God requires, Psal. 5.8. And that this sign may be applied effectually, we may try ourselves by our obedience to God, whether our fear of him be right, or no; First, if we obey in secret, and dare not leave undone such things as no man can charge us withal, and do withal strive against and resist the very hypocrisy of the heart, and stand infeare of God's offence for the evils are found in our very thoughts: this will prove us to fear God sound in truth and uprightness of heart, jos. 24.14. Col. 3.22. When we set the Lord always before us, and with desire to approve ourselves to him, it is an excellent sign. Secondly, when we hear the Word of God, and are told what to avoid or do, we are then tried whether we fear God sound or no. For, if we dare not delay, but make Conscience of it, to practise Gods will as fast as we know it, it is a good sign: but otherwise, it is a foul sign, that many Christians that make a fair show, are not found, because they are not afraid to live in the sins God reproves by his Word, nor to leave still unperformed the precepts, counsels, and directions are given them from day to day. The Religion of many that seem to be of the better sort, is a mere formality, as this very sign proves, Psal. 86.11. Isaiah 50.10. Thirdly, a great guess may be had at men's fear of God, by their care and conscience they make of their obedience in their particular calling. A man may have comfort, that his fear of God and profession of Religion is right, if he hate idleness, lying, covetousness, deceit, frowardness, and unjust dealing in his calling. For though to deal justly with all men be no infallible sign of the true fear of God, yet it is a probable one; and where it is not, there can be no true fear of God. Thus Magistrates must prove that they fear God, 2 Chron. 19.27. Exod. 18.21. and thus every man in his place; yea, if women would have the reputation to be such as fear God, they must let their works praise them. If they be idle, froward, undutiful, busybodies, and careless of their domestical duties, Pro. 31.30. what fear of God can be in them? Fourthly, it will be manifest that our obedience flows from the true fear of God, if we will obey against our profit, or ease, or credit, or our own carnal reasons or affections. Hereby the Lord said he knew that Abraham feared him, because he spared not his own son, Gen. 22.12. And thus of the fear of God. The last part of the charge concerns our loyalty to the King. Honour the King.] The Apostlè intends in these words, but briefly, to urge the practice of their duty, urged in the exhortation, Ver. 13. fave that the terms have something in them of explication of that doctrine, and something for confirmation; for, we must honour the King, 1. In our hearts. 2. In our words. 3. In our works. First, we must honour him in our hearts, and show it two ways. 1. We must not curse the King, no not in secret, no not in our thoughts: we must not entertain impatient and vile thoughts of the King, but, from our hearts, esteem him for his greatness, authority, and gifts. 2. When the King commands any thing that seems to others or to us harsh, inconvenient, or doubtful, we must honour the King by interpreting his Laws in the best sense. If love must not think evil, but hope all things of all sorts of men, then much more of Kings. It were greatly to be longed for, that this note might enter into the breasts of some men; Note. they would then be afraid to charge so much evil of the King's ordinances, not only when they might find a fairer sense, but oftentimes expressly against the intent and meaning of the ordinance. Secondly, we must honour the King in our words three ways. 1. By reverend speeches to him, and of him. 2. By a thankful acknowledgement of the good is in him, and we receive by him. 3. By praying to God with all manner of prayer for him, 1. Tim. 2.1. Thirdly we must honour him in our works: 1. By paying him tributes and customs. 2. By submitting and yielding to his ordinances; preferring the obedience thereunto before the censures or contrary opinions of what men soever. And this is the main thing intended verse the 13. of this Chapter. And therefore I will omit the larger handling of this point in this place. Verse 18. Servants, be subject to your Masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. HItherto of the duties of subjects, and so of the exhortation as it is political, and concerns the Commonwealth. Now the Apostle proceeds to give directions economical, that concern the family, or household government: Before I consider of the particular exhortations, some thing would be said in general concerning a family. A family is the society of diverse men dwelling together in one house for preservation and happiness: What a family is. Where three things are to be explicated: First, what the persons are, that take upon them to constitute this society: Secondly, what is the difference between this society, and their humane societies: Thirdly, what is the end of this society. First, the persons that constitute a family or family's society, are to be considered, either as the family is perfect, or unperfect. 1. A perfect family consists of a triple society: first, the one between man and wife: secondly, the other between parents and children: thirdly, and the third between Masters and servants. 2. The unperfect is, when any of these societies are wanting, as when there are not either children, or servants, or wives, or husbands in it: The Apostles directions here do form only an unperfect family: For he gives not directions about parents and children. Secondly, the difference of this society from others is, in those words, [dwelling together in one house:] For thereby is imported, that this is the first society of all others, and the foundation of all the rest. For a City comprehends many families, a Country many Cities, a Monarchy many Nations, and the World many Monarchies. Thirdly, the end of a fraternity is preservation and happiness: and so, to speak distinctly, Three things required to make a society happy. there are three things requisite to make this society happy, and to preserve it so: namely, first, commodity: secondly, delight: and thirdly, Religion. Unto commodity is requisite possession of goods, and the mutual lawful labour of the persons in the family: unto delight is requisite quietness and love: unto Religion is required the constant and right serving of God. If commodity be wanting, the family cannot be at all: If delight be wanting, it cannot be well: and if religion be wanting, it cannot be for ever. Thus of a family in general: and two things may be in general noted from the Apostles charge about the family. First, that God himself doth bind all sorts of persons, as strictly to the good behaviour in their own houses, or towards one another, as he doth toward those in his house. Secondly, that the conscience is bound, immediately from God, to nourish all good duties. And this is proved by the fifth Commandment, and Pro. 14.13. with many other places of Scripture. There may be diverse reasons assigned, why God gives Commandment to bind us to domestical duties. We are bound of God to the care of domestical duties, for diverse reasons, First, from his own right. For, though there be many Administrators, as, of a Church, a Commonwealth, a Family, etc. yet there is but one Lord: God is the Head of this society, as well as of any other, 1. Cor. 12. Secondly, because this is the first society God brought into the world; and therefore he would have it honoured, and carefully preserved to the end of the world. The first society in Paradise, was this: and Religion was professed for many hundred years by this society only, even till the people came out of Egypt. Thirdly, because the persons we live withal in the family, are the nearest companions of our lives: and therefore we should live with all due respect one of another. Fourthly, because the family is the Seminary both of Church and Commonwealth. Fiftly, because the family is the most usual place for us to practise our Religion in: what we learn at Church, is for the most part to be practised at home. Many have little occasion of practice abroad. Sixtly, because the comfort and contentment of man's life lieth much in this. How are the lives of many men made uncomfortable, by disordered servants, wicked children, idle, froward, vicious wives? God gave the woman, at the first, as a special help to man; to show, that at home the chief help of his life was to be had. Use. The Use should be therefore to teach Christians, in their several places in the family, to make conscience of their dealing; both to know it, and to do it, as ever they would have God to come to them, and dwell with them, Psal. 10.1, 2. and as they desire to be no hypocrites in Religion: for, such as make no conscience of doing their duties in the family, whether themselves, wives, servants, or children, are not sound Christians, they are but hypocrites. They are not complete Christians, that are not good at home aswell as abroad: they walk not in a perfect way, Psal. 101.2. And beside, till domestical disorders be redressed, the family will never be established, Pro. 14.3. Secondly, it is to be noted, that Inferiors in the family, are either only, Why inferiors in a family are first and especially charged with their duties. or first, or with most words charged about their duties; as here, servants, and not masters; and servants and wives, with many words: and there may be diverse reasons assigned of it. 1. To preserve order. God hath subjected the Inferiors to the Superiors; and the Superior in a family, is God's Image: the Lord is therefore careful to preserve his authority. The Superiors receive laws from God, but not from their Inferiors. The Inferiors are to learn their duty, without prescribing laws to their Superiors. 2. Because the disorders of Inferiors are, for the most part, most dangerous to the troubling of the family, because the businesses of the family are done by their hands, the Superior providing for the common good by common instruments. If the Master of the family be never so godlywise, yet oftentimes the family may be destroyed by wicked servants, and vicious wives, Pro. 14.1. 3. Because faults in the Inferiors are most scandalous against Religion, especially where the family is unequally yoked; as, if the Head of the family be an unbeliever, and the Members believers: disorder in the believers is most extremely scandalous. 4. Because if the Head of the family be disordered, the orderly behaviour of the Inferiors may bring him into order, and win him both to Religion, and good order at home. A conversation with fear, in wives, may win their husbands, as chap. 3.1, 2. of this Epistle. 5. Because God would hereby show, that the Inferiors must always do their duties, before they look after the duties of Superiors: they must be first served. 6. By this course the Apostles did labour to entice the Gentiles to Religion, by letting them see how careful they were to breed goodness and love in their wives, servants, and children: and the Apostles did wisely in so doing, because it is a greater gain to Religion, to gain one master, than many servants, because such a master may do more good. The Use should be therefore to interest the obligation upon the consciences of wives, servants, and children: and even the more they see that God saith unto them, the more they should be careful of their duties; and ever the more desirous they see the Lord to be to have them live without offence, the more abominable they should account it to dare to offend still: and if they have not masters or husbands, they should strive to be good themselves, before they complain of the fault of their Superiors; and should think with themselves, If I were a better wife or servant, I should find my husband or servant better to me. Thus in the general. The first thing than the Apostle gives in charge, concerns servants, from verse 18. to the end of this chapter: where observe, First, the proposition, enjoining servants to be subject to their masters, verse 18. Secondly, the exposition, showing both how they should be subject, viz. with all fear; and to what masters, viz. not only to the good, but to the froward, verse 18. Thirdly, the confirmation of it, by three reasons, viz. from the consideration, 1. Of the acceptation of such subjection with God, verse 19.20. 2. Of their calling, verse 21. 3. Of the example of Christ: which is urged, 1. For the use of servants, verses 22.23. 2. For the use of all Christians by digression, verses 24.25. First then of the proposition: where we are to consider, first, the persons charged, Servants: secondly the duty imposed, be subject: thirdly, the persons to whom they owe it, to your Masters. Servants.] Two things are to be inquired into about servants. First, the original of their est●●e: and secondly, the bond that ties them to this subjection. There are servants of God; servants of sin, servants of men: It is the servants of men, that are here meant. Servants of men are not all of one sort neither: For first, such as apply themselves to satisfy the unreasonable humours of men, Servants of men are of diverse sorts. are said to be servants of men, and condemned, 1. Cor. 7.23. Secondly, such as make themselves beholding to other men through their pride, are forced many times to become their servants. Thus the borrower is a servant to the lender, Pro. 22.7. Thirdly, such as employ their estates or bodies for the honour, or preservation of their superiors, are said to be servants: thus subjects serve Princes, 1. Sam. 8.17. Fourthly, such as employ their labours, and spend themselves for the common good, are said to be servants: thus Ministers are the people's servants 2. Cor. 4.5. 1. Cor. 9.19. But none of these are here meant: These servants are domestical servants, such as are under the yoke of particular Masters in a family. Those servants in the Apostles time were of two sorts: some were bond servants, such as were bought and sold in the markets, over whom the Masters had absolute and perpetual power: some were hired servants, that did serve by covenant and contract, as servants do now for the most part with us. Concerning these, it may be inquired, how it comes to pass, that men, that by creation have the same nature with other men, should in their condition be abased to so low and mean estate, as to serve them, that are in nature alike to them? This seems to be a grievous inequality; and therefore first to be searched into for the original and causes of it. It is out of doubt, that before the Fall, if man had stayed in his Innocency, there had been no servitude, because all men had been made after the Image of God, both for holiness and glory; and so had been on earth, as the Saints shall be in Heaven. The first cause then of subjection and servitude, was the confusion, For what causes servitude came in. and sin of our first parents brought upon the world, the earth being cursed for man's sake: A necessity of toilsome ●●bour lay upon men; and so from the advantages, or disadvantages of particular men's estates, did ar●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 natural temper, or care of education, some men are made more fit to govern, and others to be governed. Secondly, as a monument of God's Justice: it is observed, that some whole nations of men have been in their very natural inclination only disposed to bondage, being destitute of all gifts to rule, or govern, as it is noted by the Muscovites 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 Latins 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 tak●● by force of arms. Fourthly, the horrible sins sometimes of the Ancestors brings beggary, and so servitude upon their posterity; as the sin of Cam made Canaan a servant of servants, Gen. 9.25. So doth treason, whoredom, riotousness, and prodigality of many parents, undo their whole posterity, 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 morsel of bread by their own disorder and wickedness of life; sometimes open sins, sometimes secret sins bringing this curse of God upon them: For men became servants, only to gain by their service the knowledge, or state of some science, art, or trade, as many apprentices do. Seventhly, sometimes God by his hand doth abase some men only, as a trial, if they fall into poverty, and so to the necessity of working for others, by no sinful courses of their own, but by the inevitable hand of God, as by piracy, shipwreck, fire, thiefs, or the like: and these are so humbled, either to warn others, and show the power of God, or to bring them to repentance: or else for trial of God's 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 took over their bondmen to dispose of their very lives, was not of God or Nature, but merely 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 cruel Landlords, or by the fraudulent dealings of other men, that falsify their trust, or cousin them in bargaining. Now, the servants brought to this condition by any of these means, must be subject to their Masters: and this is of divine institution. For God himself hath bound them to it by the first commandment; and so the subjection of servants is a moral, and perpetual ordinance. Uses. The Use of all this may be diverse: For, First, it should teach all sorts of men, the more to hate and flee from sin, 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 possess, are without life, and servants are the living instruments of their commodities. Th●s wise and godly me● in Scripture were wont to account it the best part of their possessions, Gen. 12.16. and 32.5. Eccles. 2.7. that they had men servants, or maid servants. Thirdly, it should teach servants especially two things; the one is humility: they should run a race fitted to their condition, they should conquer pride and aspiring, remembering that God hath abased them. The other is, they should keep themselves in their places and callings, and not shake off the y●oke by running away, etc. 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, apparel, 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 own wickedness of life: some of them are wicked servants too, as well as wicked men: some are tolerable, and sometimes profitable servants, though evil men: all are in ill case. For this is but the beginning of evil to them, if they repent not; For if they live in their sins, as they serve men now, they shall serve devils 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 bitterness of this abasement. First, because extremities of bondage are removed from servants with us for the most part, How a godly servant may comfort himself in that estate. so as their service is but for a time, and voluntary too, to hire themselves to whom they will; and Masters have not power of their lives. Secondly, because their calling is acknowledged for a lawful calling by God. Thirdly, because God hath bound Masters by his Word to use them well, and the laws of Princes provide punishments for unreasonable Masters. Fourthly, because Christ hath redeemed them from the spiritual bondage of serving the Law, and the devil, and God's Justice: so as he is Christ's freeman. Fiftly, because though his body be subject, yet his soul is free, and not subject to any mortal 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 do 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 mind that desires to see what he hath to do 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, E●hes. 6.8. Lastly, because there shall be no servants in heaven, but in God's Kingdom they are as free as their Masters, and therefore should not think much of a little hardness, or harshness in this life. Thus of the original of servants. Secondly, we may hence note, that servants are bound by God himself, in his Word; unto their subjection. The Word of God doth belong to the calling of Servants, as well as to any other calling. God hath included them within the doctrine of Scripture, as well as any other men; partly to show that they have right to the Scripture, as well as others; and partly to show that the power of binding servants is from God. And God hath taken it upon him, by his Word, to teach Servants as well as other men; and that for two reasons. The one is, because Servants belong to the Kingdom of Christ and his Church, as well as other Christians, and therefore must be taught as well as they. Secondly, the other is, because usually Masters are negligent in teaching them, and therefore God provides that by his Word they shall be taught. Men have some care in teaching their children, but little of their servants; and therefore God, to show that he is no respecter of persons, gives order to his Ministers to see them instructed. The Use may be diverse. Uses. First, Masters must learn from hence their duty: For, when they see that God takes care to teach their servants, they should not be so proud or careless as to neglect their instruction: Yea it shows also, that if they would have them taught, or reproved, or encouraged, they must do it with God's Word, and with their own: yea, it also shows the folly and wickedness of diverse Masters, that cannot abide their servants should hear Sermons, or much read the Scriptures; when they do not only wickedly, in restraining their servants from the means of their Salvation, or comfort, but do foolishly also hinder them of that means which should especially make them good servants. Secondly, Servants may hereby be instructed, or informed, and taught. Informed, that though neither Master nor Minister will teach them, yet they are not excused, because they are bound to learn from God's Word their duties: And taught from hence they must be, to do their duties to their Masters, not for fear, or reward, but for conscience sake, because God hath bound them to his subjection. Thirdly Ministers should learn, and from hence be awakened, to take notice of their charge, both to catechise in special, and to teach servants in general, as well as others their hearers. If it be a part of the Commission of great Apostles, to instruct servants as well as other Christians, than what accounts can they give to God, if it be found that they have had no care of instructing the servants of their parishes, and charges? Doct. 3. Thirdly, the indefinite propounding of the word Servants, shows, that all sorts of servants are equally bound to subjection; hired servants are as strictly bound, as bond-servants: The servants of Princes are not free from the duty of servants, more than other servants: and ●o likewise poor men's servants must be subject and obedient to their Masters, with as much reverence and fear, as servants to great men. Old servants are tied to as much duty, as such as come new to serve. Religious servants are bound to as much subjection and obedience as Pagans, or rather their bond is the stronger, because Religion should rather make them better servants. And so there is no difference of sexes; men servants are bound as well as women servants: neither doth birth, office, gifts, or means, privilege any servant from the strictness of the bond of subjection. Be subject.] The duty then required of servants, is subjection: servants must be subject. It is not enough to wear their master's Cloth, and to hire themselves to their masters: they must make conscience of it, to perform constant and humble subjection to their masters. And so they must be subject to their masters three ways: Servants must be subject three ways. First, to their commandments: and so they must obey them, and yield themselves to them, to be ruled and directed by them in all things, Eph. 6.5. Colos. 3.22. Secondly, to their rebukes and corrections. For if children need rebukes and corrections, then do servants also, Pro. 13.1 and 15.5. Servants will not always be corrected by words, and therefore need blows, Pro. 29.19. Gen. 16.6. yea they must patiently suffer correction, though it be inflicted unjustly, as appears in the verses following this Text. Thirdly, to their restraints. Servants must be subject to the appointment of their masters, even in the things wherein they restrain them; as for instance, in their diet. It is a sinful humour in them, not to be content with such diet as their masters appoint them, though it be worse than the diet of their masters, or the diet of the children of the family. So likewise in their company: they must avoid all company that may be any way offensive to their masters; and so likewise in their apparel, in such cases where servants are to be apparelled by their masters; as also in respect of their going out of the house in the day time, when they have not leave: but much more abominable it is to be out of their master's houses in the night, without their leave. And as their subjection must be performed in all these cases: so the indefinite manner of propounding it, shows, both that they must be subject in all things and in all the ways of showing subjection: for the manner of it, they must be subject in all things, so as to bear with their masters: for it is a sinful rebellion to cross, or disobey, or leave undone any thing that is required of them to do. And beside, it shows that they must be subject in their very hearts, and in their words, and in their countenance and gesture, as well as in the work to be done by them. Use. The use may concern both servants, and the parents of such servants, and the masters that rule them. Servants should hence, from their hearts, learn to yield themselves over to their masters, with all good conscience to perform the subjection required: yea, such servants as hear this doctrine, may try their hearts, whether they be indeed good servants or no: for a good servant, that makes conscience of his duty, when he hears the doctrine, doth from his heart consent to it, and will strive to fashion himself according to it. Now the servants that desire to be such as is required, may attain to it, if they observe these rules: Helps for servants to yield subjection. First, they must carefully study the doctrine of servants duties. Servants oftentimes fail through mere ignorance, because they do not lay before their minds what God requires of them. Secondly, they must often judge themselves for their faults wherein they have displeased their masters, or neglected their duties: therefore many servants mend not, because either they will not see their faults, or do not humble themselves in secret for them. Thirdly, they must often meditate on the motives that may persuade them to subjection. And so there are five things that might bow their hearts, and breed in them a conscience of their duties. First, the Commandment of God: it is Gods will they should bear themselves thus humbly and obediently toward their masters. Secondly, the promise annexed to God's Commandment should move them: God will reward their work, Eph. 6.8. Col. 3.24. And in particular, inasmuch as their service is required in the fifth Commandment, therefore if they be good servants, God will bless them with long life. Thirdly, the threatening, if they be not good servants, but bear themselves naughtily and stubbornly, they shall not only receive shame and punishment from men, but God will plague them for the wrongs they do to their masters, even for all the grief wherewith they have vexed them, and for all the losses they have brought to their masters, Col. 3. ult. Fourthly, the examples of such as have born themselves full well in Scripture, should much move them; the piety of Abraham's servant, Gen. 24. and the painfulness and faithfulness of jacob, Gen. 31.38, etc. and the readiness of the Centurion's servant, Mat. 8. yea, it should much move them, that Christ Jesus himself was in the form of a servant, Phil. 2. Fiftly, the care of the Religion they profess should much move them if they be careless, and proud, and stubborn, the Name of God, and the doctrine of Religion, may be blasphemed, 1 Tim. 6.1. And if they be humble, and careful, and faithful, they may adorn the doctrine of the Gospel, as the Apostle shows, Tit. 2.9, 10. Use 2. Such parents as put their children forth to service, must take heed, that they spoil them not by giving ear to the complaints of their masters, or by allowing them any way in stubborn and disobedient courses. Thirdly, if masters would have their servants to please them by their subjection, they then must learn how to rule and govern them, not only by teaching and charging them what to do, but also by over-seeing them, whereby many faults may be prevented; and accordingly by seasonable reproving them, and correcting of them betimes for the more wilful offences; so studying to carry themselves gently towards them, as that they lose not their authority by too much love of their own ease and quietness: else it is just, that their servants should prove a continual vexation to them, Pro. 30.22. and 29.19. To your Masters.] The parties to whom they owe subjection, are their masters: where three things may be observed; First, that though servants are under subjection, yet it is not to all men, or to other men, but only to their masters: which may warn men to take heed that they abuse not other men's servants, or speak basely of them. For though in respect of their masters, they are servants; yet in respect of them, they are as free as themselves. And in particular, it should teach diverse to meddle less with other men's servants by way of complaint to their masters. It was Salomon's rule; Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty, Pro. 3.10. He gives two reasons of his advice: The one is, that his complaining may so vex the servants over whom he hath no jurisdiction, that it may cause them in their impatience to vex him with their reproaches of him; which an ingenuous mind should strive to avoid. The other is, that in such complaints most an end there is much mistaking, when men meddle with such things as belong to other men's families: and then it is a soul shame to be found faulty. To conclude this point, we should remember that of the Apostle; What hast thou to do to judge another man's servant? he standeth or falleth to his own master, Rom. 14. Secondly, that all masters have authority over their servants: though the master be a poor man, or an ignorant man, or a cruel man, or a froward man, or a hard man, yet the servant must be subject to him, and bear himself as reverently and obedient, as if he were the richest, or wisest, or worthiest master in the world; and the reason is, because the subjection is due, not to the master's riches, or gifts, or greatness, but to the authority which God hath given him as a master: and therefore servants must look to this point; and the rather, because it will be the greater trial of their snbjection and singleness of heart, when neither fear, nor reward, nor any outward respect doth compel or constrain them, but simply the conscience of God's Commandment, and the master's authority. Thirdly, we may here inquire, how masters come by this authority over servants: by nature they have it not, and therefore must have it by law. The laws of men cannot make one man a servant, and another a master: therefore it is by the Law of God. Since it is by the Law of God; if we have recourse to the ten Commandments, The original of masters. we shall find that it is the fifth Commandment which giveth masters this authority and honour; the exhortations of the Apostle being but interpretations of that Law. And that this point may be cleared, two things must be searched into: first, what sorts of men are called fathers and mothers there; and secondly, why they are so called in the Commandment, seeing the most sorts of them, in the usual life of man, have other titles. The name father given to diverse sorts. For the first. This term Father we shall find in Scripture to be given, first, to such as begat us, Heb. 12.9. Secondly, to Ancestors, joh. 6.18. Thirdly, to Tutors: so Students are called Children of the Prophets. Fourthly, to such as beget us in respect of grace, as to our Ministers, 1 Cor. 4.15. Gal. 4.19. Fiftly, to Magistrates, Gen. 41.43. 1 King. 24.12. Ezra. 1.5. Sixtly, to Elders in age, 1 Tim. 5.1. Seventhly, to the Inventors or Authors of any science, art, or trade, Gen. 4.20. Lastly, it is given to masters: so naaman's servants called him Father, 2 King. 5.13. And from hence, masters were wont to be called Patr●s familias, as Magistrates were called Patres patriae. For the second. Magistrates, Tutors, Ministers, Masters, and all Superiors, are called Fathers, first, because the father was the first degree of superiority, & the fountain & seminary of all society. Secondly, God of purpose preserves this title in all superiority, thereby to sweeten subjection to inferiors, and to make them think the several dangers, burdens, labours, & subjections in each condition, to be not only tolerable, but meet to be borns, because they endure them under parents as it were: & so such superiority, for that reason, should not be resisted or envied. Thirdly, that thereby superiors may be put in mind of their duty, to avoid insolency, cruelty, oppression, and the too much respect of themselves; God charging them by this title, to remember that their inferiors are to them, by God's Ordinance, as their children. Thus of the proposition of the duties of servants. The exposition follows: and so, first, he showeth the manner how they must be subject, viz. With all fear.] Servants must subject themselves to their masters in all fear: which being put down indefinitely, must be understood both in respect of God, and in respect of their Masters. Servants must show their fear of God in their places, diverse ways: First, by avoiding such sins as are contrary to the will and commandment of God in their general life; How many ways servants show the fear of God in their 〈◊〉. such as are, swearing, lying, slandering, hatred of the godly, drunkenness, whoredom, and the like, Psal. 101.3, 4, 5. Secondly, by carefulness to do good service, as well as their masters; not only by spending the Sabbath in the duties of Religion, but in redeeming the time in the weekdays (as may be without hindrance of their work, or offence to their masters) to employ themselves in prayer, reading, conference, etc. and the reason is, because as servants must do their master's work as they are servants: so they stand bound in the common obligation, to do God's service as they are men; and no man but is subject to the Law of God, who hath given all his commandments to servants, as well as to masters. Thirdly, by doing their master's work out of conscience, respecting the will and commandments of God; and therefore serving their masters with all faithfulness, as if the service were to be done to God himself, or to Jesus Christ, Ephes. 6.5. Col. 3.23. Fourthly, by praying for their masters, and for the good success of their labours for their master's commodity: thus Abraham's servant is commended for his practice of the fear of God, and left for an example to all servants to do likewise, Gen. 24. Fiftly, by doing their master's work without eye-service, being as careful and as diligent when their masters are absent, as when they are present; as remembering that the Lord sees them, though their masters do not, Col. 3.22. The fear then towards their masters, they may show diverse ways. First, by avoiding what may displease their masters; such as is, answering again, Tit. 2.10. contention with their fellows, and all unquietness, Phil. 2.4. sullenness, Prov. 29.19. and all unfaithfulness, showed either by purloining in the least things, Tit. 2.10. or carelessness in disappointing the trust committed to them; as also, masterfulnesse, pride, and haughty behaviour, when they will not abide it to be told or directed, or doing what they list, not what they be appointed. Secondly, by reverend behaviour to be showed by lowliness of countenance, by giving titles of honour and respect, john 13.13. by standing before them when they sit, Luk. 17. by avoiding rude behaviour, or saucy familiarity, as accounting them in heart worthy of all honour, 1 Tim. 6.1. One point of which reverence is, that servants should not presume to deliver their opinions easily in their master's presence, unless it be required, or may be gathered by argument from the less, job 32.6, 7. Thirdly, by their secrecy in all the affairs of their masters, especially they should take heed of discovering their master's infirmities to others abroad out of the family. Fourthly, by avoiding inquisitive, to meddle only with their own business; the servant knoweth not what his master doth, joh. 15.15. Fiftly, by doing their work with all faithfulness and diligence, in absence as well as presence; that when the master comes, he may find them so doing, Mat. 24. Thus of the manner of the duty; the persons to whom they must thus submit themselves follow: and so they must be subject with all fear, not only to the good, but also to the froward. To the good and gentle.] For the sense: we must inquire who are good masters, and who gentle. Good masters are discerned by diverse signs. First, they seek not only painful and skilful, but religious servants, Signs of good masters. Psal. 101.1, 6, 7. Secondly, they not only licence, but teach their servants to keep God's Sabbaths, and to worship him, Commandment 4. Gen. 18.19. Thirdly, they will not command their servants to do any thing that is sinful, or to lie as snares, or defraud others for their profit. Fourthly, that receive their servants, especially such as are religious, as their brethren. Fiftly, that are overseers as well of the manners of their servants, as of their labours, being as careful that their servants be no worse to themselves, than to their masters. Sixtly, that use their servants well, not only praising them for well doing, but always rewarding their service with liberal wages; and when they part from them, not suffering them to go from them empty, without portion, etc. Master's show their gentleness also diverse ways: as, First, when they use their authority moderately, or are not haughty or violent towards their servants. Secondly, when they pass by their infirmities, and take not notice of all the ill they say or do, Eccles. 7.22. Thirdly, when their servants offend, they chide them with good words, and not revile them. But also to the froward.] Froward masters are such as are bitter to their servants, hard to please, that are apt to find fault, that use their servants hardly in words, or deeds, but chiefly such as are choleric, and passionate, and peevish in their carriage towards their servants. So that four Doctrines may be noted from these words, and from the coherence. Doct. 1. First, that God takes notice of the faults of Superiors, as well as he requires duties of inferiors: he sees frowardness in masters, as well as disobedience in servants; and the reason is, both because God is no respecter of persons, and also because he gives his law to all men. And therefore superiors must make conscience of their duties: for though in all things they are not to give accounts to their inferiors, yet they must give accounts of all they do to God, Col. 3.24. Doct. 2. That God sees and dislikes such faults, as the laws of man take not notice of. If a master should kill his hired servant, men's laws would take hold of him: but if he be never so froward with him, he may escape men's laws. But though the laws of men punish not frowardness, yet God will. So we see in the exposition of Christ given unto diverse commandments, Mat. 5. man failed in killing, adultery, purity, etc. not once thinking of anger, lust, filthy speaking, reviling, etc. yet God forbids even these things also: which serves to reprove the folly of such, as justify themselves for very just men, because they offend not the laws of men; but never consider that God can find a world of faults in them, that men's laws cannot; because God sees the heart, and by his laws requires obedience of the inward man, and condemns all swerving from the right temper of heart and carriage: And therefore we should all look to our ways, to approve ourselves not only to men but to God; and so to confess the imperfections of men's laws, as to admire the perfection of God's Word. Doct. 3. That frowardness is a vice to be avoided of all sorts of men: It is not only uncomely in servants, but in masters too, and so consequently in all sorts of men; and it is to be avoided for many reasons. First, if we consider the nature of the vice either in itself, or by comparison. Reason's 〈◊〉 forwardness. It is of itself a kind of madness: A froward person, during the fit, is in some degree a mad person: beside, they are very foolish and absurd. The mouth of the righteous, saith 〈◊〉, bringeth forth wisdom, but the froward tongue shall be cut out. In which words note the opposition: The righteous mouth brings forth wisdom, but the froward mouth brings forth ●oolish things, and therefore shall be cut out, Prov. ●0. 31. Could froward and peevish persons remember and consider what passeth from them in these ●its, they would be wonderfully ashamed of themselves. Again, consider how contrary frowardness into God's nature: he saith of his words, that there is no frowardness in them, Prov. 8.8. to note, that frowardness is a thing altogether contrary to God 〈…〉 persons in their froward fits, are not like God, but r●ther like the devil. Secondly, if we consider the 〈◊〉 of this peevishness and frowardness either in man or woman, we shall find that this ill humour is bred of vile causes: sometimes it comes of drunkenness, as is noted, Prov. 23.33. always it proceeds from ignorance and want of wit & discretion, Pro. 2.11, 12. and usually it ariseth of idleness and want of constant employment, and of pride, arrogance and stomach, Pro. 8.13. It sometimes ariseth from jealousy and suspicion, and sometimes it is raised by idle and vile hypocrisy, while they strive more for reputation to be thought good, than indeed to be such either as they would seem to be, or should be. Thirdly, if we consider the effects of frowardness. For those are vile, whether we respect the froward persons themselves, or others, or God. First, for themselves: It is a vice most unprofitable. For it is like a disease full of anguish and unquietness, it eats up their own hearts, troubles their minds, and robs them of all contentment: beside, it breeds a grievous indisposition in them to all good duties both to God and men, and brings upon them many mischiefs; It dares annoy their friends: For they that are wise will make no friendship with the froward: and insuch as are tied to them, that they must needs converse with them, it much alienateth their inward love an● respect of them. And therefore Solomon saith well, He that hath a froward heart finds no good; and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief, Pro. 17.10. And again, Thorns and snares are in the mouths of the froward, Pro. 22.5. Secondly, to others, their peevishness is a great vexation and ●u●den: Hence came the proverb, The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, that is, a godly, patient, discreet man, is exceeding pleasing to others in his words and carriage: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness, that is, a sinful, peevish, foolish person, is in his words and carriage exceeding troublesome and unpleasing; for so the Antithesis imports. Besides, it breeds discord: Prov. 10.32. Prov. 16.28. a froward mouth soweth discord. Yea, it many times drives such as converse with such persons, into perplexities and amazedness, that they know not what to do to free themselves from their perverseness, according to that of Solomon; The way of a man is perverse and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right, Prov. 21.8. And therefore David, when he was to order his family, is specially careful, that no froward person dwell with him: for where frowardness is, there is confusion, and every evil work, jer. 3.16. Thirdly, if we respect God: It is a fearful thing, which Solomon saith, Those which are of a froward heart, are an abomination to the Lord; but such as are upright in the way, are his delight, Prov. 11.20. Fourthly, if we consider the condition of the parties, that are overgrown with this disease of peevishness and frowardness: It is a terrible censure that God himself gives of such for the most part, that they are wicked persons, Prov. 6.12. He that walketh with a froward mouth, is called a naughty person, and a wicked man: and though in charity we may hope of men, that they are not altogether destitute of true grace; yet as the Apostle said of envy and strife, so may we say of frowardness, that such as are guilty of it usually, are but as carnal; at the best, but babes in Christ, 1 Cor. 3.1, 2, 3. To conclude, Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his lips, though he be rich, Prov. 28.6. Use. The Use should be for admonition, and instruction to such masters, husbands, wives, or others, that find themselves guilty of this hateful vice, to labour by all means to get themselves cured of it, remembering the counsel of the holy Ghost, Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee, Prov. 4.14. And to this end they must observe these rules: First, they must become fools, that they may be wise: Helps against frowardness. they must begin the cure at the denial of themselves, and their vain conceits. For if they trust to their own discretion, and natural gifts, they will never mend: For natural gifts can never make that which is crooked strait, Eccl. 1.15. Secondly, they must strive to breed in their hearts the sound fear of God, and his displeasure for their frowardness. For the fear of God will take down their pride, and cause them to abhor all peevish and froward ways, Prov. 8.13. Thirdly, they must constantly judge themselves for their offences herein, and that both by daily confessing their frowardness to God in secret, and also by acknowledging their faults herein unto such as are guided by them. Fourthly, they must especially fly to Jesus Christ, whose office is to make crooked things strait, Isa. 40.5. and 42.16. Luke 3.5. The last thing to be noted out of this verse, is, that no faults in the superiors can free the inferiors from their subjection, for matter or manner; as here servants must be subject, yea with all fear, to froward masters: so afterwards wives must be subject to their husbands, and with all fear too, though they be unbelievers, or carnal men. Thus of the exposition: the confirmation follows. Verses 19 and 20. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? but if when ye do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently; this is acceptable with God. THe Apostle applies the reasons to that part of the exposition which might be most doubted, and so gives three reasons why servants should be subject even to evil masters. The first is taken from the acceptation of such subjection with God, verses 19 and 20. The second is taken from their calling, verse 21. The third, from the example of Christ afterwards. The argument from acceptation is laid down, verse 19 and avouched, and made good, verse 20. In the ninteenth verse then, it is the drift of the Apostle to show that though masters should be so froward, as to beat their servants causelessly, yet they should be subject, and endure it for conscience sake unto God, because this is a Christian man's case, and a great praise, when out of conscience to God he doth his duty, and suffers wrongfully. The reason is so intended for the particular case of servants so abused, as it holds in all cases of injury for conscience sake. In this verse then, the Apostle entreats of suffering: and we may note four things about suffering. First, what is to be suffered, grief. Secondly, how is it to be suffered, viz. wrongfully and with enduring. Thirdly, the cause of suffering it, conscience toward God. Fourthly the effect, which is praise and acceptation. Doct. 1. In this world all sorts of men are liable to suffer grief: For though the Apostle in the scope intends to speak of servants suffering grief, yet the Argument with the uses concern all sorts of men. In this world than we must look for grief: and how can it be otherwise, since first there are such mines in our own nature made by sin, and so many abominations round 〈◊〉 us to God's dishonour? Secondly, the creatures which we are to use in this world, are empty and vain: and so occasion much vexation in the users, that are disappointed by them. All is vanity and vexation of spirit, saith the wise man. Thirdly, we are liable to so many crosses and losses; every day hath his grief and his cross, which must be taken up, Mat. 6. ●lt. Luke 9.14. Fourthly, how can we be long without grief, that live in a world so full of sin, and devils, and devilish men? Fiftly, our own bodies often grieve us, being liable to so many pains and diseases. What should I say? Our own houses are full of causes of grief, if the disorders of masters, husbands, wives, servants, children be considered of; and therefore we should be weary of the world, and long for heaven: we shall never be long together without grief, till we come thither. Doct. 2. We must not only endure grief, but many times suffer it wrongfully: Besides all the grief befalls men otherwise, the world is full of wrong and injury, and the ways of doing wrong are so many, as cannot easily be reckoned. Who can recount what wrongs are done daily by deceit, violence, oppression, lying, false witness, slander, and other base indignities? Which should teach us not to think it strange, if wrongs befall us: and withal it imports, that woe shall be to all them that do wrong. That God that discovers them that do wrong, will repay them according to all the wrong they have done. Doct. 3. It may be here noted too, that usually they suffer most wrong, that are most careful to do their duties: which ariseth partly from that fearful Ataxy in men's natures, that are fall'n into such distemperature of disposition; and partly, from that natural malice ungodly men bear to them that are good: and partly, such as are indeed godly, will not use such means of revenge, as others will do; and partly, because the Laws of men do not reach to a sufficient way of correcting and reforming such indignities: and especially it proceeds from the pride, and unthankfulness, and discontentments, which reign in the hearts of froward and corrupt minded persons. And from hence we may gather the necessity of God's general Judgement, because in this world it is ill many times with good men, and there is no remedy, seeing their wrongs are not righted here. It must needs be that there will be a time appointed of God, for the redress and revenge of all wrongs. Secondly, it should the more encourage such as suffer wrong, to endure it patiently, seeing it is the lot of the best. Thirdly, wrong should not measure the goodness o● men's cases, or the badness of it, by the things they suffer. For many times they suffer wrongfully. Doct. 4. That God takes notice of the wrongs that are done to the meanest, even the wrongs that Masters do to their servants: and so other Scriptures show, that if the poorest be oppressed or defrauded, God will require it at the hands of them that oppress or defraud them, be they never so mighty or rich in the world. And so, if the weakest Christian be wronged by scandal, or otherwise, it were better for those that give the scandal, or do the wrong, that a millstone were hanged about their necks, and they cast into the sea. And for that cause the Scriptures show, that God takes great notice of the wrongs done to widows and orphans▪ that have little meanest to help or protect themselves; and there is reason for it: for the meanest Christians are Gods servants, and belong to him, and therefore he must protect them. And beside, God's Law is so powerful, that it condemneth wrongs of all sorts to all men. And further, there is a cry in oppression or wrong, that goeth up to heaven, which will not cease, till God hear it: which as it may be a comfort to such as are wronged, that they have so great a Patron as God is; so it should warn all Superiors to look to their behaviour: for though man do not punish them, yet God will. Doct. 5. That barely to suffer grief is not a praise, but to suffer it in a right manner: and for the manner, this likewise tells us of two things: first, that we suffer not as evil doers, justly; and secondly, that we endure it, that is, continue with patience to abide it, especially when o●●ward and lawful redress may not be had in the world. And therefore Papists are no Martyrs though they lose their lives, when it is for treason. Nor are wives to be regarded, if they complain of their husbands, that they are bitter to them, love them not so entirely, when they suffer this for their pride, or wilful hardiness, or lasciviousness, or frowardness, or contention, or wastefulness, or the like. Nor are those servants to be mon, that suffer blows justly for their disobedience, or wilful negligence, or unfaithfulness. Doct. 6. That whereas wrongs cannot be redressed by a lawful means on earth, they must be endured without using unlawful means, and leave the injuries to the judgement of God. Which condemns servants, that being hardly used, run away from their Masters, as Hagar did from Sarah; or else, with wicked murmuring and reviling, backbite their masters: and so it condemns the wicked practice of our Gentry, in righting their wrongs by their own private revenges; which case is abominable. First, because their wrongs may be righted by the Magistrate. Secondly, because the desired revenge is far above the injuries: for they seek satisfaction in blood, for a supposed wrong in reputation. Thirdly, because it is a course directly against the Laws of God, and of Kings, and hath been condemned in all well governed States. Fourthly, because it is never sought but by fools: for it is a wise man's honour and reputation, to pass by an offence; but every fool will be meddling or quarrelling, saith Solomon, Fiftly, because oftentimes it proves damnable to one of the parties; who being slain in the act of malice, must needs be damned for ever; beside, the curse of God brought upon the murderer, making his life miserable, and oftentimes his end fearful. Doct. 7. That it is conscience or mere necessity that makes any man suffer. Men endure not wrong by nature, but either by necessity, because they cannot right it; or else for conscience sake, because God hath so required it. Which should warn Superiors to take heed that they do no wrong: for the persons wronged, if they want conscience, may so remember the wrong, as sometimes to find a desperate way of revenge, to the mischief of the wrong doer, though the party wronged do evil in so doing, as followeth in the next doctrine. Doct. 8. Inferiors being wronged even in blows by the Superior, ought not to resist, but endure it: servants may not resist the correction of their masters, nor strike again; that is horrible, and egregiously sinful. Which shows the grievous pride and naughtiness of diverse servants, that boast or threaten that they will take no blows: their resolution shows they are void of knowledge in the fear or conscience of Gods will. And so it is alike sinful in children, wives, or subjects, to resist, or return blows for blows, or evil for evil: neither doth this embolden masters or other superiors to do wrong, because (as was heard before) they shall receive of God according to all the wrongs they have done. Doct. 9 To suffer grief and wrong is profitable: for besides that it is all ●●●ite to them when it makes them more humble, and takes away their sin▪ it makes them judge themselves before God for the sins they are guilty of, and weanes them from the world, and breeds a greater desire of heaven, and the like fruits. Besides all these, this Text tells us of one commodity more, that is; praise or thanks: it is an honourable thing, to suffer wrongfully: it wins them a great deal, not only of compassion, but also of reputation among men. As it makes the evil more hateful: so doth it procure love to him that suffers wrongfully. It is a virtue worthy thanks, yea, the coherence with the next verse seemeth to import, that God will give him thanks that suffers wrong, if he endure it patiently: not that God is bound to do so, or that such suffering merits any such thanks of God: but God is so good and compassionate, and he likes this virtue so well, that he is pleased to crown this patience with that high degree of liking it. It is thankworthy, not because it deserves thanks, but because it declares the party to be such and so worthy in Gods gracious acceptation, that he will of his own grace yield him that encouragement. Thus of the Doctrines that may be particularly gathered out of the words of this verse. Before I leave the verse, there are diverse things to be considered of about Conscience. For where this verse mentions conscience towards God, it giveth us occasion to think what that conscience should be, and to inform ourselves in diverse things about it. There are many reasons may be assigned, why men should be carefully instructed about Conscience: Reason's why men ought to be instructed about conscience. it is a necessary doctrine: for first, we see by experience, that of most things that concern us, men know least about Conscience; many men knowing little more of it, than the bare use of the word Conscience. Secondly, men through this ignorance do many notorious injuries and abuses to their conscience, by resisting the motions of conscience, not knowing what to make of them, and by smothering the scruples of conscience, and by deading the conscience, or else by vexing them, and many other ways. Thirdly, God hath given men a great charge about the keeping of their consciences, which he placed in their souls as a great treasure; and God would have it respected and looked to with as much care as any thing he hath given us, 1 Tim. 1.19. Fourthly, God doth require that men should get grace and goodness into their consciences, as well as into their hearts, or words, or lives; which they can never do, if they be not taught. Fiftly, God's Word in all the directions and precepts of it, doth bind and oblige men's consciences to see to the obedience of them: now what can conscience do, if men know not what belongs to their consciences, and the natures and works of conscience? But above all things, it should awaken men to study the knowledge of conscience, yea, of their own consciences, if they consider that the conscience of every man is one of the principal books shall be opened at the last day, for evidence, before the Tribunal Seat of Christ: and therefore men were best to look about them in this world, to see to it, what is written in this book; for it is indelible, and will stand upon record, either for them or against them at that day. Now concerning conscience, diverse things are to be considered: First, what conscience is. Secondly, what the work of conscience is. Thirdly, what the prerogatives of conscience are. Fourthly, the kinds or sorts of consciences. Last of all, what it is that binds the conscience: which is to be inquired into, because men are enjoined to suffer wrongs patiently for conscience sake, even servants from their Masters. For the first. To know what conscience is, we must look both to the Etymology of the word, What conscience is. and to the definition of the thing. The word Conscience imports a knowledge with another: Consciential, quasi cum alia scientia: Conscience, that is, science conjoined: and the reason is, because conscience is a thing in us, that knows what we have done, and therein joins with some other thing that knows it too. Some of our actions conscience sees within, and the Angels and men see them without: but for our secret thoughts, Rom. 2.15. and 9.1. conscience is only joined with God, or with our own minds as they are joined with God. Conscience is a thing within us, which God hath placed there of purpose to be his witness or 〈◊〉 to discover all we think or do: and as it is joined with the mind of man, it is the knowledge of what we know, or the thinking of what we think. To think of other things, is the understanding or mind▪ but to think what we think, is the conscience of a man. Or else conscience may be called so, because it is a concluding science; Consci●ntia, quasi c●●●ludens scientia: and the reason of the term in that sense may be thus, because, look what discourse conscience hath with God or the mind of man, it u●tereth it by way of a Syllogism, which they call a practical Syllogism. As for instance, if the conscience speak within to a murderer, it speaketh by Syllogism thus: Every murderer is in a fearful case; but thou art a murderer, therefore thou art in a fearful case. Now, that that reason, which concludes thus in him, is his conscience, is most apparent: For the mind gives only the first part of the Syllogism, which is, that a murderer is in a fearful case: or that the mind sees either by the natural principles planted in it, or by the Scriptures. The other branch the conscience takes out of the memory, that is, that thou hast committed murder. Now the concluding of both, and applying them to the murderer, is the proper work of conscience, & conscience is that within us, that so concludes upon our actions. Now for the definition of conscience, omitting the diversity of frames given by diverse men, I express that which I take to be the clearer, and fullest to show us what it is. Conscience is a divine faculty in the soul of all reasonable creatures, applying the principles or propositions of their mind, in their particular actions, either with them or against them. I say, it is a faculty, to note that it is more than the act or the habit of the mind, judging or determining. For acts and habits may be lost, but conscience cannot. Besides, the Scriptures show that conscience doth act, as it excuseth or accuseth, and therefore must be a faculty itself, and not the act of a faculty. I say, a faculty in the soul, because I dare not assign it or confine it to any part of the soul, as they do, that make it a part of the understanding; for the understanding hath no parts properly: and to make it a part Analogically, is not to be borne in a definition, as Logicians know. I say moreover, it is in all reasonable creatures; to note, that beasts, that have only a sensitive soul, have no conscience. And whereas God also is no creature; therefore he hath no conscience. For God being holiness itself, needs no faculties to govern himself by, nor any conscience to witness or prompt him. And I say it is in all, that none might imagine, that some men have a conscience, and some have none: For every man hath a conscience, either good or bad. Secondly, the proper work of conscience is imported in the other words of the definition, The proper work of Conscience. viz. applying the principles of the mind. For the understanding whereof, we must know, that there are certain notions or frames of truth planted in the minds of all men, being infused by God as a natural law in their minds, showing what is good or evil, and those principles are increased in the minds of such as have the benefit of the Scripture more or less, These principles in the mind, sh●w a keeper they call Synteresis. according to the degree of their knowledge. Now that which conscience doth, is this: it repairs to these forms of truth or light in the mind, and takes such of them as concern the business in hand, and with the force of them either comforts or affrights men, according as the occasion is. Note, that I say, it is a divine faculty: I wanted a fit term to express my meaning for that I would ●●ter: I say, that it is a wonderful special faculty in us: it is a most celestial gift. Conscience is so of God, and in man, that it is a kind of middle thing between God and man: less than God, and yet above man. So then, Conscience concludes about a man's own actions: for if conscience trouble itself about other men's actions, it is either the weakness, or the error of conscience: and I add particular actions, because conscience never employs itself properly about generals: and lastly, I add for the success, or end; it is either with a man, or against him, to note, that conscience is such an Arbiter between God and us, that sometimes it speaks for God against us, and sometimes for us to God. But that we may be more distinctly informed about conscience; I therefore come to the second point, which is, to consider what conscience can do, or how it is employed in us: How conscience is employed in us. and conscience is employed both for God and for man: which work I will consider first apart, and then jointly. For God then. Conscience works diversely, and hath many offices under God, and for God: for it is Gods special spy set in the heart of man to watch him, Chir●graphia De●. and his intelligencer and notary to set down what man hath done: it is God's hand-writing, the Law of God written in our hearts, or rather worketh by the help of that body of the Law written by the finger of God upon the tables of men's hearts: it is a co-witness with God, Rom. 9.1. It is also God's Lieutenant, and a great commander placed within us, that severely requires homage and service to be done to God, and especially diverts man from ill, directing him in the careful manner of serving of God: for God will not accept any service that conscience doth not order, 2 Tim. 1.3. It is a taster for God, in point of doctrine of Religion; for all doctrines must be brought to the conscience to be tried, whether they be of God, or no, 2 Cor. 4.2. And finally, it makes a man endure grief, and suffer wrong for God and his glory, as this Text imports. For man, conscience is many ways employed: as first, it is employed in viewing and surveying the things of man, especially the hidden things of man: and here the power of conscience is wonderful. For other creatures may see the things without them, but have no power to see the things within them: only man, he hath a knowledge reflexed. The eye of a man too can see other things, but without a glass it cannot see itself. But now conscience can discern itself, and the whole actions of man; and so it differs from science, or the knowledge of the mind: for to know other things, is science; but to know ourselves is conscience. The soul then by conscience knows itself: it views the thoughts, memory, affections of the soul, and can tell what we think, desire, love, fear, hate, etc. Secondly, in matters of Religion, conscience is specially employed: for instance, both in the Word and the Sacraments. For the Wo●d: the mystery of faith, even all the grounds of Religion, they are laid up, and are in the keeping of conscience, 1 Tim. 3.9. And in Baptism, where as God makes a covenant with us, and likewise requires a restipulation or promise on our part, conscience is herein employed; and without conscience, God will do nothing in the business. It was the form in the Primitive times, that the party which was to be baptised, was to be examined before God, whether he did believe: t●e question was, Credis? Dost thou believe? And he was to answer, Credo. I do believe. Now, this answer God would not take, unless the conscience would say, that he did believe as he said: this is the answer. A good conscience is mentioned, 1 Pet. 3.21. Again, a good conscience serves in all the offices of our life or affairs, even in all things to be a witness; if we do that which conscience thinks well, to comfort us; and if we do that which conscience thinks ill, to discourage us, Rom. 2.15. and 9.1. Yea, conscience is the guide of our lives. We are here pilgrims and strangers, far from our home, and in journey continually: now God hath set consciences in us to be our guides, that in all things we are to do, we may be directed and encouraged by conscience, taking the direction and warrant of conscience as a special ground of our actions; so as to do contrary to what conscience bids us, is a sin: for it doth not only witness about what is past, but it directs us about what is to come, as now to be done. But the principal work of conscience, whether we respect God or man, is to keep court in the heart of man. There is in man Forum Conscientia, a Court of Conscience: a secret Tribunal is set up in the heart of man, and therein fits conscience, and arraigneth, accuseth, bringeth witness, sentenceth, and doth execution. Now concerning the judgement of conscience, keeping an Assize in the heart of man, two things are to be considered: first, the law by which conscience judgeth: secondly, the manner of the proceeding in judgement. For the first: Conscience judgeth of the actions of men, by virtue of certain principles (as I said before) which it findeth in the understanding, gathered either from the law of nature, or from experience of God's providence, or from the Scriptures. Now the manner how it proceeds in judgement, is in form of reasoning, as I said before: for in the mind the conscience finds as it were a book of law written, which is in the keeping of the faculty; they call it in schools, Synt●resis: from hence the conscience takes the ground of reasoning; and from the memory it takes evidence of the fact, or state of the man that is arraigned, and then by itself it judiciously concludes and passeth sentence: and so it proceeds whether it condemn or absolve. In the judgement of condemnation, it proceeds thus: First, it cities or calls for the soul to be tried: than it accuseth in this form, out of the body of the law kept in the mind, it takes the conclusion it means to works upon, and then useth the memory to testify of the fact; as for instance: Every murderer is an offender; thou art a murderer, therefore thou art proved to be an offender. Then comes the sentence in the same order: He that commits murder without repentance, shall be damned: thou committest murder without repentance, and therefore art a damned creature. So likewise it proceeds in absolving. For evidence, it proceeds thus: He that hath such and such marks, as, godly sorrow, the love or fear of God, etc. he is a child of God; but thou hast these marks, therefore thou art a child of God: and then it goeth to sentence; He that is the child of God, shall be saved: but thou art proved to be the child of God, therefore thou shalt be saved. Nor doth it rest in the sentence, but immediately doth itself begin the execution: for laying hold upon the guilty person, it presently buffets him, and terrifies him, and pricks him at the very heart, and gnaws him many times with unspeakable torments and tortures. And so chose, in the sentence of absolution, it proceeds with comfort, settleth and quieteth the heart of the absolved, and many times makes it able with joy to stand undaunted against all the powers of hell, and the world: of which more afterwards, when I come to entreat of the sorts of conscience. Observe by the way the difference between the court of conscience within us, and men's courts of Justice without us. For in men's courts they proceed secundum allegatae & probata, according to allegation and proofs: but God hath appointed another judgement in the heart of man: there God judgeth not according to allegation and proofs, but according to conscience, and hath associated to every man a notary of his own, and a witness of his own, which he produceth out of his very bosom: so as man shall be made to confess what he hath done, though all the world excuse him, and shall have comfortable testimony in himself, though all the world beside accuse him. The glory of the power of conscience appears by the third point, and that is the prerogatives and properties of conscience in a man for, Prerogatives or p●●pert●●s of conscience. 1. It keeps court in the heart of a man, without limitation of time it will call a man to answer and hear judgement at any time; it is not limited to any terms, nor can the sentence be delayed: it hath power to examine, testify, and give sentence at any time of the year at pleasure, nor will it admit any appeal to any creature. 2. It is subject properly only to God: no earthly Prince can command the conscience of a man, as will more appear afterwards. 3. It keeps continual residence in the heart of man: it is always with him, at home and abroad: it observeth and watcheth him in all places, in the Church, at his table, in his bed, day and night: it never leaves him. 4. God hath subjected man to the obedience of conscience, if it command erroneously, if it be in things indifferent; as in the case of meats and days: in the Apostles time, if the conscience doubted or forbade the use of them, which yet in themselves might be used, the man was bound to follow his conscience, though the conscience erred, and so sinned in doubting or forbidding, Rom. 14.14.23. 5. Yea, so much honour doth God give unto the conscience, that he suffers his own most holy Spirit to bring in evidence in the court of conscience: for so we read, that the Spirit of Adoption doth bear witness before our spirits, that is, before the conscience, that we are the sons of God, Rom. 8.15. 6. It is a great prerogative, that God hath granted immortality unto conscience: Conscience never dies, no not when we die. Every man's conscience shall be found no liar at the day of Judgement, & in so great request with Christ, as that dreadful Judgement shall be guided according to the evidence and verdict of conscience, Rom. 2.15, 16. For the fourth point. Conscience is not all of a sort in all men: some have good consciences, Kinds of conscience. and some have ill consciences: and both these kinds of consciences must be considered of. Conscience considered as good, comes to be so either by creation, or by renovation. By creation, Adam had his conscience good: but by the first sin, conscience became evil in him and all his posterity; so as all men naturally have evil consciences: and no men have their consciences good, but as they are renewed. The difference between a good conscience by creation and renovation, is this; that by creation, conscience was perfectly good from the first moment it was infused, till the fall, and did discover itself by excusing and comforting always: for Adam's conscience till his fall, could accuse him of nothing. But by renovation, conscience is good for the time of this life, but imperfectly, and increaseth in good men by degrees: and so, because man is renewed but in part, it is a part of the goodness of the conscience to accuse for sin, especially if it be presumptuous after calling, as well as to excuse from faults, while the man keeps his uprightness. That a good conscience should only excuse, is true (in this world) only of conscience, as it was good by creation. Now concerning the goodness or badness of conscience, these seven things are to be considered of. First, that all men's consciences by nature are evil. Secondly, the difference of evil in men's consciences. Thirdly, the signs of an evil conscience. Fourthly, the hurt of an evil conscience. Fiftly, the means how evil consciences may be made good. Sixtly, the signs of a good conscience. Seventhly, the great happiness of the man that hath a good conscience. For the first, that all men's consciences are by nature evil, is manifest, because all have sinned in Adam, and lost their original righteousness in all the faculties of the soul: and so every man in his natural condition, is in every point unclean, and to the impure all things are impure, even their consciences are polluted, saith the Apostle, Tit. 1.15. Difference of evil in men's consciences. For the second: evil is not in the same degree in all men's consciences, but after a different manner in diverse men: for, First, in most men we see that conscience is so feeble, and works so little, that it seems to be but a small spark, or like a bubble, which riseth now and then, and presently vanisheth. Now the reason why conscience stirs so little in the most men, is not to be taken from the nature of conscience, (for that can work all works mentioned before) but from diverse things in man. For first, Adam's sin, as it deprived all men's consciences of original righteousness, which was the life of the conscience; so it brought such a depravation and evil disease upon the conscience, that it was never healed, nor cured in the natural man to this day: but the weakness arising from the infection, holds him down still. Secondly, the general ignorance and darkness which is in the world, is one great cause why conscience lieth so miserably weak, and neglected. For it cannot work for want of light. For in the mind it finds only a few natural principles, or some general truths of religion, which are altogether insufficient to direct in the particular occasions of men's lives. Thirdly, beside, the law of nature is corrupted in man; and so those principles are very muddy and uncertain, and the generals of Religion are poisoned with secret objections gathered from the controversies of so many false religions. Fourthly, further it is manifest, that the cares and pleasures of life oppress conscience in many, and in them conscience stirs not, not because it cannot stir, but because there is no leisure to hear what it saith; men are so violently carried to the pleasures and business of this world. As a man that runs in a race, many times runs with such violence, that he cannot hear what is said unto him by some that he passeth by, though it were counsel that might direct him in the right way of the race: so is it with men that haste to be rich: conscience often calls to them, to take heed of going out of the way, by deceit, or lying, or oppression, or the like; but they pursue riches so violently, that they cannot hear the voice of conscience. And so is it with the voluptuous person, and with the most men that live in any habitual gainful sin. Fiftly, yea this weakness comes upon the conscience of some by custom of sins, that are not sins of gain, or pleasure, as the sins of negligence, slothfulness, passion, or the like, in which men are wilfully confirmed, and will not regard the checks of their own conscience. Finally, one great reason why the most of us feel so little of conscience, is, the evil hearing of the Word of God: for the Word of God powerfully preached, would awake the conscience, but that most men set themselves to neglect it, by a willing & wilful entertainment of distractions, and in voluntary forgetting of what they have heard; and so hood-winking themselves, it is no wonder they cannot see. Secondly, some men's conscience is stark dead, it stirs not at all. The conscience is compared to a part of the body, that is not only without sense and rotten, but is feared with an hot iron: and this is the case only of some notorious either Heretics, or malefactors, that have lived a long time wilfully in some monstrous wickedness, either known, or secret, 1 Tim. 4.2. This seared conscience is either joined with a greediness to commit special wickedness, or with a reprobate mind, that is so horrible stupid, that it judgeth evil to be good, or, at the best, not dangerously hurtful, Ephes. 4.18. Rom. 1.28. Thirdly, in some men the evil of conscience lieth in this, that it is over busy, and sins too much: and so in two sorts of men; first, the superstitious; or secondly, the desperate. The superstitious person is many times disquieted by his conscience in doing well, or when he doth that which is not unlawful, as the Popish Priest is troubled for coming to our Churches; or the Christian that is carried with preposterous zeal, is troubled for obeying the Magistrate in using his liberty in things indifferent: in the desperate, the evil of Conscience is the horrible tormenting of them beyond the bounds of the offence of Conscience, and that in two things. First, in that it presents the wrath of God to them, without the hope of mercy in Christ, as did the Conscience of Cain. Secondly, in that it drives them to do that against themselves, which is desperately wicked, as to make away themselves, as the desperate Conscience of judas and Achitophel did. Fourthly, in some men there was a temporary goodness in the Conscience, of which they made shipwreck, and so utterly lost the goodness they had for a time. And thus many hypocrites do, that for a time get the form of Religion even into their Consciences, but afterward falling into the immoderate love of the world, or the lust of some particular sin, fall clean away from Religion, and so lose the goodness which they had, 1 Tim. 1.19. Thus of the differences of evil in the Consciences of diverse men: the signs of an evil Conscience follow. But before I give the signs, we must take notice of a distinction, and that is, that the Conscience may have evil in it, and not be an evil Conscience. Conscience in this life in men regenerate is renewed and restored but in part, and so may err sometimes, and in some cases, Note. and yet be no evil Conscience. As for instance in certain weak Christians in the Primitive Church (who yet were godly men) the Apostle shows, Rom. 14. that some Christians for Conscience sake did refuse certain meats and days: the Conscience erred in judging those meats and days to be unlawful to be observed and used; and yet he calls them that were so led by an erring Conscience, he calls them, I say▪ brethren. But when we speak of an evil Conscience, we mean Conscience unregenerate. As a man may have sin in him, and yet be a good man: so may Conscience have blindness in it, and yet be a good Conscience. The signs of an unregenerate Conscience may be gathered from the differences of evil Consciences. The signs then of an unregenerate still Conscience are these: First, The signs of an evil Conscience 〈…〉. when it is quiet in the committing, and after the committing of known sin, whether open or secret. For open sins; as for drunkenness, 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 whoredom, or filthiness of any kind, or continual wickedness in the thoughts or desires, that Conscience that can abide a soul heart is a wicked Conscience. Secondly, when it excuseth for doing notorious evils: and so they have evil Consciences that could trouble and persecute, even to the death, godly men, and yet think they did God good service, john 16.2. The signs of an unregenerate stirring Conscience are these: First, Signs of an ill stirring Conscience. when the Conscience serves only to tell ill news, when it serves to tell a man only of his loss by Adam, or the Law, but never comforteth him by bringing●in any evidence of God's favour in Christ. That Conscience that terrifies without Christ▪ that is, without mixing any of the comforts of the Gospel in Christ, is an evil Conscience: the special property of a good Conscience is to excuse and comfort; and therefore that Conscience that doth only accuse is an evil Conscience. Secondly, when the Conscience flees from the presence of God, as did Adam's 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 powerful Minister, that speaks 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 zeal, and all the power of it, about things that are less necessary either unto faith or practice. And this was the case of the Pharisees Conscience, that spent all their zeal about less matters, and neglected the weightier things of the Law. And this is the case of all such Christians that are zealous with a fiery zeal about circumstances, or the estates and businesses of others, and neglect the main things of substance, that concern their own sanctification, assurance, or salvation. Fourthly, when the Conscience is for men, and not for God; when the motive that raiseth and encourageth 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 busy, 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 only for gross evils, and those known to others, and not for less and secret sins to be repent of. Sixtly, when it will accuse only in the time of adversity; as in the case of Joseph's brethren. Thus of the signs of an evil Conscience. Hurt of an evil conscience. The misery that the men have that have an evil Conscience follows: and they are miserable, whether they have a waking or a sleeping Conscience. The misery that comes from a waking Conscience is evil, and may be two ways discerned: first, by the terms by which it is called and resembled in Scripture: secondly, by the effects which it worketh really upon a man. For the first. An evil Conscience that is awake, is in Scripture compared to a sting or prick wounding the heart of a man. It is likened also to a dog or a bloodhound that lieth at the door; and, having fresh sent, howleth and barketh after the malefactor, Gen. 4. It is likened, as some think, by David, Psal. 51.4. to an evil contentious wife, that is ever before a man chiding and brawling: and as a moth secretly eats the garment, so doth an evil Conscience eat up the heart of a man, when others little see it, Prov 25. It is like a dart, strangely shot into a man's body, Psalm 38. and it is compared to the boiling of the tumultuous sea, Esay 57 and it is called a worm that dieth not, but lieth gnawing and eating upon the heart of a man, Esay 66. Mark 9 So that a man that hath an evil Conscience, is like a man that is stung by a serpent, or followed by a bloodhound, or vexed by a continuall-contrarious wife, or that is hourly shot through with darts, or that hath a living worm ever gnawing at his heart. But that this may be more distinctly understood, we must take notice of four effects of an evil Conscience usually. Four ill effects of an ill conscience. The first is shame. He that hath an evil Conscience is betrayed by his own blushing many times, when his offence is secret: yea, a man feels an inward shame in his own heart, disgracing and abusing him, though he make no outward show of it. For though sometimes an innocent person, upon the fullness 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 pain 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 keeps the heart in an habitual disconsolation: and though the disease of melancholy may breed a sadness like unto it, yet is there manifest difference betwixt this affliction of spirit, and melancholy; for the melancholic person usually can assign no certain reason of that sadness: whereas Conscience, when it stings, a ●●gnes the cause of it to be such and such things, which bring no● only the shame of men, but the wrath of God. Besides, melancholic sadness may be eased by physic: but this sorrow is not cured by any means, but such as are spiritual. The third is a strange kind of fear, breaking the heart of a man, and so subduing his courage, that he is not able to sustain himself against the impressions of vain causes of fear. A trembling heart is the effect of an ill conscience, Deut. 28.65. Thus wicked men are said in Scripture to fear when no man pursueth them, Pro. 28.1. and to be so faint-hearted, as the sound of a shaken leaf shall make them fly, as it were from a sword, Levit. 26.36. and as it is in job, The sound of fear is always in his ears: yea the terrors of conscience sometime so enrage upon the offender, that no torments are like unto their terrors; which sometimes are so great, that they are hardly able to sustain themselves, but discover their horrible restlessness, by the grievous distempers of the body, or failing of their senses; being for the time, as job saith, brought under the king of terrors, job 18.14. What a woeful case Belshazzar was in, you may read Dan. 5.9. These terrors are the fancies the Gentiles so much dreamt of. The fourth is desperation. An evil Conscience in sin many times brings them to hellish despair of all mercy and pardon: thus Cain rageth and blasphemeth like a frantic man. And these effects of an evil Conscience are so mu●h the more great, 1. Because the Conscience can lash a man without noise: Aggravations of the misery of an ill Conscience. it can secretly inflict torments, when no eyes shall pity him. 2. Because there is no escape from Conscience: a man can neither drive it away, nor run from it: it cleaves to the offender inseparably. From a tyrant or ill master some men run away: but from an ill Conscience there is no flying. 3. Because Conscience itself is a thousand witnesses to prove the fault, though never so secret: and the offender is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of himself, and goes up and down with a heavy sentence upon him in his bosom, though all the world should account him innocent. 4. Because an evil Conscience is such a damnable disease; and the grief raised by Conscience is such and so lasting, that the grieved dies before the grief can be removed: yea, so violent is the confusion which despair bringeth into the thoughts, that, out of the grievous mistaking and impatience, many times the offender makes away himself, as Saul, Achitophel, and judas did, and many in our times do. 5. Because death itself doth not abate the torments of an evil Conscience: but the living worm gnaws them even in hell for ever, and with so much strength and power there, that one said wittily, Hell were not hell if it were not for the gnawing of this never-dying and never-ceasing worm. 6. Because unto the making up of the complete misery of the impenitent sinner, the sentence of Conscience, and the testimony of it shall be heard and admitted at the last day before the Tribunal of Christ. For though an evil conscience shall never disgrace for some effects, as for that of working despair of mercy: yet for the main body of the proceedings of Conscience, it shall be not only allowed, but justified by the voice of Christ, to the eternal shame and confusion of the offender. And though it be true, that the worst of the effects before mentioned arise from a stirring Conscience, yet is not the man safe that hath a still Conscience, if it be evil. For first, he is in continual danger of the awaking of that conscience of his, that now is asleep. What ease can that man's heart be at, if he had all pleasures round about him, if he were tied to a Bear, or Lion, or mad Dog, though he were then asleep? for he may awake every moment, and then where is he? The stillness of an ill conscience is but like the sleep of a frantic man. Secondly, there can be no true peace unto the man that lieth in sin without repentance: Isa. 57 There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God. Though he be friends with himself for a time, yet God is not friends with him, nor is sin and Satan at peace with him, though there be an uncertain truce for a time. Thirdly, the danger of a still conscience is the greater: for the terrors of a troubled conscience may prepare a man for Christ, and compel a man to seek help from Christ; but in the case of a still conscience, there are these two usual miseries: the one, that men take a still conscience to be a good conscience: and the other is, that a man runs only blindefolded so long, till death and hell may seize upon him. Thus of the effects of an evil conscience: the means how conscience may be made good follow. That an evil conscience may be made good, two things must be looked into: first, that we get a right medicine to heal it: secondly, that we take a right course in application of the medicine. What must be done to make an ill conscience good. First, the medicine for the curing of an ill conscience, is only the blood of Christ: the disease of conscience is of so high a nature, as all the medicines in the world are insufficient, nothing but sprinkling it with blood will serve the turn, and it must be no other blood than the blood of the immaculate Lamb of God, as the Apostle shows, Heb. 9.14. The reason of this is, because conscience will never be quiet, till it see a way how God's anger may be pacified, and sin abolished, which cannot be done any way but by the blood of Christ, which was poured out as a sacrifice for sin. Now unto the right application of this medicine, four things are requisite. First, the light of knowledge. Secondly, the washing of regeneration. Thirdly, the assurance of faith. Fourthly, the warmth of love. First, knowledge; a man must have both Legal and Evangelicall: for they must know by the law, what sins lie upon the conscience, and trouble it; and they must know by the Gospel, what a propitiation is made by Christ for sins. And for the second, an evil conscience will never be gotten off, unless our hearts be sprinkled and washed from the filth and power of the sins which did lie upon the conscience, Heb. 10.22. 1 Tim. 1.5. Now unto such removing of such sins from the heart, two things are requisite: First, that by particular confession we do, as it were, scratch off the filth of those sins that soul the heart, and trouble the conscience. Secondly, and then that we wash our hearts, and daily rinse them with the tears of true repentance and humiliation before God for those sins. Thirdly, assurance of faith is necessary to the cure of an ill conscience, because faith is the hand that lays on the medicine. A man must apply the sufferings of Christ to himself, and believe that Christ did satisfy for those sins that lie upon the conscience, and must accordingly all to besprinkle the conscience with that blood of Christ, and then of an evil conscience it will presently become good: but men must look to one thing, and that is, that their faith be unfeigned. For conscience will not be satisfied with the profession of faith: they must believe indeed, and with their hearts, and with sound application of the promises of the Gospel concerning the blood of Christ, or else conscience will not be answered, Heb. 10.22. 1 Tim 1.5. Fourthly, the heat of love must be added: a man must so apply the blood of Christ, as that his own blood be heated in him, affection with both towards God, and Christ, and Christians. Christian love doth put, as it were, natural heat into the conscience, and makes it (now receiving life by faith) to bestir itself in all the works, either of service to God, or duty to men, 1 Tim. 1.5. Heb. 9.24. knowledge bringing it light, mortification making it clean, faith curing it, and putting life into it, by sprinkling it with the blood of Christ, and love infusing or rather inflaming it with the heat of life. All these things are requisite, though I stand not upon the precise order of the working of every one of these. Thus how conscience may be made good. Now I might add a direction or two, how conscience may do her work aright, that is, a good conscience, and not do ill offices in the soul. Two things, I say, Two things for the guiding of conscience. are of great use for the guiding of a good conscience. First, that in all her proceedings she must follow the warrant of God's word. Secondly, that she do not mistake in judging of particular actions, she must be sufficiently informed about our Christian liberty: for unless the conscience discern that we are freed from the malediction of the law, and from the rigorous perfection of obedience, and have restored unto us a free use of all things indifferent, and the like; she may be overbusy and troublesome, disquieting the heart, and restraining the joys should refresh and support a man. Thus of the means how conscience may be made good: the signs of a good conscience follow. First, by the opposition it makes against the remainders of sin in the godly. It maintains a constant combating against the law of the members, Signs of a good conscience. having at command the law of the mind. It doth not only resist gross evils, but even the most secret corruptions in the heart of man. This Paul discerned in himself, Rom. 7. of doing God service. Secondly, by the manner of exacting of obedience: for a good conscience, First, doth incline a man to do good duties, not by compulsion; but a man shall find that he doth them by force of an internal principle in himself. Secondly, it cannot abide dead works: a good conscience abhors all cold, and careless, or lukewarm, or counterfeit serving of God: Acts 23.1. it puts life into all good dutes: it exacteth attendance upon God in doing them, Heb. 9.14. Thirdly, it more respecteth God, than all the world, or the man himself; and therefore will compel a man to obey against profit, and pleasure, and liking of the world, 2 Cor. 1.12. Fourthly, it requires an universal obedience: it would have all God's commandments respected: and therefore Paul saith, I desired in all things to live honestly, Heb. 13.18. The allowing of one sin, shows the depravation of the conscience, if it be a known sin, and still tolerated. As one dead fly will spoil a box of precious ointment, I say, one dead fly, though many living flies may light upon a box of ointment, and do it no great hurt: so a godly man may have many infirmities, and yet his conscience be sound: but if there be one corruption that lives and dies there, that is, such a corruption as is known and allowed, and doth by custom continue there, it will destroy the soundness of the best conscience of the world, and doth usually argue a conscience that is not good. Fiftly, a good conscience doth require obedience always: thus Paul pleads, I have served God till this day. It doth not command for God by fits, but constantly, Acts 23.1. A third sign is, that a good conscience is always toward God, it still desires to be before God, it seeks God's presence, it reckons that day to be lost, and that it did not live (as it were) when it found not the Lord, or had no fellowship or conversation with God. A good conscience is like a good Angel, it is always looking into the face of God, Acts 23.1. Thus of the signs, Benefits of a good conscience. The benefits of a good conscience are many and great: for, First, it is the best companion a man hath all the days of his life: it is ever with him, and speaks good unto him, and comforts him. A man that hath no company needs not to be alone; for he may converse with much delight with his own conscience; and it is the surest friend a man can have; for it will neither hurt him by flattery, nor forsake him for any carnal respects; and being an internal agent, is out of the watch of all outward hindrances, and is always a messenger of good things to a man, and fits him and fills him with peace, that passeth all the understanding of all men that want a good conscience. Secondly, it gives a man assurance of the best treasures; it makes a man certain of his salvation: for a good conscience will not be quiet, till it know the love of God, and the promises of grace in Christ: and the assurance that conscience gives, is a better assurance than any man can have for his lands, or any estate on earth, because it is so highly honoured, that Gods own Spirit doth not disdain at any time to witness with it, and to it, Rom. 8.15, 16. Thirdly, by reason of that new acquaintance and affinity it hath with the holy Ghost, it brings us into a familiar friendship with God, as being an immediate Agent with the holy Ghost in all things that concern us; for God's Spirit treats with the conscience, and the conscience treats with the Soul. Fourthly, it is a continual bulwark against the devil, and all his fiery darts, whether he tempt us to sin, or to fear and doubting: for, so soon as the temptation is cast in; a good-conscience by her reasoning presently throws it out, reserving principles both of precept and promise always in a readiness to that end: so as by contrarious reasoning within us, it both hinders us from yielding to sin and supports us against all doubts and fears, Prov. 28.1. Fiftly, against all afflictions, and disgraces, and reproaches of the world, a good conscience still comforts a man, and makes him rejoice by the force of the testimony thereof, 2 Cor. 1.14. So as it is most true, that a good conscience is a continual feast; he never fares ill that hath a good conscience, Psal. 7.8. Acts 24.16. Rom. 9.10. Sixtly, and the greater is the comfort of a good conscience, because it will comfort us, and stand by us, and for us, when all other comforts fail. It will never leave us in sickness, or in death; and so is better than a thousand friends, or wives, or children: yea, it will go with us to the Judgement feat of Christ, with this assurance, that as a good conscience speaks to us now, so will Christ speak to us at that day, Rom. 2.16. Thus of the sorts or kinds of consciences. The last point is about the bond of conscience, what it is that can bind a man's conscience: and the doubt ariseth from this, and other Texts: because here a servant is bound in conscience to submit himself to a froward master, both to his command, and to his punishments; and other Scriptures speak of his obedience to superiors for conscience sake. For answer hereunto, we must know, How far conscience may be bound. that God and his law have power simply and absolutely to bind conscience, that is, to urge it to require obedience of a man, or to accuse if he obey not, or to excuse if he obey. As for the authority of masters, or other superiors, it cannot reach to the conscience properly for they have no power to command or punish conscience; but that which ties conscience to submit unto them, is the commandment of God in his Word, in this and such like places. And therefore hence we may learn the difference between the power of men's laws, and the power of God's Word: which difference will further appear distinctly in many things. First, men may make many laws, either ecclesiastical or civil, which bind not at all, yea, which we are bound not to keep; as, if they command a thing contrary to the Word of God: and in that case it is better to obey God than men, and conscience is first bound to God, Acts 5. Dan. 3. Now, all God's laws bind. Secondly, if such as are next above us in authority, command us any things contrary to the laws of the supreme Magistrate, to whom they and we are bound, we are not tied to obey. Thirdly, men's laws can only bind us to outward working or suffering; they cannot make laws, or inflict punishment upon the hearts or minds of men: whereas God's laws enjoin obedience upon the inward man, as well as the outward; and eternal punishment as well as temporary. Fourthly, the best laws of men where they bind most, bind not by any immediate power of their own, but by fear of God's Word, that enjoins us to obey their lawful authority. Fiftly, men's laws ever bind with limitation, that is, with respect of the end of the law, and the person of the lawmaker, and the offence of others: and hereupon Divines say, if men's laws be omitted, so as the end of the laws be not hindered, that is, that the Commonwealth be not damnified, or other particular ends crossed, or offence be not given as much as in us lieth, or the lawgiver be not despised or contemned, the conscience may not accuse a man of sin. Sixtly, some laws of men are merely penal; note that I say, merely penal, that is, they are made about matters of less importance, and not uttered precisely in commanding terms; or so uttered, that the Commonwealth is accounted by the lawgiver to be sufficiently provided for, if the penalty be inflicted. Now, he that is ready to pay the fine, or the penalty, and doth not transgress, but in some case of necessary respect, he is not to be charged with sin before God. And thus of conscience, and of the laying down of the first reason. The avouching of it follows in verse, 20. Verse 20. For what glory is it, if when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? But if when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently; this is acceptable with God. WHere the Apostle makes it good, that the best praise is, to suffer wrongfully; First, by affirming that it is no true glory for a man to suffer for his faults, and endure it. Secondly, by showing that to suffer patiently for well doing, is a thing very acceptable to God. That it is no true glory for a man to suffer for his faults, that he endure it patiently, he expresseth in these words: What glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, you take it patiently? Out of which words diverse doctrines may be briefly noted▪ Doct. 1. First, that men of all sorts do naturally affect glory, 〈…〉, or reputation, and are guided by it in their actions or sufferings, even the meanest sort of men set before themselves something, which they glory in, and according to which they order themselves; as here servants, even of the worst sort too, yea, such as are faulty, and so disliked, and corrected, yet will not be without something to glory in: and that is, as is here supposed to be, their patience in abiding blows. And this ariseth in man, partly out of corruption of nature and pride, that seeks to cover their faults with some thing they account to be of praise, and partly out of the force of some remainder of goodness in their natures, that are not destitute of all desire of virtuous actions. Use. Which may serve for Use to all men in their carriage one towards another, to avoid, as much as may be, the dishonouring and disgracing one of another: for no person is so mean, but he finds himself stung by disgrace. And it may teach superiors to use praise and glory, as a means to provoke and excite inferiors to obedience and care, as being a motive that will work universally upon all natures. Doct. 2. Usually men account that to be glory, which is not: vainglory is taken for true glory by most men: thus men mistake that place, Their glory. In Idols and Pictures, Host 10.5. In Epicurism and shameful lusts, Wherein vainglory is seen. Phil. 3.19. In the increase of means and power to sin, Host 4.6, 7. In the gifts and power of other men, 1 Cor. 3.21. In Russian-like pride, or vain and strange apparel, 1 Cor. 11.14.1 Pet. 3.5. 1 Tim. 2.9, 10. In mischief and malicious practices against the godly, Psal. 52.1 & 94.4. In fraudulent bargains, Pro. 20.23. In a man's own gifts of nature, as wit, strength, memory, etc. jer. 9.23. In the common graces of Religion, as knowledge, zeal, etc. Rom. 2.27. 1 Cor. 4.7. In the praise sought and given by himself, joh. 7.10. and 8.54. 2 Cor. 10.18. In the merit of his own works, Rom. 4.2. In the praise of men more than of God. In strife, 1 Thes. 2.6. contention, and provocation of others, james 3.14. Gal. 5.26. Phil. 2.3. In the falls of other men, that are divided from them in judgement, 1 Cor. 5.6. In earthly things, as houses, riches, beauty, honour, pleasures, etc. 1 Pet. 1. 24. Isa. 48.16. So here some men account it their glory to suffer patiently, though they be guilty, and have deserved all they suffer. And therefore we should be warned, and directed in studying that which is true glory. And if any ask what were indeed glorious: I answer, that spiritual riches are the best glory, and therefore our souls are called our glory by an excellency, Psal. 3.4. The best glory is within, Psal. 45.14. And in particular, it is true glory, To be righteous and merciful, Prov. 21.21. Wherein true glory consists. To be humble and fear God, Prov. 22.4. To know God, jer. 9.23. To live so sincerely, as we may have the testimony of a good conscience, 2 Cor. 1.12. To be exalted of God to the privileges & hope of his children, jam. 1.9. To have interest in the cross of Christ, Gal. 6.14. To be abased, and truly humbled for our sins, james 1.9. To abound in labours and sufferings for the Gospel, 2 Cor. 11. and 22.12. To defer anger, and pass by a trespass, Prov. 19.11. To suffer without fainting for Religion, Ephes. 3.13. So here to do well and suffer for it, and endure it patiently, this is a glory with God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Sinning.] Doct. 3. The words may be rendered thus: What glory is it, if sinning and buffeted, ye take it patiently? The word rendered Sinning, signifies properly to err from the way, or miss the mark: and so it shows us the nature of sin, which swarveth from the direction of God's Word, that agreeth not to the way there appointed. Where God hath appointed a way, not to walk in it, or to go besides it, is sin: and in what things God hath not in his Word appointed a way, there men have liberty, and they are to be reckoned indifferent; and there are a world of such things. Doct. 4. We may further note from the word sinning, that where servants displease, disobey, and vex their masters, and will not do as they are bidden, they sin: The holy Ghost useth the same word, to censure the fault of a servant towards his master, which is used to censure the fault of any man towards God. Doct. 5. Servants that will not be corrected by words, may be corrected by blows, they may be buffeted, Prov. 29.17, 19 Doct. 6. Men many times inflict shameful and sudden punishments for trespasses against them: as here they buffet their servants. And therefore how just is it, if God for sins against him pour out exquisite shame and confusion upon wicked men that are impenitent? Doct. 7. To suffer for our faults, and not take it patiently, is a detestable and hateful vice in the judgement of all sorts of men. Doct. 8. It is no true glory to be patient, when a man suffers for his faults: not but that patience is a duty, and praiseworthy in all sufferings; but it is no glory comparatively with theirs that suffer and are not faulty: and beside, it is no glory at all, so long as the fault is not repent of, while it remains a fault: and so it doth, whilst men do not judge themselves for it, and reform it: it is no true praise to endure punishments. For patience ariseth either out of a natural defect of sense or judgement, or else it is forced by fear of men, or is directed to vain ends, as the applauses of men, or the extenuating or hiding of their faults, or the like. Thus of the first part of the verse: out of the latter part diverse things may be also observed, etc. Doct. 1. Such is this evil world, that a man may suffer evil for doing well. Doct. 2. We must not be weary of well doing, though we suffer for it. Doct. 3. To suffer for welldoing may befall any sort of men, as here it is supposed to be the case of servants. Doct. 4. It is by accident, and not from the nature of welldoing, or any necessity that is absolute, that men suffer for welldoing: it doth not necessarily follow, that men must suffer always, or all sorts of men, for goodness. It may befall them; it doth not follow that it must befall them: and therefore the Apostle saith, If you suffer. Doct. 5. To suffer for welldoing patiently is wonderful glorious, and acceptable before God. Doct. 6. Many things may be gracious with men, that are no whit regarded with God. Doct. 7. To suffer for welldoing, when it is not patiently taken, is not thankworthy with God: though the cause men suffer for be good, yet they lose their praise, when they use ill means to be delivered, or carry themselves impatiently. Doct. 8. To know that God favours us, or accepts of what we do, will make a man endure strange things; as here servants, that were used many times little better than beasts, yet endure it, because it is at all times acceptable to God. Doct. 9 Lastly, it would here be noted, that to suffer for any kind of welldoing is acceptable before God: though a man do not suffer for Religion, but for the duties of his particular calling, (as the case was here) yet every such suffering is gracious before God. Ver. 21. For hereunto ye are called: for Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye also should follow his steps. Divers ways of suffering. THus of the first reason taken from God's acceptation: the same reason follows in the beginning of this Verse, and that is taken from their calling: and for these words, For thereunto were ye called, the sense is, that unto patient suffering for well-doing they were tied by their calling, if need did require. Now God calls men to suffering diverse ways. First, by his decree: for he hath here destinated men to be made like to his Son, in suffering unjustly; they were ordained to afflictions, Rom. 8.29. 1 Thes. 3.3. Secondly, 〈◊〉 his Word or Law we are called to it, because the Word of God doth require, that we should take up our cross and suffer for the truth, as many Scriptures show. Thirdly, by the work of God's grace, when he make us again new men in Jesus Christ: for by the same calling that he calls us to be Saints, he calls us to suffer for sanctity; and this seems to be intended specially here. Fourthly, God calls us to suffer by his special gift: for as he hath given us to believe, so hath he given us to suffer for his sake. Now God by every gift doth really call us to the execution and use of it, when there is occasion. Fiftly, Servants and other Inferiors are called to suffer correction, though it should be unjust, even by their particular Calling. Sixtly, the coherence shows, that the example of Christ suffering unjustly is a pattern that calls us also to suffer, and so to walk in his steps. This last, and the third way of Calling, are especially meant in this place: and so from thence diverse things may be briefly noted by way of doctrine. For of our effectual Calling I have at large entreated, both in the former chapter, and the tenth verse of this chapter. First, all God's people or servants become his by Calling: it is the way by which God hires servants, and makes a people to himself: for by nature even the Elect are not a people, but live in darkness, dead in sin, sensual and carnal as other men; and re-creation is such a link in the chain of salvation, as cannot be wanting, Rom. 8.30. And therefore men should labour to make their Calling sure, as ever they would have comfort that they are Gods servants or people. Secondly, God works great things many times without any great toil, or power of instruments; as here, To convert a man, is but to call him; To make him live, is but to bid him live. Thus God can call up generations of men out of the heap of dead and forlorn mankind. Thus the dead shall be raised at the last Day by the voice of the Son of God: which should teach us to live by faith in all estates, and rest upon God's power, by which we are kept to salvation. Thirdly, Gods Calling accepts not the persons of men, it puts no difference: all are called alike, as to honour, so to labour and danger. The Apostle puts-in all Christians, by this Calling, to suffer, if need require, as well as servants. So with God there is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, Jew nor Gentile, bond nor free: but all are one in Christ, Col. ●. 11. Which should be a marvellous comfort to Christians that are meaner than others in the world, to think on it, that God requireth as hard work of the richest, as he doth of them; and makes as great account of a poor Christian, as of the mightiest Monarch. And it should teach christian's humility, and not to strive so much for precedency; but rather, if men will excel others, it should be in service and sufferings. Fourthly, all men are not called: he saith here. Ye are called; as importing, that it was a special honour done to them. Many have not the means of Calling; and many refuse their Calling, when they have the means. Which shows the woeful estates of worlds of men, unto whom the voice of God by his Word in the Spirit comes not. Fiftly, the Calling of God doth propound conditions, upon which his election in time doth depend: for many are called, but few chosen upon their Calling; and the reason is, because they yielded not to the conditions of their Calling. God calls men to a new Covenant, and requires, first, the belief of all things promised on his part: secondly, sanctity and holiness of life; thus they are said to be Saints by Calling, 1 Cor. 1.1. thirdly, to suffer for well-doing, if there be occasion; so here. Now upon the Conscience and consent of the heart unto these conditions doth God make his choice, or acknowledge men: and therefore hereby men's hearts must be tried, or men must try their hearts and estates, whether they be effectually called or no. Sixtly, men are bound to take notice of, and to learn and obey the will of God revealed in his Word, though it be hard to find out: as here the Apostle faith, They were called to suffer; which is a thing that is not easy to prove by express Scripture, but must be found out as it lies enwrapped in consequences in diverse places of Scripture. For if the laws of men bind and oblige us to punishment, though we know them not, because we ought to take notice of them: much more must we study the Laws of God, though they be many in number, and hard to find out without much labour, and many helps. Seventhly, our general Calling doth bind us to a careful observation of our particular Calling: as here, their Calling in Religion to be God's servants, did bind them to look to their duty as men's servants, yea, and to be subject to their corrections, though unjust. And therefore those Christians are far out of the way, that neglect their particular Calling, and the charge God hath delivered them, upon sentence of Religion, and their general Calling. Eightly, the main doctrine in them, or in the scope of them, is, that God calls his servants, all of them, to suffer for the truth. He shows them heaven, and the salvation of their souls, and bestows rich treasure upon their hearts; but withal tells them, he looks they should arm themselves with a resolution to suffer what may befall them for well-doing. Our Saviour Christ told his Disciples plainly, that they must think of taking up the Cross daily, before they come to wearing of the Crown. And therefore they do foolishly that undertake the profession of Religion, before they have set down to know what it will cost them. Thus of the second reason. The third reason is taken from the example of Christ, who suffered greater wrongs than can be befall servants, or any other sort of men: and this doctrine of Christ's suffering he handles at large from verse 21. to the end of the chapter. Which doctrine of Christ's suffering is fitted partly to the case of servants, and partly to the use of all Christians. Concerning the Passion five things are in all these verses noted. First, who suffered: Christ suffered, ver. 21. Secondly, the end of his suffering, viz. to leave us an example, etc. verse 21. Thirdly, the manner how he suffered, set out, 1. Negatively: and so he suffered, first, without sin, verse 22. secondly, without reviling, ver 23. 2. Affirmatively: and so he commits himself to him that judgeth righteously. Fourthly, the matter what he suffered, viz. our sins in his own body on the tree, ver. 24. Fiftly, the effect of his sufferings, 1. In respect of us: and so his sufferings serve To kill our sins. Verse 24. To make us alive to righteousness. Verse 24. To heal our natures. Verse 24. 2. In respect of himself: and so they procured his exaltation, to be Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, ver. 25. Thus of the order. Even Christ suffered.] The first thing to be considered in the Apostles description of the Passion of the person who suffered, is, that it is named here with special Emphasis, Even Christ, or Christ also. Christ is the surname of our Saviour, as Jesus was his proper name. Jesus is a name only given him in the New Testament: but Christ was his name in both Testaments, and signifies Anointed, being a Greek word, as Messiah doth in the Hebrew. And so it is a name importing his office of Mediator; as being thereby proclaimed to be the substance of the ceremonial types, even the supreme Doctor, or Prophet, Priest and King of the Church: for these three sorts of men were anointed in the Old Testament, and were types of Christ's anointing. It is true, that we do not read that our Saviour was himself anointed with oil, because his anointing consisted in the substance of that shadow. For the shadow signifieth two things: first, ordination to the office; secondly, the pouring out of gifts by the holy Ghost, for the exornation of the office. Now whereas Christ is Mediator in both natures, his anointing must be distinguished according to his natures. The whole person was anointed, but yet differently in respect of his natures: for gifts could not be poured out upon his divine nature; yet, as the Son of God, the second person in Trinity, he was anointed, in respect of ordination to the office of Mediator: and as the Son of man he was anointed, in respect of the pouring out of the gifts of the holy Ghost upon that nature in measure, as the Psalmist saith, above his fellows, Psal. 45. The first doctrine about the Passion is here briefly contained in these three words of the Apostle, Even Christ suffered; which is a doctrine full of excellent Uses: for thence, First, we may see how vile the error was of those Heretics they called Patri-passianus; who taught that God the Father suffered: whereas in this and other Scriptures we are taught that it was only Christ, the second Person in Trinity, that suffered. The ground of their error was, that there was but one Person in the Deity, which in heaven was called the Father; in earth, the Son; in the powers of the creatures, the holy Ghost: and thence they affirm the same things of the Father they did of the Son, that he was visible, mortal and immortal, passable and impassable; passable on earth, and impassable in heaven. But we have learned from the Prophets and Apostles to believe three Persons, and so to acknowledge, that the second Person suffered only, and that in his humane nature. Secondly, we may hence learn, that Christ was subject to the Law after a peculiar manner, so as no other man was subject: for he did not only fulfil 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 only: and so are all the wicked reprobates that obey it not. Some men are subject to the Commandments 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 learn a plain demonstration of the truth of the humane nature of Christ: He had not a fantastical body, but a true body, because he did verily suffer in the flesh, as follows afterwards. Fourthly, hence we may be informed of the excessively vile disposition of the world, in that it is so set on wickedness, that the very Saviour of the world, if he come into the world, shall suffer from the world. Fiftly, we may hence learn, that Christ suffered willingly, and of his own accord. For in that he that is God suffered, it shows he had power to preserve himself 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 show. Sixtly, we may hence learn to know how abominable sin is, that makes the Son of God suffer miserable things, if he become a surety for sin. Seventhly, we may hence learn to know the inevitable destruction, and fearful perdition of impenitent sinners. For if God spared not his own Son, that was but a surety for sin, and did none himself: will he ever spare them that are principals and monstrous offenders? Eightly, did even Christ suffer? then we should evermore arm ourselves 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 willingness in this life, because God hath predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Son in sufferings, Rom. 8.29. Lastly, in that it was Christ that suffered, we may hence gather comfort to ourselves in his passion, all the days 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 casual, such as befell him for no use; nor were they deserved by himself. For he never offended God, nor did he seek 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. He was plagued for the transgression of God's people: and as the Apostle saith, he was delivered to death for our sins, and rose again for our justification, Rom. 4.25. He was sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. 5.7. He gave himself for us, Ephes. 5.2. Now he suffered for us in diverse respects, as, First, to make satisfaction unto the justice of God for our sins, Christ suffered for us in diverse respects. and to appease the wrath of God toward us, as the former places show: His sufferings were a sacrifice for sin: He bore the curses of the Law which were due to us, Gal. 3.10. And thus he paid our ransom, and pacified God, especially in his death and burial: He nailed the hand-writing that was against us, to his cross, Col. 2.15. And as jonas 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 God's wrath quiet for us. Secondly, he suffered, as to make satisfaction for our sins, so together with that satisfaction to remove from us the many miseries might have fall'n upon us for our sins. Thus he was judged and condemned at the bar of Pilate, that we might be acquirted at the bar of God: He endured all sorts of pains and torments in soul and body, that we might be delivered from eternal torments in hell: He died, that he might deliver us from death and the fear of it, and from him which had the power of death, which is the devil, Heb. 2.13. He was crucified, that he might abolish the power of sin 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 happiness: He suffered to make us blessed. Thus he died, to ratify the eternal counsel, Heb. 9.15.16.17. He was poor, to make us rich, 2 Cor. 8.9. He was bound, to make us free: He was unclothed, to cover our nakedness: He was forsaken of God for a time, that we might be received to everlasting mercy: He was crowned with a crown of thorns, that he might merit for us a crown of glory: He found no mercy from the Priests and Jews, that we might find 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 diverse 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 jonathan 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 work in us sorrow and hearty grief for our sins: we should now mourn as heartily for piercing Christ by our sins, as if we had lost an only child, etc. We complain of the Jews, and judas, and Pilate for abusing him: but the truth is, it was thy sins, and my sins, that brought him to suffer for them; our debt was laid upon him: We that are principals, are escaped; and he that was our surety, hath paid for it, even to the uttermost farthing. And if there were no other reason to show how little reason Christ had no suffer for us; even this were sufficient, that our hearts are so hard as we cannot be grieved to remember his sorrows for our sins. Thirdly, it should especially work in us a hatred of our sins, and a fall and final resolution to sin no more, but to consecrate our whole life unto him, and to his service, that hath suffered for us, and by suffering, ●aid so dear a price. Shall we not live to him that died for us? Or do we so little care for his sorrow, as by new sins we would, as much as in us lieth, crucify again the Son of God? Take heed of despising the blood of Christ, lest you sin so long till there be no more sacrifice for sin, 2 Cor. 5.15. Heb. 6. Fourthly, we should strive to be disposed, as the Apostle Paul was, to glory in the cross and sufferings of Christ above all things, seeing his sufferings were for us, to satisfy and merit for us. It must needs be an estate of wonderful safety and felicity, that is purchased by such variety of sufferings of the Son of God. As the world despiseth us, so we should with singular and secret rejoicing despise and contemn the world, having such interest in the cross of Christ, Gal. 6.14. Lastly, it should work in us a most hearty willingness to suffer any thing for Christ and the Gospel, that hath suffered such extreme things for us: it should not be grievous to us to forsake father, or mother, or wife, or children, or house, or lands, or our own lives for his sake, or for the Gospel, Mark 10.29. Thus of the second thing in the doctrine of the passion of Christ. The third thing is the use of it, and that is, to be an example unto us, that we might walk in his steps. Leaving us an example.] The end then of the sufferings of Christ, is to be an example to us to learn by. The word rendered an example, is a metaphor taken from Scriveners, or Painters, and signifies properly a copy or pattern, or portraiture of a thing exactly drawn out. We are then set to school to learn by example: Christ's sufferings are as a writing-schoole, where the copies are most exactly drawn. Before I come to the particulars we should bear for Christ in his suffering, diverse things may be briefly noted out of the words, especially about examples. Doct. 1. God would have us learn by examples, as well as by precept: and thence it is the Scripture is so stored with all sorts of examples. Doct. 2. Such as give good example of welldoing, are as a common treasure; many may learn good by them. Good examples are like common schools, and the better, because they are free-schooles, we may learn from example without cost. Though thou couldst not show all the means thou desirest, yet to give a good example of sound life and holiness, is a great treasure in the Church: It doth not only make Religion well spoken of, but it profits many, to teach their welldoing: and therefore such as shine by the light of good example, should be much made of in every place: and they sin fearfully that wrong them, etc. Doct. 3. It requires a special goodness to be fit to be an example to others, which the metaphor imports: for every man that can write, yet cannot set copies for other men to write by: so every good Christian is not able to teach by example to the life, but with great imperfection: some had more need to be learners than to be teachers, and therefore should not be overhasty to show their gifts. Doct. 4. Good examples are very scarce in the world, and therefore Christ is fain to leave us one of his own: the skilful practice of God's Word is so rare, that it is very hard to find a man whom we would set before us as a pattern to imitate. Doct. 5. There was very great need of Christ's example to teach us by. The world is so generally fallen away from the care of obedience, and the doctrine of well-doing is entertained so dully, as a very matter of for me and for outward show; and the examples of the godly are so imperfect, that it was necessary, after so many hundreds of years, in which sound practice was neglected, that the Christian world should be fired with the incitations of so exquisite a pattern of obedience, as Christ's was. Doct. 6. Christ's example is to be imitated by degrees. God doth not look we should follow the copy exactly at the first: which similitude imports a great deal of encouragement to the weak, but willing Christian; and withal shows the doubtful estate of such Christians, as in a short time and with little labour think they have learned the substance of all Christianity. Doct. 7. In that he saith, Leaving us an example, it imports, that many good works tarry behind the godly in the world. For though it be true that their works follow them to heaven, yet it is true also, they are left behind. They follow them to heaven, in respect of God's remembrance and acknowledgement of them, and they tarry behind them, in respect of the example of them, and the praiseful memory of them amongst men. Welldoing cannot be lost, which withal imports, that it is a great honour and comfort, when a man goes out of the world, to leave the memory and pattern of good works behind him: and it is a fearful thing for such men as go out of the world to leave an ill report behind them, and die an example of evil doers: though those could leave a great estate in worldly things, yet are they most accursed, because they leave behind them such an ill sent and savour, by reason of their filthy, or vain, or worldly kind of living. Doct. 8. It is more than a step to heaven; we are here required to follow Christ's steps, importing, it is a long journey, and we are to make many steps. Doct. 9 The more good any doth, the nearer they come to heaven: every good work is, as it were, a step nearer to heaven: and therefore as we desire to be with the Lord, so should we hasten and finish our work; nothing will bring us sooner to heaven: whereas if we be barren and unfruitful, either we shall never come there, or it will be a great while first. Doct. 10. The way to heaven is a very hard way to hit; it is marked out by steps: if we step awry, we are in great danger, either of fouling ourselves, or losing our way. It is like to his way that is to pass over a brook, or through thorns, or through miry ways, where are placed steps, or a print of some footing before, which is hard to hit, and dangerous to miss. And therefore men must look to themselves, after they have undertaken profession of the care of a better life: for the similitude importeth, that men must never look off their way, and they must not go over rashly or hastily, nor must they listen to strange noises, nor must they look to go that way with much company, nor is it safe for them to have distractions or cares in their heads: all which parts of the similitude let men apply to themselves. Doct. 11. He that lives so as he hath the commandment of God, and the example of Christ for a warrant of his actions, is in a sure way, and is safe, and in the right way to heaven. They that walk by rule, and are careful to tread right in the steps marked out in the way, shall have peace, and much comfort and assurance, Gal. 6.16. Doct. 12. If we be not skilful enough to teach others by our example, yet if we be willing to learn goodness from such as give us good example, we may be happy. Some Christians are examples to others, as, 1 Tim. 4.12. Tit. 2.7. 1 Thes. 1.7, 8. Other Christians learn, both in matters of faith and life, from them, as those places show: and this Text imports, that if we but follow example, we please God. Thus of the doctrines out of these words. It remains that we consider more specially of the copy or example here left us to follow. God teacheth us many things by examples, and to that end he hath given us diverse sorts of examples to learn by. And so God is pleased to raise up in the world examples, sometimes of his Power, sometimes of his Justice, sometimes of his Holiness. Examples or monuments of God's Power are those strange works of wonder which God doth at some times, to show his Almightiness and Sovereignty; such was that, john 9.1. to make a man, blind from his birth, to see. Examples of his Justice he hath given us in all Ages: so Numb. 5.21. Ezek. 5.15. Heb. 4. 11. jude 7.1 Cor. 10. Examples and patterns of his Holiness he hath given us, partly in his adopted sons, and partly in his natural Son, and his Son by the grace of personal union: thus he gave us job and the Prophets for examples of patience in suffering, jam. 5.10. thns Timothy and Titus are charged to be patterns of good works, 1 Tim. 4.12. Tit. 2.7. But it is the example of Christ which is here urged as the best pattern of all others. Quest. Now the special question is, What must we distinctly learn from the sufferings of Christ? Ans. There are many things wherein Christ hath set us an example in his sufferings, which we may and aught to learn from him; as, First, his sufferings should make us willing to resolve to suffer, Ten things for us to follow in the example of Christ's sufferings. if God call us to it: it should teach us to stand upon our guard, and look for war; as resolved, It is meet we suffer with him, if we mean to reign with him, 2 Tim. 2.11. Secondly, when he was tempted or troubled in Spirit, he left us an example for the manner of the fight, and which way we should make resistance, and overcome; and that is, by the Word of God and prayer: for he beat the Devil away by Scripture, Mat. 4. And in all his special agonies we still hear him praying, and making his moan to his Father. Thirdly, he left us a pattern of matchless humility, and told us, if ever we would learn any thing of him, we should learn of him to be lowly and meek; who, being the Son of God, was abased to take upon him the form of a servant, and in worlds of occasions to deny himself, and his own greatness and reputation, Mat. 11.29. Phil. 2.6, 7. Fourthly, we may learn from his suffering condition the contempt of the world. Why should we seek great things for ourselves, when our Lord and Saviour was in some cases worse provided for than the birds of the air, and foxes of the field, as not having a place where to lay his head? And therefore he suffered without the City, to teach us that we also have here no abiding City, but should cast all our cares upon providing for our eternal habitation in heaven, Heb. 13.11, 12. Fiftly, we should learn obedience from him towards our heavenly Father. Christ obeys his Father, even in hard commandments, against his credit, ease, liberty, yea life itself: and therefore we should learn to desire to go and do likewise. Sixtly, he left us an example of loving one another, and gave a special charge we should prove ourselves to be his, and to be like him indeed, as his true Disciples, by loving one another, john 13. Eph. 5.2. Seventhly, we should learn patience of him when we do suffer, though strange things should befall us. What though we should be betrayed or forsaken of our friends in our just cause, or suffer injuries, or be falsely accused even of heinous crimes, or most basely used, even to be buffeted, derided, spetted on, or to see vile wretches and gross offenders preferred before us, or lose all we have, to our very garments? etc. yet none of these things should be grievous to us, because all these things befell our Lord and Master in a worse measure and manner than they can befall us: yea, we should be patient, though it were to lose our lives, as ●e did. Eighthly, he left us also an example of hope in suffering: for when he suffered shame and misery in this life, he looked upon the joy and crown in another world; thereby teaching us, with whole arguments to sense ourselves against all the scorns and miseries of this world, Heb. 12.3. Ninthly, he left us a pattern of mercy, who made himself poor to make us rich: and therefore how much more should we, out of our abundance, yield some supply to others wants? 2 Cor. 8. Lastly, the mortification and crucifying of the old man is to be learned from the Passion of Christ, Rom. 6. For look how Christ was used, so should we use our sins: he was crucified, and so should we crucify our sins, piercing the heart of them by confession and godly sorrow, and so hanging them up upon the Cross till they be dead. Thus we see that Christ hath set us a large copy, and that many things are to be learned from his example. Quest. But doth Christ's example bind us to imitation in all things? Answ. In many things it doth bind, but in all things it doth not bind. There are diverse things that Christ did, which to leave undone by us, it no sin: In what things Christ's example binds not. as the works of his power and omnipotency are not imitable; and so also the works of his office, as Mediator, are peculiar to himself, and cannot be done by us. Besides a world of indifferent actions of his, diverse of which are recorded; yet all men grant they do not bind us to exact imitation, though they be things we have power to do. He sat and preached: he received the Sacrament in a private chamber at night, and gave it only to Clergymen, and used unleavened bread, etc. Quest. But what rules are then left to ground our practice upon? and how far are our consciences bound by examples, and so by the example of Christ? How far examples bind conscience. Answ. Examples, and so the example of Christ, bind us in the things he did, which were required by the moral Law, or the Word of God. For an example is but the illustration of a precept: it is but like the seal to a blank, if there be no precept. Secondly, in other things which Christ did, not required by the Law, we are so far forth tied to follow his practice, as he hath for those specialties given himself a precept: as here we are bound to suffer from others, and for others, if need require, by the force of Christ's example; but so as it is specified, that his example binds in this and other things. But where the Scripture doth not make use of his example, there we are not bo●nd in things indifferent i● their own nature, to follow any example out of necessity. Verse 22.23. Who did no sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth: Who when he was reviled, reviled not again: when be suffered, be threatened not, but committed it to him that judgeth righteously. HItherto of the end of Christ's suffering: the manner follows, set down both negatively and affirmatively. Negatively, He suffered without sin, in this verse; and without reviling, in the next verse. Affirmatively, He committed himself and his cause to him that judgeth righteously. He did no sin: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.] The words of this verse do commend the innocency of this our Saviour: which doth much increase the price and value of his sufferings. He suffered for the sins of others, that never committed any sin himself in thought, word, or deed: and as he was innocent in all the course of his life, so did he bear his sufferings without fault, and carried himself so, as no man could find any just occasion against him. The first thing affirmed of Christ to show his innocency, is, that he did no sin. In the Original it is expressed by a word of great force, which signifies to make, or frame, or fashion with art, or to make sin; and it may be rendered (as I conceive) more fitly, He 〈◊〉- sin. To make sin, being a phrase somewhat unusual, the sense is to be 〈◊〉 red into. Now a man may be said to make sin many ways▪ A man is said to make sin many ways. First, when a man 〈◊〉 and commits a sin never heard of before. Thus Onan made that sin of filthiness. Thus the Sodomites and Gentilish men and women made sins of lust. Thus drunkards make strange kinds of drink. Thus the 〈…〉 of our times 〈◊〉 the sins of strange apparel. And thus the Papists make that horrible sin of murdering of 〈…〉. And thus swearers now make their monstruous oaths. Secondly, when a man sins, having not so much as temptation to sin in himself, or proneness of nature to sin: and so he sins that sins wilfully, and not by infirmity, or weakness of nature. Thus Adam made the first sin: for he had no corruption of nature to entice him, or incline him, nor could any temptation from without compel him; but he sinned wilfully. Thus those men of blood make sin, that kill their brethren in cold blood. And so many whoremongers and drunkards make sin, when they are not enticed, but entice themselves, and strive by all means to fire and force themselves to wickedness. And thus swearers, and usurers, and such like, make sin. Thirdly, when a man commits such a sin as other men condemn by the very light of nature, though he do it by corrupt inclination, or though it be sin which others commit: so to make sin, is to be a malefactor, or one that is guilty of any gross sin. Fourthly, when a man studies mischief, and sins not suddenly, but imagines, and deviseth, and forecasts, and plots how to compass his sin: and thus all wicked men make sin, because they sin not suddenly, or by mere frailty, but do study iniquity: every wicked man is a great student, Psal. 36.4. Fiftly, when a man causeth others to sin by evil counsel, or example, or compulsion: Thus Tyrants made sin, that forced men to deny the faith: and thus they make sin, that make their neighbours drunk: and thus Stageplayers and Minstrels make sin, that call and provoke others to licentiousness and wantonness: and thus superiors make sin, when by their evil example, or negligence in not punishing offences, they tempt others to sin. Sixtly, when a man makes a trade of sinning: and thus men are said in Scripture to be workers of iniquity, which is a Periphrasis of wicked men. Now he that is said to make a trade of sin, or to be a worker of iniquity; first, is one that makes it his daily custom to follow his sinful course of life, or that follows sin as the tradesman doth his trade. Secondly, that cannot live without his sin, that accounts his sin the life of his life, that had as lief be dead as restrained of his sin: as the tradesman accounts himself undone if his trade be destroyed. Seventhly, when a man calls good evil, and evil good; when a man makes that to be a sin which is no sin. Thus they make sin, that call those things sin, which God by his Law never called sin: and thus men make sin both out of superstition on the left hand, and out of rash zeal on the right hand: thus also profane persons make godliness and a body conversation to be Schisms, and truth to be Heresy: thus the Jews called Paul's religious course Heresy, when he by that way, which they called Heresy, worshipped the God of his fathers: and the Professors of Christian Religion they called a Sect, Acts. 2●. Isa. 5.20. Thus Lawyers many times make sins, when they make a good cause bad, and a bad cause good. Eightly, when a man by slander casts foul aspersions upon other men that are innocent, speaking evil with any manner of evil report of such as live religiously. And this art of making sin, the slanderer learned of the devil, that accuser of the brethren. Thus many godly persons are many 〈◊〉 by wicked reports made gross offenders in the common acceptation of the world▪ and in the rumours speed abroad of them in many places. Thus they made Christ and the Apostles grievous sinners, and a spectacle to men and Angels. Ninthly, when a man in adversity deviseth 〈…〉 to get out of trouble, or deliver himself from the cross is laid upon him. And this sense may in some sort be applied to the case of our Saviour, who never used ill means to deliver himself, though he suffered extreme things. Lastly, in a general sense, every man that is guilty of sin, may be said to make sin. And so it is commonly by way of removal said of Christ, that he made no sin, that is, that he was never guilty of any offence against God or man. Thus of the sense of the words. Divers Doctrines may be gathered out of these words: but because one is principal, I will but touch the rest. Doct. 1. men's sins are of men's making: man made sin, God made none. Doct. 2. It is a hateful thing to be a maker of sin. As it was most glorious for God to make a world of creatures: so it is most ignominious for man to make a world of sins. Doct. 3. Christ made no sin. This is the chief Doctrine, and plain in the Text: He was not only free from the first and worst kinds of making of sin, mentioned before, but he was free from all sin in all estates of his life, he knew no sin, he did none iniquity: he was that just One by an excellency. Quest. But how came it to pass, that the man Jesus had no sin, seeing all other men bring sin with them into the world, and daily sin? Answ. He was sanctified from the womb, being conceived by the holy Ghost, How Christ had no sin. which no other are: so as both original sin was stopped from flowing in upon him in his conception; and beside, he was qualified with perfect holiness from the womb: and therefore is called that holy thing borne of the Virgin, Luke 1.35. And it was necessary his humane nature should be so holy, and that he should do no sin, because his humane nature was to be a tabernacle for the Deity to dwell in, Col. 2.9. and beside, from his very humane nature, as well as from his Deity, must flow unto us life, and all good things; and therefore he must needs be undefiled: The manhood of Christ is as the conduit, and the Godhead as the spring of grace unto us. Besides, his sufferings could not be available, if he were not innocent himself. The Uses follow: and so, Uses. First, we see the difference between the two adam's: the first made sin, and infected all the world with it: the other made no sin, but redeemed all the world from it. The first Adam, as he had power not to sin, so he had power to sin: but the second Adam had not only a power not to sin, but also no power to sin; not only, as they say in Schools, Posse non peccare; but also, Non posse peccare. Secondly, we may hence see in what a woeful damnity against goodness the world stands; when this most innocent Man, that never did any sin, that never offended God or man in all his life; when he. I say, comes into the world, how is he despised and rejected of men! Who looked after him, unless it were for his miracles? few honoured him for his holiness. How is the world set on wickedness, that it should account him without form or handsomeness, that shone before God and Angels in such a spotless innocency? Oh what wit had the rulers of this world, that condemned him as a malefactor, that had no spot in him from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, that never did man wrong, or sinned against God? Isa. 49.7. and 53.2, 3, 4. Thirdly, we may hence see cause to wonder at the love of Christ to us. Oh how is it 〈…〉 of such a world of sins, that yet himself never knew sin? What heart of man can sufficiently admire his love unto us, that can abase himself to be made sin for us, that never did sin himself? Fourthly, is it not hence also most manifest, that impenitent sinners shall not be spared or pitied of God? Did not God spare his own Son that never offended in all his life? and shall he spare them that never left offending of him? Oh what madness hath besotted men so, as with stubborn wilfulness still to trust upon an unknown mercy in God, yea such a mercy as God could never conceive in the case of his Son, that was not to him as they are in any respect! Were these men but throughly beaten from this sinful plea of mercy in God, they would repent of their sins in time, and seek true mercy from God, which never is withheld from penitent sinners. Lastly, Did our Saviour Christ suffer so patiently such extreme things, that never deserved any evil in himself? What a shame is it for us to be so unquiet, and dejected, or so froward, or so unsettled, when any crosses or afflictions fall upon us, who yet have deserved at God's hands to suffer a thousand times more, and worse things than those that do befall us? In his mouth was found no guile.] We read in the Scripture of guile in the spirit, when we have false hearts, and guile in the hands by false weights and balances, and guile in the mouth in deceitful words. Guile in words is committed many ways: First, by lying; when men speak what they think not. Guile in words many ways. Secondly, by flattering; when men praise others after a corrupt manner, or for corrupt ends. Thirdly, by backbiting; when men censure others behind their backs, of malice, or whisper evil against others, Psal. 41.7. Fourthly, by wresting the words of others to their hurt, Psal. 56.11. and 52.1, 2. Fiftly, by withholding the just praises of others, or apology. Sixtly, by fearfulness in evil times; when men will not stand for the truth, or speak against their Consciences. Seventhly, by disgraceful jests, Ephes. 5.4. Eighthly, by telling the truth of malice, 1 Sam. 22.9, 10. Ninthly, by boasting of a false gift, Pro. 27.1. Tenthly, by hypocrisy and dissimulation, and that diverse ways; as, 1. When men speak fair to men's faces, but reproach them behind their backs, or flatter them merely, Guile in Hypocrisy many ways. to catch them and entangle them in their talk, as the Pharisees often tempted Christ. 2. That reproveth sin in others, and yet commits it himself, Rom. 2.19. 3. That colours sin under pretence of Religion, Mark 12.40. 4. That professeth Religion in words, and yet denieth it in his heart. 5. That hideth his sin by denial or excuses, to avoid shame and punishment. 6. That gives good words to men in affliction, but relieves them not, 1 john 3.17, 18. None of these, nor any other ways of guile were found in Christ, though they called him a deceiver, and sought all occasions against him. Thus of the sense: the doctrines follow. Doct. 1. Guile in words is a vice that wonderfully dishonours a man: it was a fault would give great advantage to the enemies of the truth. As it is a sin which is in a special manner hateful to God, Psal. 5.7. so it is shameful amongst men: and therefore as any man would enjoy good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile, Psal. 34.13. Doct. 2. When he saith, that they found no guile in his mouth, it imports, that they sought it. And so we learn, that the godly are so hated of the wicked, that they seek occasion against them: when they see not, or hear not of any faults in them, they search, and inquire, and lie in wait to see if they can catch their foot-slippings at any time: yea they mark their words, to see whether they can find any falsehood or hurt in them. And therefore Christians should watch themselves and their words the more carefully, and strive so much the more to show themselves plain men in their words and dealing, that they may speak what they think at all times. Doct. 3. The third doctrine which falls in this text is, that in Christ was found no guile: he could never be taken in the sin of flattering, lying, cozening, backbiting, or any dissimulation, or hypocritical or deceitful speeches; and therefore the use may be, Use 1. First, to show the fearful estate of such as use lying and deceit, and hypocritical courses in the dealings with men in their trades, or other occasions of life. There was no guile in Christ; and therefore it is probable, they are not true Christians, because they are not herein made like unto Christ: yea deceit and guile is made a sign of a wicked man, Psal. 36.1, 3. And therefore such as are given to the sins of deceit and hypocritical dealing, are in a miserable case, especially such as cover their deceit with smooth words, jer. 9.8. Pro. 26. 24.&c. 2. And such as make a trade of it, give their tongues to evil, and frame deceit, and bind their tongues to lies, and teach their tongues to speak evil lies. jer. 9.5. 3. And such as will deceive their neighbours, their brethren, or such as are harmless, jer. 9.5. Psal. 35.20. Use 2. Again, this pattern in Christ may comfort the plain-dealing and plaine-meaning man, and plaine-speaking Christian, that hath no tricks and methods, and subtlety in his words or carriage, but is a plain man like jacob: this is made a sign of a godly man, Zeph. 3.13. of a happy man, Psal. 15.2. of a true Israelite, john 1.47. Being reviled.] Hitherto hath been showed that Christ suffered without sin: now the Apostle shows that he suffered without reviling or threatening, which praise is increased in this, that he reviled not when he was reviled, nor threatened at the very time when he suffered extreme injuries. Reviling is a sin condemned in the sixth Commandment, What reviling is. and is committed by bitter and disgraceful words against any other without desire of doing good: and so men revile when they disgrace others by false accusations, as when they called Christ a deceiver, and said he had a Devil, or was a glutton, or an enemy to Cesar, or a blasphemer, or the like. Again, it is reviling when the very terms used are base and ignominious, if they be used only out of passion: as to call men, made after the image of God, by the names of beasts, or the like. Again, when we upbraid others with such deformities or infirmities as God hath laid upon them; as to mock a man for his deafness, or lameness, or ill sight, or the like, Leu. 19.14. Besides, when men reproach others with such words for any thing they fail in, as express more disgrace than the fault deserves; as for some mistaking to call a man fool, Mat. 5. yea it is reviling when the faults of others are charged upon them without a calling, or desire of their amendment: and so it is reviling to upbraid any with the sins they have repe●ted of. And thus what reviling is. Doct. 1. Reviling is a hateful sin: that appears from hence, that it is accounted a great suffering to suffer reviling. And our Saviour accounts it murder in his exposition upon the sixth Commandment. Mat. 5. and therefore bitter words are compared to arrows and swords, which are 〈◊〉 of murder: and reviling godly men is termed blasphemy in sun 〈…〉 the Original: it grows out of a bitter root, and is the very 〈…〉 naughty disposition, or maliciousness, Heb. 12.14, 15. 〈…〉 altogether contrary to the Spirit of God, which is a Spirit of mockenesse. And if a godly man suddenly fall into bitter words, it makes the holy Ghost stir within him, Ephes. 4.30. and evil words corrupt 〈…〉 Thou losest so much of thy honesty as thou usest of reviling. Use. The use is therefore, first, to persuade all that are godly to avoid this sin, and at home and abroad to revile no man upon any occasion, Tit. 3.2. and the rather, because they are heirs of blessing, 1 Pet. ●. 9. and have the example, not only of the godly in Scripture, but of Christ himself, as it is here urged. Secondly, it serves to reprove and shame all such as are guilty of 〈◊〉 full a sin: especially, 1. Such as have a mouth full of cursing and bitterness; Who are guilty of reviling. such as are many Masters and Mistresses, or Dames, that cannot speak to their servants, but it is with reviling terms; their usual speech to them is to find 〈◊〉 with reproach: and so in any sort of men that are thus bitter 〈◊〉, Rom. 3.14. jam. 3.9. it is the sign of an ●●regenerate heart. 2. Such as are given to it to complain of their neighbours in all places, evill-minded men, that know little other discourse, but by way of finding fault, or reproaching this or that man: and they cease 〈…〉 have filled town and country with reproaches and slanders, jam. 5.9. 3. Such as revile innocent men, and speak evil of the just and godly, whom they ought to praise and honour. 4. Such as revile men for this very reason, because they are good. It is monstrous ill to revile a good man, but abominable vile to revile goodness and religion itself, to scoff and reproach preaching, and hearing of sermons, and praying, etc. Woe is to them that thus call good evil: and the worst is, when they set up, instead of those things, the praises of drunkenness, good fellowship, and lascivious meetings, and 〈◊〉 disorders, and so call bitter sweet, and evil good. 5. Such as rail at such as are in authority, and speak evil of dignities, Esay 5.20. Iude●. 2 Pet. 2.10. 6. Such as revile their very parents, and speak evil of such as God and nature have so nearly bound them to. And so is it monstrous vile for 〈◊〉 to traduce their husbands, and by backbiting to destroy their 〈◊〉; as it is monstrous for the people 〈◊〉 revile their 〈◊〉 that are godly and painful men. 7. Such as revile Christ, as the Jews did: (of which afterwards) and such are they that revile God, as 〈◊〉, and 〈…〉 kind, as well as Pagans and 〈◊〉, that speak reproachfully of this doctrine. Thus of the sin of reviling. Doct. 2. Christ himself was reviled: He that was ●o 〈◊〉 and innocent: He that did so much good in every place: He that had power to be revenged on such as did revile him. This is the more 〈◊〉 if we also consider by whom he was reviled, even by such as had their birth, breath, and being, and all from him: yea he was reviled of all sorts of men; Jew's, 〈◊〉 Rulers, the people, learned men, and unlearned. And this was the more to be wondered at too, if we consider with what kind of reviling he was 〈◊〉, and that was with most hateful 〈◊〉, as deceiving, working by the Devil, blasphemy, sedition, treason, etc. The Use follows. Use. Was Christ reviled? Then it is most manifest that the world hates goodness incurably: if that just One cannot scape reproach and slanders, then may not any godly persons promise to themselves peace that ways. Therefore carnal 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 shows, 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 again.] 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 only from reviling, but many times from just apology, confessing our guiltiness 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. Motives to patience. There are many reasons to persuade 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 been as vilely abused. Thirdly, as David said, God may bless thee for their cursing, and honour thee for their disgrace of thee. Fourthly, because we are heirs of blessing; and therefore such foul language as cursing and reviling should not be found in our mouths. Fiftly, though thou deserve not those reproaches from men, yet thou art not innocent before God. Sixtly, herein thou shalt be conformed to the Pattern and Image of the Lord Jesus Christ, not only in suffering wrongfully, but in forbearing reviling for Conscience sake. He threatened 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 joined with lying, when such things are threatened as for matter or degree cannot be done, or are not intended to be done. Thirdly, because by threatening so passionately we do injury to God, to whom vengeance belongs. This condemns the usual 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 speak of the faults of servants and children, but it is with foolish and passionate threatening, contrary to the express prohibition, Eph. 6.9. Master's use not threatenings. But all such as would have the comfort of a sound conversation, and desire to carry themselves as Christ hath left us a pattern, must strive to break off this wretched habit of threatening: and if they be oppressed by Superiors, or wronged by the incurable faults of Inferiors, they must learn of Christ to commit all to him that judgeth righteously; which is the affirmative part of the manner of Christ's suffering. But committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.] From these words diverse things may be observed. Doct. 1. First, that in case of wrongs from other men, it is not always needful or convenient to complain to the Magistrate for redress. 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 complain to men. Secondly, in what cases it may be lawful and fit. In these cases following it is not fit to complain to the Magistrate. First, In what cases it is not fit to complain unto the Magistrate. where redress of the wrongs may be had by private and peaceful courses, 1 Cor. 6. Secondly, where the laws of men do not provide punishment: some wrongs are offences, and yet not punishable by men's laws. Thirdly, where the offence is committed of mere frailty or ignorance. Fourthly, where the offence is grounded upon mere surmises, which in the judgement of charity ought not to be conceived, 1 Cor. 13. Fiftly, where the injury is less, 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 damage by the scandal, 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 less to complain, because all the Rulers were his professed enemies. chose, 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 laws of God and men. In what cases men may lanfully seek redress from the Magistrate. Secondly, where the offender persists in evil-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 complain by his office, either by charge or oath: provided, that the party complaining, first, love his enemies; and secondly, prosecute with continual respect to God's 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 himself 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 murder, 1 john 3.15. And David so often complains of his enemies that slandered him, that they also sought his life, yea his soul; as if they were desirous not only to kill his body, but damn his soul 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 the case of prayer he is called a God that delighteth to hear prayer: in the case of infirmities, a God that takes away iniquity, and passeth by transgression: Th●t God is a judge, is terrible to wicked men, and that in many respects. and in cases of great difficulty he is conceived of as Almighty, and so forth. Doct. 4. It is evident from hence, that God is a Judge: and this point is both terrible to the wicked, and comfortable to the godly. It is terrible to the wicked many ways: First, because he is Judge of all the world; all must be judged by him, Gen. 18.25. Heb. 12.23. 1 Sam. 2.10. He is not a Judge of some one circuit, as Judges amongst men are. Secondly, because he is a Judge that needs no evidence be brought in: for he knows all causes, and is witness himself, jer. 29.23. and so Judges among men are not. Thirdly, because he judgeth for all offences: he tries the hearts and the reins, as well as the words and works of men, Psal. 7.9, 11. Earthly Judges try malefactors but in one or some few cases. Fourthly, because he hath Armies of executioners: he can call to the heavens, or speak to the earth, and have hosts of servants to do his will, and execute his judgements, Dan. 7.9. 10. Psal. 50.4, 22. so as none can deliver out of his hands. Fiftly, because he is Judge himself, Psal. 50.6. and 75.8. He doth not do justice by Deputies, but will hear all cases himself. Sixtly, because his judgement is the last and highest judgement; and therefore there lieth no appeal from it. Seventhly, because he can bring men to judgement without any warning: he standeth before the door, and often seizeth upon the offender, without serving any writ, or giving him any summons, james 5.9. And therefore wicked men do very foolishly, that ruffle here in the world, and lift up their horns so high, and speak with such a stiff neck, and walk on in their sins and injuries so securely, Psal. 75.5, 6, 7, 8. God is comfortable to godly men. Again, if God be Judge, it is comfortable to penitent sinners: First, because repentance will alter the judgement, if it be after the fact, and before the sentence, even in such offences as deserve everlasting death, as appeareth in the case of David and the Ninivites, & is notified to the world, Act. 17.31. whereas earthly Judges must proceed in their judgement, whether the parties be penitent or no. Again, it is the more comfortable, that God is Judge, because all parties wronged or grieved may have access to God, and put up their supplications at any time; he is ready to be found, and willing to hear: which is seldom true of earthly Judges. Thirdly, because godly men know their sentence already, God hath acquitted them by his Word, and by his Son, and by his Spirit, and therefore they need not fear his last judgement. Doct. 5. God will judge righteously: God's judgement is a most righteous judgement, Psal. 9 8. Rom. 2.5. 2 Tim. 4.8. He is the righteous Judge by an excellency, because there is no Judge but misseth it some way: only God's judgement is always righteous; and it must needs be so for many reasons: How Go● 〈◊〉 righteously First, because he judgeth the high as well as the low, job 21.22. Secondly, because his judgement extendeth to every offender in the world, jude 15. Earthly Judges may punish some malefactors, but they leave thousands of men that are as great as they, I mean as great offenders as they: as for other reasons, it is because they cannot apprehend them. Thirdly, because he judgeth for the breach of most righteous Laws. Fourthly, because he will take no gifts, job 36.18, 19 Fiftly, because he hateth heartily what he condemns severely: so the day of judgement is called, A day of wrath, Rom. 2.5. whereas man may censure other men for such faults as they themselves commit, or at least are not moved to the sentence simply out of the disliking of the fault. Sixtly, because he is not deceived with shows and outward appearances, but his judgement is according to truth, Rom. 2.2. Seventhly, because it is general, according to men's works, 2 Cor. 5.10. Eighthly, because in the day of his judgement he will specially honour the righteous, Rom. 2.7, etc. Ninthly, because when a man can have no justice from men, he shall be sure to have justice from God: and this is especially here intended. Tenthly, because he doth not judge rashly: but as we see after wonderful patience, and the many day's men have had of sinning, he appoints his day of judging. Uses. The Uses may be diverse: for, First, it shows the woeful case of wicked men that forget God, and in the hardness of their hearts run on in sin, and so heap up wrath against the day of wrath, Rom. 2.4, 5. Secondly, it should teach all men that have any care of themselves, to deny all ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live godly, and righteously, and soberly in this present world, Tit. 2.12, 13. Thirdly, it should be a singular comfort to all such as suffer wrongs and injuries in this world, whether in their names, or bodies, or states, or any way; let them but be patient, God will do them justice, as these places show, 2 Thes. 1.5. Psal. 4.5. jam. 5.6, 7, 8. jude 15. Doct. 6. It is the duty of God's servants in all distresses to commit themselves and their causes to God and to his righteous providence and judgement. This the example of Christ here shows us, & there is reason for it. First, because God requires we should do so, as these places show, Psal. 37.5, 6. Prov. 16.3. 1 Pet. 4. ult. Secondly, because it is not in man to direct his own way, jer. 10.23. Thirdly, because God never disappointed the trust of them that committed themselves to him, Nabum 1.7. Pro. 16.3. The Use should be to teach us, Use. as we would show ourselves to bear the image of Christ, and to be true Christians, to practise this duty, in all cases of wrong, danger, affliction, or temptation: But then withal, when we have committed our cause to God, we must remember these rules: First, never to use ill means to get out of distress, Esay 28.16. Rules in committing our cause to God. Secondly, not to limit God, but to let him do whatsoever pleaseth him. Thirdly, not to be impatient, or troubled, but quiet ourselves in God, and wait and trust in him; and if we find any difficulties, we must then roll our way upon the Lord, as the Psalmist saith, Psal. 37.5, 6, 7. Fourthly, we must acknowledge him in all our ways, and give him glory, when he doth us justice, Pro. 3.6. Verse 24. Who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree; that we being delivered from sin, should live in righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. HItherto of the manner of the suffering of Christ. Now follows in the fifth place the matter he suffered, viz. He bore our sins, amplified by showing how, and that three ways: first, his own self: secondly, in his body: thirdly, on the tree. He bore our sins.] Christ may be said to bear our sins in two respects chiefly. First, In what respects Christ bore our sins. because he did undergo the imputation of all our sins; our faults were charged upon him, as our surety: He was made sin for us, 2 Cor. 5.21. He stood before God's justice in our room. Secondly, because he suffered the malediction due to our sins by the Law: He bore our sins, in being made a sacrifice for sin: He became indebted unto the justice of God, as our surety, to bear the curses of the Law, which our sins deserved, Esay 53.5, 8. Ga●. 3.10. And as this is true in general of all the wrath of God, and the fearful things due to our sins: so if we mark the story of Christ's sufferings, we may observe, how the sins of our first parents, and our own, light heavily upon his back, God suffering our sins to be charged upon him in a special fitness of the judgement to our sins: and that we may note, both in the circumstances of our sinning, and in the sorts of sins. Christ's sufferings ●itted to the circumstances of sin. For the circumstances: The first Adam sins in a garden; the second Adam suffers fearfully for sin in a garden: The second Adam suffers on a tree, and so bears the sin of the first Adam, eating the forbidden fruit of a tree. For the sorts of sin: Why was Christ betrayed by judas, denied by Peter, forsaken by all his Disciples, refused by the Priests and people, but because we had betrayed, denied, forsaken, and refused God in Paradise? And many of us are now guilty of the same or the like sins in the course of our lives. He was charged to be a seducer, to satisfy for our being seduced: for our evil words, and sinful excuses, he was silent: because we and our first Parents have preferred the Devil before God, therefore was a malefactor preferred before him. Why was he mocked, buffered, and spit upon, but to bear the shame was due unto us for our filthiness, and vile conversation? Why drank he gall, but to pay for our sinful pleasures? Why suffered he reviling and scoffing, but to satisfy for our sinful words? Many other things might be observed. The consideration whereof should serve for many Uses: and so it should teach us diverse duties; as, Uses. First, since he hath borne our sins in the imputation of them, and the malediction due unto them, we should be most ready and willing to bear his cross, as accounting it a great shame to be 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 sins, considering the fearful imputation of our faults charged upon him, and the bitter things he suffered, to make amends to God's justice for our wickedness, Zach. 12.10. Thirdly, hath Christ borne our sins? and can we find in our hearts to sin any more? shall he again be charged with our faults? shall we again crucify him? Rom. 6.6. Heb. 10.24. etc. and as followeth in the next words of this Text. Fourthly, Oh how should we love the Lord Jesus; that holy One, that bore the imputation of such base crimes, and endured such grievous things for us, before we ever knew him, or cared for him; even for us that were enemies to him! Deserve they not to be accursed, that love not the Lord Jesus? 1 Pet. 1.9. ● Cor. 16.22. Fiftly, we should therefore eat the Passeover with sour herbs; we should remember his grievous sufferings with hearty affection, and melting of soul 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 believing, rest upon the propiriation made by Christ for our sins: we should therefore confidently believe the pardon of all our sins, because he hath borne ou● iniquities. 1 John 2.1. Rom. 3.26. If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins. Seventhly, we should never more be afraid of death and hell: for our debt being paid by the surety, the hand-writing that was against us, is now canceled, 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 ignominy, bearing the imputation of the sins of all the Elect. Ninthly, seeing he hath been made in the similitude of sinful flesh, and suffered for sin in the flesh, we should strive to be made the righteousness of God in him; and as he hath borne our sins, so should we strive to bear his virtues. Who his own self.] It is emphatical that the Apostle saith, He bore our sins his own self: for there be two things which are here imported. First, that he had no partners: there were none with him: He bore all himself, Esay 59.16. He trod the winepress alone, Esay 63.3, 5. And therefore it is a vile dishonour to Christ to ascribe any part of satisfaction to ourselves, or to any Saint or Angel. Secondly, it imports, that therefore his suffering is of infinite value, in that he bore all his own self in person, who was God and man. Then it will follow, that he hath made a sufficient propitiation for all the world, 2 john 2.1, 2. In his body.] Quest. Why, did he not suffer in his soul? Answ. Yes: for so saith the Scripture, He made his soul a sacrifice for sin, Esay 53.10. and the Son of man came to give his soul a ransom for many, Mat. 20.28. Mark● 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 soul, which was broken with sorrows and heaviness for our sakes: So that by the body he means 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 bore our sins in his body. What may we learn from thence? First, we see a manifest difference betwixt Christ's Priesthood, and theirs in the Law. For they offered the bodies of beasts or fowls, but Christ offered his own body. Secondly, we may take comfort in the assurance, that he is the Saviour of our bodies as well as our souls. Thirdly, seeing such grievous things befell the body of Christ, why seek we so much ease for our bodies? why pamper we our flesh so? and why are we so impatient in the pains of our bodies, and remember not what Christ suffered in his body? Fourthly, we should therefore esteem his body to be a precious body above all bodies, seeing it was laid down as a price for our sins: yea we should long to see that glorious body of his, that we might admire it, and adore it, and embrace it; and in the mean time love and delight in the Lord's Supper, that exhibiteth the body of Christ spiritually unto us, rejoicing in such meetings above the joy of all carnal people, before any other things. Fiftly, we should therefore take heed of sinning against our bodies, b●● 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 do thy will. Sixtly, what cursed monsters are swearers, that rear the body of our Lord with their cursed oaths, and rake their nails in his wounds with their blasphemies? On the tree.] The original word signifies sometimes a staff, Mat. 26.47. sometimes a pair of stocks, Acts 16.24. sometimes a tree growing, Rev. 2.11. usually wood, ● Cor. 3.12. here, a Gallows made of wood. Christ bore our sins on the tree, because he did in a special manner suffer bitter extremities on the tree, which he suffered as our Surety, and for our sins: for, Reason's why Christ suffered on a tree. First, to die on a tree was by a special 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 natural comforts: for he lived in pain three hours in the d●rke, and had not the light of the Sun. Thirdly, in that darkness he was put to the most fearful conflict with the Devils, which at that time did with their utmost fury assault him, and sight against him, Col. 3.25. Fourthly, he endured most grievous pains and torments of body, and the effusion of his most precious blood. Fiftly, he was reckoned amongst the wicked in his death, and therefore hanged between two malefactors, Esay 53.9. Sixtly, he was reviled by the base multitude, and mocked and derided by the chief Priests and Scribes, Mat. 27.39. to 45. Seventhly, God his Father poured out upon him the fearful vials of his wrath, in withdrawing 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 sins of the world, and the substance of all the Sacrifices in the Law. Uses. We have therefore cause to rejoice in the cross 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 faithful, Gal. 3.13, 14. and beside, by suffering so shameful a death he hath sanctified all sorts of ways 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 easy or more honourable death. And then we may again see the hatefulness of sin, in that God, punishing our sins in the person of his own Son, doth not omit the very circumstances of abasement; his justice exacting not only death, but that painful 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 sin hath angered God; and withal, how senseless the best of us are, when we hear, read, or think of these sufferings of Christ: they may rather see cause for ever to abhor the doctrine of merit, seeing hereby we proclaim ourselves 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 Christ's 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 die diverse ways. Men may be said to die diverse ways: First, in respect of nature; when the Frame of nature is dissolved by the p●●ting of the soul from the body. Secondly, in respect of God; when God is departed from men with his grace, and righteousness, 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 〈◊〉 m●n o●t of ●inde, Col. ●. 3. Esay 26.19. Fourthly, in respect of sin: and so men either are dead for sin, as malefactors; or dead in sin, as all wicked men; or dead to sin, as the godly here. To take the soul from the body is the death of all men: To take God from the soul is the death of all wicked men: To take sin from the soul is the death of all godly men. To be dead to sin 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, e●●her by Gods own strong hand, or else by themselves kept down for certain hypocritical ends, or else for want of occasion or temptation to stir the sin: thus sin 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 diverse respects; 1. Because all the parts of their life are full of sin: Natural men a●e said to be alive to sin in diverse respects sin infecteth their persons and their works. 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 esteem life but for the hope of liberty and power of sinning. It were a death to them to live restrained of sin, as appears, when either by punishment, or for other ends, they are found to cease sinning. 4. Because they do 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 mortify sin that dwells 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 sin: they spend not an hour, but it is in sin: yea they so sin now, that they desire to spend everlasting life in sin. Use. And so from hence by way of use men may discern whether they live in sin or not: for he that is a servant to his corruptions, and esteemeth them as the happiness of his life, and resists them not, and hath a desire to sin ever, i● (without doubt) alive in sin, and dead to righteousness. And so chose, where these things cannot be found, there the person is not alive to sin. Doct. 2. Hence is implied also, that to live in sin is but miserable living; and therefore those whom God loveth, he changes from that condition, and maketh them die to sin. Now this may be showed out of other Scriptures briefly: for, 1. Sin infects a man, and all he goes about: it stains his very conscience, Great is the misery of such as live in sin. and like the leprosy will pollute his clothes, his flesh, his house, and whatsoever he toucheth almost, Titus 1.15. It maketh all things impure. 2. To harbour sin is to harbour the devil too, who always takes possession of the soul that is given over to sin: so as the heart of the sinner is the Fortress of the Devil, Eph. 2. ●. 2 Tim. 2.26. 2 Cor. 10.5. Eph. 4.26. 3. While a man lives in sin he is in danger to be crossed and 〈…〉 in every thing he doth: he shall have no portion from God, nor inheritance from the Almighty, job 31.2. Good things will be restrained from him, Esay 59.2. and he may find himself cursed in every thing he sets his hand unto, Deut. 28.16, 17, 18, etc. his very blessings may be cursed, Mal. 2.2. his very table may be a snare. For certainly God will be revenged of the sinful man that is alive in sin, Nah. 1.2, 3, 6. 4. His soul is dead within him while he is alive, Eph. 2.2. 1 Tim. 5.6. And how can it be otherwise, when God, which is his life, is departed from him? and with God all spiritual blessings are gone from his soul too. The end of this life is to die miserably, Rom. 8.10. and 6. 2●. Gal. 6. and to perish for ever with the Devil and his Angels, Revel. 21.8. Mat. 25.45. And in a special m●ner it is a miserable living to be lively and jovial (as they call it) in sin: such men are worse than the general sort of sinners. For these wretched men, that are so lively in sin, have a most miserable heart in them, a heart like an Adamant, like a very stone within them, are senseless and brutish like the very beasts that perish, Psal. 49. ult. Besides, in many of these God scourgeth sin with sin, and giveth them up to such a reprobate mind, that their wickedness oftentimes exceeds the wickedness of the wicked, jer. 5. Rom. 1.26, 28. And further, many times strange punishments light upon those workers of iniquity, job 31.3. To which may be added, that oftentimes such wretched creatures conclude in most woeful and hellish terrors; so as they howl for vexation of spirit, while God's servants sing for joy of heart, Esay 65.13, 14. Rev. 6.15, 16. But in general of all that live in sin it is manifestly here implied, that they have no part in Christ: Christ, in respect of them, and as they are in their present condition, died in vain. Use. The consideration whereof should awaken men from that heavy sleep in sin, unto an earnest care to live righteously: it should warn men every where to repent, Eph. 5.14. and the rather, because this very patience of God, in bearing thus long with them, and the mercy offered them in the Gospel, will increase to greater wrath and condemnation, if men will not be warned, Rom. 2.4, 5. 2 Thes. 1.8, 9 Doct. 3. Hence also it is clear, that God's Elect, before their Calling, have lived in sin as well as others, Eph. 2.3. Tit. 3.3. Col. 3.6. Which is fit to be noted for diverse uses. For first, it sets out the rich mercy of God, and his free grace in election; and manifestly shows that we merit not the blessing, Eph. 2.3, 4, etc. And secondly, it should teach the godly diverse duties; as first, not to be proud or highminded, but rather, remembering what they were, to make them the more humble all their days. Secondly, to despair of no man, but rather to show all meekness toward all men, 2 Tim. 2.25. Tit. 3.2, 3. Thirdly, to cleave fast unto Christ, in whose only propitiation they can be saved from their sins, 1 john 2.1, 2. God forbid we should rejoice in any thing more than in Christ, and him crucified, Gal. 6.16. Lastly, we should think it more than enough that we have heretofore lived in sin: we should henceforth resolve to spend that little time that remaineth in a careful obedience unto God's will, ceasing from sin, 1 Pet. 4.1, 2, 3. Thus of the Doctrines implied in the Text. The Doctrines that may be gathered more expressly follow. Doct. 1. None but mortified Christians are true Christians. It is manifest th●t none have part in Christ, but such as are dead to sin; such men only doth Christ acknowledge: for he is a Redeemer to none but such as turn from transgression in jacob, Esay 59.20. All that are in Christ are new creatures: their old things are past, and all things are new, 2 Cor. 5.17. None are Christ's but such as bear the similitude of his death in their dying to sin, Rom. 6. Men lose their Baptism, if they be not baptised into the death of Christ. Such men as place their happiness in worldly things are not the right seed, but such only as are borne by promise, that is, that received life by the promises of grace and a better life, Rom. 9.8. Christ was sent to preach glad tidings to such as mourn in Zion, Esay 61.1, 2, 3. The mourners in Jerusalem were the only men that were marked for God, Ezek. 9 Christ will have no Disciples but such as will deny themselves, Luke 9 and are not fashioned according to this world, Rom. 12.2. And this should teach men to have mortified Christians in greater honour, and to esteem highly of such as will not be corrupted with the excess of the times, and do show by a sound conversation, that they are weaned from the lust after earthly things, and are consesecrated to God and his service. We should honour and acknowledge such above all other men in the world, yea, in the Church. It should also compel upon us a care of a mortified life, and a daily resisting of sin and the Devil, and striving to be made like to Christ. Finally, if the count must be made by mortification, there will then be but a short count upon earth. For look into Christian Churches, and cast out, first, all open profane persons, such as are drunkards, fornicators, swearers, murderers, railers against goodness, such as serve vanity, and show it by strange apparel, and such like men: secondly, all open idolaters, and superstitious persons, and such as hold damnable opinions: thirdly, all civil honest men, such as have only the praise of men for a harmless conversation in the world, but have no taste of religion, or conscience of zeal for God's glory: fourthly, all open worldlings, that mind not heavenly things, and savour nothing but the things of this world: and lastly, all hypocrites, that make a show of mortification, and yet are not mortified: and then suppose how small a number will be left in every place, to be reckoned in this lift of true Christians. Doct. 2. Mortification is the very first step of grace, and the entrance into all power of godliness. Till our sins be sound crucified and dead, no work of Religion that is acceptable to God can be done: and therefore john Baptist, and Christ, and the Apostles call for repentance, as the first thing that opens a way into the kingdom of heaven, because else sin unrepented, like a prison, will infect all we do, Esay 1.13. to 16. Besides, the heart of man being naturally like a stone or iron, till it be softened no impression of grace can be fastened upon it: and if the ground of our hearts be not well ploughed up, the seed of the Word cannot but be lost, jer. 4.4. The seed cast upon the high way will be picked up by the fowls of the air, and not grow: or if any seed or plant of grace did grow for a while in the heart, yet the weeds of sin would overgrow and choke all, as is evident in seed sown i● thorny ground, or plants set in ground that is not digged and weeded. And f●●ther, while the person is evil, the work will be vile and abominable. An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit. And therefore this shows, that such Christians as leap into the profession of Religion so easily, and think it is no more but to give-ov●r ill courses, and fall to the practice of good duties, are deceived: for if by ●ound mortification their sins past be not bewailed, and they sound humbled, either their sins will after a while grow and revive again, or else the conscience of these sins will secretly throughout their lives torment them; or else the Devil on a sudden may seize upon them with despair, having so manifest a reason against them, that they did never practise mortification for their sins. Besides, lamentable experience shows, in those places where Christians are not sound form at first in the exercise of mortification, they lead their lives in a dull course of profession, and have not the experience of the life and power of Religion in themselves for the joys of it, or towards others in the practice of it. The mourners in Zion, and such as are brokenhearted, are the most glorious and the most fruitful Christians, Is. 61.1, 2, 3, 4. and continue in the greatest power of Religion. And further, it may be noted in the best of those, that their separation from the love of the world is most really performed, as hath appeared, when in any special works of men, or for the help of the Church of God, they are called upon to show their zeal by their bounty: in such cases one poor Macedonian would shame a hundred of those rich Corinthians. 2 Cor. 8. Doct. 3. True repentance for sin doth in diverse respects kill a man, it strikes him dead: to repent is to be a dead man, not only in respect of the world, which casts off a man that will not run in the excesses of the time, as a dead man indeed, Col. 3.3. but in respect of themselves. For first, by the assize a man must keep upon himself he will be found dead by sentence, when he judgeth himself before the Lord: he stands as a man condemned in the flesh, he sentenceth himself to eternal death for his deserts, by confessing what he meriteth, 1 Pet. 4.6. Now a condemned man is reckoned for a dead man in Law. Secondly, repentance destroys the senses, and affections, and conceits, and reason, that were wont to be alive in men; it dissolves the very frame of the old conversation. The word rendered dead, signifies to undo what was done about the life of man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to unmake him, as I may say, so as all the old things pass away, and all becomes new, 2 Cor. 5.17. Rom. 6.6. 1 john 3.8. In the new Convert there is not left the savour, sent, lust, or affections after sin, and the sinful profits and pleasures of the world: he doth not find that inflammation or enticement he was wont to feel from evil example, or the glory of the world, or evil company, or the things before he most esteemed and delighted in. Thus he is dead to himself, because he denies himself; and could be well contented to forget that ever he had been such as he was before. Thirdly, in some of God's children their repentance is performed with such grief and sorrow, as brings their life almost to the buriers, as is noted, job 33.19, 20, 21. Fourthly, they may be said to be dead in repenting, because repentance is never fully finished till their natural death; sin sticks so fast, as they have daily cause of mortification in some degree, and it will never be gotten wholly out, till they be indeed dead men, though in the mean time God accepts of their first repentance, as if it were perfect. This Doctrine serves effectually to discover the estate of multitudes of Christians not to be right: as they That do nothing at all about their sins. That excuse their sins, and hide them, and favour them, and cast the fault upon others, Pro. 28.13. Gen. 3. job 20.11, 12, 13. That bless themselves in their hearts, when their iniquity is found worthy to be hated, Psal. 36.2. That haunt with such persons as may make them sin more. That say, It is no profit to walk humbly before the Lord, Mal. 3.14. and rather bless the proud. That hate and revile such as are mortified. That are dead rather in faith and good works, and find a deadly savour in the Word. That have sense and savour only in the things of the flesh. Secondly, this should teach all that mind their own salvation to look carefully to the truth of their mortification, and not to think it is such a sleight and easy work; but to consider, that in repenting for sin they must never cease, till they be like Christ dying for sin; and that is in the sense before given. So our bearing of the similitude of Christ's death in our repentance, notes diverse particular things in our repentance; as, 1. That our sorrows be voluntary, not enforced; he gave his life, Divers things in Christ's death that ought to be in our repentance. it was not taken from him: we must not tarry till the Devil fire us with the terrors of despair. 2. That we be pained at the very heart for our sins; so was Christ: it must be a hearty grief. 3. That we show forth the fruits of our repentance: so he suffered openly. 4. That he suffered by degrees, and ceased not till he died: so must we by degrees resist sin, and never cease until it be quite abolished. Hence also we may know whether we have truly repent. It is a sign of true mortification, when 1. A man hath seriously condemned himself before God for his sin. 2. When he feels the wont violence of affections after sin, Signs of true mortification. and the world to be deadened, and his heart grown dull and out of taste in matters of sin and the world. He is crucified that hath his lusts and affections crucified, Gal. 5.24. 3. That he is weary of life is self, by reason of the remainders of sin in his flesh, Rom. 7. 4. That hath felt as sensible sorrows for his sins, as he was wont to do for his crosses: sorrows, I say, that are voluntary, and for sin as it is sin. Do●t. 4. The Passion of Christ is the best medicine to kill sin in us: he died that we might die to sin. There is a virtue in the death of Christ to kill sin, Rom. 6. Now the death of Christ may be said to kill sin, First, in respect of the guilt of sin: Christ in his death paid all that was needful for satisfaction, and ●o destroyed the imputation of it, and stilled the clamour of it. It cannot cry against us in heaven, because God is fully satisfied, and the bond discharged and canceled: the plea of our sins died in the Passion of Christ. Secondly, in respect of the hatefulness of it, or the demonstration of the hatefulness of it. The Passion of Christ gives all men occasion to see how unworthy sin is to live, that made him die, when it was only imputed to him, and not done by him. Thirdly, in respect of the power of it in us actually. There is a secret virtue in the wounds of Christ to wound sin, and in the death of Christ to kill sin: and therefore the Scripture speaks not only of the merit, but of the virtue of his death, Rom. 6. Phil. 3. which virtue is secretly derived unto the penitent sinner, by the ordinances of Christ, his Word, Prayer, and Sacraments. Uses. The Use should be for trial: men may know whether as yet they have any part in the death of Christ, by enquiring whether they be dead in their sins. First, they have no interest in the merit of his death, that have not experience of the virtue of his death in killing their corruptions. Secondly, for instruction. When godly men find any corruption begin to be too strong for them, they must fly to Christ for this medicine; and then there is no sin so strong in them, but by constant prayer to Christ for the virtue of his death will be subdued, if they pray in faith. Prayer gets the medicine, and faith applies it to the disease. Doct. 5. True mortification doth not encounter one sin only, but sins in the plural number, and indefinitely. It notes, that in true repentance there is a respect had to amendment of all sins. To amend only one or two faults is not true repentance: for he that is truly dead, is dead to sins: there is no sin but the true Convert desires and endeavours to be rid of it, so far as he knows it to be a sin. Her●d did mend in some things, but yet was not sound, because in one sin he minded no repentance. And this point doth give an infallible rule of trial of men's estates in Christ: for no wicked man on earth doth so much as in true desire forsake all sin. There be some corruptions he knows that he would upon no conditions part with. To desire and endeavour to be rid of all sins is an infallible mark of a child of God. Doct. 6. Mortification makes a man dead only to sins: it doth not make him of a dead and lumpish disposition in doing good duties, Heb. 9.14. nor doth it require that it should destroy his nature or natural temper, or the parts of his body, but his sin only: nor doth it kill his contentment in the creatures of God, and the use of lawful things; nor doth it destroy his liberty in lawful delights and recreations, it kills his sin only. Might live unto righteousness.] These words contain the second effect of Christ's death and passion, viz. the raising of us unto a righteous life: his death makes us live, and live righteously. Divers Doctrines may be hence observed. The happiness of such as live spiritually. Doct. 1. First, that men truly mortified shall live happily. These dead men will live: there is no danger in great sorrow, and the other works of mortification. It kills sin, but the soul lives by that means. He is sure to live that is dead to his sins, Rom. 8.13. Esay 26.19. 1 Pet. 4.6. Ezek. 18. Host 14.2. The reasons are, first, because God hath promised comfort to such as mourn for sin, Mat. 5.4. Pro. 14.10. Secondly, Christ hath a special charge given him to look to those mourners, that they miscarry not, Esay 61.1, 2, 3. Thirdly, they are freed from eternal death, they cannot be condemned, 1 Cor. 11.31, 32. job 33.27, 28. Fourthly, because the fruit of the lips is peace to these, they are ever after interessed in the comforts of the Word, Esay 57 15, 18. Fiftly, the nature of godly sorrow is only to tend to repentance: it is worldly sorrow that tends to death, 2 Cor. 7.10. Sixtly, they that are conformed to the similitude of Christ's death by mortification, shall be conformed to Christ's life by the resurrection from the dead, Rom. 6.5, 8, 11. Uses. The Use may be, first, for confutation of such as think that mortification is a way full of danger, and makes many men come to great extremities; whereas they may here see there is no danger in it. Hellish terrors, and despair, and some kind of diseases may make strange effects in some men; but never was any hurt by godly sorrow for sin, if we will believe the Scriptures: and therefore it should encourage men to fall to work sound about searching their ways, and confessing their sins, and judging themselves in secret for their sins, james 4.7. 2 Cor. 7.10, 11. But here men must look to some few rules: First, that they see the warrant of the course in the Word, and know the places that require these duties: that they lay up such promises made to the duties of mortification, as may uphold their hearts in the practice of them. Thirdly, that they refuse not consolation; but when they have found true humiliation for their sins, and comfort from God in his ordinances, that they turn their sorrow into joy, and their prayers into thanksgiving, and spend their days always rejoicing in the Lord. Doct. 2. It is not enough to die to sin, unless we also live to righteousness: it is not enough to forsake our sins, but we must spend our days in good works: we are so charged to cease to do evil, as withal we are charged to learn to do well, Esay 1.16. we must bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life, as well as confess our sins, Matth. 3.8. A man will cut down his figtree for want of good fruit, though it bear no ill fruit, Luke 13.6. It will not please any husbandman that his land bear no thorns, not briers, not weeds, if it bear him not good grain. It is not enough for a servant, that he do his Master no hurt, but he must ●ee to it, that he do his Master's work. For first, obedience and good fruits are required at our hands in the Law of God, besides the prohibition of sin. Secondly, Christ died to this end, that we might live righteously, as well as die to sin. Thirdly, because all the gifts of the Spirit, bestowed on us in our regeneration, are given to profit withal, not to lay them up in a napkin, 1 Cor. 12. Fourthly, because we shall be judged at the last day according to our works, Rom. 2.6. Use. And therefore this shows the dangerous folly of such carnal people, as think, if they come to Church, and live civilly, and do nobody no wrong, they are out of all question in a right course. And beside, it should awake careless and sluggish Christians, to look to their gifts, and remember what accounts they will give to God for their unprofitableness and unfruitfulness, 2 Pet. 1.8. Doct. 3. It is from hence evident, that the only living, is to live righteously: He is worthy to be said to live, that lives to righteousness: a religious life is the best life: And these are the reasons, First, because it is the most honourable life: For to live to righteousness, makes a man highly in the favour of God, A religious ●s● is the best li●e, for 6. reasons. Psa. 11.7. Prov. 15.9. and it shows that a man is borne of God, 1 joh. 2.29. and beside, it helps a man to the best, and most blessed memorial, Prov. 10.7. and the fruits of righteousness are the best means of glorifying God, Phil. 1.11. And therefore Solomon said well, that the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour, Pro. 12.26. And David saith. They are the only excellent Ones, Ps. 16. whereas every wicked man is loathsome; and a sinful life is a shameful life, Prov. 1●. 5. etc. 14.34. Secondly, because it is the most profitable life, and the most gainful: for blessings are upon the head of the righteous, Pro. 10.6. The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that ●oweth righteousness shall be a sure reward; Pro. 11.18. And righteousness is both the best riches, and the most durable, Pro. 8.18, 19, 20. And it hath the promise of this life, as well as the life to come, 1 Tim. 6. job 8 6. And the profit of righteousness will help a man when he is to die; when the treasures of the wicked will profit nothing, Pro. 10.2. Yea, a good man lacketh not an inheritance for his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is many times laid up for the juit. Thy rely, because it is the safest and quietest life: He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely, Prov. 10.19. and the fruit of righteousness is peace, jam. 3.18. For God's promise is, that no evil shall happen to the just; whereas the wicked shall be filled with mischief, Pro. 12.21. And God's blessing makes them rich, and he mingles no sorrow with it, Pro. 10.21. and 15.6. And righteousness is reckoned as an impenetrable armour, 2 Cor. ●. 7. And God doth mark every one that doth righteousness, and solaceth his heart, Esay 64.5. And the very doing of good, is sweetness to the ●ou●e, Pro. 13.19. And whereas there is no peace to the wicked, the righteous is at peace with God, with Angels, with the creatures, and with all godly men. Fourthly, because it is the most durable life: for the fear of the Lord prolongeth the days; but the years of the wicked shall be shortened, Pro. 10. 27.30. The way of righteousness is life, and in the pathway thereof is no death, Pro. 12.28. As a whirlwind, so is the wicked seen no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation, Prov. 10.25. Fiftly, because it is a life that ends the best of all men's lives: for the wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death, and great hope too, having the promises of a better life, and so much glory, as the eye of mortal man never saw, nor ear of man heard, nor came into the heart of a natural man, Pro. 14.32. 1 Tim. 6. 1 Cor. 2.9. Sixtly, because righteousness is more proper to the soul. What is riches, or honour, or any outward thing to the soul of man? or what shall it profit a man to provide the whole world to be his estate, if he provide not grace for his soul? Riches profit but the outward estates of a man: whereas righteousness profits the man himself. And therefore Adam's loss was greater in losing his innocency, than in losing of Paradise. What can it profit a man to have all other things good about him, if he be not good himself? Use. The Use should be, first, for trial. Men should throughly search themselves whether they be indeed righteous men; and the more carefully should they search, because the most righteous on earth have their many ignorances and frailties. There is no man but sinneth daily, and in many things. And beside, a man may attain to some kind of righteousness, and yet not enter into the Kingdom of heaven; as there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not cleansed from their sins. And the Pharisees had a righteousness that had many praises; they gave alms, and fasted, and prayed long prayers, and did that which was warrantable, in respect of the Law outwardly; and yet if our righteousness exceed not the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, we cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven. Quest. But how may a man know all his infirmities, notwithstanding he be truly righteous, and have such a righteousness as doth exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees? Ans. For answer hereunto I will cast the signs of a righteous man into two ranks. First, such as describe him in himself; secondly, such as describe him in the difference from Pharisaical righteousness. Signs that describe a righteous m●n in himselve. The signs that describe him in himself, either appear upon him in his infancy, or in his ripe age. In the very infancy of the just man, even when God first changeth his heart, and cleanseth him, and raiseth him up to live righteously, there be diverse things by which he may discern the truth of his sanctification; as, First, by the dissolving of the stoniness of his heart. When God comes effectually to cleanse a man, he takes away the stony heart out of the body, and gives him a heart of flesh: he may feel his heart melt within him, especially when he stands before the Lord, when the Lord is fashioning of him for himself by his Ordinances, Ezek. 36.25, 26. He hath a new heart that hath not a stony heart. Secondly, by the rising of the daystar in his heart. The Father of lights, when he reneweth the heart of a man, causeth a sudden and heavenly light, as it were a star, to shine in the understanding; by virtue of which men see more into the mysteries of Religion in that first moment, than they did all the days of their life before. This is that new spirit the Prophet speaks of; He that sat in darkness before, now sees a great light: he sees and wonders at divine things in Religion, whereas before he was a ●ot, and understood nothing with any power or life; and by the comforts of this light he can hear as the learned, understands doctrine in a moment, which before was altogether harsh and dark unto him, 2 Pet. 1.19. Ezek. 36.28. Psal. 119.130. Mat. 4.16. Esay 50 4. Thirdly, by his vehement desire to righteousness, or after righteousness, Mat. 5.5. Which he shows many ways; as, by the loathing of himself for his want of righteousness, and for all his ways that were not good, Ezek. 36.35. and by his estimation of righteousness above riches and all worldly things, Psal. 3.8, 9 and by his affectionate enquiry after directions for righteousness; Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved? Act. 2.37. and by his longing after the Word of truth, by which he may learn righteousness. Fourthly, by his estimation of righteousness in others: he honours them that fear the Lord, as the only Noble Ones: all his delight is in them, and he loves them, and longs after them for righteousness sake. Fiftly, by the covenant he makes in his heart about righteousness: he not only consents to obey, Esay 1.19. but hires himself as a servant to righteousness; resolving to live to righteousness, and spend not an hour in a day, but a life in the service of righteousness, Rom. 6.13, 18. And as the righteous man grows more strong, and better acquainted with God and his Ordinances, and the works of righteousness, other signs break-out upon him, which do infallibly prove the happiness of his condition; such as are, First, Six other signs of righteousness, as it groweth. vexation in his soul at the wickedness and unrighteousness of others, 2 Pet. 2.8. Secondly, rejoicing with joy unspeakable and glorious, when he feels the comforts of God's presence, and begins to see some evidence of God's love to him in Christ, 1 Pet. 1.9. Thirdly, the personal and passionate love of the Lord Jesus Christ, the fountain of righteousness, though he never saw him in the flesh, esteeming him above all persons and things, 1 Pet. 1.9. Phil. 3.8, 9 longing after his coming, with great ●rivings of affections, 2 Cor. 5. 2 Tim. 4.8, etc. Fourthly, flourishing like a Palmtree, when he is planted in the house of the Lord, and enjoys powerful means in the house of his God, growing like the Willows by the watercourses, Psal. 92.12, 13. and 1.3. Fiftly, resolution to suffer any thing for righteousness sake, Mat. 5.12. so as he will forsake father or mother, house or lands, yea life itself, rather than forsake the truth, and the good way of God, Mat. 16.23. Mark 10.29. Sixtly, he lives by faith: The just lives by faith. In all estates of life he casts his cares and himself upon God, trusting on the merits of Jesus Christ; and is in nothing careful, but patiently waits upon God, Gal. 2.2. Heb. 10.38. Gal. 3.11. And thus he is described in himself. Now his righteousness is distinguished from the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, by diverse signs and marks; as, First, How the righteousness of a godly m●n disfers from that of the Scribes and Pharisees. in the ends of it. His righteousness is not intended for the praises of men: for his praise is of God, Rom. 2.26. He doth not his work, to be seen of men, Mat. 6.1, etc. He had rather be righteous, than seem so. Secondly, in the parts of it. The Pharisees righteousness is outward: his is inward also. The very thoughts of the righteous are right, Pro. 12.5. He strives to get a clean heart, as well as clean hands; and is as well grieved for evil thoughts, and lusts, and desires within, as for evil words or works: whereas the Pharisee is but like a painted sepulchre, all full of rottenness and filth within: his soul desires evil, when he dares not practise it in his life, Pro. 21.10. Again, the Pharisee makes conscience of great commandments, but not of the least. He refrains whoredom, murder, perjury, swearing by God, sacrilege, etc. but makes no conscience of filthy speaking, anger, swearing by that which is not God, or by lesser oaths, deceit, covetousness, or the like: whereas a righteous man indeed makes conscience even of the least commandments, Mat 5.19.20. Again, a Pharisee may be good abroad, but is not usually so at home: but he that is truly righteous, is so at home, as well as abroad: he becomes a good husband, master, father, friend, etc. as well as a ●●od man. Finally, the righteous man hath respect to all God's Commandments; whereas the Pharisee, in some one or other of the commandments, lives in the breach of it wilfully, and without out desire of reformation; some in covetousness and extortion; some in lust and filthiness. Thirdly, in the degrees or measure of righteousness. The Pharisee is careful of some few works, of which he seeks glory: but the righteousness of the just man, is as the waves of the sea: he is industrious to increase in all well-doing, and to be filled with the fruits of righteousness every day, Esay 48.18. Fourthly, in the continuance of righteousness. The just man doth righteousness at all times, Psal. 106.2. Luke 1.75. his desire is for ever to be employed in good works: whereas the Pharisees righteousness is but by fits, and as the morning dew; and if trouble come for righteousness, he falls away, and forsakes his righteousness, etc. And thus of the Use for trial. Use 2. Secondly, the excellent living of such as live righteously, may greatly reprove such as cannot be stirred with these things to a conscionable care of forsaking their sins, and of living righteously. Quest. What should be the cause that such men as hear so much of the excellent estate of righteous men, are not persuaded to convert, and embrace that kind of life? Answ. The cause is diverse in diverse men: as, Why so many do not embrace a righteous life. First, in some it is long of certain corruptions, that discover themselves about the hearing of the doctrine of righteousness. For either men's hearts are like a beaten path in the highway, that the sound of doctrine cannot enter into their understanding, Mat. 13. Or else they understand not with application to themselves, but think only how the doctrine may fit others, Luke 13.1, 2. Or else they meet with some hard condition that they are not willing to observe, as the rich young Pharisee did; or some other harsh doctrine, as they account it, which doth so vex and offend them, that they fall clean off from the respect of Christ and holiness; as, job. 6.59.66. Or else they have some vile opinions, that let them in the time of hearing; as to think, that one is not bound to do as the rules of Scripture do require; or that, if one be not a gross offender, God will not impute less faults; contrary to our Saviour's doctrine, Mat. 5.18, 19, 20. Or else their hearts break, that is, they let the doctrine run out, and never think of it when they are gotten out of the Church, Heb. 2.1. Or else they have resisted the light of the truth so long, that God hath now delivered them over to a spirit of slumber, lest they should convert, and he should heal them, Mat. 13.15, 16. Isa. 6.10. Secondly, in some the world is the cause of it. For either they are entangled with the examples of the multitude, especially of the wise Ones and great Ones of the world, 1 Cor. 1.26, 27, 28. Or else they are affrighted with the evil reports with which the good way of God is disgraced in the world, Act. 28.22. Or else they are ensnared with respect of their carnal friends; they are loath to displease father, or mother, or sisters, or brothers, or any they have great hopes from, or dependence upon, Mat. 10.35, 37. 1 Pet. 4.2. Or else they have so much business to do, and so many cares about their worldly affairs, they cannot be at leisure ●o long as to thi●ke, they cannot bring their lives into order, Mat. 13.22. Luke 17. Or else they live at hearts-ease, and prosper in their estate, and so desire not to alter their course of life: and so their prosperity destroys them, Pr●. 1.32. Thirdly, in some men the cause is, the lust after some particular wickedness of life, in which they live either secretly, or openly, which sin is the very Idol of their hearts, and hinders a good resolution. Fourthly, in some the cause is conceitedness; they are pure in their own cich, and yet are not cleansed: they rest in the outward profession of religion, and the fear of godliness, and regard not the sound power of it in their lives. Lastly, in all unregenerate men there are three causes, why they are not persuaded to a religious life: First, the one is the forgetfulness of their death: therefore their filthiness is still in their skirts, because they remember not their latter end, Lam. 1.9. Secondly, the other is, that they are dead in sin: What should hinder the conversion of multitudes at once, but that we preach to congregations of dead men? Thirdly, the devil works effectually in all the children of disobedience, striving to hide the Gospel from them, and the glory of a righteous life, that so they might perish, 1 Cor. 4.4. And thus of the second Use. Use 3. Thirdly, such as consent to obey, and feel themselves raised from death to life, and are now desirous to spend their days in a religious and righteous course of life, must observe all such rules as may further them and establish them in an orderly and fruitful conversation. He that would live in righteousness, must think on these directions following, as the very gates of righteousness. First, he must give over all needless conversation with vain persons, Helps unto righteousness. and profane men: he must shun their company, as he would such as have the plague running upon them: he must not come near them, as is urged, Pro. 14.15. For what fellowship can be between righteousness and unrighteousness? 2 Cor. 6.14. Depart from me, ye evil doers, saith David: for I will keep the commandments of my God, Psal. 119.115. Secondly, he must redeem time: he must buy time from his worldly occasions, and settle such an order in his worldly estate, or outward estate, that he may provide to serve the Lord without distraction, abstaining from all things that may entangle him, or interrupt him, Eph. 5.16. 1 Cor. 7.29, 35. and 9.28. 2 Tim. 2.4. He must provide to him time for God's service, and for commerce and fellowship with the godly, and for works of mercy. Thirdly, he must be wise for himself: that is, he must in all the means he useth for or in religion, especially apply what he can for his own use; and study himself, and to understand his own way, and provide whatsoever he do, for his justification, and sanctification, and final salvation, Pr●. 9 12. and 14.8. And to this end he must meddle with his own business, and take heed of being a busybody in other men's matters, so much as in his thoughts, 1 Thes. 4.11, 12. And he must also avoid vain janglings, and doubtful disputations in religion, and quarrels that tend not to his edification, but to show wit or science, Tit. 3.9.1 Tim. 6.20.2 Tim. 2.23. And he must keep his eye strait upon the mark, to proceed directly and distinctly in building himself up in knowledge and grace, not losing his time, or going about; but keeping a strait path to supply what he wants, and grow in what he hath, Pro 4.25. jer. 31.32. He must take heed of uncertain running, but be sure to take accounts of himself for all his courses, to see that he go very strait towards the mark: and finally, he must not respect company, to go the pace of other men, but run as if he alone were to obtain, striving to excel, 1 Cor. 9.24. and 14▪ 12. Fourthly he must esteem the Word above all treasures, Psal. 119.72. Mat. 1●. and take hold of the instruction thereof, as that must be the very life of his life, Pro. 4. 1●. (For by the Word doth God sanctify us, and make us righteous, joh. 17.) And he must order his whole course of life so, as that he may see the means of all his actions from the Word: he must live by the rules of Scripture, that will live righteously, Gal. 6.16. Now that he may do thus, he must look to diverse things: First, that he place no confidence in the flesh, neither trusting upon his own wit, nor carnal reason, nor gifts, nor yet yielding himself to be a servant to any man's humour, Phil. 3.3. 1 ●or. 7.23. or opinions, or example, or commandment. Secondly, he must provide to live so, as he suffer not a famine of the powerful preaching of the Word: he must labour for the meat that perisheth not, joh. 6.27. and so exercise himself in the Word morning and evening, that the Word may dwell plenteously in him, Psal. 1.2. Col. 3.16. Thirdly, he must take heed of adding any more sins, or duties, than are discovered in the Word, and of detracting from any thing that is forbidden, or required there, Psal. 30.6. detesting conceitedness and singularity, having his conversation in all meekness of wisdom, jam. 3.13. Fiftly, he must daily lift up his heart to God, to seek a way of him, whose glory it is to teach to profit, and who giveth his Spirit to lead men in the paths of righteousness, Psal. 23. Esay 48.17. Sixtly, he must remember the Sabbath day, to sanctify it: For this will be both the means and the signs of his sanctification and true righteousness: It is the market day for the soul, Esay 58.13, 14. Exod. 31.13, etc. Seventhly, he must haste to the coming of Christ, he must dispatch his work as fast as he can: and to this end he must cast about to find out ways of well-doing, and when he hath any projects or opportunities of well-doing, he must not delay, but with heart and readiness finish his work. This is to seek righteousness, and to haste to it, Esay 16.5. Amos 5.14. Thus he must observe to do, as the phrase was, Deut. 5.22. Eighthly, it will be a great help unto him if he get into the way of good men, and walk with the wise, sorting himself with discreet and sincere Christians, Pro. 2.20. Ninthly, he must keep his heart with all diligence: for thereout cometh life: He must carefully resist the beginnings of sin within, and avoid those secret and spiritual dalliances of the soul with inward corruptions and temptations, and withal take heed of secret hypocrisy, in suffering his heart to be absent when God is to be served, Pro. 4.23. For thereby he may lose what he worketh, if his spirit be not without that guile. Tenthly, all that know the happiness of a righteous life, should strive to amend those defects which are found even in the better sort of people, that so their life at length may answer to the end of Christ's death: and therefore we should examine ourselves throughly. Defects of a righteous life of two sorts. The defects and failings found in the lives of righteous men, may be referred to two heads. First, for either they fail in the parts of righteousness. Secondly, or in the manner of well-doing. First in t●e parts of it. In the parts of righteousness there are great failings, whether we respect the first or second table. I will briefly touch the principal defects, which are observed and complained of in Christians in both tables. And 〈◊〉 in respect of the f●rst table: In the first table, men fail either in the knowledge of God, or in the affections to God, or in the service to God. First, for knowledge: how little do many men know of God's praises and glory, that might be known? and how far are many from a right con●eit of God, when they come to think of him, or to worship him? Secondly, in the most there is a great want in the exercise both of the fear of God, and trust in God: men have not such awful thoughts of God as they should have, nor do they tremble so as they should at his judgements that are in the world, Psal. 4.4. Heb. 2. ult. Dan. 6.26. And for the trust in God: men are specially faulty, that they do not commit their ways daily to God for assistance and success in all estates, Psal. 27.3, 5. Pro. 2● 3. Psal. 55.22. resting upon him alone, as they ought to do. Thirdly, joying and delighting ourselves in God is hardly found in any: and yet no wife should take such continual delight in her husband, to solace herself with him, as a Christian ought to do with God, Psal. 37.4. and 68.3, 4. Phil. 4.4. Fourthly, in the service of God there are diverse defects; as, 1. Some neglect the private reading of the Scriptures, who ought to exercise themselves therein day and night, Psal. 1.2. 2. In prayer: some have not the gift of prayer, nor seek it: and prayer for others is extremely neglected, contrary to God's express commandment, that enjoins us to pray one for another, in many Scriptures. 3. Praising of God in our discourses, as becometh his great glory in his works, where is this found, and yet required at our hands, and at the hands of all people, and that which we should do with a whole heart, and while we live? Psal. 96.6, 7, 8. and 63.4. and 9.1. and 67.2. 4. Where is that walking with God required in Scripture? Who doth always set the Lord before him? Psal. 16.8. Where are those soliloquies between the soul and God? Are not many content to go weekly and monthly without speaking to God? And thus of the defects concerning the first table. In the second table diverse things may be noted, Or else in respect of the second table. as were defective in the parts of righteousness; as, First, there is a general defect of mercy: men do exceedingly fail in that liberality to the distressed and poor servants. The bowels of mercy are everywhere shut up, either altogether, or in the neglect of many degrees and duties of mercy. Secondly, in many Christians there is a fearful want of meekness, they being guilty of daily sins, of passions, and worldly vexations, and that many times with a kind of wilfulness, against knowledge and conscience. Thirdly, the car●● of life and worldliness do strive, and blemish the conversation of many, and discover a strange defect of that contempt of the world should be in them. Fourthly, domestical disorders do even cry to heaven against many husbands for want of love, and of most wives for want of obedience, and of servants for want of diligence and faithfulness in their places. And thus men fail in the parts of righteousness. In the manner of well-doing many things are wanting, 2. Defects in the manner of doing righteously: and so, first, both in the general well-doing of good duties: secondly, and in special affection to God; thirdly, and in the manner of God's service. In general, First, zeal of good works is exceeding defective in the most, Tit. 3.14. Men show not that willingness and fervency of affection should be showed in all parts of righteousness: men do not lift up their hearts in God's ways: 1. In general, 5. ways. Gods commandments are usually grievous and tedious. Secondly, there ought to be a holy fear in the practice of their good duties, 1 Pet. 3.2. which is usually wanting: men do so much trust upon themselves, and do duties with such boldness and neglect of their ways, whereas they should fear always, Pro. 28.14. Oh that meekness of wisdom (required james 3.9.) where is it to be found? Thirdly, men are not circumspect to make conscience even of the least duties as they ought, and to observe to do them, even to watch for the opportunity of well-doing, and to look to the means of the performance of every duty, and to abstain from the very appearance of evil, and to be discreet in looking to the circumstances of time, place, persons, etc. Eph. 5.15. Deut. 5.32. Fourthly, there is great want of moderation in Christians: for either they are just overmuch, in conceiving too highly of themselves for what they do, or else they are wicked overmuch in thinking too vilely of their works, Eccles. 7. Fiftly, men are strangely negligent in the growth of grace and knowledge: men stand still and do not prosper, and strive to increase in every good gift, as they ought, 2 Pet. 3.18. Many graces are not strengthened, and many works are not finished. Secondly, in men's affections to God how are men defective? Where is he that loves the Lord with all his heart, and all his might, and all his soul? Deut. 30.6. and 6.3. Thirdly, in God's worship, these things are in many wanting. Many defects in God's worship. 1. Reverence, and that holy fear which should be showed when we appear before the Lord, Heb. 12.28. 2. Men usually forget to do all worship in the Name of Christ, Colos. 3.17. 3. The care of praising of God, that is, of looking to God's acceptation in all service, is much forgotten, Heb. 12.28. 4. The desire of unity and consent in judgement among ourselves when we worship God, is miserably neglected and rejected by diverse wilful Christians, Zeph. 3.9. Phil. 2.2, 3. 5. Men miserably neglect thankfulness to God for the good they receive daily from his mercies, Col. 3.17. 6. Many fail publicly and shamefully in want of care to come time enough to God's service, Zech. 8.21. Esay 60.8. In these things Christians should be admonished to mind their ways and their works, and to strive to walk as becometh the Gospel, and the death of Christ, that they may hold fast the light of the truth, and show out better the glory of a Christian life. And thus of living to righteousness. Now follows the third form 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, expressed in other words. These words than are borrowed from the Prophet Esay, ch. 53.5. who doth chiefly understand the spiritual healing of our souls, of our sins, as the coherence shows 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 soul and body. And first, as this healing is referred to the soul diverse Doctrines may be observed. Doct. 1. The souls of all men are diseased by nature; even the very souls of the Elect are so, till they be healed by Christ. The soul is diseased diverse ways, especially by sorrows and sins: it is the disease by sin is here meant. Quest. It would be inquired how the soul comes to be sick of these diseases, and why sin is called sickness in the soul? Ans. This spiritual sickness comes into the soul by propagation. Adam hath infected all his posterity; How the 〈◊〉 com●. 5 to be diseased. and every man hath increased the diseases of his nature by his own wilful transgressions. Now sin is called sickness, because it doth work that upon the soul which sickness doth upon the body: for sin hath weakened the strength of the soul in all the faculties of it, which all men may discern and observe in themselves by nature. Besides, it causeth spottednesse and deformity in the soul, as sickness doth in the body: and therefore sin was likened to the leprosy in the Law. Further, it often causeth pain and torment in the soul, as wounds and diseases do in the body: for there is no peace to the wicked, especially when God fighteth against them with his terrors. Besides, it will cause the death of the soul, as sickness 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 show the fearful negligence of worlds of people, that are exceeding careful to help their bodies to health, but never think of the poor soul that lieth lamentably full of diseases. And withal it shows, 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 evil in men; natures, as there is difference of sicknesses in men's 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 souls of men by nature are very grievous; which is here also implied, in that God was fain to send his own Son to help and heal us. Now that the diseases of men's souls are so grievous, may appear many ways; First, because such a multitude of men are infected, The diseases of the soul are grievous many ways. not some one person in the whole world: in the body of mankind, not on some part, but from the crown of the head to the sole 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 fear the pestilence, because it makes so many sick. Secondly, because the soul of man by nature is sick of a multitude of diseases at once; for even sin is a sickness: and so our sicknesses are innumerable, because our sins are so. And hence it is that in Scripture so many metaphors are used to express the sickness of the soul, as, leprosy, wounds, plagues, poison, gall, etc. Thirdly, because the disease lieth in the soul itself. Of diseases those are most mortal that get into the spirits, and do most enfeeble man: how much more when it is in the soul? Fourthly, because, in respect of ourselves, our sins or our diseases are incurable: we can give ourselves no remedy that can help us, jer. 30. Fiftly, because in the College of spiritual Physicians there is scarce one of a thousand that can help the poor soul out of these diseases, job 33. Sixtly, because there be but certain seasons only in which men can be healed, as it was with the lame man at the pool of Bethesda; and if men miss these seasons, they are in danger to dye of these sicknesses. There be seasons of grace, and days 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 think of help for their souls, being thus diseased; as they would do for their bodies, if they were desperately sick. Ob. We feel no such diseases in our souls. Sol. First, wicked men have a kind of spiritual lethargy upon them, Why many feel not the diseases of their souls. and so are in grievous danger: but by reason of their spiritual sleepiness they feel it not. Secondly, though they feel not their diseases now, they shall do hereafter: and then think what a pain 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 judas: and then a wounded spirit will ache so, who can bear it? Thirdly, the matter is not altogether so easy with wicked men as they pretend▪ f●r they do feel so much as may show they are very sick. Sometimes they feel their consciences galling and paining them at the very heart for the time: and what are the passions and perturbations of their souls but as so many fits offa Fever? And that they are grievously sick may appear by the want of their spiritual senses: they can hardly see or hear any thing. Besides, they may know they are sick by the potions of afflictions which God gives them, who doth nothing in vain. Doct. 3. That in Christ the diseases of our souls may be healed, Esay 53.5. Mal. 4.2. Luke 4.18. He is a sure Physician for our souls. God hath undertaken it that he will cure and heal us: he challengeth it as a glory to himself, which he executes by Christ, job 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 he can heal all diseases, Wherein Christ's healing excels for our com●ort. and hath done it: and therefore it is here set down indefinitely, to import, that by his stripes we may be healed of any sickness: no sin but Christ can cure us of it, Psal. 103.3. Mat. 4. 23. Psal 30.33. Secondly, because he doth it freely; he takes nothing for his cure, Host 14.4. Thirdly, because he hath offered, and doth daily offer to cure us, jer. 3.22. Fourthly, because he doth all his cures with wonderful compassion and love, as is noted in the Gospel, when he healed their sick bodies: much more hath he compassion of a sick soul. Fiftly, because he is always about his Patients: The Lord is near to them that are afflicted in spirit, Psal. 34. Sixtly, because he heals all that ask him to cure them, Psal. 30.2. But then withal we must observe such rules as are appointed us in Scripture: for if we would have God by Christ to heal us, Ezek. 36. H●s. 14.2.3. Esay 19. 2●. Jer. 17.14. What we must do● to be healed of Christ. Psal. 147.3. Esay 57.15, 18. 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 feel our sickness, 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 sick, Mat. 9.13. and he heals 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 souls. If we trust in the Lord we shall be healed, as some read it. Pro. 28.25. There is no sin but by prayer and faith in Christ may be subdued, jer. 17.14. Fourthly, we must take heed that we neglect not the time of healing: there is a time to heal, Eccles. 3.3. We must into the water as soon as the Angel comes down to trouble it, as the lame men did at the pool of Bethesda; we must be very careful to make use of the opportunities of God's grace, when he calls us to repentance, and offers mercy, and affords help and means. Fiftly, we must turn 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 heal 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 means, 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 patiently, Prov. 12.18. He sent his Word and healed them, Psal. 107.20. There is no disease in the soul, but remedies may be found in the Word. God's words are life to those that find 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 own medicines, or contesting with our Physicians: we must not be wise in our own eyes: no man is Physician good enough to heal himself, Pro. 3.7, 8. And we must take heed of superstitious medicines: In vain shall the daughter of Egypt use many medicines, for she shall not be cured, jer. 46.11. Indulgences, pilgrimages, penances, whipping of the body, or the like, are vain medicines, and, being not appointed by Christ, they will never profit to heal the soul of sin. And further, such as would be sound 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 heal the hurt of the daughter of God's people slightly, jer. 8.11. Seventhly, look to the beginning of sin: when we first feel lameness in the ways of righteousness we must speedily seek help, lest we be turned clean out of the way. Sins of infirmity 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 do to show themselves to the Priest, that he may try and testify that they are whole from their leprosy, Levit. 14. Ninthly, if Christ heal us, we must be sure to remember to make him our praise; we must acknowledge his great mercy in healing our natures, jer. 17. 14. He stands upon the credit of the cure. Christians fail exceedingly, that they are not more thankful for deliverance from faults and temptations: they do less for the cure of their souls than they do for the cure of their bodies: we must bless the Lord, and call upon our souls to do it, as David did, Psal. 103.1, 3. and 14.13. and the rather should we with all thankfulness praise God for such cures: First, because no outward medicines can do any good; God cures only by his Word. Secondly, because God only can cure us, jer. 33.6. Deut. 32.39. Thirdly, because God accounts it the greatest honour we can do him to offer him praise, Psal. 50.14. Fourthly, because God never doth those cures upon the soul of a man but he loves him wonderfully ever after, and forgives him all his sins, Host 14. Psal. 103.2, 3, 4. jer. 33.68. Tenthly, we must be patient, and endure the medicines, whether they be hard sayings or afflictions. David prays to God to wash him, and to purge him with hyssop, and not spare, Psal. 51. Eleventhly, it is a great help to get our souls healed, to show mercy to the bodies of other men: God will not heal our souls if we oppress other men's 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 bewail the fearful carelessness of the most men, that will not seek cure, yea in places where the means is offered to cure them. All sorts of people are like Babylon for this confusion, she would not be cured, jer. 51. Men refuse cure, and all comfort and advice: yea when they are warned of their diseases they break out into more wilfulness and offending, as God said of Ephraim, When I would have healed Ephraim, than the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, Host 7.1. Doct. 4. The fourth Doctrine is, that we are cured by Christ's stripes. His sufferings heal our sorrows: His wounds make us whole: His sickness offers us health: and his stripes heal us; partly by satisfying for our sins, and so removing the cause of our diseases both spiritual and corporal; and partly by an unspeakable virtue of his Passion, which being applied to our souls, makes our sins dye. And this point may serve for Use many ways: Uses. First, for information: and so it may show us the wonder of Gods working, that can do great things by means, in respect of us, altogether unlikely. We hold it a thing almost beyond belief, that the applying of medicines to the sword that wounded a man, shall make the wounds heal in a man. But this here is a mystery, that only the Christian Religion can tell of, of which there never was precedent in nature: that the wounding of one man should heal another, or that the stripes of the Captain should cure all his diseased soldiers: and yet thus it is, even thus is the Lord pleased to glorify the power of his working. Secondly, we may hence be informed of the precious use of every part of Christ's 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 drove the Devils from us; not any thing was done to him by his adversaries, but God made it work for our good. Shall we then dare to take offence at the cross of Christ? Have we not reason to glory in it above all things? Thirdly, do we not here see how hateful sin is in God's sight, Gal. 6.14. and how foul our diseases are, when nothing can cure us but Christ's blood, and that must be fetched out of him with the best stripes which the hands of the wicked inflicted upon him. Oh the hardness of our hearts, that can see Christ thus used for our sins, and yet are not persuaded that sin is hateful to God Oh how should we be sorry for our Saviour, and mourn to think 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 King's son, basely whipped by our adversaries, only for our affairs? Oh what hearts have we, that (as bad as they are) would be melted to see this done to a King's son, and yet are not troubled to know it was done to God's son? Fourthly, we may see what wicked malice will do 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 turns, unless they may most basely scourge him before he dies. That malicious men now do not always so, is not because their malice doth nor tend to it, but because either God or man restrains them. It is a most devilish humour, and therefore to be avoided and detested of all those that love the Lord Jesus. Use 2. Secondly, how many ways should this instruct us, what care the Lord Jesus requires of us? what should not this make us willing to do? 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 should it ●e to us to be impatient, or to think 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 ●uffer any thing for Christ, and the rather, because we have not resisted to stripes, or blood, nor cannot now suffer the thousandth part for him of that he hath suffered for us. Thus of the healing of our souls. These words also may be expounded of the healing of our bodies, as we showed 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 deform●●●●, and infirmities, and diseases; and we see God doth inflict diseases upon many, and that of diverse sorts; and many men that for the present ●r● free from the pains of diseases, yet have their enemies in their bodies in diverse parts of them, laid as it were in garrison, which may and will break 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 sickness: or if there were not outward means to work them, yet God can strike men from heaven. Use. The Use should be to warn such as are in health to walk humbly: For they know not how soon sickness may seize upon them. Secondly, such as have their friends taken away by sickness 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 distress 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 pains that arise from the wounds or sickness of the body: and it is the more grievous, partly because no men are privileged 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 be, to take warning from these pains of the body, to prevent eternal pains in hell, by reconciling ourselves to that God that can so fearfully afflict both body and soul; and as we feel 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 body of man as well as for the soul; in Christ our bodies may be healed. Christ provided healing for man's body as well as for his soul, and men's bodies he heals either in this life, or in the general resurrection. First, in this life some he hath healed by miracle, as he did multitudes in the days of his flesh, while he was here in this world; which he did in execution of his office, as having charge of men's bodies: and some he healed by means, giving his blessing unto the medicines provided in nature, and applied by the skilful to the diseased; yea he undertakes the healing of all Gods Elect in their bodies, as this place imports, which he doth promise and will perform, if it be good for them. Many times to heal the body, would hurt the soul, or keep the Leper from heaven, and then Christ will not heal them; else he undertakes, and is bound to heal the body as well as the soul. But the especial 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 aught to look up to Christ, and say, If it be good for me, my Saviour will heal me; and the rather, because Christ is such a compassionate Physician, and hath had the feeling of our infirmities and pains that way: and beside, he is such a Physician, as can do two things that never Physician could do: For first, he can take away the first cames of diseases, which is sin, which no physic: can do, Mat. 9 Secondly, he can cure our bodies when they are stark dead, which never any Physician could do; they may help some living bodies, but they could never help one dead body. Yea such as find not cure for the pains of the body, should be of good comfort, because they should have had cure of it, if it had been good for them; and they must consider it is the Lord that doth it, Psal. 39 and that all shall work together for the best, Rom. 8. and that nothing can separate them from the love of Christ; and that they are delivered from eternal pain; and that God's dear children have suffered as great torments or weaknesses. Use 2. Secondly, all men should be taught to seek to Christ for cure, since it is his office to heal: and so this end men are bound to look to diverse rules, if they would have Christ to heal them. First, they must seek to him for cure, they must pray him to heal them; we do not read that ever Christ healed any sick person, Rules for such as desire Christ to heal or help their bodily griefs. unless he were brought to him, or he entreated to heal him: we must pray for our bodies, as well as our souls: thus did David, Psal. 6. and 31. and Hezekiah, etc. Secondly, we must use the lawful means we can get for our healing. Our Saviour shows that when he said, the whole needed not the Physician, but the sick; the sick then do need, and must with conscience and care use all lawful and outward helps that they can attain to, that are fit for them, Mat. 9 Thirdly, they must take heed of trusting upon the Physician, or physic given them: that was Asa his great sin: For if we be cured, it is not physic, but Christ that healeth us. Fourthly, we must bring faith to be healed for our bodies also: this our Saviour often asketh after, when he is about to cure men's bodies, as the Evangelists show. Fiftly, we must be careful to seek the removing of the cause of our diseases, which is sin; especially if we find that God hath a quarrel with us▪ for any special fault we are fall'n into: thus David got the punishment of his sin remitted, by judging himself for his sin, Psal. 32.4.5. Sixtly, we must submit ourselves to Gods will, and in the case of our bodies, must refigne ourselves into his hands, to let him do with us what it shall please him, since he knows what is best for us: and if Christ will not heal us now, yet to comfort ourselves, as job did in the hope of that time, when our Redeemer will be seen of us in the body, when it shall be utterly and for ever freed from all pains and infirmities whatsoever, job 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 body, do heal our bodies. Which should make us so much the more to love the Lord Jesus, and the more patiently to bear it, if we be not presently healed, became he did bear more grievous pains even in the body; and because if it were good for us, he would heaie us, in that he paid so dear for our healing. Verse 25. For you were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. HItherto of the effects of Christ's sufferings in respect of us: in respect of himself, the effect was his exaltation to become the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, even the souls of all the Elect: which is so implied in the words of this verse, as withal in a passage is expressed both our misery without Christ, and our happiness under his government. The words of this verse in themselves contain three things. First, our misery by nature: in ourselves we are as sheep deceived, or going astray. Secondly, the means of our recovery ou● of that estate, and that is the causing of us to return. Thirdly, our happiness under the government of Jesus Christ, to whose charge we are committed when we return. 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 God's Elect among them, are likened to sheep. A sheep is a certain image to resemble a man by. And so we find 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 ●rue believers, for the harmlessness, tractableness, and profitableness, Mat. 25.33. Thirdly, of men that err and wander out of the way of godliness. And so wicked men before their calling, are likened to wand'ring sheep; yea, godly men after their calling, in respect of their falls or failings, are likened to sheep going astray; as David saith of himself, Psal. 19 ult. But here it is understood of the Elect of God, before their calling. The word here rendered [Going astray] properly signifies deceived, and is so used in diverse places of the new Testament: but the metaphor to the which it is joined, requires it should be expressed, Going astray, or wand'ring, or erring; but so as it doth import two things. First, the evil condition of the unregenerate, they are like wand'ring sheep. Secondly, the cur●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 be considered of. First, what faults in men are meant by the term of going astray. Secondly, what the misery of their condition is, that do go astray. Thirdly, what the cause is of their going astray. Fourthly, by what signs a lost sheep may be known, especially such as are within the Church, which seems 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 term of erring or going astay, What is meant by going astray are construed in Scripture, errors in opinion, james 1.16. Mat. 22.29. called erring from the faith, 1 Tim. 6.10. whoredom, Numb. 5.12. idolatry, Deut. 13.5. drunkenness, Esay 28.1, 7. bribery, and all ways of unrighteousness, 2 Pet. 2.15. all devising of evil, Pro. 14.12. yea the Prophet Esay expounds it of every turning after our own ways, 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 such a● go astray appears in diverse respects. The misery of men living in their sins without repentance is very great. I am tied to the consideration of it, only so far forth, as the simih● e of a sheep going astray will import. Every wicked man then is like a lost sheep, and that in diverse respects. 1. Because he is not within the compass of God's special providence: God doth not tend him, nor lock to him, he is no part of his flock: he is without God in the World, and without Christ, as the lost sheep is without the protection and keeping of the shepherd. Wicked men have no keeper: they are left to the way of their own hearts; which is a fearful curse, Esay 53.6. The wicked shall be as a sheep that no man takes up, Esay 13.14. 2. Because he hath no certain pasture. The provision for his life, for soul and body, is altogether uncertain. He is like Cain, a vagabond upon the earth. He is here to day: he knows 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. He is like the stray sheep, that hath all the world before him, but knows 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 fear is always in their ears. If a stray sheep get into a good pasture, yet he is still in fear, apt to be frighted with every sound, ready to run away upon every occasion: so is it with them that are rich in the world, and not ri●h with God, 1 Tim. 6.10. 4. Because he is shut out from all comfortable society with the godly: he enjoys not the sound fruit of communion with Saints. The stray sheep may sort with hogs or wild beasts, but from the sheep it is gone away. Evil company is a miserable plague of a man's life, to sort with such all a man's da●es, from whom he may have a world of vanity and filthiness, but not any thing scarce worthy of the nature of men in an age. Every wicked man is an alien, a stranger and foreigner from the Commonwealth of Israel, Ephes. 2.12. 5. A sheep going astray, is easily taken by a strange Lord: it is driven any whither by anybody, it is so silly. And such is the fearful estate of a man living in sin: strange Lords may easily surprise him: false teachers may easily seduce him: evil company may carry him to any wickedness: a Prince may turn him to any religion: a very Atheist or Devil incarnate may easily lead him captive. 6. A Sheep is apt to be worried with Dogs, or devoured with Wolves or wild Beasts, when there is no Shepherd to tend him. So it is with wicked men: their souls, their bodies, their estates, are all in danger to be seized upon by Devils, 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 remain in the congregation of the dead, Ps. 49.15. Pro. 21.16. And therefore he that converts a man from the error of his way, is said to save a soul from death, jam. 5 ult. And this going astray of unregenerate men is the more grievous, because they are liable to many aggravations: for Aggravations, of their misery. First, they go astray from the womb: they were never yet in the right way, Psalm. 58.3. Secondly, because they wander in every work 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 own 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 swear they shall never enter into his rest, Psal. 95.10,11. 〈…〉 men's 〈◊〉 astray. The third point is the cause of their going astray, and that is noted in the original word. They were deceived. Now than it is to be considered distinctly, who are the great deceivers of the world, that cause millions of ●oules to go astray. First, the Devil is the Arch-deceiver, he hath been a liar and a murderer from the beginning; he deceived our first Parents, and made them and all their posterity go astray, john 8.44. 1 Tim. 2.14. And by him are all wicked men drawn 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 Gospel go astray, Eccles. 18.23. with his devilish doctrine, and by wicked sorceries he deceived the Christian world. Thirdly, a enarme of wicked ministers have deceived whole Towns and Countries, and made the sheep go astray, even their whole flocks in many places, some of them because they take the fleece, and never feed the flock, Ezech. ●4. 2. etc. john 10.12. some of them by preaching lies, and flattering the people with devices of men, and say, Peace, when there is no peace, jerem. 23.17, 19, 20, 32. Fourthly, the world is a mischievous deceiver, and it deceiveth by evil example, and evil company, and evil report raised against the godly and the good way, and the enticements of profits and pleasures, and vanities of all sorts, and honours, and the like. Fiftly, man's own heart deceiveth him, yea the heart of man is deceitful above all things, jer. 17.19. It will use such carnal reasons, pretend such vain excuses, entertain such deceivable hopes, and join itself to such swarms of temptations and lusts, as it cannot avoid wand'ring, if there were no other deceivers to go withal the way of our own hearts is always to go out of the way. Sixtly, ignorance of the Scripture is a chief cause of erring and going astray, both in opinion and life, Mat. 22.29. Seventhly, the love of some particular sin doth utterly undo many a man, that will not be warned of the deceitfulness of sin, Heb. 3.12. Thus covetousness made many a man to err from the faith, 1 Tim. 6.20. Eighthly, God himself in a fearful kind of justice many times not only consents, but permits a very spirit of perverinesse and error to seize upon some men, that refused to be guided or kept by God: so as they are given over to eternal perdition and destruction by reason of it. Esay 16. 1●. Job 12.28. Signs of a l●s● sheep●. Fourthly, the signs of a lost sheep follow: and they are, First, he that refuseth reproof 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 known sin without repentance, is a lost sheep. Thirdly, he that fouleth with his feet that which the good sheep should eat or drink, and he that thrusts with the side, and pusheth the diseased with his horns, is no good sheep, Ezek. 34.17, 19, 21. They are so far from feeding upon the good Word and Ordinances of God, that by wicked reproaches they soul it as much as they can, and they, that if they find a poor 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 sheep. Fourthly, he that lives without God and Christ, that can spend whole days and nights without any communion with God, yea, that when he is present before God, finds his heart continually carried with wand'ring distractions, that constantly draw him away from all inward attendance upon God. Ephes. 2.12. Esay 29.13. he errs in his heart, Psal. 95.10. Fiftly, he that hath no other companions of his life but swine and wild beasts, that is, wicked men of all sorts, especially when it is joined with willing neglect and shunning of the society of the godly, Psal. 5. 2 Cor. 6. Sixtly, he that tastes nothing but earthly things, and finds no savour in spiritual things, it is a sign that he is out of the pasture, and feeds in the wilderness, Rom. 8. 1 john 2.18. Seventhly, he that when he is told he is out of the way, blesseth himself in his heart, when it is plainly found that he openly wandereth, Psal. 36.1, 2. Deut. 29.19. Eighthly, he that lives in any of the gross sins expressly mentioned in the Catalogue in Scripture, without repentance, as swearing, Com. 3. adultery, covetousness, drunkenness, railing, extortion, 1 Cor. 6.9. or the known sins of deceit, Micah 6.10. Ninthly, he that doth his works of purpose to be seen of men, resting only in the praises of men, not seeking the praise of God, Mat. 6. Rom. 2.26. Tenthly, he that knows not God's ways, especially if he desire nor knowledge, or entertain wilful objections against the means of knowledge, Psal. 95.10. Eleventhly, they that spend their zeal in meeting with other men's infirmities, neglecting sound reformation in themselves. It is the wisdom of the prudent to understand his own ways: but to be a busybody in other men's matters is erring, and the folly only of fools, Pro. 14.8. Every busybody is out of the way. The Doctrines follow: and so diverse things may be observed out of these words. Doct. 1. Even godly men, before their calling, were out of the way, as lost sheep, as well as others, Ephes. 2.2. Tit. 3.3. Which should serve, first, to set out the riches of Gods free grace, as the only first cause of the happiness and salvation of the Elect. Secondly, it should teach the godly diverse duties both toward God, other men, and themselves. As for God, they should live to his praise, and spend their days in magnifying his great compassions in their deliverance, that deserved so ill at his hands. And withal, it should teach them to put all their trust in God, seeing they carry about them a nature that hath been apt to wand'ring, and therefore have cause to mistrust themselves. And for other men that are out of the way, they should pity them, and carry themselves with all meekness and charity, remembering what themselves have been, Tit. 3.1, 2, 3. And for themselves, they should be the more humble and abased, hating all pride and conceitedness, and contempt of others. Doct. 2. A man may be a sheep, and yet lost. Not only Dogs, Goats, Swine, Lions, etc. may be out of the way, but even sheep may wander, and be clean lost. Men of harmless natures, and such as are profitable members of humane societies, and such as are of a gentle disposition, and free from gross offences, yet may be utterly lost, and clean out of the way of happiness; and, if they return not by repentance, may perish for ever. And this is a point which should marvellously affect civil-honest men, and move them at length to see the weak vanity of their confidence in their praises for civility of nature or life. This is a doctrine very hardly entertained by this sort of men; and the rather, because they think they want nothing unto the praise of a good life; never considering that they are not religious, though they be civil; and that they have a world of inward impurities, though they are free from outward gross uncleanness of life; and that they never felt the joys of the holy Ghost to approve of them, though they have been tickled with the praises of men; and that they have not sought or desired the assurance of God's favour, or a better life, but spend their time in a still dream, without providing for what is most necessary; and that they never serve ●od, not have had any sociable fellowship with him in any of his Ordinances, in respect of the inward power of them. Doct. 3. To break out from the means of Religion, and from the society of godly Christians, is the very way to undo many a soul. A sheep is 〈◊〉 when it is gotten from sheep, and is out of the pasture, and hath no discreet shepherd to take the care of it. Thus of the first part, that is, man's misery by nature. The means of recovery out of that misery, followeth; and that is noted in the word Return. Where first may be observed, that wicked men may return. It is not impossible for men that have spent a 〈…〉 lives in sin and vanity, at the length to be saved. And it is the first part of a man's work that would return, to inform himself seriously of 〈◊〉 ●●●●ments that may prove that he may be helped out of his misery. The fi●●t thing a diseased man inquires after, is, whether his disease be curable or no. Now there are diverse things that give hope of curing and salvation even to men that are as yet clean out of the way; as, Divers things that give hope of curing to such as be out of the way. First, the disposition of God towards sinners: which appears, first, because he swears he desires not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should return and live, Ezech. 18.21. Secondly, he is patient, and hath been with thee all this while; and he is therefore patient, that men might repent, and be saved, Rom. 2.4. 2 Pet. 3.9. Thirdly, he hath declared himself to be willing to forgive all sins, but only the sin against the holy Ghost. One sin only is unpardonable: all other sins may be forgiven. Secondly, the sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ: He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, john 1. Rom. 3.25. Thirdly, the work of God's grace already showed unto them. For first, God hath placed them in the visible Church, where repentance and salvation may be had. Secondly, he hath bestowed upon them many temporal blessings, to allure them to seek to him for mercy. Thirdly, he causeth the Gospel to be preached to all sorts of men, without exception. And so grace is offered to them: and there is no other let but their refusal of grace offered. Fourthly, the example of all sorts of sinners that have returned. As great sinners as they have been received to mercy; and they are set out as examples to encourage other men to seek mercy; as Manasses, Mary Magdalen, David, Peter, Paul, and others. Many among the Corinthians have been notorious offenders, but were justified and sanctified. The explication of the doctrine of returning follows; where these things are to be considered of: First, the motives to persuade men to return. Secondly, the persons that need returning. Thirdly, the time when men must return. Fourthly, the false ways men must avoid in returning. Fiftly, what a number of lost sheep do usually return. Sixtly, the aggravations against certain persons for not returning. Sevently, the means of returning. Eightly, the manner how we must return; or the rules to be observed in returning. Ninthly, the signs of a lost sheep returned. Lastly, the lets of returning. For the first. I mean not to insist upon all sorts of motives, 〈…〉 but to follow the word Return, as it is used in Scripture, and take a few of the fittest motives as it is used in this place. And so diverse things should make a man to return; as First, the consideration of God's marvellous goodness, and amiableness of nature to all such as turn unto him: he is wonderful gracious to them, and merciful, and will repent him of the evil, joel 2.12, 13. jer. 3●. 19, 20. The parable of the lost sheep shows this fully. Secondly, the great danger that men are in if they return not. God is angry with the wicked every day, Psal. 7.12. And his fury may breaks forth suddenly upon them like fire, jer. 4.4. For the words of his servants will certainly take hold upon them, Zech. 1.4, 6. And iniquity will be their ruin, Ezech. 18. verse 30. Except they repent, they must perish, Luke 13.5. And therefore if we warm men of their sins, and they will not return, we are delivered and their blood will be upon themselves. Ezech. 3.19. Thirdly, if a man consider but the happiness of such as do return: God will forgive them all their sins, he will abundantly provide for them, Esay 55.7. If they return, they shall live and not die, Ezech. 18.23. and 32.11. And everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away, Esay 51.11. And in this verse the Apostle shows their happiness. For they shall always live under Jesus Christ, as the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls. For these and many other reasons, it is the only wise course to return, Luke 1.16. And there is not one wise man amongst all them that return not, job 17. And thus of the motives. The second point is, the persons that need returning. It is certain, 〈…〉 that those that live out of the visible Church, or in false Churches need returning: As Pagans, Turks, Jews, Papists, Schismatics, and all Heretics: Yea Juda and Jerusalem need repentance, jer. 4.4. and 26.2, 3. Men that live in the visible Church, and are baptised, need to return, or else they will perish, Luke 13.5. john 3.3. The time of returning. The third point is the time of returning: and in short, the best time to return is the present time, while it is called to day, while we have the means of returning, when God calls upon us by the ministry of his servants; especially when he knocks at the door of our hearts, and lays the axe to the root of the tree. It is wonderful dangerous to defer repentance: for even the longer thou livest in sin, the more hard will thy heart be, Heb. 3.13. and the means of grace, even the Kingdom of God may be taken away; or God may cut thee down even by sudden death, or may cast thee into a reprobate sense, and give thee up to a heart that cannot repent, Rom. 2.4, 5. 〈…〉 returning. The fourth point is, the false ways to be avoided in returning: and these are first, to return with despair, or to go back without the guide faith in in God's mercy, or to go the way that despair leads. In this way Cain and judas perished. Secondly, to return feignedly, and not with a man's whole heart; to make a show of returning, when men do not return indeed, jer. 3.10. Thirdly to return but part of the way, and to repent by halves, as Ahab and Herod did. Fourthly, to return when it is too late, even when the door is shut: to repent when it is too late, job 27.9. 〈…〉 against d●vers the 〈◊〉. The fifth point is, aggravations against diverse that returned the aggravations that lie against diverse persons about their not returning. For if it be evil in itself for any not to return, then how fearful is their case, first, that are proud of their skill in going out of the way, that are wise to do evil, jer. 4.22. Secondly, that are deeply revoiced, that is, that are such as live in horrible and fearful sins, Esay 31.6. Thirdly, that will not return though their transgressions be upon them, and they pine away in them? Ezek. 33.10. They will not give over though they have no peace, and are daily buffered for their evil-doing, and their consciences bear the shame and trouble of their offending. Fourthly, that will not return though the servants of God openly testify against them, Neb. 9.29. 2 Kings 17.13, 14. Fiftly, that will not return though the hand of God he upon them: even to consume them, jer. 5.3. Sixtly that are turned back by a perpetual backsliding, jer. 8.4. that hold fast their sins, and refuse to return, jer. 8.5. 〈…〉 of lost 〈◊〉 do 〈…〉. The sixth point may be this, viz. what number of lost sheep do usually return. Not all that go astray: our Saviour tells us of a parable of one lost sheep returning: and the Prophet jeremy tells us of one of a Tribe, and two of a Tribe, jer. 3.14. Multitudes of men perish, and never return. The means of returning. The seventh point is, the means or cause of our returning: and these are either Principal, or Instrumental. The principal causes are God and Christ that good Shepherd. It is God that turneth back the captivity of his people, Psal. 14. ult. and three times in one Psalm the people pray God to turn them again, Psal. 80.3, 7, 19 This is Ephraim's suit, Turn thou me, O Lord, and I shall be turned, jer. 21.18. So the Church faith, Lam. 5.21. And Christ is that good Shepherd that seeks that which is lost, yea layeth down his life for his sheep, john 10. The instrumental causes of returning are either external or internal. The external means of returning is the Word preached, and so both the reproofs of God's servants testifying against the wicked, to make them turn from their sins, Nehem. 9.26, 29. as also the promises of the Gospel, by which the sinner in the name of Christ is as it were wooed and entreated to return, with assurance of salvation. The internal means is Faith: for that is it which turns a man clean about, and causeth him to set his face upon God and Jesus Christ, and to leave all his old courses and byways, Acts 15.9. The eight point is, the manner how we must return: 〈…〉. and so we shall find in Scripture diverse things urged upon us; First, that we in returning make a thorough search and trial of our ways, to find out distinctly in what particulars we have gone astray, Lam. 3.40. They must remember, and be think themselves, and turn, Psal. 23.28. Secondly, we must with true sorrow bewail our former wanderings, and judge ourselves for them, going and rejoicing: we must go with our faces toward Zion, jer. 51.4, 5. Hosh. 14.2, 3. 2 Chron. 6.24, 37. jerem. 3.13. joel 2.12. Thirdly, we must order our ways to a general reformation. The Prophet complains, that they would not frame their doings to turn to the Lord: importing, there can be no returning to God, unless men cast their courses into a frame of reformation, Host 5.4. Men must amend their doings and their works, jer. 35.15. Fourthly, we must return in sincerity: and that hath diverse things considerable: for, 1. We must return with our whole hearts, nor feignedly, jer. 3.7. 2 Chron. 6.38. our very faces must be turned from so much as looking after our abominations, Ezek. 14.6. 2. We must return from our own evil ways, every man from his way: note it, from his way, that is, from those courses in which he hath specially offended, james 3.8. Esay 55.7. the wicked must forsake his way. 3. WE must forsake not only outward sins, but inward sins also: we must reform the wand'ring of our hearts, as well as our lives: the unrighteous must forsake his very thoughts, Esay 55.7. and put down the very Idols of his heart, Ezek. 14.7. 4. We must turn from all our transgressions. It is not enough to forsake sin, as some outward or inward sins; but we must forsake all sorts of sins, Ezek. 18.30. 5. We must return with resolution never to start back: we must not be like a deceitful bow, Host 7.16. Fiftly, we must so return, as we must consecrate ourselves to God, to wait upon him continually, Host 12.6. and to ●erve the true and living God, 1 Thes. 1.9. and to do works meet for repentance, Acts 26.20. The ninth point is, the signs of returning, or how we may try whether we be effectually returned: and that may be partly gathered by some of the points before, and partly by some other things may be added. He that is truly turned may know it, First, by the cause of his returning. 〈…〉. It was somewhat above his own power or disposition. It was God that turned him by his Word: neither did he turn out of despair, as judas did; but faith in God, and persuasion of God's goodness in Christ made him return. He fears God and his goodness. Secondly, by the manner of his returning. For if he return in the manner before mentioned, he needs not doubt the truth of his repentance; especially if he be sure to have no hypocritical or carnal ends of his reformation, and that he do desire to return from all his transgressions, making conscience of the least Commandment of God as well as the greatest, and of secret sins as well as open, and of the evil that leaves to his best works, Esay 1.16. Thirdly, by the fruits of repentance of returning: and so he may comfort himself, 1. If he esteem Christ's pasture above all worldly things, finding the sweetest savour in the Word, of all things in this life, Psalm. 19 and 119. 2 Cor. 2. 2. If he have a mind to know God, that he find that out of habitual disposition he have an earnest desire to know God, and to be known of him, jer. 24.7. he will follow on to know the Lord, Host 6.3. 3. If he do distinguish between the precious and the vile, jer. 15.19. and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not, Mal. 3.18▪ esteeming godly men to be the only wise men, Luke 1.17. 4. If he be careful to put iniquity far from his Tabernacle: if he be careful to reform his house, and cannot abide to dwell where sin dwells unreformed, job 22.23. 5. If he become as a little child for humility, and trust upon God for all things necessary, as the little child trusts upon his father for diet, clothes, inheritance, preferment, etc. without any doubting, or carking care. 6. If he be earnest with God to heal his nature, and to perfect his work. Esay 19.22. jer. 31.18, 19 He prays, and that earnestly, for the mending of his disposition to wander. 7. If he be profitable according to his bigness and pasture, if he be full of mercy and good fruit, if he be zealous of good works. These be things meet for repentance, that is, things that be of equal weight with it in the scales: they each of them weigh just as much as repentance. The last point is, what should be the reason that men have so little mind to return; they will not be driven home again, though they know that they live sinfully, and hear of God's wrath, and discern vanity in all their pleasures, and that sin hath usually proved itself to be a lie, and that they are in danger of strange punishments, and of eternal torment. What (I say) should be the lets of returning, Q●●st. or rather the causes that they mind not to return? Answ. The causes are, 〈…〉 First, the Devil is the cause, he hath blinded their eyes, and works effectually in them, and leads them wand'ring and captive at his will, 2 Cor. 4.3. Ephes. 2.2. 2 Tim. 2.26. Secondly, impotency of consideration is the cause they neither can nor do think of the arguments should make them to return, or move them: they cannot spend an hour in the consultations upon it, whether they do well not to return. Thirdly, ignorance of the glory of Religion, and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, Col. 1.26. there is a veil upon their hearts, 2 Cor. 3. Fourthly, opinion that it is dishonour and shame to return: this makes diverse continue in erroneous and humorous conceits, or in fantastical conformity to the wicked: yea, the very excuses of sinning, because they fear they shall be vilified, laughed at, and censured for it. Fiftly, expectation to have their particular courses to be proved to be sins. Thus do almost all men in their times persist in their sins, under the coverture of this question, Who can prove them to be sinners? Thus escapes usury, excess, and vanity of apparel; excess likewise in drinking of healths, till the wine inflame them; swearing, profanation of the Sabbath, etc. being willingly ignorant of this, that God hath condemned sin in the general in Scripture, and lays it to men to look unto it, that they fall not into his hands for transgressing; and if they doubt, they must be ruled by their teachers. Sixtly, forgetfulness of their latter end. Therefore is their iniquity in their skirts still, because they remember not their last end: for both the terror of that day, and the shortness of their life, and the judements they would meet with of those things, if they were to die, would fright them out of those courses. But they will not apply their hearts to wisdom, because they cannot remember their days, Lam. 1.9. Psal. 90.12. Seventhly, evil teachers are a great hindrance: for they strengthen the hands of the wicked, and by preaching peace persuade them they are in no danger, jer. 23.14. Ezek. 13.22. Eighthly, in some there is a very spirit of fornication in the midst of them, they are so excessively delighted with an influence after the courses they take, that no arguments can enter into their hearts, though they have never so good means used, Host 5.4. Ninthly, there is in some men a senseless spirit, a fat heart, a reprobate mind, so as the things they do see, yet they cannot lay them to their hearts, nor be stirred by them; and so for the most part they see little or nothing at all, but are utterly unteachable. There are of these sorts of men almost in all assemblies and conditions of Christians, where they have had the means with much power, Esay 6.10. Acts 28.27. Tenthly, there is in some a perverse spirit, wilfully to reject the Word of God, and all good counsel, though they know they are not right; and so follow vanity, and become vain, 2 Kin. 17.14, 15. and by following foolish vanities forsake their own mercies. Eleventhly, the custom of the world hath overcome many, and that makes their hearts dead and senseless, and careless of returning; the examples of the most, and of the wise men, and great ones of the world, hath confirmed them in their wanderings, Ephes. 2.1, 2. Twelfthly, despair is the cause in some; they say there is no hope, jer. 18.12. Use. The Use of all should be especially to awaken the careless, and to persuade men, all shifts and excuses laid apart, to set their hearts upon this work of repentance, and returning: men should not be like horses or mules, but receive instruction, and turn unto the Lord, else iniquity will be their ruin: if they repent not they must perish: and they do nothing by their delays but heap up wrath against the day of wrath. They live foolishly: for while they reject God's Word what wisdom can be in them? and they must die miserably. Are they not as clay in the hands of the Potter, and will they still provoke God to his face? Yea if they frustrate the power of all the means they enjoy, so as it may not be of effect to turn them; it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement, than for them: yea the very dust of their feet, whose ministry they have despised, will rise up in judgement against them. Unto the Shepherd.] The happiness of the penitent consisteth in this, that they live ever after under a Shepherd and Bishop for their souls. First then, they have a Shepherd to tend them. Here diverse things are to be inquired: First, who this Shepherd is, seeing the Text mentions him not expressly. The Prophet Ezekiel s●ith, it is God's servant David, Ezek. 34.23. and in Hein. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord Jesus, raised from the dead is said to be the great Shepherd 〈◊〉 the sheep; who is therefore called David, because he came o●e of the 〈…〉 of David. Secondly, who the sheep are: and they are not cattle, but men, Ezek. 34. ult. yet not all men, but Gods Elect, even those his Father gave him, john 10.29. and those chiefly when they are returned, as the coherence ●hewes. Thirdly, the attributes given to this Shepherd in other Scriptures. What attributes are given to Christ as a Shepherd. Here he is named barely. The Shepherd: but it is profitable for us to know what kind of Shepherd he is: and so four things are said of him, Christ is one Shepherd. 1. That he is one Shepherd, that is, that it is he only to whom immediately the charge of these men is given, Exek. 34.23. He is the true Shepherd. 2. That he is the true Shepherd; and that in diverse respects: First, in respect of his calling: he came not in by the window, as the thief and robber doth, but was called of God to this work, even from the womb, Esay 49.1. john 10.2. Secondly, he is a true Shepherd, because he hath all the employments that belong to a Shepherd: he goeth out to his flocks with a rod, and a staff, and his Shepherd's crook: he hath a rod to drive-on his sheep; both a rod of instruction and correction: and he hath a crook to catch them and pull them back, and he hath a staff to drive away evil beasts, Psal. 23. Thirdly, he is the true Shepherd, because never Shepherd did his work, or discharged the trust and care laid upon him so faithfully. The best Pastors, and their actions done by those that be men, and after their own hearts, yet have many frailties, and fail many ways, both in skill, attendance, and power. He is the good Shepherd. 3. That he is the good Shepherd by an excellency, john 10.11. and so he is in diverse respects: First, because other Shepherds have their flocks delivered to their hands; but he seeks his sheep, and hath none but such as he was fain to find out in the woods, and deserts, and solitary places of the world: yea he left (as it were) his own glory, to come down from heaven to look these lost sheep, Ezek. 34.11, 12. Secondly, because he laid down his life to redeem his sheep, and to get power to bring them back, john 10. 15. yea, put his neck under the sword of his Fellow, his Father: he was contented that his own Father should kill him, Zech. 13.7. Thirdly, because he keeps such sheep as have no fleeces on them, but what he gives them: all his were naked sheep, that no other Shepherd would have taken up: he clothes them all with the fleeces of his own righteousness, and so becomes the Lord their righteousness, 1 Tim. 1.13. 16 1 Cor. 9 10, 11 jer. 23.4, 6. Fourthly, because he is compassionately moved with the wants and, distresses of his sheep; not for himself, but for their sakes: and this he shows, not only by pitying them when they have no subordinate Shepherds to tend them, but by loathing those evil Shepherds that lead them to evil pastures, or any way hurt them, Zech. 11.8. He is the great Shepherd; and that in diverse respects. 4. That he is the great Shepherd, Heb. 13.20. and so he is in diverse respects: First, because his sheep are his own. Other Shepherds for the most part tend the sheep of other men, but all his sheep are his own, john 10.12. Secondly, because he marks all his sheep: he did not only seek them when they were lost, but made them when they were not, Psal. 100.3. They are not only the people of his pasture, but the sheep of his hands. Thirdly, because he hath more flocks than any Shepherd ever had: for he hath flocks in all parts of the world, to the very ends of the earth, Micah 5.4. For he was not only to raise up the Tribes of Israel, but to be a light to the Gentiles, and giveth salvation to the ends of the earth, Esay 49.6. Fourthly, because he is great in skill and power: in skill, because though he ha●e such great flocks, yet he knows all his sheep particularly, and calls them 〈◊〉, ●heir names, Iohn●0 ●0. 3. and so he knows all their wants and diseases too, 〈◊〉 all the ways to help and cure them. In power, because he hath a mighty ●●me, Esay 40.1 ●, 11. and he stands and friends them in the strength of Jehova, and in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, Micah 5.4. And beside he shows it in his ability to drive away from his flocks even those hurtful beasts that other Shepherds cannot resist. If a Lion, or the hungry Lion roar after his prey, he will not care for the voice of a multitude of Shepherds called out against him, saith the Prophet, Esay 31.4. yet this Shepherd alone with his voice, can make the fiercest Lion leave his prey, and run ᵉ away: He can make the Devils flee, and restrain the rage of cruel Tyrants. Fiftly, because he is a Prince, as well as a Shepherd. Other shepherds are usually no more than ordinary men; but he is a great Prince, and therefore must needs be a great Shepherd, Ezech. 34.23. Sixtly, because he is the Arch-Shepheard, the Prince of shepherds; he, under whose authority all other shepherds are, and to whom they must give accounts, 1 Pet. 5.4. Thus of the attributes given to this Shepherd. The happiness of those that live under the government of such a Shepherd, follows. First, he will feed them as a shepherd doth his flock: they that wait upon the Lord, shall be fed, Psal. 37.3. The happiness of such as live under this Shepherd, appears in ten particular privileges. And thus chiefly he will feed their souls: they shall grow, and eat, and find pasture, john 10.9. He will feed them with knowledge and understanding, jer. 3.15. and with such food as will breed life, and life in more abundance, john 10.10. They shall neither hunger nor thirst. He that hath mercy on them, shall lead them by the Springs of water; he shall guide them: those Springs of water are his Ordinances, Esay 49.10. and their pasture is fat pasture, Ezech. 34.14. The chief feeding place is his holy Hill, the Temple, and Sanctuary; and that shall be a blessing to his flock: there shall be showers of blessings in their seasons, Ezech. 34.26. He doth not feed in the fields and deserts: but with a more excellent feeding, he feeds them in his garden, in the the very beds of spices, every doctrine being as a several spice, and the whole sum together, as a bed of spices, Cant. 6.2, 3. The Prophet David seems to resemble powerful and flourishing doctrine, to green pastures; and the secret and sweet comforts of the Sacraments, to still waters, Psal. 23.2. Secondly, he will tend and keep them so, as, 1. The wild beasts shall not tear them: Tyrants, Heretics, Devils, shall not make a prey of them, Ezech. 34.25. so as they should dwell safe though they were in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods, Ezech. 34. 25, 28. Though they walk thorough the valley of death, they need not fear, Psal. 23.4. 2. He will judge the Rams and the Goats that push at them, that is, he will revenge the wrongs are done unto them by such as live in the same Churches with them, that reproach or oppose them, Ezech. 34.17. etc. 3. The Sun shall not smite them, Esay 49.10. that is, the wrath and anger of God shall not afflict their spirits, but they shall lie down in great rest and tranquillity of conscience, Ezech. 34.15. 4. If they fall into diseases, he will give them such medicines, as shall refresh their souls, Psal. 23.3. 5 They shall want nothing, Psal. 23.1. 6. None of them shall be lacking; he will keep all that are given to him; no man shall take them out of his hands, job. 10.29. jer. 23.4. 7. He will order them, not by force and cruelty, but by judgements, Ezech. 34.16. showing a due respect of the several ages and conditions of his sheep, Esay 40.11. 8. He will go in and out before them himself, and they shall follow him, and he will lead them in the paths of righteousness, john 10.4. Psal. 23.3. 9 He will do more for them than ever any Shepherd did for his flock: he will make them live ever, he will give them eternal life, joh. 10.29. 10. Lastly, all this is the more comfortable, because he hath tied himself by covenant for his sheep to do all this for them, Ezech. 34.25. Use. The use should be for instruction: and so both to Ministers, and to the people. First, to Ministers: They should here learn to be wonderful careful of the finding and feeding of the flocks committed to their charge, seeing Christ ordinarily and externally doth administer this work by their service; if they be not careful, they dishonour (as much as lieth in them) the office of Christ. The feeding which, under Christ on God's holy hill, they should provide for the people, is the chief blessing of the life of a penitent sinner, john 21. 1 Pet. 5.2. Secondly, to the people: The people that are good, should hence learn, Cant. 1.7. 1. To pray to Christ to show them where he feeds, that they may be directed to the fertile pastures of some powerful Ministry. 2. To trust upon Christ for all things necessary for their souls: Since God hath appointed him as the Shepherd of our souls, we should glorify his office, by believing in him, and relying upon him: never sheep had a better shepherd; and therefore we need not fear any more, nor be dismayed, Psal. 37.3. jer. 23.4. 3. Our hearts should be set upon the house of Christ, and upon his Word, as the food of our souls; we should run to Church with great willingness●●nd appetite, as the sheep do to their foddering places. 4. When we find good pasture, and safe feeding, we should be wonderful thankful, and seek all his praise with joyful hearts, Psal. 79. ult. and 100 5. We should submit ourselves to the Ministers of the assemblies, whose words are like goads, and like nails fastened, because they are given by this our Shepherd; Eccles. 12.11. 6. If the spiritual Assyrian break into the Church of Christ, we should remember, that if seven Shepherds, and eight principal men be raised up against him, he shall be driven away, Mich. 5.5. But withal we must take heed, and look to it, that we be right sheep of his pasture: For there are multitudes in the flocks of Christ, that he will not feed, Zach. 11 9.10 he takes no care of them, but saith of them, That that will die, let it die. And as a Shepherd separateth the goats from the sheep: so will Christ separate a world of wicked ungodly men from the good, though they now be often folded together in one assembly. It is the poor of the flock only that are his sheep, Zach. 11.7. such as hear his voice, and depend only upon it, and will follow Christ, john 10 3, 4, 5, 27. Lastly, we may hence gather, how woeful the estate of such people is, as either have no shepherds, or evil shepherds set over them, Zach. 11.4, 5. & 34.4. And Bishop of your souls.] The godly have Christ to be the Bishop of their souls. That this point may be more distinctly and profitably conceived of, I would consider of four things in the explication of it: Explanation of the term, Bishop. First, the use of the term Bishop here given to Christ: it was before the Apostles time a foreign word, much used in profane writers. For the original word here rendered a Bishop, was a term given to watchmen, and spies, and overseers of works; and sometimes to any sort of Rulers. In the Apostles time, it seems the term was impropriated, and given only to Ministers that had charge of souls. For the Apostles appointing certain men to look to the bodies of Christians▪ which they termed Deacons, they appointed other eminent men to look to the souls of Christians, whom they termed Bishops, as appears, Phil. 1.1. Acts 20.28. In the time of the Apostles the term suffered yet a more strict impropriation, and was given to some especial Ministers, that had charge, not only of the people, but also of the Clergy: and in time in some Churches unto these choice men of the Ministry 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 term of Bishop to Christ, as the first and principal Overseer of our souls, to whom the charge of their original doth belong. Secondly, we must note, that Christ is not said to be a Bishop of our souls, but the Bishop of our souls: which imports, that he is such a Bishop, as there is no other like unto him. That charge that Christ hath of our souls, he hath it alone. There is no Bishop like to Christ our Bishop: for, 1. There is no good Bishop but he; Christ excels all other Bishops in ten respects. for he died for the souls he hath charge of, and so do not other Bishops. And whereas other Bishops may be 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 God's cause so much as he. 2. No other Bishop can instruct the flock as he doth. For he can make his people profit, because he teacheth inwardly, whereas they can teach only outwardly; and he instructs all his flock, and makes them all to know God, from the greatest to the lowest of them, which no other Bishop can do. 3. He is the only Bishop, because all other Bishop's m● give accounts to him, 1. Pet. 5.3. 4. He is the universal Bishop of all souls: other Bishops ●●ve their particular charges, or Churches; but he hath the charge of all the flocks 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 souls; they are not able to keep us, our souls have many diseases which they cannot cure, and are assaulted with many adversaries which they cannot resist. 7. Because he is a heavenly Bishop, they are but earthly; and diverse parts of his office he executes in heaven, whereas other Bishops can do nothing for us, but on earth. 8. Because he is the only Lawmaker, the only Lawgiver to our souls; other Bishops can make no Laws, but by his authority, jam. 4.11. 9 Because the other Bishops may require goodness in their flocks, but cannot make them good: he can make all his people righteous, he is the Lord and their very righteousness, jer. 23.6. 10. Other Bishops die, and leave their flocks unprovided: but he 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 righteousness; all that the Father hath given him, are his charge, and none else. The coherence shows they are only penitent sinners. Fourthly, the happiness of such as are under his charge; Such are happy that live under the charge of this Bishop. which must needs be great. O! It is a great comfort to a poor sinner, to know that Christ hath a charge of his soul: for he shall be sure that Christ will feed his soul, and nourish it up by his Ordinances, and will keep him to eternal life, and use him with all tenderness and compassion. A bruised Reed he will not break, and the smoking Flax he will not quench. The particulars are metaphorically handled before, in the consideration of the benefits we receive from Christ as a Shepherd. Uses. The Uses follow; and so, First, for information: and so, first, we may here take occasion to think of the preciousness of our souls: for as theyare made of better stuff than all this visible world, being spirits, and were redeemed with a greater price than would have been laid down to redeem this whole world; so it here appeareth, because God sets his own Son to tend our souls; which should make us make more reckoning of them, and not be so careless of them. It were an ill bargain to win the whole world, and lose our own souls. Secondly, in that he takes charge of our souls, it imports that his Kingdom 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 claims himself chiefly the charge of our souls. Thirdly, in spiritual things it is imported that we are to be subjected to such as have the oversight of us, only 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 do nothing against Christ. We are subject first and originally to Christ: the charge of our souls properly belongs unto him. Fourthly, we may here see what need our souls 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 gross offenders: for if Christ be the Bishop of souls, 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 Devil, and the World, and Antichrist, as will not bear his yoke. Sixtly, it imports that all Bishops must have ordination from him: and therefore such as cannot show 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 souls to him, may rest upon it, that he is able to keep them till the day of his coming, 1 Tim. 1.2. They shall never be lost: none can take them out of his hand, john 10.29. It is the will of God that none of them should be lacking, john 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 chief care of our souls. For from his office we may learn that he accounts our souls to be the chief thing he would have kept safe. Secondly, seeing he is the Bishop of our souls, we should learn not to give to any man above what is written, seeing they are but stewards of his graces, and servants under him. Thirdly, we should especially strive to be such, as Christ may take the charge of us, Duties of such as be under the charge of this Bishop. and may prove that we belong to his charge. If we be of Christ's charge, then, first, we must hear his voice all our days with great attention and affection. His sheep hear his voice, and the voice of a stranger they will not hear, john 16. Secondly, we must be sure we have returned and repent us of our former wanderings, else he is not the Bishop of our souls. Thirdly, we must resolve all our days to obey him that is thus declared to have the oversight of us, and be ruled by such messengers as he sends unto us in his name. Bishop's also and Ministers should here learn to know what a good work it is to have the charge of souls under Christ, and accordingly carry themselves with all faithfulness, and diligence, and justice, and humility, not Lording it over God's heritage, but as such as give account unto the chief Bishop at his coming, 1 Pet. 5.2, 3. 1 Tim. 4.1, 2, 3. and 3.1. They are but Christ's Curates. Lastly, woe to such as are complained of to this Bishop; there will be no escaping; he will not be corrupted: they may escape the punishment of earthly Bishops, but they shall never escape the punishment of this heavenly Bishop, Matth. 3.5. FINIS. SERMONS UPON PART OF THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE FIRST Epistle of St. PETER. Being the last that were preached by the late faithful and painful Minister of God's Word, Nicolas Byfield. Wherein Method, Sense, Doctrine, and Use, is, with great variety of matter, profitably handled, and sundry heads of Divinity largely discussed. Published since the Author's death by WILLIAM GOUGE. LONDON, Printed by ROBERT YOUNG, 1637. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR HORATIO VEER, KNIGHT, LORD Veer of Tilbery, and General of the English Forces in the service of the high and mighty Lords, the State's General of the united Provinces of the Netherlands: And to his pious and virtuous Consort the Lady Mary Veer, such increase of grace as may bring them to fullness of Glory. Right Honourable, THe Almighty's gracious acceptation of such oblations as are brought to him, encourageth sons of men to offer their Sacrifices on the Altar of his Grace. Like ground of encouragement have I to lay this Oblation on the Altar of your Honour's patronage. Of your gracious acceptation thereof these reasons assure me: 1. This Imp now presented to your Hon●urs, is a twin to that Posthumus which was heretofore presented to, and accepted of your Honours. 2. This, together with his other brothers, was by their own Father, while he lived, devoted to your Honours: to divert them otherways would be plain plagium. 3. Your Honours did many ways manifest a very good respect to the forementioned Father of this Orphan. 4. This Imp itself is a goodly Imp, and giveth assured hope of doing much good to God's Church. 5. Your Honour's high esteem of all good and faithful Ministers, of their function, of their labours and work●s, is well known. 6. Your Honour's mutual entire affection, and sincere and sweet conversation and carriage one towards another, is a lively representation, and evident demonstration of the truth of that doctrine, concerning Husband and Wife, which is principally handled in this Treatise. 7. Your Honour (my good Lord) hath all your days been a valiant and faithful Champion for the Church, maintaining her safety and liberty with the peril of your own life; wherein (though Communis Mars, bellique casus sit incertus, yet) success hath oft crowned your valour: instance, among other famous victories, the incomparable conquest by your Honours more than ordinary courage obtained in New-port-field. Can now doubt be made of your Honour's favour in countenancing this child of the Church? 8. Your Honour (my good Lady) was a diligent frequenter of his Ministry who preached these Sermons; and hearing the distinct points when they were first out of the Pulpit uttered, so approved them, as oft you desired the publishing of them: for they were Cygnean songs, the last and sweetest of all. 9 As the sacred Scriptures, so good Commentaries thereon, such as this is, are a solace to your Honours, in reading whereof you have manifested much delight. Finally, many and great are the favours and kindnesses which from time to time your Honours have done to the Publisher of this work; which, as in duty he is bound, be willingly taketh this occasion in all humility, & with all thankfulness to acknowledge. The premises considered, the said Publisher confidently resteth upon your Honour's patronage, and boweth his knees before the Throne of Grace for a merciful Remembrance, and bountiful Remuneration of that Goodness which your Honours have done to the Church of God, to the poor members and faithful Ministers thereof, and in special to the Author of this Commentary, yea and to the Publisher thereof, Blackfriars London, 25. jan. 1625. Your Honours much obliged, WILLIAM GOUGE. AN EXPOSITION OF Part of the third Chapter of the first Epistle general of Saint PETER. 1 Pet. 3. 1, 2, 3. 1. Likewise let the Wives be subject to their Husbands, that even they which obey not the Word, may without the Word be won by the conversation of the Wives. 2. While they behold your pure conversation, which is with fear. 3. Whose apparelling let it not be outward, as with broided hair, and gold put about, or in putting on of apparel. 4. But let the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt, with a meek and quiet spirit, which is before God a thing much set by. FRom the thirteenth verse of the former Chapter, to the eighth verse of this chapter, the Apostle exhorts to such duties as concern particular Christians: and so either in the Commonwealth, where he exhorts subjects, from verse 13. to 18. or in the Family, where he exhorts either servants, verse 18. to the end of the former Chapter, or wives and husbands, in the first seven verses of this Chapter. So that in these first seven verses the Apostle entreats of the duties between man and wife; and first sets down the wife's duty, General scope. from ver. 1. to 7. and then the men's duty, in the seventh verse. In laying down the wife's duty he proceeds in this order: First, he briefly propounds the service of her duty in the first words, Wives be subject. Secondly, he expounds upon it, by showing diverse particular things she must express in her conversation; as, Amiableness, ver. 1. Chastity and Fear, ver. 2. Meekness, ver. 3, 4. Then thirdly, he confirms all by two reasons; both taken from example, first, of godly women in general, ver. 5. secondly, of Sarah in particular, ver. 6. Before I set upon the particular parts of the Text diverse things would be noted in general. First, in that this Apostle and other Apostles think it fit with such effectual terms, when they write to the Churches, to give such special charge to Husbands and Wives, it shows, That God doth greatly desire that they should in a special manner be careful to lead an orderly and comfortable life together. Whatsoever in domestical matters is sometimes omitted in the Text, yet seldom in any place that treats of family-duties is the duty of Husbands and Wives left out. Note. Here it is vehemently urged, and so in the Epistle to the Ephesians; which should work in all that fear God a ca●e and conscience of these duties, and of carrying themselves in the best manner they can one towards another. Now the substance of an orderly life between man and wife, is, to love one another with all constancy, tenderness, and fidelity; to show one heart in all things, helping one another to do the duties of the family, especially in the service of God, and in carrying the crosses may light upon them in their callings; encouraging and comforting one another, honouring one another before others, and ●earing one with another in respect of infirmities, and each of them striving to do exactly the duty that belongs to each. Now that men and women may be careful hereof, many motives may be alleged, and aught to be thought upon. Sixteen motives f●r man and wife to live quietly and comfortably together. 1. Because this society between one man and one woman in marriage was instituted of God himself, and was the first society that he brought into the world, and had the honour to be ordained in the blessedest place in this visible world, even Paradise, and was made between two persons that were like God himself; and therefore God doth expect that men and women should walk very carefully in this estate, Gen. 2. 2. Because man and wife had so here an original and dependence one upon another. The woman was made of the rib of a man: which Adam perceiving by a spirit of prophecy, said, she was bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh: that is, another self, or himself in another shape or sex: and therefore whosoever disagreed, they should agree, it being most unnatural for a man to hate or disagree with himself, Gen. 2. Ephes. 5. and ever the more miraculous the forming of the woman was, the more extraordinary should the affection between man and wife be. 3. Because they are but two of them: they would hardly please many that cannot please one. 4. Because they are appointed necessarily to be companions in life, without parting or dissolution: and therefore since they live always together, they should resolve to dispose of themselves so, as their lives might be comfortable. 5. Because from man and wife is the original of all mankind, of Church and Commonwealth, and all other societies: now those Husbands and Wives that live disorderly, dishonour the whole kind. What would they have the streams to be, when the fountains are so troubled and impure? 6. Because marriage is honourable in God's account, and aught to be so amongst men: therefore it being a great dignity to which they are called, it is as shameful a fault to live disorderly in that estate, as in the estate of a Magistrate, or Minister, or the like, Heb. 13. 7. Note that the fifth Commandment, that concerns family-duties, and the order should be in our dwellings, stands between the Commandment of the first Table, and the rest of the Commandments of the second Table; to signify, that from the careful performance of domestical duties, men are fitter to serve God in the first Table, or converse with men in the world, in the second Table: yea, all we get from God in the first Table, or from men in the second, we bring it home to our houses, or to the place of well employing it. Note the last words of verse 7. of this Chapter. 8. Because man and wife resemble Christ and the Church by way of type or image; and will men or women dare say that Christ and the Church carry themselves so unlovingly or disorderly one to another, as they do one to another? Do you not think it had been a hateful thing for any man that was to be a type of Christ to have expressed the type by false or wicked ways? Even so is it for man and wife to carry themselves one to another, so as Christ and the Church do one to another, Ephes. 5. 9 The end of marriage is God's glory: now if God may not have glory by the loving and orderly carriage of man and wife one to another, he will win himself glory to his Justice, in revenging the quarrel of the Covenant which they have broken. 10. Because usually the carriage of man and wife is the original cause of good or evil order in the family; partly, because thereby they are the more enabled or disabled for their carriage towards others in the family; and beside, their courses are exemplary, and withal, they thereby lay the ground of their own honour or dishonour in the hearts of children and servants. 11. Because God's commandment, enjoining them their duties one to another, binds the conscience as hard as any of the other Commandments; so as God is as well provoked by these disorders between man and wife, as by swearing, or cursing, or Idolatry, or murder, or whoredom, or drunkenness, or the like: yea, they that live in the customary breach of these duties, are unjust and dishonest, as well as if they broke any other Commandments. 12. The Apostles were the more earnest in pressing husbands and wives to a loving and orderly behaviour one towards another, because of the scandal or honour came to Religion by it. It did greatly adorn and become the Gospel, if they lived amiably together, it made men like of their Religion the better: and chose, it was a foul scandal, and caused Religion to be less esteemed, or else hated, when they lived so ungodly and unquietly together. 13. Because if they live lovingly together, they are like to have a quiet conscience, and a clean heart: whereas if they jangle and live in discontentment, it is a thousand to one the conscience will be very froward, and their hearts filled with foul lusts after others, Pro. 5. And that the conscience should be froward, how can it be otherwise, when they live in the direct breach of God's commandment, which (as was showed before) binds as strongly in this as in any other duty? 14. Because this commandment is the first commandment with promise. To the faithful discharge of these domestical duties is promised a long and happy life in the land God hath planted men in. 15. Because men and women may greatly further their salvation by living according to Gods will in this estate; as is intimated, 1 Tim. 2.15. 16. Lastly, let husbands and wives remember their accounts at the last day. Will it not be a wofuli misery for a rebellious and froward wife to be thrown to hell, and see her quiet and religious husband go to heaven? and so on the other side. The use may be for complaint of the general and grievous neglect of these things in the most men and women. Where may a man observe, Use. in any family almost, that amiable carriage between man and wife that ought to be? Quest. What are the causes of this general disorder and unquietness between men and their wives? Ans. 1. It may be God revengeth some sin in the manner of the marriage, Five special causes of disorder between man and wife. or going about it, of which the parties have not sound repent; as, precontracts, or marriage for carnal ends, without respect of Religion or God's glory, as for wealth, or the like: or some secret wickedness, between the parties before marriage. 2. In the most, it is the want of the true fear of God: they are carnal, and so their natures being not regenerate, are full of all evil fruits. Two carnal persons can no more agree together, than two wild beasts: and what will not men and women allow themselves in, when they do not from their hearts fear God's displeasure? 3. In many it is ignorance of their mutual duties: men and women do not study with care and conscience the particular duties which in this estate God requires of them. 4. In such as know their duties, it is either unskilfulness to bear with infirmities, or neglect of daily prayer to God, to fashion their hearts to obey his will in those things as well as in other points of his service and worship. 5. In some it is strange and strong lusts, and inordinate desires; which being not resisted and subdued, the inward cause of all that absurd and perverse carriage shows itself openly. Quest. 2. But what should men and women do that they might attain to this orderly and amiable conversation? Answ. 1. They should heartily in secret bewail their former disorders, and seek pardon of God, Helps for man and wife to attain an orderly and quiet life. and then reconcile themselves one to another, by confessing their faults and follies. These things will never be mended till they be repent of. 2. They should seriously attend to the doctrine of their duties, and hear it with all conscience, and desire to obey and take notice of God's preceptory commandment, in requiring these things; and by all means take heed of prejudice in hearing, but make conscience to hear this part of the word of God. as the word of God, as well as any other. Think not this doctrine too base or mean to be heard or studied, nor imagine that it is but the severity of the Teacher to tell of so many things to be done by men and women: especially take heed of that profane jesting, to put off the sound practice of this doctrine with jesting one at another. Remember one thing by the way, that it is a great testimony of true uprightness of heart, when men and women make conscience of it, to be good at home as well as abroad. Thus of the first general doctrine. Doct. 2. Secondly, we may hence in general note, That the Word of God, and the instructions of the ministry of the Word, belong to women as well as men: and therefore the Apostles call to the women to hear the Word of the Lord. This point is to be noted the rather, because many give out that the knowledge of religion, and hearing of Sermons, and studying the Scriptures, is not fit for women; God doth not require it of them. Now that this dotage may be the more evidently confuted, consider that which is here intimated. There are a multitude of arguments may be brought: as, First, the image of God by creation was stamped upon the female as well as the male, Reasons to prove that women ought to be taught their duties as well as men. Gen. 1.27. 2. The profession of godliness, good works, faith, charity, and holiness, is required of women as well as men, 1 Tim. 2.10, 15. and therefore all means of grace is necessary for them as well as men. 3. It is required of them to be teachers of good things: though they are not allowed to teach publicly, 1 Cor. 14. yet they must teach their children; and the elder women must teach the younger women, Tit. 2.3. 4. They are commanded expressly to learn the doctrine is publicly taught, 1 Tim. 2.11. 5. The Scripture is full of instances. Of the good woman in the Proverbs it is said, that she was not only a good housewife, but the law of grace was in her lips, Pro. 31.26. King Lemuel was taught prophecies by his mother, Pro. 31.1. and women followed our Saviour to hear his Sermons: some followed him (I say) from place to place, Luke 8.3, and Mary was commended by our Saviour for choosing the best part, when she set her heart about religious duties, ●itting at the feet of Christ to hear his word, Luk. 11. Our Saviour instructs a woman of Samaria in the great mysteries of conversion and salvation, job. 4. At Philippi Paul's hearers at the first were only women, Acts 16.13. and an honourable narration is made of many Christian women converted, Acts 17.4.12. ult. and we read of Priscilla, that she was a means to instruct Apollo's, an eloqent and learned man, and to make him more perfectly to understand the way of God, Acts 18.26. and so we read of women that laboured with Paul in the Gospel, Phil. 4.3. 6. If women must suffer for their Religion, it is reason they have all the knowledge and helps in Religion: but women are in danger to suffer for Religion as well as men, Acts 8.3. & 9.2. & 22.4. 7. Finally, the way to be saved is the same for women as well as men: and therefore all means of salvation belong to them, and are to be used by them as well as men. Which as it may encourage all women that are religious to study the things that belong to the kingdom of God; so it should teach them to make conscience of what they hear and learn, of the Virgin Mary, to lay up the good word of God in their hearts, and keep it, and to look to their ways in all things, that they may please God: for as God is no respecter of persons, but loves godliness in women as well as in men; so he doth require sound obedience, and reformation, and holiness of life, of women as well as men. ●or with God there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female, but all are one in Christ Jesus, Gal. 3.27, 28. Thirdly, before I yet come to open the particular parts of the text, it may be asked why the Apostle is so large in speaking to wives, as spending so many verses upon them. I answer, it is not simply because wives are more faulty than husbands, though many times it proves to be so in many wives; but, 1. Because it is more against nature to obey than to rule. 2. Because women have many hindrances or lets, Why the Apostle is so large in setting down wives duties. both in receiving the doctrine, and in practising it: sometimes they rest in the general, that they must obey, and so never study particulars; and therefore had need to have it beaten out in particulars for them. Besides, they are in danger to be infected with temptations, evil counsel, evil example, etc. 3. Because the inferior must mend first: and therefore the Apostle begins with the wives, and would fain have them in order, before they require respect from their husbands. 4. Because if the women be gained to religion, they may be great means to work good upon their husbands: for as they are pernicious instruments of the devil to do their husband's hurt, if they be wickedly bend; so may they be great means to do them good, if they be soudly reform themselves, as the Apostle imports in the first verse of this chapter. Besides, if the mother be godly and careful, though the father should not be so, yet the children may be by her instructed and well brought up, and the advantage from her for the children's good is the geater, because she is most with the children, and usually they more affect her than the father. 5. Because many times their provocations from absurd husbands are so great, as, if God did not speak very much to them, they could never endure it with subjection. To conclude, when things are much urged or repeated in Scripture, What things are imported by often repeating of them. usually thereby three things are imported about the matter so urged: the one is difficulty, the other necessity, and the third excellency; all three may be well thought on here. The Lord is very long in giving the charge to wives, and it is, both because it is a very hard task to learn to be a good wife, and because it is a thing, wonderful necessary, and because a good wife is a creature much set by of God. The Lord accounts it a great work and excellent, when he can inform and instruct women so far, as to make them good wives. Which should be a great encouragement to wives though God set them long lessons to learn, yet it imports he will make great account of them, if they be teachable scholars. Again, we may hence gather the vanity of all earthly felicities. Before marriage men and women promise themselves much happiness in their married estate, and think they could live together with all delight; but yet after they are married, they see they are deceived, and therefore need to go to school to learn how to behave themselves one to another. Further, husbands may hence learn of God how to deal with their wives, to make them such as might please them▪ they must treat with them by good arguments, and not by fretting, or reviling, or complaining of them. Thus in general. The first part of the charge given to wives, is the proposition, in these words, Likewise ye wives be subject to your own husbands. In which words four things may be noted: 1. The term of connexion, Likewise. 2. The parties charged, Ye Wives. 3. The duty required (viz.) Be in subjection. 4. The parties to whom the duty must be performed (viz.) To your own Husbands. Likewise] This term leads us to the duty of servants, entreated of before, or else to the work of coversion to Christ, mentioned in the last verses of the former chapter. If it lead us (as is most likely) to the duty of servants, in the whole latter part of the former chapter; then the Apostle would thereby tell wives, that God is no respecter of persons. He that requires servants should obey them, requires also that wives should obey their husbands, and will indifferently punish the faults of both; yea, if they would have their servants obey them, they must make conscience to obey their husbands; else it is just with God they should be vexed by their servants, that care not to be a vexation to their husband's. And if it be referred to the work of returning to Christ, than it reaches, that women must so think of the conversion of their souls, as that they make not religion a pretence for negligence or disobedience: they must so seek the Lord Jesus, as withal they remember to be subject to their husbands, and to look to I their callings in their family. Ye Wives.] Note here, first, that in speaking to women, he gives them such a title as imports only their relation totheir husband's: they have now lost their own names, and their father's names, and are now styled by the term that binds them only to their husbands. Note again, that the charge of subjection is to all wives indifferently: no difference of age, state, nation, degree, or the like, can make any difference in the charge. God requires subjection of all wives, whether poor, rich, noble, wife, younger, or old, or of what state or quality. A Queen hath no more privilege than the poorest Cottagers wife, Note. Hester 1. Psal. 45.10. Tit. 2.5. and so chose, poor men's wives must reverence and obey their husbands, as well as those that are more curiously brought up; which should be a comfort to such wives, because no more is required of them, than what is required of all. Note thirdly, that the Apostle speaks to women, as if he would single them out by name. Ye Wives; which should teach them to hear their duties, as if God did speak particularly to them. Be subject.] Concerning the subjection of the wives, many things may be considered. 1. The proofs that it is indispensably required, Gen. 3.19. Eph. 5. 24. Col. 3.18. Tit. 3.5. 2. The reasons why they must be subject: and so, many reasons may be assigned. 1. Because it is God express will; he will have it to be so. Eight reasons why Wives ought to be subject. It is not arbitrary, but necessary in respect of God's commandment: and they that will not be subject, must think what accounts to give to God for the breach of his commandment. 2. It is afterwards urged for example: all godly women, mentioned in Scripture have obeyed their husbands. 3. Because it is equal and meet: for if God give the wife power over all in the family but one; it is great reason she should be subject to him. God deals fairly with the wife, in that he makes her subject but to one, and lets her rule many. 4. Because her husband is her head, and the body is governed by the head, 1 Cor. 11.3. 5. Because the man was not of the woman, but the woman of the man, 1 Cor. 11.8. neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man, vers. 9 6. Because the Angels of heaven do look for this in all wives, 1 Cor. 11.10. 7. Because it is comely, Colos. 3.18. A wife never carries herself with better grace, reputation or honour, than when she shows most obedience and subjection to her husband. It is a wicked and senseless pride in many women, that they think it is baseness and dishonour, to be at their husband's appointment, and to be made to do what he lists: But these are utterly deceived; for their disobedience can commend them to none but such as have an unclean devil in them. What more comely in a child than to obey his parents? so is it in Wives. Were it comely for the body to stand above the head, and to rule it? Doth not experience show, that such wives as are so monstrous, as to profess they will not be subject, or do in practice cross their husbands, or rule them; do we not see (I say) that such creatures are hateful to God and men? do 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 scurvy picture, that resembles the substance after a vile fashion? As man by obedience is God's image, so is the woman by obedience man's image. 8. Wife's must be obedient to their husbands, that the Gospel be not evil 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 profess religion: as if he would say, religion should make you, not only better women, but better wives. The husband should feel the benefit of the wife's religion, even in her carriage towards him: the should make it appear that the more she heard sermons, or read the Scripture, or prayed to God, the better she would become to her husband. Thirdly, it may be asked, Why the Apostle chargeth wives only with subjection. why the Apostle chargeth wives only 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 req●i●ed of her, as it is required of the husband also: and the like may be 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, chaste, rich, fair, yea religious; yet if he may not prevail with them in this point, he is not pleased with the rest. Secondly, because this duty fondly 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 commandment, it shows that they are governed by a very spirit of profaneness, as being persons that resolve to live as they list. In what things they are to be subject. Fourthly, it would be considered in what things they must be subject; and so wives must be subject to the husband's commandments, to do in all things what he appoints or desires to be done. They must show a mind desirous to please their husbands, in obeying the directions he gives in matters of the family, or any other things may concern 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 reproofs; 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, apparel, company, 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. The manner how they must submit. Fifthly, we must consider in what manner wives must be subject; and so diverse 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 do 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 business 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 Study could be carved upon the hearts of women, that they might never forget it: what a world of unquietness and inconveniences might be prevented, if care and study did enter into their hearts? Secondly, they must be subject with honour to their husbands: now wives honour their husbands, and show it diverse ways; as, by giving them reverend titles, as Sarah called her husband Lord; and by modest and shamefaced behaviour in her husband's 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 appear many ways; 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 always as well as for the first quarter of the year. Thirdly, by practising this subjection, not in outward show only, but in her very spirit, Mal. 2.15. and that not for fear or shame, but for conscience sake, and willingly, out of the love and honour she bears to her husband, performing this subjection to her husband, as it were to the Lord himself, 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. In what cases the wife ought not to subject herself. 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 lightened diverse ways. First, in the quality of her subjection: she is not to be subject with a servile subjection, as a servant or vassal 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 privileges both temporal and eternal: they remain still companions and yoake-fellowes. Secondly, in the matter of subjection: she is not subject to his will in matters of her soul and religion, when his will is contrary to Gods will. Wives must be subject, but it must be in the Lord, Col. 3 15. The unbelieving husband must not compel the believing wife to change her religion, or to neglect the means of her salvation. And again, she is not so subject but she may admonish and advise her husband with certain cautions; as, if she be sure the thing she speaks against be sinful and hurtful: and withal, that she speak without passion or contempt, with reverence, and without frowardness or imperiousness. Thus Abraham is bidden to hear his wife, Gen 21. 12. Again, her subjection doth not bind her to consent to or conceal his whoredoms, wherein he breaks the Covenant betwixt them, and defiles the marriage bed: nor is she bound to obey him in any thing she knows to be a sin: nor am I of their mind that think she is subject to her husband's blows and stripes, for that doth import a fervile subjection, and not a free subjection: I mean, that I do not think it any part of the husband's power over his wife to correct her by blows: her vices that cannot be corrected by words must be committed either to the Magistrate, or to the Church censures to reform. Likewise I conceive that she is not bound to deliver her body to her husband, when she is apart for her disease, Levit. 18.19. Ezek. 8.6. Seventhly, the sins by which wives transgress against this subjection to their husbands be many, viz. Usurping authority over the man, by teaching him in matters of religion, Particular sins of the wife again subjection. 1 Tim. 2.12. or busying herself in directing or finding fault with him in matters belonging to his calling, & are out of her reach. Impatience and frowardness, passion, brawling, chiding, crying, etc. Idleness and slothfulness, especially when they disappoint usually the trust or desires of the husbands, in things wherein they might and ought to be helpful in their labours, or in the oversight of the works of their servants. Vile estimation of their husbands, though but in the heart; but much more when it is showed by unreverent terms, or nicknames, or words of reproach, or by complaining of the infirmities of their husbands, and finding fault with them before others. Suspicious and base interpretations of the actions of their husbands, as when Michol so censured David for his dancing before the Ark. Wastefulness, either by improvidence, or vain expenses, Pro. 14.1. especially when they are so impudently monstrous as to profess they will not be ruled by their husbands, but will be masters. And thus of the duty charged upon the Wives. The parties to whom they owe this duty follows: and they are their own Husbands. To your own Husbands.] Two things may be noted. 1 That all husbands have the same right and authority over their wife's Wives must be subject, though their husbands be poor; yea, though they be froward and perverse, yea, as the coherence shows here, though they be carnal and wicked persons: and so though they be ignorant, and not able to dwell with them as men of knowledge, though they be diseased and in great affliction, as job was. 2 That wives are to be subject only to their husbands; not to their children or servants, much less to a strange woman, if the wicked husband should bring any into the family: and she must be subject to her own husband, to be directed and ordered by him, not by the husband of another woman. Thus of the proposition, the explication of it follows: where the Apostle requires three things of the wife. 1 Amiableness in her carriage, that she might win her husband if it were possible, ver. 1. 2. A chaste conversation with fear, ver. 2. 3. Meekness, and a quiet spirit, ver, 3, 4. For the first part, we are to note two things about the amiableness of her behaviour. First, the fruit to be hoped for by it, viz. the winning of the husband. Secondly, the means how it should be done, viz. by conversation. Might be won.] What kind of winning doth he here mean? I answer, first, an obedient careful wife may win her husband to be a good husband, that was before a froward, unruly, unkind, violent, or injurious husband. But I think that is not that which is here meant, or not all the Apostle means: for he means it of winning of the carnal husband to religion. Quest. But can any man be made a religious man without the Word? can a man be saved, and find the way to heaven without the preaching of the Gospel? Answ. I take it the Apostle doth mean only of a winning by way of preparation in general: as, the good conversation of the wife may win the husband not to think so ill of the religion she professeth as he did, and may win him to be contented to go to the means to hear the Word; by which means he may be effectually called and sanctified. Divers ways of winning men. For the better understanding of this point, you must understand that men are said to be won in Scripture by diverse means: as, some have been won to believe for the miracles they saw, and yet Christ did not trust many of them, john 2. some have been won by private admonition; but that is to be understood of persuading them to some good duty, or to receive some truth, or to forsake some sin or error, james 5. ult. some have been won by judgements and afflictions; as the Israelites many times came crying to God for mercy, when the hand of God was upon them, and yet fell away again afterwards: some have been won by the fair conversation of others, as here: but the only ordinary means to win a soul effectually to God is the Word of God preached, Rom. 10 14, 17. Note. But one thing we may note here, that a man may be won, and yet not effectually. A man may convert, and change, and suffer much alteration, and yet not be a new creature: yea, other Scriptures show that a man may be won by the Word itself, so as in his own judgement, and the hope of others, it seems his soul is indeed won, and yet it will come to nothing in the end. Wicked men have sometimes great remorses, are much touched, promise reformation, consent, for the time, to enter into the profession of religion, like of the way of God in the general, resolve to hear the Word constantly, etc. and yet all this comes to nothing, but vanisheth, and they return to their old courses. Causes o● revolting in many are diverse. The causes of their revolting are in diverse men or times diverse. Some fly off again because of reproach. Some for want of means to nourish what is begun. Some are driven back because they had not cast up their accounts, what it would cost them to build the Tower of godliness, or what would be necessary to overcome so many enemies. Some are choked with worldly cares and lusts: but in all, the reason is, because they were not sound converted. The old heart would never hold out to do the task of godliness. Quest. But being won so far as to like of religion, to feel remorse, to resolve to become religious, etc. what did they want of sound conversion? Ans. In those that are won only to a temporary kind of grace, or general preparation, diverse things appear to be wanting: as, either they had no sound sorrows for their sins, or never sound turned from the love of the world, or could not forsake particular beloved sins, or were never throughly persuaded to forsake carnal dependencies, or did not think of hiring themselves to do the work of godliness for ever, or had no hearty love to such as fear God, or the like. The consideration hereof should awaken all sorts, especially such as newly entered into the profession of religion, to look to themselves, and try their estates fondly, whether they be won effectually or no. Quest. But how may I know that I am won effectually, now at this time of remorse, or now that I resolve to take a new course? Answ. Thou art right and effectually converted if these things following be true of thee. 1. If thou be inwardly abased and humbled in the sight of thine own vileness: Nine signs to know whether we be won effectually. if in thine own eyes thou discern thyself to be a fool and unapt for God's kingdom; and if thy sins be a sensible lo●d and burden unto thee, of which thou art weary, Mat. 5.3. & 11.29. 1 Cor. 3.18. and thy pride and conceitedness be subdued. 2. If thou have overcome the world, 1 john 5.4, 5. & 2.15. and canst show it by forsaking the fellowship of ungodly persons, 2 Cor. 6.17. and canst deny the carnal counsel of carnal kindred, Mat. 10. and canst hold on this course, notwithstanding the reproaches will be cast upon thee and others, Esay 8. & 59.15. 1 Pet. 4.5. and dost find that thy taste in earthly things is marred, so as thou dost not find that favour in them thou wast wont to do, Rom. 8.5. 3. If nothing can heal thee of those remorses thou feelest, but the Word and Ordinances of God, Hosea 6.1, 2. If merry company, carnal counsel or time, will heal thee without spiritual medicine, thou art not right. 4. If thou have attained to an estimation of Jesus Christ above all things, accounting him only precious; and findest that thy heart striveth to settle itself in the trust upon him and his merits, Phil. 3.8. Gal. 6. 1 Pet. 2.6. 5. If thou have a spirit without gu●te, Psal. 32.2. and that will appear, 1. By thy desire to be godly and religious, more than to seem so, Rom. 2.26. 2. By thy desire to be rid of all siu, and to be turned from all thy transgressions, Ezech. 18.30. setting thyself against thine own iniquity, 2 Sam. 22.24. If thou feel a combat within thee; the spirit striving against the flesh, as well about inward sins, as outward, against the very evil that cleaves to thy best works, and against those sins that thou most lovest, or have been most gainful or pleasing to thee, Gal. 5.17. 3. This will be clearer, if thou desire to forsake thy sins in thy youth, or prosperity, while thou couldst yet securely commit them. 4. If thou keep thy goodness in all companies, as well when thou art absent far, as when thou art present with such as are religious, Phil. 2.12. doing righteousness at all times, Psal. 106.2. 6. If thou love the house of God above all the places in the world, and that thy thirst after means continue and last, and be renewed after the food of thy soul, as thy stomach is after thy bodily food Psal. 26.8. & 84. job 23. 12. Psal. 119.20. 7. If thou honour them that fear the Lord, and are religious, above all the people in the world, discerning between the righteous and the wicked, contemning vile persons, and joining thyself to the godly, as the people thou wilt live and die with, and as the best companions of thy life, Psal. 15. Mal. 3.17. Psal 16.3. 1 Iohn●. 14. 8. If the veil be taken off thy heart, so as thou canst hear as the learned, and understand spiritual doctrine, that before was harsh and foolishness to thee, 1 Cor. 2.14. 2 Cor. 3.15, 16, 18. Esay 51.6. 9 If thou find that thou canst not sin. Mark it▪ the Apostle john saith, he that is borne of God cannot sin; he means, he cannot sin as he was wont to do: for either God crosseth him still, and hinders him, or he finds that he cannot affect his sin so heartily, or commit it with his full consent, or with his whole heart, as he was wont to do, 1 john 3.9. the power of sinning is marred and dissolved in him. Now that this work may prosper, if you find yourselves any way effectually won, be advised then to look to these rules following: 1 Take heed of smothering of doubts: ask the way to heaven, and seek resolution in things of so high importance, as your Vocation, Justification, Sanctification and Salvation are, jer. 50.4. 2 Look to it what teachers and what doctrine you hear: choose that food for your souls that is most wholesome; be not carried away with the enticing words of man's wisdom. 3 Be careful to humble your souls in secret, judging yourselves for your sins before the Lord. Be not sleight in this great work: though you have repent, yet repent still, till your hearts be fully settled, and the power of your corruptions broken: rest not upon common hopes, or probabilities, or the good opinion others have of you, but lay a sure foundation for your own faith and hope, jer. 31.20. 4. Come constantly to the light, that it may be manifest that your works are wrought in God; and let the Word of God be the light to your feet, and lantern to your paths, john 21.22. Psal. 50. & Gal. 6.16. What remains now, but that I should beseech you to return unto God with all your hearts? Give yourselves to God, he will keep that which you commit to him, till the day of Christ. Let not our words be as water spilt upon the ground. Oh that the Lord would bow the heavens, and come down amongst you, and take possession for himself, and perfect the work he hath begun in some of your hearts. Remember the covenant you have made with God in the Sacrament; made it (I say) over the dead body of your Saviour. Now is the axe laid to the root of the tree, now or never bear fruit. This is the day of salvation: say you, This is the day the Lord hath made for our conversion. God is gracious, if you turn to him with all your hearts; and just, if you prove false in his covenant. Though grace in you be but as the smoking flax, yet it shall not be quenched: the Lord establish his work. I● you hold out to the end you shall be saved. That they which obey not the word.] The persons that may be won are described by these words, as a Periphrasis of carnal persons, men that are not in Christ: and so may note either such husbands as were Gentiles, or such husbands as were carnal Christians. If by those husbands be meant unbelieving Gentiles, a question may be asked, viz. how the Gentiles are said to disobey the Word of God, seeing it was never given unto them? For answer, we must understand that at this time the Word was brought among the Gentiles by the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospel: and therefore now they are bound to obey it as well as any others: and this was the condemnation of a world of them, that light was come amongst them, and they loved darkness rather than light. Otherwise, considering the Gentiles without the Law brought to them, they shall be judged, not by the Law written (which they had not;) but by the Law of nature, which they had in their hearts, Rem. 2.15, 16. Now if by these words be meant carnal Christians, that had turned from Gentilism, and received the profession of Christian religion, but yet followed their carnal courses, we may then note, that the bare change from a false religion to the profession of the true is not sufficient to salvation. A man that hath professed a false religion had need of two conversions: the one is, from his false religion to the true; and the other, from profaneness to sincerity in that religion. The corn must be fetched from the field into the barn; but that is not enough, for so is the chaff: but it must then be taken from the barn into the garner. To leave Popery, and turn Protestant, is not in itself sufficient, unless a man turn from the profaneness that is in the multitude in true Churches, to embrace the sincere profession of the Gospel. And there is reason for it: for in changing from a false religion to a true a man doth but change his profession, or his mind at best; but he that will be changed effectually, must change his heart, and whole conversation, and become a new creature. So that then these words describe a carnal man, viz. that he is such a one as doth not obey the word of God. By the Word he means here the doctrine published by the Prophets and Apostles, and now contained in the Scriptures. Many Doctrines may be hence observed. 1 The Scripture is God's Word, because God thereby doth express the sense of his mind, as men do by their words. The Scripture is not the word which God the Father begat, but is the word which God the Father uttered, and is the word which God uttered to us bodily creatures. God, though he be a Spirit, yet doth speak both to spirits and bodies: to spirits, by a way unknown to us: to bodies he hath spoken many ways, as by signs, dreams, visions, and the like: so by printing the sense of his mind in the minds of creatures that could speak, and by them uttered in word or writing what he would have known. Thus he spoke by the Patriarches, Prophets, Christ, and the Apostles. They that deny that God hath any words, either deny that God is, as Psal. 14.11. or else, that conceive him to be like stocks, or stones, or beasts, as Rom. 1.23. or else think he can speak, but will not, because he takes no care of humane things, as job 22.23. These are Atheists. 2. The Scripture is called the Word by an excellency, because it is the only word we should delight in. God since the fall did never speak unto man more exactly than by the Scriptures; and we were better hear God talk to us out of the Scriptures, than ●eare any man on earth, yea, or Angel in heaven: yea, it imports that we should be so devoted to the study of the Scriptures, as if we desired to hear no other sound in our ears but that; as if all the use of our ears were to hear this Word. Let him that hath ears to hear, hear. 3. This Word of God now in the time of the New Testament belongs to all men, in the right application of the true meaning of it. Once it was the portionof jacob, and God did not deal so with other Nations, to give them his Word: but now that the partition wall is broken down, the Gospel is sent to every creature. That is here imported, in that unbelieving husbands are blamed for not obeying the Word: which should teach all sorts of men to search the Scriptures, and ●o hear the Word devoutly, and withal know that the comforts, terrors, and precepts contained in it, will take hold upon all sorts of men respectively. 4. The Word of God ought to rule all sorts of men. That is implied here, in that fault is found with these unbelievers, that they obeyed it not. It was given of God to that end, to instruct, reprove, and direct men in all their ways, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. It is the Canon or rule of men's actions, Gal. 6. 16. It is the light and lantern God hath given to men: it hath divine authority. If we will show any respect to God, we must be ruled by the Scripture, which is his Word. 5. Unregenerate men have no mind to obey the Word: and the reason is, because they are guided by other rules, which a●e false; as their own reason, the customs of the world, the suggestions of the devil, and the like: and because too the Word is contrary to their carnal desires; and therefore they yield themselves to be guided by such rules as are most pleasing to their corrupt natures: and beside too, the light of the Word is too glorious for his eyes: he cannot see into the mysteries contained in it, because they are spiritually to be discerned; and the natural man therefore cannot perceive the things of God. 6. It is a dangerous thing not to obey the Word of God: they are accounted for lost and forlorn men here that do not obey the Word. Men be deceived if they think it is a course may be safe for to disobey God's Word: for God's Word will take hold of them, and destroy them, and it will judge them at the last day, Zech. 1.4, 5. 2 Thes. 1.8. They are but lost men, castawaies, that care not for God's Word. 7. Nothing is to be reckoned a sin which is not disobedience to the Word. That which is not contrary to some Scripture is no transgression: and therefore men should take heed of burdening themselves with the vain fear of sinning, when they break no commandment of God, but only unwarranted traditions, either on the left hand or the right. 8. The constant omission of religious duties and good works proves a man to be a carnal person, as well as the committing of manifest injuries, or gross offences. Here the Periphrasis of a carnal person is, That he did not do what the Word required. 9 Men that obey not the Word may be won: which should be a great comfort to penitent sinners. It is true that disobedience, clothed with some circumstances or adjuncts, is very dangerous: as, when men have the means, and love darkness rather than light, john 3.20. and when men are smitten with remorse, and have blessing and cursing set before them, and see their sins, and feel the axe of God's Word, and yet will on in transgression, Deut. 11. 28. Mat. 3 10. or when men are called at the third, or sixth, or ninth hour, and will put off and delay, upon pretence of repenting at the eleventh hour, Ma. 20. or when men are powerfully convinced, and will rail and blaspheme, and contradict the Word, Acts 13.45, 46. & 18.6. and when God pursues men with his judgements, and they refuse to return, jer. 5.2, 3, or lastly, when men despite the spirit of God, and sin of malice against the truth, Heb. 10. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. 10. The chief doctrine is, That sound obedience to the Word of God is the Character of a true Christian; a mark to distinguish the true Christian from the false, and from him that is no Christian at all: God makes his count by righteousness, Rom. 10. To profess the true religion, to understand the Word, to believe it with historical or temporal faith, to talk of the Word, to receive Baptism, and the signs of the Covenants, or the like, makes not an essential difference. It is obeying the Word proves us to be true Christians. Not the hearers, but the doers of the Word are acknowledged for just persons, Mat. 7.26, 27. james 1.22, 23, 24. But that we be not deceived in our obedience, we must know that unto sound obedience diverse things are required: as, Six things required to sound obedience. 1. That his obedience be from the heart, Rom. 6.17. 2. That his obedience ariseth from the love of God, and the hatred of sin, as it is sin, and not from carnal and corrupt ends, Deut. 30.20. josh. 22.5. Mat. 4.19. 3. That his obedience be in all things with respect to all God's Commandments, though it be against his profit, ease, credit, or the like, Heb. 11.8. Gen. 22.12. Psal. 119.6. Exod. 15.26. 4. That he doth righteousness at all times; that he continue in his obedience, and obey at all times, that is, constantly, and not for a fit, Psal. 106.2. Host 6.5. Gal. 5.7. 2 Kings 18.6. I●m. 1.23. 5. That he make conscience of obeying the least commandment, as well as the greatest, Mat. 5.19. 6. That obeys the commandments of the Gospel, about believing in God and Jesus Christ, as well as of the Law: that practiseth obedience of faith, and lives by faith, 2 Thes. 1.8. Rom. 1.5. Mat. 16.16. 11. It is to be noted, that the Apostle useth fair language, when he speaketh even of carnal men. He gives not these carnal husband's reproachful words, but only saith, they obey not the Word; and the reason may be, because the conscience of a man is not won by the terror of words, but by the evidence of the matter. And beside, the Apostle did not think it fit that wives should be humoured in the violent dispraises of their husbands: It is not profitable for inferiors to conceive much of the hatefulness of the sins of superiors. 12. Religion doth not bind wives to account carnal husbands to be religious. They may know that they are carnal, and yet not sin against their husbands in such judgement, so as they judge by infallible grounds: for though the wife must love her husband, with matrimonial love, above all other men, yet she is not bound to believe that he is the best man in the world. Lastly, it is a great affliction to a Christian wife, to have a carnal husband. Till she have won him, she is but in a distressed estate; for other wicked men she might shun, and so avoid the discomfort ariseth from seeing and hearing their wickedness: but an evil husband she cannot, nor ought not to depart from him, though she must avoid his sin, 1 Cor. 7. and from such a husband she cannot have the helps she should have from a husband that could dwell with her as a man of knowledge. Besides, the many ways in which such a husband may, or will hinder her in the course of godliness: beside, it cannot but be a great grief to her, to think of their parting out of this world, that the one of them must go to hell, and that the companion of her life, when he dies (if he repent not) must be an eternal companion of devils. 13. Good wives may have ill husbands; such wives as are truly religious and obedient, may have husbands that will not obey the Word of God: and that ariseth sometimes from the improvidence, or ill providing of parents. Many parents that have children that obey them, and will be ruled by them, do dispose of them for carnal ends, to carnal or ill disposed husbands. Sometimes from the hypocrisy of such men as fear God, but prove not so when their wives enjoy them. Sometimes from an unruly affection in good women, who though they know the men they choose to be carnal, yet they will have them though it prove to their own continual woe and affliction. Sometimes from a special corruption of nature in some husbands, who either are loving husbands, and yet but carnal men; or are good men, but bad husbands. Sometimes it ariseth from the special grace of God to the wife; who though she was carnal when she married the carnal husband, yet afterwards is converted and effectually called: and this was the case of such women ●as the Apostle seems here to write to. Sometimes it falls out by a special and unavoideable providence of God, though all means have been used to try or prevent this evil in the husband: for marriage being to be reckoned amongst outward things, God, for reasons known to himself, and always just, will give ill husbands to good wives. And chose, it may be God knows, that if some good wives had better husbands, they would prove worse wives, or both husband and wife would be more unapt for the kingdom of God. 14. Unequal matches ought to be avoided as much as may be: and that may be gathered from the manner of the Apostles speaking, in that he saith, If any obey not the Word. If any, as if he would import, that it is a case he desired might be very rarely found amongst Christians. They also may be won.] We read in Scripture of diverse kinds of win: Divers kinds of winning. there is a spiritual winning or gaining, and there is a worldly winning. About the spiritual winning we read of the winning of Christ, Phil. 3.8. which is the work of a particular believer, labouring and wrestling with God, in the use of his ordinances, to obtain, by the gift of his free grace, Jesus Christ for his justification, and sanctification, and final salvation. Likewise we read of the winning of grace and spiritual gifts; and so godliness is called gain, and the good servants are said to win or gain more Talents to the Talents they had. And this gain is gotten by a spiritual trading, in the diligent employment of the gifts the godly have, to get them increased. We read likewise of the winning of other men's souls in many places; and that is done either by the Preachers of the Gospel, conquering the hearts of their hearers to the obedience of the Word of Christ, and unto sound conversion; or else it is done by private persons, that by their examples and good carriage, or by their admonitions or counsels, do persuade and incline others to a liking of a new life, or to humiliation and reformation of some particular faults. We read likewise of worldly gain and winning, when men by their sports strive for prizes, or in their trades labour for lucre and gain. Now this latter kind of gain differs greatly from the former, both in the matter of the gain, and in the manner of seeking it: for there is no comparison between the gain of grace and godliness, and the gain of riches and honour; the one is transitory, the other eternal: the one is true riches and gain, and serves for the best uses, the other is but in show, and serves for the meaner uses of a corporal and temporal life: the one doth always do us good, the other doth often do men hurt, and therefore is called filthy lucre. And in the manner of getting or holding these gains there is difference: we may covet the best gifts, and long after them, and love them, and joy in them; but we are forbidden the coveting or loving of worldly things. But in this place the Apostle speaks of the winning of souls, about which the Etymology affordeth matter of profitable consideration. The original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signifies gain, and withal, the joy and delight of the heart in gaining: this gain being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, it pleaseth and delighteth the heart. And it signifieth craft or policy: and therefore in that language a Fox is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He hath his name from this word: which may teach three things: Note. 1. To win a soul is a great gain; which must needs be so, because to win a soul is more than to gain the whole world: for what shall it profit a man to win the whole world, and lose his own soul, saith our Saviour? 2. It is a marvellous joy to the heart of man to win souls to God: no man that understandeth the worth of the gain can be pleased with any thing more than with that. The people never comfort the hearts of their godly Teachers more, than when they are won by them to sound obedience to the Word of Christ; nor can grieve them more than by their wilful resisting of the means. 3. It requires a great deal of the spiritual policy and skill to win souls: a Minister that would do it must sometimes be like a Fox. It is written of the Fox, that when he is very hungry after prey, and can find none, he lieth down, and feigneth himself to be a dead carcase, and so the Fowls fall upon him, and then he catcheth them. What a Minister must do to win souls. Even so a Minister that hungreth after the winning of his hearers, must sometimes be driven to make a very carcase of himself, by denying himself, & turning himself into all forms, that his hearers may be enticed to flock to his doctrine. Paul is fain to deny his maintenance, and to become all things to all men, even to be a servant unto all, that he might win some, 1 Cor. 9.19, 20, 21, 22. Yea, sometimes a man, to entice his people, must deny his own profit, and make himself like a dead carcase in respect of profits, that so he may the better allure them to fall upon him in his ministry. Some people will never be caught, if the Minister be bussling amongst them for the utmost of his Rights: but if a man will endure to be stripped of his Rights sometimes, they will go to hear such a man, and so may be catched. And thus from the Etymology of the Word. The matter itself imports diverse things done upon the person so gained: as also it notes something in the disposition of the party that is to win, and withal, something in the estate to which he is won. For the first, when a man is said to be won, it imports, first, To be won, what it imports. that he is brought to see that he is lost in his former estate: secondly, that he is brought to confess his misery and sin, and withal, to yield himself with humility of mind to be disposed of by the supreme Conqueror, and withal, that he giveth over all opposing of the way of godliness. Which may serve for trial to all such as account themselves gained to godliness: for such as oppose sincerity, or see not they are lost, or yield not themselves to be disposed of by Jesus Christ, are not indeed won, whatsoever they profess. For the second, it notes, That such as are truly godly show their affection to such as they are linked to in the bonds of nature, by their earnest desire after the salvation of the souls of such as they are tied to in those bonds. Thus Paul desired the salvation of the very Nation he was of: thus parents show their love to their children, by bringing them up in the nurture and instruction of the Lord; and thus here godly wives show their love to their husbands, in endeavouring to win them to godliness, and the obedience to the Word. Which serves also to try the affections men profess they bear to their kindred, or neighbours, or any they are linked to in nature or affinity. Parents love not their children, that endeavour not to get grace for them, as well as riches; and so neighbours should show their love, by admonishing, instructing, and edifying one another, 1 Thes. 5.14. For the third, in that he saith evidently, Won, not mentioning to what, it imports that such as are won to true godliness are likewise won to all happiness, even to God's Kingdom, in respect of their right to it; especially if they be effectually converted. He is won to glory that is won to g●ace Which also may serve for trial: for if thou canst find that thy heart is won to sound sanctification, thou mayst from thence assure thyself of thy salvation, as certainly to be had, as it is certain thou hast sanctification. They also.] This Also imports two things. First, that the Word of God never wins so many, Note. but there are still more to be won: though thousands were converted among the Gentiles, yet still there was hope of winning more. In the spiritual husbandry all times are not times of harvest, and in the harvest all the spiritual grain is not ripe at once. The Jews were first to be gotten in, and then the Gentiles were ripe for the harvest, john 4. and when the fullness of the Gentiles is come in, by that time the Jews will be ripe again; and so it is in particular Countries, Cities, Parishes, Families. And as in winnowing, though it be done with never so good a wind or skill, yet some grain will still be in the chaff: so it is in places where the most good hath been done by the means. And herein, God is better than the natural husbandman; for the natural husbandman will never winnow the chaff over again for a few grains of corn, nor will he thresh over his straw again, if but a few corns of wheat or barley be in the straw: but God will winnow a great heap, if it were but at length to find one grain of spiritual corn. It may be often observed, that in some places God sets his servants to thresh or winnow in great assemblies of chaff, and yet after diverse years' labour, it may be they get but one grain of corn, that is, convert after much toil, perhaps but one or two souls. Now if any ask why all that belong to God are not converted all at once; I answer, that it were sufficient to satisfy us, 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 appear in diverse things: for by continuing the means to call his own Elect thus by degrees, the wicked are left without excuse. Why all are not converted at once. Besides, the godly while they look 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, meekness, prayer, exhortation, and the like. And beside, the outward peace of the Church is thereby preserved: for if it were known once, that all the Elect in any place were called, there would follow such violent opposition from the greater and worse sort, as there would be no place of rest for the Church in the world. They would all be of Cain's mind, if God had declared his testimony on both sides from heaven. And therefore at the day of judgement, as soon as he hath parted the Elect and Reprobate, and sentenced them, he disposeth so of them, as they shall never live together again. And further, if all the Elect were gathered at once, the world would be at an end: for then Christ would deliver up the kingdom to his father, 1 Cor. 15.24. and therefore Ministers should continue painful in their labours, as remembering that they are set to work for edification of the Church, till Christ come again, 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 constancy; because God still supplies their Auditories with new generations, that rise up by degrees in the room of those hardened ones. And withal, they must think that all the year is not harvest: they are Gods husbandmen, and must not think much to labour and toil many days and weeks 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 he treats about winning of more to them; as if he 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 we are bound to hope the best of each one particularly: but for such as are won to sound sanctification (the signs whereof were noted before) it is certain of them, they can never be lost: which is clear by these proofs, 1 Cor. 1.8, 9 Phil. 1.6 Rom. 8. ult. 1 Pet. 1.5. john 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 beside, Christ lives in the hearts of those that are truly 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 eternal 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, God's decree is unalterable, 2 Tim. 2.29. Ob. This may be true of the most; but alas how know I that God will look so carefully to me in particular? I may be lost. Sol. God's promise is universal: Not one of them, saith the Prophet, shall be lacking, jer. 23.4. and God hath charged Christ to see to the keeping of the bodies and souls of every true believer, john 6.39, 40. Ob. It is true, God will never depart from us: but we may depart from him, and so perish. Sol. The Lord's covenant is, that neither he will depart from us, nor we shall depart from him: for he will put his fear within us to that end, jer. 32.41. Ob. But I feel myself so weak and ignorant I cannot hold out. Sol. The smoking flax shall not be quenched, nor the bruised reed broken, Esay 42. Ob. But we are in continual danger, by reason of temptations within, and infections of all sorts from without. Sol. God is faithful, and will keep you from evil 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 evils, john 17. and God hath put his Spirit within you, of purpose to make you keep his statutes, and to hold on your way, Ezek. 36.27. Ob. But the Apostle john seems to say that we may lose what we have wrought, 2 john 8. Sol. The words of the Apostle john are these, Look to yourselves, 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 scandals, or by weakness 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 fullness 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 again. Ob. But we see that Christians of greater gifts than we have fallen away, and never recover again, but die in their Apostasy, as Hymeneus and Philetus did in the Apostles times. Sol. The Apostle in that place answers, that God's foundation remains sure, and hath this seal, he knoweth who are his; which evidently importeth that God did never know them to be his, what shows soever they made amongst men: and therefore their fall need not discourage such as are sure, by the former marks, that they are Gods. Object. But we see that the godly themselves do fall, as David and Peter did. Sol. First, they did recover again, and so were not lost. Secondly, though they fall, they shall not be utterly cast down: for God stays them from falling wholly away, though they fall away in some particular act, Psal. 37.23. Thirdly, in the worst falls of the Saints, there is ever still an holy seed of grace, and faith, and knowledge, that abideth in all that are borne of God; though in respect of outward fruits, and the power or joy of inward gifts, they may be said to lose, joh. 3.9. Divers ways from God to further our salvation. Without the word.] God hath diverse means to further the salvation of men, and he is pleased sometimes to work by one means, and sometimes by another; sometimes by the Word preached, sometimes by the Word read, sometimes by Prayer, sometimes by the Sacraments, sometimes by the example of his Servants. So that God doth work our good sometime by one ordinance, and not by another, in the same thing and at the same time: sometimes he will cure a man of a particular trespass, by the admonition of some private Christian, Mat. 18.15. jam. 5. ult. sometimes he will bring a man to feel legal terrors by the doctrine of the Law, and sometime he will work it by afflictions: sometimes he will prepare a man to receive the grace of Christ by prayer, as he did Cornelius: sometimes he wins him to it by the example of his servants, as here. And the reason is, partly because God would show the virtue that is in each ordinance, and partly to teach us not to despise or neglect any of the means, and partly to show his own power, that works freely by what means he will, as being not tied to any. And therefore they deal very corruptly and perversely, that under pretence of commending one ordinance of God, labour to abase the respect of another, as they do, that say the house of God is a house of prayer, and therefore there needs not so much preaching; not considering that our Saviour Christ himself, that alleged that place out of the Prophet to condemn buying and selling in the Temple, yet did spend his greatest pains in preaching in the Temple, and out of it; thereby showing, the prime ordinance of God, for the conversion of the souls of men, was the preaching of the Gospel to them. Doct. 1. By the conversation of the Wives.] Great heed ought to be taken by such as profess Religion, in looking carefully to their conversation, especially towards such as are without, Col. 4.5. Ephes. 5.15. 1 Pet. 2.12. It is not enough to do good duties, but we must do them as becometh godliness, 'tis 2. and so as may allure and win the very ungodly: and therefore it is required, that our works should shine, Mat. 5.16. for by our practice we resemble God himself, and by our works profess to show, not only what God's Word is, but what Gods nature is. Our life must have the image of God printed upon it: and therefore they do fearfully that profess Religion amongst wicked men, and by their works order themselves so foolishly, deceitfully, conceitedly, wickedly, that they cause the name of God to be blasphemed. Quest. But what should we do to our practice, that by our conversation we might allure and win wicked men to a love of the truth? By what means we may win wicked men in our conversation. Answ. 1. First, we must avoid such things in our conversation, as may irritate them: as scandalous behaviour in any particular offence; as deceit, lying, filthiness, drunkenness, pride, covetousness, passion, or the like; and withal take heed of misspending our zeal, about such things whereof demonstration cannot be made to the conscience. And beside, in the good things we do we must take heed of conceitedness and ostentation, but in meekness of wisdom have our conversations amongst men, james 3.13. and further, we must take heed of judging and censuring of others, even of those that be without, james 3.17. 2. Mortification doth shine effectually into the conscience of wicked men: it doth move them much, if they see we be such as do heartily judge ourselves for the faults that hang upon us, and do not allow ourselves in any sin, Esay 61.3. 3. A sound contempt of this world, and the things thereof, doth much affect the very natural conscience of men, if they see that not in words but in deed, the love of this world, and the glory thereof, be not in us: and chose, it much vexeth them that we should profess the hope of heaven, and contempt of the world, and yet be as full of cares, fears, covetousness, and such like ill affections, as the very men of the world. 4. Meekness and softness of nature expressed in our behaviour, is very amiable, as the coherence in this Text shows, and Tit. 3.1, 2. 5. Mercy to the poor, especially if we do abound in it, and be ready and cheerful to it, doth justify us much before men, james 1.26. Doct. 2. A good example, even in inferiors, may win men to Religion. True Religion, expressed in practice, is amiable in all sorts of Christians; women as well as men, inferiors as well as superiors, servants as well as masters, children as well as parents, Tit. 2.3.9.10. Luke 1. and the reason is, because the true grace that is expressed by any Christian hath the likeness of God printed upon it, and so is amiable for his sake, whom they by their works resemble. And this may be a great encouragement to inferiors, and should breed in them a great care of well-doing. But the main thing intended in this Text is, That religious wives ought to strive to win their husbands, if they have such as are not religious, or not in such soundness as they ought. Quest. But what should a wife do to win her husband? Answ. She must in general resolve to do it, not by her words, but by her conversation, as this Text shows. It is not her talking to her husband will do it; no nor her talking of religion to him that in itself is like to prevail. It concerns women very much to remember this point of the Apostle, to seek the reformation of their husbands by their conversation, not by their words. Ob. But Abraham was willed to hear his wife, Gen. 16. Sol. What then? hath every wife such an husband as will hear her, as Abraham did his wife? Besides, the question is not, what the husbands should do, but what the wives should do when the husbands as not such as they should be. Ob. But how shall a woman know when to speak to her husband, and when not? Sol. She must not speak to him, no not of religion, 1. when in the matter she would speak of she is not furnished to speak as becomes the Oracles of God: 2. when by experience she hath found that her husband is irritated and provoked by her words: 3. when she is not herself free from some fault, as apparent in other things as that is she mislikes in her husband. Qu. But what things must she look to in her conversation, that she may by her works win her husband? Answ. The first thing is, that she be in all found subjection, obedient to her husband in all things, or else God may win him, What things a wife must especially practise, to win her husband. but she must have no part of the praise of it. And this is strongly imported in the very scope of this place. In general, she must strive to be to him (even for conscience sake, that he may see it comes from the force of religion in her) a good wife, discreet, provident, careful to please, meek, such an one as his heart may trust in her, and delight in her. Wives that be foolish, wasteful, idle, froward, or busybodies, if they have never so much show of religion, yet they are not fit for this work, to win any body, much less their husbands. Secondly, she must look to her conversation in things of her religion, that therein she behave herself as becometh religion, Tit. 2.3. and so she must take heed of conceitedness and contempt of others, or neglect of her calling, upon pretence of duties of her religion; and look to it, that she be not herself guilty of any known fault unreformed: and withal she must strive to show the power of her godliness in good fruits, labouring to abound in good works, 1 Tim. 2.10. both at home and abroad; being pitiful, merciful, ready to help them that are in misery, according to her power, and in the things she hath liberty to dispose of. Other things follow in the three next verses. Verse 2. While they behold your chaste conversation, coupled with fear. IN these words is contained the second thing the Apostle chargeth upon wives in his exposition, viz. A chaste conversation with fear; so ordered, as their husbands may daily behold it, and observe it in them. Where the Apostle implies what the husbands will do, viz. they will observe the conversation of the wives; and expresseth what the wives ought to do, viz. in conversation to show chastity, coupled with fear. First then, we are to consider of that which is implied, viz. what the husband will do: and this is imported in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, While they behold. While they behold.] The original word signifies to observe and pry into a thing, to find out the secrets of it: and so it notes, That carnal men (such as these husbands were) do watch and mark the conversation of such as be religious, to observe all they can in them that profess true religion. Thus they watched David, and Christ, and Daniel, and so do they all the godly: and thus they employ themselves in spying and marking the ways of the godly; sometimes out of the naughtiness of their hearts, supposing godly men to be like unto themselves, and therefore hope to find out wickedness in their practice: sometimes out of malice, lying in wait to find out any fault in their carriage, of which they may accuse them, and vilify them in the world: Note. and sometimes they do thus, as compelled by the force of their natural conscience, which gives glory to the graces of God, in the conversation of true Christians, while they observe in them that holiness which they find not in themselves, Use. or other carnal men. And therefore the Use should be, to teach all that profess religion to look carefully to their ways, and walk circumspectly, that they give not occasion of offence; but rather carry themselves so, as to make proof of their sincerity and good conversation by their works. Secondly, from hence we may gather also, That a Christian must look to his justification before men, as well as to his justification before God: for as God beholds his ways, so do men; and he is bound to seek his justification from men, as well as his justification from God. And therefore, as the Apostle Paul had taught the justification of a sinner before God, so the Apostle james urgeth the justification of the godly man before men: which this Apostle imports in this place, when he requires such a conversation as may compel carnal men to say they are just men. So our Saviour, Mat. 5.16. Quest. What can carnal men see in the conversation of the godly to make them give glory to God or the truth? Answ. By the good conversation of true Christians they gather the goodness of the law or religion which they profess. And beside, they thence gather, that they are not hypocrites, but are religious indeed: whence they see what power their religion hath over them in all their ways. And further, the scandal of reproaches cast upon the godly, is often, by the observation of their conversation, utterly removed in the hearts of such carnal men as set themselves throughly to observe and mark the course of the godly. Your chaste conversation.] The word here translated Chaste, in all other places of the New Testament is translated Pure; and so shows, that it ought to be accepted here in a larger sense than the word chaste doth import; yet so as chastity is a part of the purity of a Christian. Doct. A pure conversation is required in all true Christians, yea, even in women as well as men. That purity is required, is manifest by diverse Scriptures; yea, to be examples in purity, 1 Tim. 4.2. It is the chief fruit of the wisdom is from above, jam. 3.17. A pure heart is required, 1 Tim. 1.5. and a pure conscience, 1 Tim. 3.9. and pure hands, 1 Tim. 2.8. And that it may be had, is apparent, for our Saviour saith, Ye are all pure, john 15.3. Quest. How can a man in this world be pure? can any man be without sin? Answ. No, there is no man that sinneth not: In many things we sin all, James 3.2. Who can say, I have made my heart clean, and am pure from my sin? Pro. 20.9. And, If any man say he hath no sin, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 1 John 1.10. And yet though in that sense no man is pure, yet in other senses the godly man may be called pure, and is bound, even by the Gospel, to purity: as, 1. In respect of some particular offence. In what respects godly men are said to be pure. A godly man may be so pure as to abide the trial of God himself: as David wills God to judge him according to his righteousness, and the innocency of his hands; meaning, in that point of false or treacherous dealing against Saul, which was charged upon him, Psal. 3.4, 5. & 18.15. 2. In respect of imputation every believer is perfectly pure: all his sins are as if they had never been, and Christ's righteousness is his; and in that righteousness of faith he is perfectly pure before God himself, Rev. 19.8.14. 3. In respect of men he may be pure in conversation, though not in respect of God; and so he is pure when he is unrebukeable and unblameable amongst men. And this aught to be found in the conversation of every Christian, to live without offence, and without rebuke. Phil. 2 15, 16. 4. There is a pure conversation in respect of God: not that we can converse without sin, but God is pleased, for Christ his sake, to account our conversation pure, when it hath diverse prints and marks of his true grace in us. And so Christian purity hath in it many things: 1. Separation from impure men, Psal. 1.1. 2 Cor. 6.17. 2. The desire of purity in the perfection of it: God accounts his servants pure, because they desire to be as pure as he would have them to be. 3. Sound mortification and judging of ourselves for what impurity we find cleave to our works: 'tis Christian perfection to judge ourselves for our imperfections, 1 john 3 3. 4. Freedom from the gross 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. Freedom from the reign of hypocrisy in the heart, and from hypocritical courses in the life. Thus Saint james accounts the heart to be pure, when men are not double minded, james 4.8. And in conversation he is a pure man, that is (like jacob) a plain man, without fraud, tricks, or dissimulation. 6. Preciseness, circumspection, or exactness of conversation; when a man showeth respect to all God's Commandments, and makes conscience to avoid lesser sins, as well as greater, Eph. 5.15. Mat. 5.19. 7. devoutness and zeal in matters of religion, and God's worship and glory; and so a pure conversation is a religious conversation, that expresseth zeal and conscience in the things of God's service in a special manner, seeking God's Kingdom first and above all other things, 2 Tim. 2.22. Titus 2.14. 8. Chastity, in keeping the heart and life clean from the impurities condemned in the seventh Commandment, 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 general, 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 carnal men: and so it comprehends, of the former senses, chiefly, inoffensiveness, separation from impure men, freedom from gross impurities, and dissimulation, a Christian and wise strictness of life, and devoutness and well ordered zeal in matters of religion. Use. Now for the Use of it. If these be applied to these times, it shows, 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 Puritan, even in these senses, were to be some vile man, not worthy to live amongst men. Secondly, it shows that worlds of people that bear the name of Christians are not true Christians, because their conversations are not pure: for their swearing, or drunkenness, or whoredoms, 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 works are not pure; and therefore unless they repent they will all perish, Rev. 3.1, 2. and the rather, because they cause by their evil lives, not only the hearts of the good to be grieved, but the mouths 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 own consciences, and the gracious acceptation of God, who will show himself pure with them that are pure, 2 Cor. 1.12. Psal. 18. Thus of Purity in general. Now of Chastity, as a part of a pure conversation; and it may well be that which is chiefly here intended. Chastity is either of the mind, or of the body: and it is a most certain truth, that God requires a chaste mind as well as a chaste body, and doth forbid unchaste thoughts and desires, a● 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 Tim●. 4▪ thirdly, they fight against the soul, 1 Pet. 2.11. A man were as good have his body wounded with weapons, as his soul wounded with lusts: fourthly, they cause many times many and monstrous sins in the life, which arise at first from the nourishing of soul desires and thoughts in the heart. The wickedness that was in the lives of the Gentiles did in many of them spring from the l●sts which they harboured in their hearts, Rom. 1. lastly, if men repent not of them in time they will drown them in perdition, 1 Tim. 1.9. But it is the chastity of the body which is especially here intended: & our Saviour Christ divides those chaste persons into three sorts: some are termed eunuchs from their mother's womb, and so are disabled for bodily fornication; some are made so by other men, who by violence, for their own service, made some men eunuchs. Now the third sort are they that made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of Heaven's sake. Of this third sort are all chaste persons, who by a godly care and watchfulness keep themselves from the sins of filthiness, as well as natural eunuchs do, Mat. 19.12. Now these persons that are made chaste for the kingdom of Heaven's sake, are either single persons, or married persons: of chastity in single persons other Scriptures entreat, as, 1 Cor. 7. of chastity in married persons this place entreats. Now this virtue 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 filthiness to be either no sin, or a very small sin. But before I come to speak of chastity in particular, some doctrines would be in general observed: as first, Doct. 1. A godly Christian must show the proof of his religion, especially in keeping himself free from the sins that are most common and rife in the world: and even the more sin abounds in the world, the more strict they should be in resisting sin; 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 constrain 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 bear 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 Sodom, and joshua and his house will serve the Lord, though all the Nation serve Idols. This point, as it should inflame the zeal of the godly to contend for the truth the more earnestly, and to resist all the vices of the time; so it shows, that they can hardly have any truth of grace in them, that are so easily borne down with the stream of evil 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 withhold not due benevolence from their husbands. God himself hath freed the coming 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 shows the wonderful indulgence of God, that for the respect he bears to his own institution of marriage, and for the necessity of marriage for the propagation of mankind, and prevention of fornication, is pleased to bear with, and cover, and not impute the many frailties, follies, vanities, and wickednesses are found between man and wife. And withal, we may hence see reason to condemn their doctrine, as a doctrine of Devils, that forbid marriage as an impure thing, and such as hinders holiness: and the blemish will never be wiped away from some of the Ancients, who, to establish their own Idol of I know not what virginity, have written most wickedly, and most basely against marriage. Quest. But what then? doth God allow any kind of coming together, so it be between man and wife? Ans. No, he forbids coming together in the time of the woman's separation for her courses, Ezech. 18.6. Nor doth he allow of brutish sensuality, though it pass between man and wife: Note. for though God bear with many things, yet the chastity he imposeth doth not only restrain foreign beds, but moderateth even the excesses of concupiscence in married persons; so as in those things their conversation ought to be a conversation with fear. Doct. 3. The practice of the duties of the second Table adorn 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 whoredom 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 drunkenness: so it is true of filthiness in the woman: and therefore the whorish woman is called a strange woman in the Proverbs. But I think it is not safe to restrain the sense of this place, or other the like places, so; but I take the meaning of the Apostle to be, so to commend chastity in the wife, as that which is necessary in all, both men and women. And so I come to consider of Chastity, and so would show, first, the motives to it: secondly, the means to preserve it: and thirdly, the way how Chastity may be manifested and made known to others. Motives to chastity. For the first: many things should persuade with a Christian to preserve chastity, and to avoid whoredom and bodily lusts. First, it is the special will of God, and a special 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 holiness, and to avoid all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, 2 Cor. 7.1. Thirdly, the hatefulness of the nature of the sin of fornication and whoredom should deterge Christians from the committing of it. This is an heinous crime, an iniquity to be punished by the Judges, job 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 natural honesty, Pro. 6.27, 29. It is a sin not only against the soul, but against the body of a man; even that body that was bought with the blood of Jesus Christ, and was made for God, and is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, and is a member of Christ's mystical body, 1 Cor. 6.15. to the end. Fourthly, the consideration of the cause of this sin should abash men: it is a work of the flesh, even a fruit of a corrupted and filthy nature, Gal. 5.22. Fiftly, the effects of whoredom are very fearful, 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 fearful curse of God upon men, Heb. 13 4. and that both upon their states and souls in this life. By means of a whorish woman a man may be brought to a morsel of bread, Pro. 6.26. It is a sin will root out all a man's increase, job 31.11, 12. And upon the soul it brings a fearful senselessness and disability to make use of the means of salvation. Whoredom and wine take away the heart, Host 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 Fool to the stocks, or like an Ox to the slaughter, Pro. 7. ●2. In a word, the adulterous person destroyeth his own soul, Pro. 6.32. y●●, which is worst of all, it deprives men of the kingdom of Heaven, 1 Cor. 6.9. and casts both body and soul into the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone, Pro. 9 ult. Rev. 21.8. & 22.15. Preservatives of chastity. For the second: the means to preserve chastity in married persons are these: First, they must labour to excite and nourish matrimonial love one to another, P●●. ●. 18.19. Secondly, they must do as job did, make a covenant with their eyes, and not carelessly give liberty to their senses, to wander about after vain objects, job 31.1. Thirdly, they must store their heads and hearts with God's word, especially such words of God as do give reasons and motives to dissuade 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, crucify these first risings of inward lusts; and so by repentance for the lust of the heart prevent the filthiness of the flesh, Gal. 5.24. Sixthly, they must walk in love, that is, exercise themselves in a Christian and profitable society with such as fear God, Eph. 5.1, 3, 4. Lastly, they must with all care and conscience avoid all the occasions of this sin; such as are, 1. Idleness, that sin of Sodom,, Ezek. 46.49. 2. Fullness of bread, and drunkenness, as is noted in the same place. They must beat down their own 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. Evil 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 whoredom between the breasts, Host 2. 7. Lascivious pictures, and profane representations of filthy practices; such as are expressed by those wicked stage-players, against which the very light of nature pleadeth. 8. Chambering and wantonness, and all provocations to lusts, Rom. 13.13. For the third point; How a chaste wife may be discerned. if you ask how those husbands could behold the chaste conversation of the wives: I answer, they might know that they were chaste, both by their modesty in secret in the use of the marriage bed, and by their strict care to behave themselves modestly and soberly abroad, in the family, or in other places, by their great conscience to avoid all occasions of evil, when they discerned that they did abhor the society and presence of light and vain persons, and detested all the provocations to lust, of what kind soever. The next verse shows one way how they may know they were chaste, even by their care to avoid pride and vanity in attire. Such men as have wives that are proud, and follow the fashion of the world in attire, or delight in vain company, and haunt stage-plays, are fools if they be over-confident of their wife's chastity, unless it be in case of necessity, where they want either beauty, or temptation, or opportunity. And it is a probable argument of a chaste mind in the wife, when she keeps house, and is diligent, and careful, and painful in the business of the family, and desires to please her husband in all things, and willing to be subject to his will. Thus of a chaste conversation. A conversation with fear follows. Some refer this fear to the carnal husbands, and make the sense thus: While they with fear behold your chaste conversation. It is true, that wicked men feel a great deal of fear many times in themselves, when they look upon the godly, and get the fear, as the fruit of their watching, and prying, and observing. That wicked men are smitten many times with fear many Scriptures show, as, Deut 28.10. 1 Sam. 18.15. Psal. 102.15. The reasons why they are afraid are diverse: 1. Natural conscience doth homage to the image of God stamped upon the natures and works of the godly: Reason's why wicked men are sinitten with a servi●e fear. when they see in them that which is above the ordinary nature of men, or their expectation, they are afraid of the name of God, which is called upon by them, Deut. 28.9, 10. 2. They fear, when they see that they behave themselves wisely and religiously, and that God is with them, and they prosper, notwithstanding all the oppositions are made against them, 1 Sam. 18.12, 15, 29. Neh. 6.16. Psal. 48.4. Zach. 9.5. 3. They fear, because the good conversation of the godly doth rebuke their ill conversation; the chaste conversation of the wives amazeth the hearts of the husbands, when they think of their own unchaste conversation: so the piety, patience, mercy, and goodness expressed by godly men, makes the hearts of wicked men ache within them. 4. They fear extremely, because the goodness of the conversations of the godly is to them a very token of their own perdition, if they continue in the state they are in, Phil. 1.28. Quest. But what do wicked men do, when they feel these fears? Answ. Either they strive to drive them out, and forget them; or else they strive to imagine scandalous and vile things, to oppose their wicked surmises, or false accusations, against the glory of the godly life of such as are good, as the Pharisees did against Christ, and the wicked Courtiers against David: or else they use all means to remove the godly further oft from them, as Amaziah did to Amos, and Saul to David, in the place quoted before: or else they increase in hatred and malice, as their observation of the good hand of God upon his servants doth increase, 1 Sam. 18.15, 29. or else, as men conquered by the truth, they give glory to God, and confess the wickedness of their own estate, and be won, as the husbands here, by the conversation of the wives. The use should be, to stir up godly Christians to look to their own salvation the more: and to hold on, and do good still, and walk wisely towards them that are without, and keep their way: for hereby they shall not only convince and confute carnal persons, but so daunt them, as their good lives will often make their very hearts to ache within them, and the rather because this effect may follow the conversation of women as well as men, and servants as well as masters, inferiors as well as superiors. Thus of fear, as it is referred to the Husbands. But the most Divines do refer this fear to the Wives, as they were Christians; and so thereby is noted a second thing in their conversations, which did much affect their unbelieving husbands, and that was their holy fear which they expressed in their lives. Fear two 〈…〉. Now this conversation with fear may two ways be considered; the one, as it was common to these women with other Christians, and so it belongs to other Christians as well as to them; and the other was, as it was particularly required in them as wives. For the first, a conversation with fear is required in all the godly: so saith Solomon, Blessed is the man that feareth always. And Paul saith, Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2. and again, Be not high minded, but fear Rom. 12.3. This conversation with fear was in Paul, 1 Cor. 2.3. It is required, that the mighty men of the earth should serve the Lord in trembling, Psal. 2.11. this is a fruit of godly sorrow, 2 Cor. 7.11. Now in our conversations we are to express both the fear of men, and the fear of God. There is a fear of men to be showed by other Christians, as well as wives, in their conversation: as children must fear their parents. L●vit. ●9. 3. and subjects must converse with fear, and show it in their car●●age towards their rulers; and so all inferiors must express a conversation with fear towards their superiors. Hence the Apostle saith, Give fear to whom fear belongeth, Rom. 13.7. so such as have lesser gifts, must submit themselves to such as have greater gifts, in fear, Ephs. 5.21. But the special fear we should show in our conversation should be the fear of God; and so a conversation with fear doth import more than barely to fear God: for it imports, that it must be by such a fear as doth appear to the view of others, and such a fear as is continual. We read of a Spirit of the fear of God, Esa. 11.3. and there be other phrases of Scripture that express this conversation with fear: as where we are charged to be in the fear of God all the day long, Pro. 23.17. and the godly are said to walk in the fear of God, Acts 11.31. God was said to be the fear of the Patriarches, Gen. 31.42, 53. so also Eccles. 8.12. Mal. 2.5. Quest. But what cause have Christians to show so much fear in their conversations? Answ. They have reason to fear always, 1. Because of their own insufficiency to perform those holy duties are required of them, in such a holy manner as they desire, or aught to do: Reason's why we ought to express this f●●re of God in our conversation. this made Paul so fearful, 1 Cor. 2.3. 2. Because of the danger that the godly themselves are in, if this fear be not in them; as we see by the miserable instance of the Apostle Peter, who fell shamefully when he shook off this fear, and grew bold and confident of his own strength: and therefore they that stand are charged to fear● lest they fall, Rom. 11. 3. Because of the many and fearful adversaries our souls and religion have in this world. We be to wrestle with principalities, and powers, and spiritual wickednesses, Eph. 6.10. 2 Cor. 11.3. and our task is, to overcome the world and the flesh: which hath many difficulties in it, considering the multitudes of evil examples and scandals are in the world, and the great treachery of our own 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 poured out, if we should miss it in our conversation, if our foot should but slip, Neh. 5.9. 5. Because of the dreadful relation in which we 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 soul, Mat. 10.28. and is the Lord God Almighty, and the Kings of Saints; and he is only holy, and of most pure eyes, and hath power over all Nations, Revel. 15.3, 4. and doth wondrous things. He hath placed the sand for the bounds of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: though the waves thereof toss themselves and roar, yet they cannot prevail, jer. 5.22. He is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth shall trembl●, and the Nations shall not be able to abide his indignation, jer. 10.7, 10. so job 31.23. David said his flesh trembled for fear of God, Psalm. 119, vers. 120. 6. Because of the fearful falling away, and rejecting of many Churches and particular persons, that yet have befor● flourished, for a time, in the professing of true religion, jer. 3.8. Rom. 11.20.21. 7. Because of the many precious things, and spiritual treasures may be lost in deed, or in show, if we do not attend diligently, and with great ear and fear, Heb. 2.1. & 4.1. Quest. But how must we show this fear in our conversation? Answ. It must be showed many ways, both in the ordering of our lives towards God, and in the disposing of our conversation towards men. Towards God, we express this fear, By what ways we must show this fear of God. 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 fear 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, jer. 29.19. Exod. 14.31. Ezra 9.4. & 10.1, 2, 3. at the best mistrusting ourselves, and our own wisdom and conceits, and showing ourselves careful to come to the light, that it may be manifest our deeds are wrought in God, job 37. ult. Pro. 3.7. 3. By showing all awful care and devotion in God's 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 rashness, and vain behaviour, in words, or vows, 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 remembering God's presence, especially at the times and in the places of his worship, Mal. 2.5. Eccles. 8.12, 13. 4. By showing respect to all God's Commandments, endeavouring to keep not one, or some few, but all the statutes of our God, Deut. 6.2. & 31.12. When our consciences are afraid, even for the respect we bear to God, to balk one of the least Commandments, or to be corrupted with any filthiness, either in flesh or spirit, or to come short of any goodness is required of us, 2 Cor. 7.1. being afraid to commit those sins are committed without fear, either by persons near 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 fear expresseth itself notably in two things: first, that it doth not only make us avoid or leave evil, (which in some cases wicked men may do) but it makes us loathe and hate evil, Pro. 8.13. & 16.6. causing us to eschew it, as we would any thing we account poisonful or deadly, Psal. 34. Secondly, it makes us not only do good duties, but it makes us work hard at them; afraid to omit any thing enjoined us, or to have our task undone when God should call us to a reckoning, Acts 10. 35. Phil. 2.12. Towards men we express this fear of God also diverse ways: as, By what ways we are to express this fear of God towards men. 1. By a continual care of innocency, avoiding all courses of injury, though they might be committed with any colour of right; as oppression, Levit. 25.17. usury, Leu. 25.36. 2. By pity and mercy to God's creatures indistresse: so Cornelius is said to be a man fearing God, because he gave much alms, Acts 10.12. job 6.14. 3. By reverence to God's image in his creatures, even in the lowest kind: as by rising up before the hoar head, and honouring the face of the old man, Levit. 19.32. not daring to curse the deaf, or put a stumbling block before the blind, Leu. 19.14. 4. By all possible care of the faithful 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. jude 23. 6. By an awful endeavour to give no offence, neither to them that are without, nor to any of the godly, 1 Cor. 10.3. avoiding all ways of provocation or contention, even in civil life, Psal. 34.12. Now it must be remembered, that of all those ways by which fear should be showed 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 show how miserably the lives of all sorts of men are faulty in the want of this fear: for hereby it is apparent, that these sorts of men following have not this fear of God in their conversations: as, 1. Such as be masters of opinions, What sorts of men have not God's fear. and dare boldly and securely obtrude their erroneous conceits and new opinions upon the Church of God, straining their wits, for applause, to go 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 own insufficiency and infirmities: God cannot abide such as are wise in their own eyes, job 37. ult. 3. Such as live securely in known sins, and bless themselves in their hearts, when their iniquity is found worthy to be hated, Ps. 36.1. jer. 44.10. Mal. 3.5. 4. Such as go on in vicious courses, in the abuse of their liberty in things indifferent, notwithstanding the frequent admonitions of godly and grave Divines; and seem rather willing to forsake their own mercies, than leave their foolish vanities, Exod. 14.31. job 28.28. Pro. 13.13. & 14. 16. & 1, 29 30. 5. Such as take no notice of God's great judgements which are in the world, and will not declare his works, Psal. 64.9. 6. Such as are careless of prayer, and see not need to seek unto God, but restrain prayer, job 15.4. And so it is of the constant and wilful omission of all the service of God. 7. By not pitying the afflicted, job 6.14. I omit to reckon up more particulars, because by the contrary conversation to that which is required in the former rules, men may see that they are far out of the way. Yet it is the more lamentable, that this conversation with fear is not so usually found even amongst the godly themselves, neither in their awful reverence of behaviour and continuance in God's service, nor by their humble, and careful, and mortified behaviour towards men. Again, by the serious consideration of the former explication we may gather, that there are diverse fears ought not to be found in our conversations; as the fear of crosses in our callings, or of the reproaches and oppositions of men for well-doing, or a superstitious fear of transgressing where there is no Law but merely the wills of men; and such as that fear which through unbelief is conceived in the hearts of many weak Christians, and doth much oppress them, and that is the fear of God's acceptation of their best works; so judging themselves, as they withal judge of God unrighteously, while they remember not his promises made to his servants, concerning his acceptation of their desires and endeavours. Lastly, such as have attained to this conversation with fear should much rejoice, and labour to preserve it with all care, because it is a thing which is not only lovely in the sight of God, but is very amiable, and of a winning quality amongst men, as this Text imports. And thus of this conversation with fear, as it concerns those women as they were Christians. Now there is another kind of fear which is required of them as they are wives: for so it is expressly charged upon all wives, that they should fear their husbands, Wherein wives show their fear of their husbands. Eph. 5. ult. And this fear they must show, 1. By giving reverend terms and titles, as Sarah did to Abraham. 2. By avoiding all things by wisdom she can guess, or by experience she can find to be cross to the nature or desire of her husband: even striving to avoid what might provoke his very infirmities, giving soft answers when he is angry, and forbearing passion and unquietness, even with others, if he be present. 3. By a care to show all faithfulness, diligence, care, and tender respect of him, and his good, in all things in their power and charge. And so it appeareth in the negative, what wives do not fear their husbands, viz. such as care not to be daily guilty of such faults as cross, or grieve, or vex their husbands; such as give them unseemly titles, out of the rudeness of their familiarity, or the distemper of their passions; such whose feet will not keep their own house, to attend their callings; such as blaze abroad their husband's infirmities, whereas they should have been the glory of the man; such as are apt to make the worst constructions of the doubtful actions of their husbands; and such as are inquisitive, and still desirous to have accounts given them of all their husbands do. Verse 3. Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning, of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel. Verse 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. THese words contain the third thing charged upon wives by the Apostle in his exposition, and that is, their comely dressing of themselves; which he sets down negatively, showing how they must not be dressed, ver. 3. and affirmatively▪ showing what doth most adorn them, ver. 4. In the negative observe what is expressly prohibited, and then what is impliedly allowed. That which he expressly forbids he refers to three heads. The first concerns the natural abuse of the ornaments that by nature are upon the body, and instanceth in the hair, which God hath given to women for a covering. And the abuse lieth in the plaiting of the hair; by which he means not the tying up of the hair after a decent manner, but the artificial laying of it out in plaits, or curls, or locks, or the like. Their devices about their hair are so many, as we cannot reckon them by the names they give them. The second concerns the excess of cost about their dressing, synecdochically expressed by the putting about of gold, and pearls, and such like rich jewels. The third concerns the vanity of fashions in attire, in the last words, of putting on of apparel. Now for the meaning of the Apostle in this negative prohibition, I find three opinions. The one is of such as think the Apostle did absolutely forbid the things named, but yet that it was a temporary prohibition, intended to bind them of that time, not to bind us that live now. The other is of such as think that he doth not simply forbid these things, but only comparatively; meaning▪ that in comparison of the inward dressing we should not have so much care of these outward ornaments: or about dressing, our care should not be so much for the outward dressing, as for the inward. The third is of such as conceive that the Apostle doth simply, and for ever, forbid these things named, and all of like sort, and that for ever. The opinion of the first sort of men is rejec●●● by all sorts of Divines, as very foolish and erroneous. The second opinion hath Cajetan a Papist for the author of it; but is rejected by Divines of his own sect, for this reason, because if that were the Apostles meaning, his prohibition would teach the most sober and modest women in their apparel, as well as the most licentious; for ever the most modest are tied to respect the inward dressing above the outward: which cannot be the Apostles meaning. The third opinion is the opinion almost of all the Ancient and modern Writers. But because I will not take power to bind your consciences only by the opinions of men, therefore afterwards I will show you by express Scripture, when apparel or dressing becomes vicious: but first, I would consider of the doctrine in general. Doct. It seems to be a clear truth, that Christian women should, in the dressing of themselves, take heed of ostentation, costliness, and vain fashions, and that curious desire after the adorning of their bodies. And though the Text mentioneth only 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 do it either by their command, or to please them: but that vain excuse is wholly taken away from the unmarried, because they have none upon whom to lay their faults that ways. And therefore the practice of the younger women is the more abominable in our times, when we see that usually they are more vile and excessive in cost and vain fashions, than the elder women. And the pretence, that it is to get them husbands, is devilish; for if their natural comeliness 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 fitness of women to make wives of only by their clothes, and not by the persons, or gifts. And further, it is out of doubt that if these things in apparel 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 effeminateness that is found in many of our Gentry, that daily betake themselves to most womanish tricks in their dressing of themselves? The●e are unclean Devils in the flesh, and no Christians. Now there are many reasons why Christian women, and so men also▪ should not pride themselves, or be any way vain and fantastical in their dressing or apparel: and why they should not be curious about their clothes, or the comeliness comes from them. 1. Because our clothes are a continual remembrance of our shame. El●v●n rea●o●● against urine ●tt●re in ●omen. A thief may as well be proud of his halter, as we 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 apparel. God him●elfe made the first garments that were made, and left a pattern to follow. Now he clothed our Parents with the skins of Beasts; shunning of purpose, either cost or superfluous ornaments: and I suppose ye 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 curiosity 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 places, and given them in charge diverse things they must look to at the time of God's worship, he than turns to women, and chargeth them to look to the clothes they wear when they worship God; expressly prohibiting rich and vain apparel, ver. 9, 10. And good reason; for such as either publicly or priestly come to worship God, should come to him in the habit of suppliants and petitioners, seeing they come, or should come, to beseech God to forgive th●m th●ir sin●es: which they should ask with tears and groans, as such as know no happiness if God be not reconciled to them. Would any man regard a Beggar if he came to ask alms in rich clothes? and can any man be so overgrown with dotage, as to think God doth not care in what colours or fashions we worship or entreat him? Besides, we come not into the house of God to show ourselves to men, but unto God amongst men. Yea in private, how dare fantastical women stand before God to pray, when they carry upon their backs such Ensigns of pride and vanity? And hereby we may discern the horrible wickedness of these times, which are just opposite to Paul's direction: for we see men and women clothe themselves with the greatest cost and vanity when they are to appear 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: do you come only to show yourselves to men? this is no dancing school, nor wedding house, nor yet any play house, that you should come hither in these histrionical and strumpet-like attires, saith chrysostom upon this second chapter of the first of Timothy. 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 souls, as to misspend our cares, cost, and affections, upon that which in itself is so vile: and the apparel we put on the body will last but a while, whereas the dressing of the soul will last for ever. 5. Because of the absence of the Bridegroom 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 vain dressing? What more evident sign of a strumpet, than for to dress herself curiously, and for the show 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 apparel are so grievously threatened by the Lord. He will visit them that wear strange apparel, Zeph. 1.8. And what woman can read 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 vain 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 wickedness of the wicked. Let these creatures take heed of vain interpretations of that place. They may deceive themselves, but they shall find that God will not be mocked. They daub with untempered mortar, that tell them, that those things condemned were not sinful, or that God was not displeased with them. 7. Because excess and vanity in apparel hath been condemned by the greatest lights in the Christian world, and that with great bitterness of censure. I will give instance in some of their censures: Cyprian said, They that put on vain and gorgeous apparel cannot put on Christ. Gregory said, Let no man think that in the study of precious apparel sin can be wanting. Ambrose saith, That proud attire obtains nothing of God, and causeth that men never think well of the parti● using it: for, saith he, what wise man doth not abhor a woman proudly dressed? and therefore much more God, their Creator, cannot abide to see that bodi● which he made free, to be chained to metals: he means gold, and pearls, and such like; and adds, The more they are liked of some men, the ●ore they are hated of God. Tertullian and Cyprian have written whole Treatises against the apparel of women. Yea Cyprian and Augustine say, that superfluous apparel is worse than whoredom; and they give this reason, because whoredom only corrupts chastity, but this corrupts nature. What Jerome thinks of it you shall hear afterwards. What should I reckon more testimonies, seeing in all ages of the Christian Church these things in the apparel of women have been bitterly condemned? yea the very Popish Writers do bitterly inveigh against vain and superfluous apparel; and the very heathen men did so also. 8. It should the more dissuade women from following foolish vanities in adorning themselves, because usually where these things are noted by way of description in Scripture, the parties of whom it is written were notorious wicked persons, and usually Whores; as it is noted of Thamar and jezabel, and the Whore in the Revelation, ch. 17.3. and for notable wickedness, as the women, Esay 3. and Dives, Luke 16. 9 This care about the adorning of the body doth not agree to the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus. Godly Christians have their beauty within: they are not such as will contend with the men of the world about fineness, or greatness, or worldly praises, or any outward ornaments. Nor do they walk with a right foot to the Gospel, that are conformable to the men of this world: there is great dissimulation to profess so strict a life as the Gospel doth require, and yet take such liberty in the things of this world. 10. About the abu●e of apparel many sins meet together, as vanity, pride, evil concupiscence, contempt of others, immodesty, and the like. 11. There are many evil effects of vanity and excess in apparel, both in respect of God, and themselves, and others: in respect of God and his service, vain and proud apparel breeds carelessness, and abatement of that holy fear and zeal should be showed in God's service, and it causeth the name of God to be blasphemed, and the good way of God to be evil spoken of. And for themselves, by following foolish vanities they bring Gods visiting hand in judgement upon them, Zeph. 1.8. and withal, they forsake their own mercies. jonah 2.8. And for the effects upon others, they are diverse. For fir●t, by their example they do much hurt, both in provoking others to the imitation of their vanity, and by inflaming evil concupiscence, and filthy desires: and, which is the more grievous, parents many times by their examples infect the minds of their own children, and corrupt their posterity; yea, we see many daughters made worse than their mothers. Again, excess in apparel causeth in many the oppression of their Tenants, and fraudulent courses, that they may maintain themselves in that wicked excess and vanity. Besides, it destroys in diverse all respect of the poor and hospitality. Lastly, do we not see many families destroyed and overthrown by these courses, so as their posterity is utterly defeated of their means and inheritances by the riot of their parents in their apparel? Now it remaineth that I should show out of the Scriptures when apparel, or dressing, or putting on of apparel becomes vicious. And that will appear to be many ways: 1. The dressing of the hair of the head is judged to be vicious out of this Text, when it is plaited; Fourteen ways by which apperil or dressing our s●l●●s becomes vicious. which is by Interpreters conceived to mean all that artificial dressing of the head that imploies the hair beyond the natural use of it, only for vain show. The natural use of the hair is to be a covering: now when the hair is with curiosity and by vain inventions turned into vain forms, by plaiting, curling, or other ways which we cannot name, or to fall into dangling-lockes, like to the hair of Russians, the dressing is then vicious. For Ba●il saith in general of all apparel and dressing, that whatsoever in these things is not for profit or necessity, is vain and superfluous. And Jerome expressly condemns th● hanging of the hair below the forehead. Plutarch records, that the Romans, when a woman was to be dressed at a wedding, used to separate and plaite the hair of her head with the point of a Spear, to show how much they hated curiosity in dressing. Now if the plaiting of the hair be so ill, how abominable is the use of strange hair, that is, hair that is not their own? This is generally condemned, and Nazianzen, amongst the Ancients, sharply reproves it. 2. All apparel is vicious, if it be strange, Zeph. 1.8. Now strange apparel is not new apparel, but such apparel as is not used in the Churches where we live, and hath not an apparent comeliness and utility in it: some apparel, though newly invented, hath a manifest comeliness and commodiousness stamped upon it, so as it is approved of all, both good and bad; this is not strange, though it be new. Again, we may observe, that other apparel, when it first comes in, it comes in like a monster, the natural conscience in all men detesting it: this is out of question sinful; as for the reason here alleged, so because it adorns not. Such is yellow starch. 3. All apparel and dressing is vicious when it is against shamefacedness and modesty, and hath in it manifest provocation to lust, 1 Tim. 2.9, 10. such as is the leaving of the breasts naked in whole or in part, and the short wearing of their clothes in women. The Prophet Hosea complains of adultery between the breasts, Host 2. Also against shamefacedness is it when woman leave the dressing proper to their sex, and go attired like men, Deut. 22.5. A Father saith, that they which dress themselves with an intention and desire to please men, or to provoke any, they offer up their own souls to the Devil. And Hierome saith, that if a man or a woman adorn themselves so as they provoke men to look after them, though no evil follow upon it, yet the party shall suffer eternal damnation, because they offered poison to others, though none would drink of it. Oh how many souls may be poisoned with lust by thee, whose sins thou art therefore guilty of! 4. All apparel that exceeds in cost the state or degree of the person that wears it, is vicious; and that the Apostle in this Text condemns under the prohibition of gold. 5. All apparel that is taken up from the fashion and example of the world, and is not judged useful by the most religious and sober minded, Rom. 12.2. And though some that profess religion, out of weakness, or special corruption, or because they are hypocrites, do follow such fashions, yet that allows them not, so long as they are the proper characters of the men of this world. 6. When apparel is not of good report, Phil. 4.8. 1 Cor. 10.38. when it either causeth wicked men to speak evil, or reproach; or godly men are grieved or offended; or religion itself is reviled for their sakes. 7. When it provoketh the party to pride and haughtiness, or contempt of others, or hath the appearance of such evil in the judgement of others, Esay 3. 1 Thes. 5. 8. When it becometh not good works, or hindereth them, 1 Tim. 2.9. as when men restrain mercy to the poor, or oppress their Tenants, or defraud other men, only to maintain themselves or theirs in outward pomp and gallantness of apparel. This is the horrible sin of the Gentry in many places of this kingdom. 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 sin to vex them and grieve them by our obstinacy; yea, though they were not able to make so full demonstration, yet when they reprove such things out of a spiritual jealousy, and fear 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 curiosity of dressing, Ephes. 5.16. as it is with those that have not time for God● 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 mere singularity and affectation of the praise of mortification, and tends to restrain Christian liberty in others. For no pretence may uncomely apparel be used; for 1 Tim. 2.9. it is required that the apparel of women be comely; for so the original word signifies. But especially uncomely apparel is then most vile, when it is worn with a purpose to deceive, as the Prophet complained of such as wear a ro●gh garment to deceive. 12. The purity of a Christian life should avoid all dress or fashions which had their original 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 between light and darkness, righteousness and unrighteousness, Christ and Belial? If we would have God to love us, we must separate and come out from amongst them, and touch no unclean thing. 13. When such apparel is worn as is contrary to the wholesome laws of men: for we are bound to submit ourselves to every ordinance of man for God's sake, 1 Pet. 2.13. 14. Lastly, when the party that useth such apparel or dressing is condemned in himself, and hath his own conscience accusing or disliking it, or is no● 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, etc. HItherto of that adorning they should not be curious or costly in. Now in this verse he shows, in the affirmative, what apparel or dressing they s●ould be careful of, and that is the adorning of their souls, 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 shows both in general, and in particular; in general, it must be with incorruptible things; in particular, it must be with a meek and quiet spirit. 3. The reason, viz. because such apparel is very rich in God's account. The fir●● thing than 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 Scriptu●e but this only: this Apostle only useth this kind of expressing himself. Now concerning the man of the heart I would consider of six things: 1. What he is. 2. Whence he is, or his original. 3. In what he excels the outward man. 4. What condition he is in by nature. 5. H●w he may be mended, or made better. 6. How we may know when the man of the heart is right. ●or the first: Wh●t the man of the ●eart i●. by the man of the heart he means the same the Apostle Paul●oth ●oth by the inward man, 2 Cor. 4.16. and the inward man is the soul or heart of man Thus ●e speaks of a Jew that is outward, and a Jew that is in●ar●, Rom. 2.28, 29. Now the heart is and may well be called the man for diverse 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 years after his body was in the grave, Mat. 22. And hence it is that unto the soul or heart of man in Scriptures is attributed all things that the outward man can do; 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 speak to the heart of Jerusalem, Esay 40. serving of God, etc. 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 abundance 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 looks upon, 1 Sam. 17.7. He tries the heart, and, as Solomon saith, He weighs the hearts of the children of men, Pro. 21.2. and he will be served with our hearts, josh. 24.14. and in all holy duties it is with us in God's 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. Host 7.14. in hearing the Word, Luke 8. and so in every good duty. Thus of the first point. His original. For the second. The man of the heart hath his original from God himself. He is the Father of Spirits, Heb. 12.8. and it was his especial glory to form and fashion the heart in man, as diverse Scriptures show, Zech. 12.1. Psal. 33.15. and is therefore called the God of the heart, Psal. 37. Wherein he excels the outward man. For the third. The man of the heart excels the outward man exceedingly, and that both in substance and in privileges. 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 spiritual and immaterial 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 do all his work, and yet be invisible. God himself hath variety of conversation with the man of the heart, that no creature else knows. Secondly, he is free, and subject only to the God of his heart properly. No man can come at, or govern, or command the heart of man. Thirdly, he is properly the seat of God's image. We are not properly like God in our bodies, (because God hath no body) but in our spirits, though it be true, that the glory of God's image shines through the body of man (as the light doth through the lantern) in respect whereof the outward man is said to be made after God's image: but else, properly, only the man of the heart is capable of that preferment, to be made like God. His natural condition very miserable many ways. For the fourth point. The man of the heart by nature is in a most woeful condition, though in those general things before mentioned he excels the outward. His misery will appear, if we throughly consider, either what he is in his qualities, or what he doth in his work, or what he suffers in that estate. If you inquire after his qualities by nature, first, he is vain, Ephes. 4.18. yea so vain, as the outward man dares not act what the man of the heart entertains. Secondly, he is foul; as Solomon saith, Who can say, I have made my heart clean? Yea he is so foul, that it is as hard a work to make the he art of one man clean, as to create a world anew. Hence David said, O Lord create in me a clean heart, Psal. 51. Thirdly, he is uncircumcised and altogether indisposed to matters of religion: he is slow, and hard to believe, uncapable and unteachable, and makes not use of the very first business in the entrance into religion, jer. 9.26. 1 Cor. 2.14. Fourthly, he is deceitful above all things; he can be trusted in nothing, jer. 17.9. Fiftly, he is very unquiet, and never enjoys any sound peace, nor is pleased with any condition; and oftentimes he is like the raging Sea, Isa. 57 These are his qualities, some of them. His works he doth are most abominable: for, 1. He is always imagining mischief; Especially in his works, which are abominable. the whole frame of his thoughts is only evil continually, Gen. 6. There is a world of wickedness in him ev●ry day. 2. That he may be wicked the more securely, he imprisons the truth, and lays hold upon all the principles in his head, that might any way disturb his course in sin, and locks them up in restraint, Rom. 1.18. 3. He resists the spirit, and proclaims enmity to God, and gets out of the way, that so the heart may be far from God: and further, the more to provoke God he chooseth strange gods, which he daily entertains, and gives unto them what is due unto God. These are they are called by the Prophet the Idols of the heart, Ezech. 14. And finally, he is the author of all the mischiefs are done by the outward man: for it is he that gives wicked laws to the members, and makes the outward man do all the villainies we see are done in the world, Mat. 15. Rom. 7. And as he is most wretched in what he is, and doth; so is he in what he suffers: for first, he is smitten with a most woeful Lethargy; always given to sleeping, and in danger to go to Hell in any of these sleeps. And beside, he lives in the dark: it is always night with him, he never sees day, Rom. 13.11. and beside, the Devil possesseth him, and hath raised strong Holds, and fortified himself within him, 2 Cor. 10.4. and lastly, he is an abomination to the Lord. As nothing is more esteemed of God than the man of the Heart, if he be right: so nothing is more loathsome to God, if he be wicked, Prov. 11.20. Now for the fifth point: If any ask what must be done, that the man of the Heart may be mended and made right: I answer; 1. The heart most be prepared: prepared, I say, to return to God, By what means the man of the ●eart may be men●ed. 1 Sam. 7.3. Now the heart is prepared two ways: first, by a sound confession of the sins of the heart, when a man acknowledgeth the plague of his evil heart before God, 1 Kings 8.38. secondly, b● earnest prayer to God, to direct the heart, and set it in order, and bow i●, and incline it to goodness, 2 Thes. 3.5. Now it is certain, that even these works of preparation are not neglected of God; for he heareth the preparations of the heart, Psal. 10.17. 2. It must be stored with sacred notions, and knowledges out of the Word of God. The Law must be written in the heart: the Word of God, in the sound knowledge of it, must be hidden there, Psal. 119.11. jer. 31.33. Esay 51.7. for these sacred notions have a power to master and order the heart. 3. It must be washed and purified. It must be sound rinsed in the tears of true repentance, and then it will become very acceptable to God, through the merits of Christ a●d his mediation, james 4.8. jer. 4.14. God greatly delights in the heart, when it is broken and contrite, Psal. 34.19. & 147.3. & 51.17. Now for the last point: The man of the heart is then right, when 1. It is true, Heb. 10.22. that is, How we may know when the man o● the heart is right. when it is without the guile of fraud and dissimulation; when it is as it seems to be in religion; when it had rather be good than seem so. 2. It is clean: for, Blessed are the pure in heart, Mat. 5. Psal. 51.12. & 24.4. It is a sign the man of the heart is right, when it is freed from the liking and residence of natural filthiness it was given to, and when that continual frame of vile thoughts and lusts is dissolved; especially when it strives after inward purity as well as outward. 3. When it is sound in God's Statutes, Psal. 119.80. And so it is, first, when it is careful to get warrant for every action from the Word, and seeketh doctrine and instruction, and to that end comes to the light, Pro. 15.14. & 18.15. Secondly, when it submitteth itself to the form of doctrine into which it is delivered. The heart is sound in the Word, when a man doth from his heart consent to obey, and striveth to follow the directions daily given out of the Word, Rom. 6.17. especially when it is perfect with God: and so it is when it is a willing heart, and hath respect to all God's Commandments, and desires to live in no sin, 1 Chron. 28.9. 4. When the full purpose of the heart is to cleave to God for ever; Acts 11.23. And thus of the man of the heart, or what is to be apparelled and adorned. With what it must be adorned followeth: and in general, it must be adorned with that which is incorruptible. In that which is not corruptible.] Four things may be noted in these words; two of them are implied, two of them more express. Doct. 1. That the things belonging to the outward man are corruptible. All things that concern him are ●o: for first, his substance is corruptible; All flesh is grass, 1 Pet. 1.24. so job 14.1.2. and beside, all his glory is as th● flower of the field. His riches, pleasures, honour, strength, beauty, health, and all he any way accounts his glory, it all will corrupt: for either vanity will consume it, or violence will take it away, 1 Pet. 1.24. 1 john 2.17. Mat. 6.19, 20. All earthly things are vanity and vexation of spirit, as Solomon shows in the whole book of Ecclesiastes. Now if worldly things be corruptible things, then in general we should all learn diverse lessons: first, not to set our affections upon these things here below, we should not set our hearts upon that which we cannot keep long. All we have, though it be not yet corrupted, yet it is all corruptible: why should we then make such haste to be rich? especially, why should we trust upon uncertain riches? Secondly, seeing we shall have these things but a ●hile, we should use them as such things as we cannot enjoy long; and so we should take our part of them in a sober and Christian freedom while we have them, Psalm 49.18. Eccles. 9.7, 10. and especially we should employ them to the best uses we can: And the best use to put worldly things to, Not●. is either to make friends with them, by liberality to the poor, Luke 16. or to buy wisdom with them, by spending freely for the procuring of the means of salvation for ourselves or others, Proverbs 17.16. and in general the chief use of them is, by them to make ourselves rich in good works, 1 Tim. 6.19, 20. Thirdly, seeing earthly things are corruptible, we should not envy the prosperity of wicked men, that abound not in any thing that will ●arry long with them: all their portion is in these things that will away, Psalm 37.1, 2. & 49.15, 16, 18. Lastly, we should all therefore be of Moses mind, rather to suffer affliction with God's people that shall possess eternal things, than with the wicked to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, Heb. 11.26. And in particular, both poor and rich may be instructed hereby: for rich men should not glory in their riches, but rather rejoice if God have made them low by true grace, which will last for ever, james 1.9, 10. 1 Tim. 6.17, 20 and poor men that have a portion in spiritual things, should not be troubled for want of these ●●rthly things, seeing if they ●●d them they would last but a while, I●●●s 1.9. and therefore having food and raiment they should be content. Thus of the first Doctrine. Doct. 2. Earthly things do not adorn a man. As they are corruptible, so they do not make a man any whit the more comely: which is true in these four senses following: First, they do not adorn a man in the sight of God: he respects it not, whether a man be poor or rich, bond or free, clothed or naked, in robes or in rags, Gal. 3.28. Secondly, they adorn not the inward man: they add nothing to the mind or heart of man. Thirdly, they adorn not with true ornament, but only with a show: for if the glory of the world be like a withering flower, what true ornament can it be to wear such withered things? Fourthly, they adorn not for continuance. All apparel for the body of a man, and all ornaments for his house or state any way, they are the worse for wearing, and will wear clean out in the end. And therefore for the use, first, how vain a thing is the pride of life! and secondly, we should therefore know no man after the flesh, but to reckon of man's worth by better things than worldly things. Doct. 3. A third doctrine is evidently to be observed out of these words; and that is very comfortable for godly Christians, such as the Apostle supposed these to be to whom he writes; and that is, That godly Christians have right to all incorruptible things. That which is not corruptible, if they seek, they may possess. It is their own, God would have them put it on as they put on their apparel. He hath adorned his children with the gift of all incorruptible things: heavenly treasures are theirs, and they may lay hold on them, and lay them up as their certain riches and portion, Mat. 6. ●0. He grants eternal life to them that seek glory, and honour, and incorruptible things; that is, he grants them an eternal possession of spiritual things, Rom. 2.7. Now that this doctrine may be more evident and full of comfort, it is profitable to inquire distinctly what is incorruptible, and will last always; and so we shall find by the testimonies of the Scripture that seven things are incorruptible. 1. ●od is incorruptible, Rom. 1. and God is their God by covenant; and, 〈…〉 as David saith, he is the strength of their heart, and their portion for ever, Psal. 37.26. & 1●9 57 and God his mercy, and his love, and his power is everlasting. His mercy endures for ever, Psal. 136. and his loving kindness ●●all never be taken from him, Psal. 89.33. and with everlasting compassion he hath received them to favour, Esay 54. and with everlasting love hath he loved them, jer. 31.3. and in the Lord jehovah is everlasting strength for the protection and preservation of his people; and therefore they may trust upon him for ever, Esay 26.4. and therefore if all people will walk every ●ne in the name of his God, godly men ought much more to wa●ke in the name of the Lord their God for ever and ever, Micah. 4.6. 2. The Word of God is incorruptible, and lasts beyond all end, 1 Pet. 1.24. Psal. 119.89. And this is the heritage of the godly, Psal. 119.111, 127. The truth shall be with us for ever, 2 john 2. 3. The righteousness of Christ is everlasting, Dan. 9.24. and this righteousness is theirs, ●o as they may put it on as a garment; and it makes them righteous before God, Rom. 13. ult. 1 Cor. 1.30. 2 Cor. 5.21. 4. God's covenant is incorruptible and everlasting Esa● 55.4. and it cannot be abrogared but the godly shall have the benefit of it for ever. 5. The gifts of saving gr●ce are incorruptible; and their hearts can never ●ee drawn dry, but the spring of grace will be in some measure in them. And through these graces the godly have everlasting consolation: for God's gifts and calling are without repentance, john 4.14 2 Thes 2.10. Rom. 11. This love is incorruptible, 2 Cor. 13. and everlasting joy shallbe upon their heads, Esay 61. So the seed of saving knowledge will abide in the godly for ever, 1 john 3. and their meekness, and a quiet spirit, is reckoned an ornament that is not corruptible. But of this afterwards. 6. Good works are incorruptible; so the righteousness of the just will last for ever, 2 Cor. 9.9. and though he die, yet his works will follow him to Heaven, Rev. 14.13. Psal. 139.24. Lastly, Heaven and the glory of it, is everlasting; Gods kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, 1 Tim. 6.11. and that glory is an eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.14. We have an house that is eternal in the Heavens, 2 Cor. 5.1. our inheritance there is immortal, and undefiled, and withereth not away, 1 Pet. 1.3. The uses may be diverse: Use 1. For first, it should teach us to strive to be such as may have our portion in incorruptible thing: and so we must first take oft our affections from all things that may offend; as resolved if our right eye offend us, to pluck it out; and if our right hand offend us, to cut it off; that is, to deny all sinful things, though they were as dear to us as our right hand, or right eye, Mat. 9.45. Secondly, we must be such as yield ourselves to obey the voice of Christ, and to be ruled by him. He gives eternal life to his sheep: we must be sheep then, for hearing his voice, and tractableness, john 10.29. Thirdly, we must give glory to God, and rely upon his promise of grace in Jesus Christ: we must be believers, john 3.16. Fourthly, we must by patient continuing in well-doing, still seek immortality, Rom. 2.7. Thus of the first use. Use 2. Secondly, seeing the portion of the godly lies in incorruptible things, we should not be much troubled for the wants or losses in corruptible things. We have so large an inheritance in things that will last for ever, that it should be no grievance to us, though we should want those transitory things 〈…〉 world. Use 3. Thirdly, for this reason, such as abound in earthly things, should be 〈◊〉 more willing to distribute them, and give them for good uses, seeing those things are not th●ir portion; and therefore they need not be overcarefull for the keeping of such things. Use●. Fourthly, hence we may gather infallibly, That the godly can never fall from grace: for God's mercies cannot corrupt or fall away, and his gifts are without repentance. If they could be lost, than they were corruptible as well as earthly things. But this is a comfort that must not be taken away, that God will establish Zion for ever, Psal. 48.8. and though the 〈◊〉 pass away, and the lusts thereof, yet he that doth the will of God abideth for ever, 1 john 2.17. and though the servant may be cast out of the house, yet the son abideth for ever, john 8.35. Lastly, we should the less fear de●th, seeing hence we learn that we have many things that will last with us, even after our bodies be rotten in the grave. Thus of the third doctrine. Doct. 4. Now a fourth point is also clear, and that is, That incorruptible things do wonderfully adorn, and make men comely. This is the main scope a●d drift of the Text, and therefore we should the more seek after th●se things: for if we could see the beauty of the inward man, as it is adorned with grace, we would be wonderfully enamoured and in love with it. No comeliness of the body can so allure, as would this inward beauty of the man of the hear: and therefore again, we should hence learn to make the more account of poor Christians. There are no persons in the world so comely as they, if we knew the worth and ornament of true grace. And so in general, we should love the godly above all people, because they are the fairest, and best adorned of all the men and women in earth: and in particular, those husbands that have gracious wives, Note. should learn so much religion as to love them entirely, even for the beauty of the man of the Heart, though they wanted the outward ornaments of riches, or extraordinary comeliness of the outward man. Women also should especially hence learn to get grace, and knowledge, and holiness into their hearts; for their best handsomeness is in their qualities and gifts. 'Tis not their clothes, but their manners and disposition, that becomes them or disgraces them. A fair body doth commend little, if the heart be fowl; it is a small praise to have a good face, and an ill nature. Some women are like Helen without, and like Hecuba within. Thus of the adorning of the man of the Heart in general. Now follows the particular ornament, which the Apostle commends by name; and that is, a meek and quiet spirit. Of a meek and quiet spirit.] Quietness is added to meekness, lest by mistaking the definition of meekness, they should not understand the Apostles meaning. Now the doctrine hence to be gathered, is, That amongst all the particular virtues required in Christians, meekness and quietness of nature and spirit is a special virtue, and carefully to be sought: and in particular by Christian wives, as this and other Scriptures show, Eph. 4.2. Mat. 11.28. Zeph. 2.3. Col. 3.12. Before I make use of this point, I must consider what is comprehended in those terms, of a meek and quiet spirit; and first, we must know before hand, what it doth not comprehend. It doth not require that women or men should be so quiet, as not to be troubled for their sins; or not to humble their souls for sin; or that they should be careless of their callings, either general or particular; or that they should not admonish or reprove sin in others, when they have a calling and fitness. But unto the constituting of true meekness and quietness of spirit, is requisite, 1. Freedom from the evils that disquiet and molest the spirits of men; What things are requisite to meekness. such as are, first, anger, frowardness, fretting, and peevishness: secondly, worldly sorrow, crying, and aptness to take unkindness, and sullenness: thirdly, distrustful cares of life arising from covetousness, 1 Tim. 6, 10, 11. fourthly, rash zeal and fierceness, or inordinate striving and wilfulness; as may be gathered in the case of a Minister, 2 Tim. 2.24, 25, 26. fifthly, contention, and evil speaking, or ill language; as may be gathered from Tit. 3.2. and stirring up contention or brawls: sixthly, all inordinate desires, and reigning heart-sinnes, whether sins of ambition, lust, malice, or the like, jam. 1.21. seventhly, unconstancy and levity of mind. Especially it crosseth those evils which are noted to be most usual in women: such as are fretting, crying, taking unkindnesses, unconstancy, wilfulness, complaining of their husbands, or the like. 2. A kind of peaceful contentment, when Christians are habitually well pleased with their condition. 3. A gentle behaviour in case of wrongs or faults from or in others: so as to be, first, able to bear them: secondly, not to render evil for evil, but rather to overcome evil with goodness: thirdly, ready to forgive: fourthly, not provoked to anger. 4. A harmless and innocent behaviour, Zeph. 2.3. 5. The fixing of the heart by trusting upon God, and living without care, like a little child that believes his father will provide for him, Mat. 18. 6. Lowliness of mind, thinking no great thoughts of ourselves, and esteeming the gifts of God in others, and accounting others better than ourselves: and therefore is lowliness so often added to the word meekness to explain it. 7. Silence from many words, from vain and rash speeches, especially provoking terms. 8. Retiredness, when a Christian is no busybody in other men's matters, and his feet will be kept out of his neighbour's house, and refuseth to have to do with the strife that belongs not to him. 9 tractableness, and easiness to be directed, or appointed, and governed: as in relation to God, it is meekness to take his zeal upon us, Mat. 11.28. and so in a wise, it is a property of a meek and quiet spirit to be easy to be directed, and advised, and governed. Ob. But is it not lawful to be angry? Sol. Yes, it is at some times, for some persons, upon some causes, and in some manner. Anger is a tender virtue, and such a one as by reason of our unskilfulness may be easily corrupted, and made dangerous. Ob. But we must reprove or correct. Sol. You may do so: but that you must reprove with passion, or unquietly, I read not; but rather you must reprove with the spirit of meekness. And beside, 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 virtue may be had, though not in the perfection of it. Object. But I have desired and endeavoured to attain to it, and cannot. Sol. First, use the means to attain 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 endeavour in sincerity; they are not watchful and careful to look to the opportunities of this virtue, or the occasions of the contrary vices. Ob. But may not one have comfort of this virtue, if he be at any time angry? Sol. Moses the meekest man on earth was once angry, and Christ himself we read was angry: but where this virtue of anger is not habitually, it reigns not; and where it is, it is bridled and ordered. Or else I may answer, that the act of meekness may be interrupted, and yet the habit preserved. Ob. But we are so provoked, and have such wrongs as are very great and absurd, etc. Sol. Else it were no great praise to be quiet: a Mastiff, a Bear, 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 souls. The Use should be, first, for instruction. I may say of meekness and quietness as Christ said of humility, If you hear these things, blessed are you if you do them, Motives to meekness. john 13. Now there are many reasons should move us to be very careful to express a meek and quiet spirit in our behaviour at home and abroad; as first, God's Commandment. He requireth this at our hands earnestly, as appeareth by the places before quoted, and other Scriptures, Pro. 4.24. ●●condly, we have an excellent example for it in Christ; and he chargeth us, of all the things which be imitable in him, to learn meekness and lowliness of him, Mat. 11.29. Thirdly, it will be a sign of our election and true sanctification, and that God loves us, Col. 3.12. Psal. 147. ●. and that we have attained the wisdom that is from above, james 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 meek behaviour is very lovely and comely, Pro. 19.11. 5. Hereby we shall bring much rest to our souls, 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 contentious course of life. 6. Meekness is incorruptible, it will last for ever, both in the habit of it, and in the comfort and fruit of it: and beside, it will keep the spirit from such putrefaction and corruption as passion and unquietness useth to breed in the spirits of other men. 7. Meekness 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 meek and quiet, james 1.21. and the Lord teacheth the humble his way, Psal. 25. Pro. 3.32. and he will give more grace to the humble, james 4.7. 8. God will be the protection of the meek; 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 man's outward estate, for the meek 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 meek 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 dissuade them from frowardness and unquietness: secondly, I would show them remedies how to help themselves against these faults. There be many things observed in Scripture, and which they may feel in themselves, which should move them to hearty repentance for this unquietness and frowardness; as to consider, 1. The causes of frowardness and unquietness; which are in general, Odiousness of frowardness, from the cause and effects of it. their ill nature; and in particular, pride, idleness, 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 custom of it; and beside, 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 show, Prov. 17.1. & 21.9, 19 & 27.3, 15. 2. It is very hurtful to the party that is guilty, for it makes him run into many sins, as these places show, Pro 17.19. & 22.8. & 29.22. Psal. 37.8. and beside, it brings upon him great misery, for it makes a breach in his spirit within, Pro. 15.4. and brings much mischief 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 avoid them as much as they can, Pro. 22.24. Wife's tha● be so froward, and peevish, and hard to please, and unquiet, should much think of these things. And yet beside, it interrupts prayer, 1 Pet. 3.7. and is a great hindrance to the power of the Word, james 1.19, 20, 21. Lastly, if it be not repent of, it will bring damnation of body and soul, 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 frowardness and unquietness, may attain unto reformation, if they will carefully observe these rules following: Helps for the attaining of quietness and meekness. 1. They must study to be quiet, 1 Thes. 4.12. They must not trust their own conceits of things, but with good conscience study how to prevent occasions of unquietness, and how to carry themselves discreetly, and with meekness. It doth require much study to live quietly. 2. They must be sure they meddle with their own business, as it is further added in the same place. They must be sure to place their greatest care in learning how to discharge their own duties to others, and not allow themselves liberty to suspect or censure the ways of others with whom they converse. Such wives as are so diligent to study their husband's duties, and to find fault with them in their callings, seldom or never live quietly with their husbands: whereas the Apostle here would have such wives as have ill husbands, to lay the ground of a quiet life, in the care of sound discharge of their own duties to their husbands. 3. They must heartily repent for their faults of unquietness and frowardness past, and not only humble their souls in secret before God for such sins, but also show their repentance to those with whom they converse, by an humble acknowledgement of their vile nature, and froward behaviour, even in the particulars of it. Repentance for known trespasses can never be sound, if it be secret, and not made known to the parties grieved. 4. It will wonderfully help them if they pray constantly to the Lord Jesus, that left such a pattern of meekness, and to entreat him, by influence of his grace, to quiet and sweeten their natures. Beseech the Lord Jesus, even by his meekness to make us meek, and able to express his virtue in a quiet conversation. 5. They must not give place to wrath; but if they perceive their hearts rising, and inclined to passion, and provoking and censorious words, they must presently lay necessity of silence upon themselves, till they be able to speak quietly and without frowardness. This one rule constantly, for a while, observed, would breed a great alteration in their dispositions quickly, and in time wear out the force of the disease. Unquietness is much enlarged by the words are uttered after the offence is taken. And thus of a meek and quiet spirit: only we may note from the indefinite requiring of meekness, That Christians and (in particular) Christian wives, must exercise meekness and quietness towards all persons, and at all times, and in all places. In all places I say, and so both at home and abroad: towards all persons, and so they must carry themselves quietly, not only towards their husbands, but towards their servants, and their neighbours, whether they be poor or rich: and at all times: they must not be young Saints, and old Devils, as the Proverb is, that is, of a soft and gentle behaviour at first, and then grow froward afterwards. Age and infirmities are not sufficient excuses for vicious anger and unquietness. Besides, in that the Apostle resembles meekness to apparel, it imports, That by nature we are borne without it, our souls being as naked in respect of meekness, as our bodies be in respect of clothes; and withal, that it should be our every-days care to put on meekness, and fit ourselves for quietness, as we would put on our clothes. And further, as it is not enough to put on our clothes, but we must tie them, and fit them handsomely; so must we use discretion in the putting on of meekness and quietness, fitting the virtue to the reasons and occasions of the day. Thus of the second part of this verse. The third and last is the reason why women should be so careful of this kind of dressing and apparel; and that is, because it is a thing of great price in the sight of God. Which in the sight of God is of great price.] Divers things may be hence observed: 1. That God doth highly esteem of the virtues, and true grace, and good behaviour of his servants: and therefore in this place their virtues are said to be very rich in God's sight; and in the Scriptures, he gives the term of riches to their gifts, 1 Cor. 1.5. and grace is called glory, Esay 4.5. and God is described, as if he were in love with his people, when they carry themselves graciously, john 14.21. And this serves greatly to exalt the praise of God's good nature, and tender affection to man: and the more, because all good things in us are his own gift, james 1.17. and because our best gifts have many imperfections in them, and our best works are defiled with sin, Esay 64. and beside, because he greatly esteems them, even the least beginnings of goodness in his servants: as, their desires to be good, and their very preparations of their hearts to goodness, Esay 55.1, 2. Psal. 10.17. 2 Christians are bound in all their behaviour, to carry themselves so, as that God may accept of them, and esteem what they do: and this is required of them in every state of life. They are tied to this, not only in what they do in God's house, but in what they do in their own house: This all are charged, Heb. 12.28. and so wives here, and so servants, Eph. 6. 5, 6, 7. The praise and acceptation of God should be ever before their eyes: the reasons are, because the forms and rules of all behaviour are given by God: his Word is the light to our feet, and the lantern to our paths, Psal. 119. and is only able to make the man of God perfect in every good word and work, 2 Tim. 3. ult. and beside, if we do well, we are sure never to fail of the praise of God: whereas if we seek the praise of men, we may be deceived. For either they may praise us for that which is abominable in the sight of God, Luke 16.15. or they may dispraise us when we do well; or at best, their praise is mutable. And further, it is God that must reward our good conversation, Eph. 6.8. and therefore reason that he be looked after in what we do. Lastly, this is a sign of difference between the godly and the wicked in doing good duties: a godly man is known by this sign, that his praise is of God and not of men, Rom. 2.29. Mat. 6. The Use should be, to teach us therefore in all our ways to labour to please God, and above all things to seek his acceptation. Now if we would have God pleased with what we do, we must look to diverse rules. 1. We must be sure that we are not in the flesh: Rules for our practice, so as God may be pleased with 〈◊〉. for they that are in the flesh, cannot please God, Rome 8.8. We must be sure we are new creatures, Gal. 6.15. 2. We must set God always before us, and remember his holy presence, Gen 17.2. Psal. 16.8. God cannot abide to be forgotten. 3. We must come to the light, that it may be manifest that our works are wrought in God, john 3.22. We must walk by rule, Gal. 6.16. and do all in faith, Heb. 11.6. 4. We must serve God in our spirits, as well as in our outward man: not as men-pleasers, or with eye service, or with outward worship; but from the heart, and with the spirit, Rom. 2.28, 29. Eph. 6.5, 6, 7. 5. We must make conscience of the least sins, to avoid them, and of the least Commandments, to obey them, if we would be great in heaven, Mat. 5.19. Divers of these are expressed in one sentence, Micah 6.8. He hath showed thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee; surely to do justly, and to love mercy, and to humble thyself to walk with thy God. 6. We must avoid those sins that God especially hates; such as are swearing, Commandment 3. Deut. 28.58. lukewarmness in religion, Rev. 3.15, 16. persecuting such as fear God, 1 Thes. 2.15, 16. wilful fashioning ourselves after this world, Rom. 12.1, 2. to bless ourselves in our hearts against God's curses, Deut. 29.19. through impatience or unbelief to withdraw ourselves in adversity, Heb. 10 38. and in general, all gross sins, Rev. 22.15. Doct. 3. The best riches a Christian hath are his virtues and gifts of his mind: and therefore he saith here, they are rich in God's sight. Now they are his best riches in diverse respects: 1. Because they are riches in God's sight, whereas all worldly treasures commend not any man to God, Gal. 3.28. He gives us naked into the world, and takes us himself naked again. 2. Because they furnish the best part of man, viz. his mind; wh●●eas worldly riches do only furnish men's houses or bodies. 3. Because no violence can take these treasures away. A man may be virtuous spite of the hearts of all the Devils in hell, or devilish men on earth; whereas worldly treasures may be many ways lost. 4. Because those things do make a man rich to immortality, whereas worldly riches can serve at best but for a mortal life. And therefore this point shows, that godly men that seek virtue and grace have chosen the better part, and that we should all covet spiritual gifts with more earnest affections than worldlings do outward riches. And it shows the happy estate of poor Christians: they may be very rich for all their poverty outward, Rev. 2.8. Neither may hypocrites please themselves with saying they are rich, Rev. 3.17. for God will discover their counterfeit wares. And in general, we may hence gather, that the richest men in the Parish are virtuous men. Doct. 4. It is evident from hence, that God sees the spirits of men: our hearts are all open and manifest before him, jer. 17.9. 1 Kings 8.39. 1 Sam. 17. Heb. 4.13. And this must needs be so, because God is omniscient: all eye, and sees all things. The Sun may cease shining, but God cannot cease seeing. Secondly, because God form the hearts of all men, and therefore must needs know them, Psal. 33.15. Thirdly, because God by his providence doth specially watch over the world of spirits, add daily visits men's hearts, job 7.18. Psal. 17.3. and receives presentments of all abuses. He daily tries the hearts and reins, and weighs the heart of man, Pro. 21.2. And therefore the Use should be diverse: first, to reach men to labour for inward and secret goodness, as well as outward and open conformity; and to be afraid of sin in secret: for no darkness can hide from God, the day and night are all one to him: and though no eye of man see thee, yet art thou always before the eye of God. We should therefore keep our hearts with all diligence, Pro. 4.23. And it may be a great comfort to the godly against all the scorns and censures of the world, that traduce them as hypocrites; for God sees their hearts: yea, it may comfort them against the imperfections of their works: for God seeth the preparations and desires of their hearts, and that they would fain do better. But especially this is terrible to wicked men; for if God see the hearts of men, in what case are they that have such evil hearts? Ob. Why, will some one say, what fault can God find with our hearts? Sol. God sees the deadness and dulness that is in thy heart in his service. He sees thy directions, and how far off thy heart is from him, when thou drawest near to him with thy lips: he sees thy hypocrisy and security, and thy double and divided heart: he sees thy carnal cavils, and the boiling risings of thy heart against him and his truth: he sees thy f●●●fulnesse and unbelief, and the uncircumcision of thy heart; thy unre●●h●blenesse and forgetfulness: he sees all the vanities and errors of thy imaginations, all thy lusts, and passions, and wicked desires, and all th●● frame of thy imaginations that are only evil continually: he sees thy filthy nakedness, and all the Idols thou entertainest in thy heart: and therefore if thou wilt not perish in the eternal abomination of God, make haste to wash thine heart from wickedness, and seriously to repent of the sins of thy spirit. Lastly, the scope of this place teacheth us distinctly, That God makes a great reckoning of such men and women as have meek and quiet spirits. There is reason for it, because a quiet mind is like to God's mind, which is never stirred nor moved from everlasting to everlasting, but is always the same; and because where the spirit is meek and quiet, there all sin is mortified, and every good gift and grace doth prosper. And this should be a great encouragement to all Christians, and in particular, to Christian wives that are meek, and live quietly with their husbands: for though their husbands should not love them the more, or esteem of this grace, hence they may see that God will like them much the better for it, and they are very comely and richly clothed in God's sight. Ver. 5. Por even after this man●r in times past did the holy 〈◊〉, which trusted in God, 〈◊〉 themselves, and were subject to their husbands. Ver. 6. As Sarah obeyed Abraham, and called him Lord: whose daughters ye are, while ye do well, not being afraid of any terror. IN these two verses is contained the confirmation of the Proposition exhorting wives to be subject to their own husbands, ver. 1. And this is made good by two reasons, both taken from example; the one in general, from the practice of holy women of ancient times, that did so carry themselves towards their husbands, ver. 5. the other in particular, from the practice of Sarah, the mother of faithful women, ver. 6. The example generally considered, ver. 5. is described and commended six ways: First, for the manner of it: it was in this manner, that is, just according to the precept now given by the Apostle. Secondly, for the antiquity of it: it was so in old time. Thirdly, for the subject persons in whom it was found, viz. not only women that did so, but the holiest women. Fourthly, for the cause of it, viz. their trust in God. Fiftly, for the effect of it: it adorned them. Sixtly, for the matter of it, viz. they were obedient to their own husbands. Thus of the order of the words. Before I enter upon the particulars, diverse things may be noted in general about examples of goodness in others. First, we may hence evidently gather, That it is not enough for us to do good, but we should strive so to do it, that we might be examples to others, 1 Tim. 4.12. Mat. 5.16. Phil. 2.15. and that for diverse reasons. For first God is interessed in us and our works; and there is a glory due to God which must be collected from our works do●● before men, Mat. 5.16. Secondly, we must so act our parts in godliness upon the Stage of this world, that we may thereby silence and convince wicked men, that out of their hatred to the truth, and frowardness of hearts, would else take all occasions to speak evil of us, and the good way of God, Phil. 2.15. Thirdly, our Teachers have a part in our works; and we should hold forth the patterns of sound practice, that they might be comforted in our learning from them, and graced in their Ministry, Phil. 2.16. Fourthly, by this means we may do much good in helping forwards weak Christians. For as the wicked take fire from evil examples, so do the godly from good examples, both in piety, 1 Thes. 4.7. and mercy, 2 Cor. 8.16. etc. Which should work a● effectual care in all godly Christians, to strive to express such conscience and power of godliness as may be profitable to others: and so chiefly in such things as may most grace th● profession of religion, or profit others; as wisdom, mercy, meekness, just dealing, contempt of the world, affectionateness in God's service, patience, undauntedness, or the like; especially those that be Parents, Masters, Magistrates, Ministers, that have charge of others. And this greatly reproves such Christians as undo the souls of those that belong to them (as much as lies in them) by their wicked examples; as Ministers that are examples to their people of drunkenness, usury, covetousness, pride, or the like; and Masters of families, or Parents, that give such wretched examples to their children and servants, in swearing, vanity of apparel, filthiness of life, passion, or the like. Secondly, we may hence note two singular virtues in a good example: the first is, Two singular virtues in a good example. That it may profit a world of people, 1 Thes. 1.7. Rom. 16. It is like the fire; you may light many candles at it, and yet it is neither the worse, nor the less. Many that we know no● of may receive good from our good conversation and example in well-doing, as was true in the case of those holy women. And the reason is, because men are more apt to understand things when they are practised, than when they are taught. And beside, good examples are so rare, that they shine as a Beacon on fire in a dark night, Phil. 2.15. And therefore one Use should be to teach Christians, by an humble acknowledgement of the praises of others, to spread abroad the light of good examples ●s far as they can, 1 Thes. 1.7, 8. And withal, he shows the horrible sin of those wretches that strive to blemish the good conversation of the godly, and so rob the world of the profit of their examples. The second virtue in a good example is the lasting of it. It may do good for a long time after, yea, in some cases, to the world's end. The sweet savour of it may be freshly scented many years after: which was never true of any perfume in the world. It is a light that will not out of a long time; as here the example of these holy women, and Sarah in particular, have a fresh power to do good many hundred years after it was given, and will still have to the world's end. The memorial of the Just is blessed. They that are to live hereafter may praise God for the good they receive from the examples of those that are long since dead, in their graves. Their works live long after they are dead. Which should be a wonderful consolation to eminent Christians that excel in gifts and good works, and have held forth a good profession before, many witnesses. And in as much as God by his providence keeps burning so long the light of the good examples of his children, it will make the more to increase the condemnation of such persons as will not learn goodness from such examples. Especially their case is fearful that have had this light in such as have been near to them; as in Parents, Masters, Ministers, special acquaintance, kindred, or the like, and yet make no good use of it. Thirdly, we may hence gather, That a good example ought to be given, and may be taken from women as well as men. Pro. 31.28, 29. Mat. 26.13. Tit. 2. 3, 4. And the reason is, because God is no respecter of persons, but gives his gifts and graces to women as well as men; as Scripture & experience shows. And beside, as their ill example may make the word of God to be blasphemed, Tit. 2.5. so why should not their good example become godliness, & profit others? And this point should teach women, if they will profess Religion, to look to their ways, and strive to give good example, especially aged women, Tit. 2.3. And withal, it may be a comfort to that Sex, that God should use their service to do his work, and many times to teach men by their ways and works, God hath raised up the glory and light of many worthy women, and they have been as eminent for holiness & good works, as men have been. Thus in general. In this manner.] The first thing in the description is the manner of the pattern: about which we may note three things; 1. That the patterns of well-doing, or the rules of life have been the same in all ages. There is no more required of Christians now, than was required of God's servants in former time: which should make us the more willing to bear God's yoke, and to do the task that God sets us. 2. That an example is then of power to bind, when it agrees to some precept: When an example binds. as here the example of holy women is urged, because it did agree to the doctrine of the exhortation before named. This rule is of great use, in ordering of conclusions, taken from examples in Scripture: examples have but the power of illustration of what was before in the precept. And again, it should teach us, not to esteem of any men above what is written; but to follow them as they follow Christ, or as their actions are warranted by the Word of God. 3. God did ever stand upon subjection, and an amiable and meek behaviour in women, in all ages. Which should much prevail with Christian women, to teach them to make more conscience of their carriage towards their husbands, seeing God had ever required such a behaviour in all holy women of former ages. In old time.] The example is, in the second place, commended for the antiquity of it. Where we learn, that a respect may be had to old time; yea, respect is due to the times of old. Antiquity is an argument of praise: therefore are we bidden to ask after the old way, jer. 6.16. to ask of the days that are past, Deut. 4.32. to remember the days of old, and to consider the years of many generations, Deut. 32.7. And Ministers in public teaching, must be like the good Scribe, that brings out of his treasury things both old and new, Mat. 13.52. & fathers must talk of the things of old time to their children, Ps. 44.1. Now because the argument from antiquity, or the old time, hath been much abused, and such reasoning is taxed in many Scriptures; therefore that the point may be more clear, I will distinctly consider, first, in what cases the old times and antiquity may not be pleaded; and then, in what cases antiquity may be pleaded, and good use may be made of it. For the first; antiquity is ill pleaded in the case● follo●●ing: as▪ 1. When antiquity is counterfeit: when that is called the old time, In what things Antiquity is ill pleaded. which in comparison was but yesterday; as the Papiste lead us to the ages not long since past, and will not permit us to look higher to the times of the Prophets and the Apostles, which is the true antiquity. 2. When antiquity is pleaded to confirm 〈◊〉 in doctrine. And so the doctrine was never a whit the better, that caught the law of God 〈◊〉 only bind the outward man, & not the heart; & the outward man ●oo but in some higher cases. And therefore our Saviour rejects the errors of the Pharisees, though they would confirm th●● by the sayings of old●ime●punc; Mat. ●. Io●. ●5. ●0. 3. In the case of sin; sin is not the better for the oldness of i●, 〈◊〉 the worse, therefore the old man must be mortified, and all old things must be put away, 2 Cor. 5.17. As an old leprosy is worse than a new Leu. 13.11. so their hatred was the worse, because it was old, Ezek. 25.15. And the godly prey, Remember not against us our old iniquities, Psal. 79.8. and the wicked are condemned for not purging out their old sins, 2 Pet. 1▪ 9 and all men should purge out the old leven, 1 Cor. 5. And as in the sins of life between man and man, so about God's service old courses are barefull, if they be idolatrous and superstitious: and therefore they were condemned for doing after the old manner, 2 Reg. 17.34. and they are reproved by the Prophet jeremy, that so commended the old times of Idolatry, jer. 44. 4. When God abolisheth the old things, and brings in new: and so the old Covenant is not better than the new, nor the old Testament better than the new, Heb. 8.6, 7, 13. 2 Cor. 5.17. 5. In the case of the discovery of such mysteries, as for the time of revealing them, depend upon the good pleasure of God only: so things hidden for ages and generations are revealed in the Gospel, and yet must not be rejected, Col. 1.16. 6. When old times are pleaded of purpose to lessen the glory or profit of the present works of God's power and mercy, Esay 43.18. And this way the Pharisees offended, that, to avoid subjection to Christ and his doctrine, would magnify Moses and the Prophets of old time. And so do those people offend, that commend the old Teachers more, that are dead or absent, and will not profit by those they have, Mat. 23. 7. When it is used in defence of public disorders, and offences, and grievances in Church or Commonwealth. The pretence of Innovation must not hinder the reformation of known diseases in public States. Such things as have been wastes of old must be built, though it were not done of long time: They shall build the old wastes saith the Prophet, Isa. 62.4. 8. When particular Christians do misapply it, to confirm them in their unbelief or doubting; as if God did not regard or accept as informer times: whereas if we serve him in uprightness of heart, he will accept our offerings as in the days of old, Mal. 3.4. And if we get David's affections to God and goodness, and will attend upon God's mercy in the means, we shall have the s●●e mercies of David, Isa, 55.1, 4. Thus of the ways how old things, and the pleading of them, may be misapplied and done in our own wrong. Now follows to show in what cases respect must be had to Antiquity, and old times. And so Antiquity commends, 1. The works of God's power and mercy, Deut. 32.7. 2 Kings 19.25. Psal. 44.2. In what cases respect is to be bad unto old times. and God is well pleased to be urged with arguments taken from his old dealing with his people: Arise as in the days of old, Isa. 51.9. so in Mich. 7.14, 20, and bathe left the memory of them upon record, that we might thence confirm our weak faith. 2. The particular experiences we have had of God's goodness towards us. Thus David remembers days of old, Psal. 77.6. & 143. ●. 3. The profitable determinations of right in judicial things between man and man: and so the old bounds are to be greatly respected, Pro. 22.28. 4. The public orders of the Church about the circumstances of God's worship, as the orders of the Jews, to have the preaching of Moses in every City on the Sabhath day, Acts 15.21. This order is the more observable, as few other reasons 〈◊〉 because it was so in oldei●●●. 5. God's Commandments. It is an argument of weight to persuade to obedience, when it can be showed that that Commandment is an old Commandment, john 2.7. 6. In things that one doubtful or difficult, such respect is to be given to Antiquity, as men should not rashly oppose their own or other men's new conceits; so as due respect be had to equally comparison in the nature of the things questioned, joh. 32.6. 7. In the examples and patterns of welldoing, that have had due conformity to Gods will revealed in his precepts: and so the examples of holy practices in old time, should much move the consciences of the godly nowadays, as the Apostle shows in this verse. And thus of the two points in the description. Holy women.] The persons from whom this pattern is taken, are holy women: where observe, 1. That holiness in the first Table, is required of women as well as men: and they are bound to the duties of God's worship, and to be religious women, as well as to the duties of the second Table, to be chaste, merciful, faithful, diligent in the affairs of the family, or obedient to their husbands. Which serves to confute those men, that say women need not be studious in matters of Religion; it is enough for them to be good housewives, and obey their husbands. And withal, it may comfort women in the practice of the duties of Religion; for by the commendation given of holy women in this Text, it appears that God accepts holiness in them as well as in men. 2. That all holy women did make conscience of subjection to their husbands: and therefore the Apostle speaks indefinitely of all holy women. And this is the more evident, because amongst all the infirmities noted in any godly woman in the Scriptures, yet there is no example of a godly woman that did customarily live in the sin of frowardness or rebellion against her husband: the instance of Zipporah is but of one only fact, and the error seems to be as much in her judgement as in her affections. And this doctrine should light very heavy upon many wives, that profess Religion in these times, and compel them to reform their hearts and behaviours in their carriage towards their husbands: for this Text doth import, that they want holiness that are not subject to their husbands, and live in customary frowardness and unquietness. 3. That Christian women ought to study the example of holy women in old times: and therefore they should do well to get a catalogue of the praises of godly women in Scripture, to lay before them for their imitation; and so they should learn of Sarah reverence to their husbands; and of Rahab and the Midwives of Egypt, to show mercy to God's servants in distress; and of Ruth, obedience to their parents, and constant love to religion; and of the Shunamitish woman, 2 Reg. 4.8. etc. and of Lydia, Acts 16.14. and of Ph●be, Rom. 16.2. to be entertainers of God's servants, and to succour them; and of Hanna, to be humble, and patient, and devout in prayer; and of the good woman in the Proverbs, chap. 31. and of Priscilla, and Sal●mons mother, P●●. 30.1, 2. and Timothy's mother and grandmother, 2 Tim. 1.4. to get the law of grace into their lips, to instruct others; and of that woman in the Proverbs, to be painful in labour, and to be wise in oversight of the labours of their servants and children; and of Hester, to keep religious Fas●● to God, with their maids and children, Hess. 4.16. and of the Virgin Mary, to lay up the words of Christ in their hearts; and with Mary Magdalen, to love Christ with all tenderness, and to bewail their sinswith sorrow▪ and to sit as Christ's feet to hear his words; and of Elizabeth, to live without offence, L●●e 1. and of Dorcas, to be merciful to the poor; and of the holy women, mentioned Heb. 11.3. to be constant professors of the truth in the times of persecution. That trusted in God.] The fourth thing is the cause of their subjection; and that is their trust in God: about which four things are to be observed. 1. That trust in God is such a grace as is found in all the godly▪ even wom●n that were holy had attained to trust in God. All holy women trusted in God, & therefore if women that are the weaker sex cannot get holiness, but withal they trust in God, it is impliedly clear, That all the godly do trust in God. The house of Israel, and the house of Aaron, Priests and people, even all that fear the Lord must trust in the Lord, Psal. 115.9, 10, 11. and all the Gentiles must trust in the Lord. Rom. 15.12. It is the Periphrasis of God to be the confidence of all the ends of the earth, Psal. 65.5. And the reasons why the godly must and do all of them trust in God are, first, God's Commandment, that requires it of all, which the former places show: secondly, God's promise, that he will be the hope of his people, even of all his people, joel 3.16. and they have a sure word of the Prophets to warrant their trust, 2 Pet. 1.19. thirdly, without faith and trust it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11. 6. fourthly, because they have nothing else to trust in. Of all people the godly are most miserable, if their trust were to be placed in other things than God: for as all earthly things are vain and transitory, so can they make least shift for themselves, and are most opposed in these things. And therefore the Use should be to teach us to try our hearts sound, Use. whether we be such as trust in God, seeing in this thing lieth one great part of our evidence about true grace. If all the godly trust in God, than we are not godly, nor holy men and women, if we do not trust in God. The question than is, By what signs do godly men prove that they do trust in God? and the answer is; Signs of such as trust in God. 1. By making God their refuge in all their distresses, and by pouring out their hearts before him in prayer and supplication, 2 Sam. 22.3, 4. Psal. 62.8. 2. By their fear in any thing to displease God, and their care to keep his Commandments, and to cleave to God, 2 Reg. 18.4, 5, 6. doing his work whatsoever come of it. 3. By relying upon God in times of distress, without using any ill means or courses that they know or fear to be unlawful, Esay 28.16. with 1 Chron. 10.13, 14. but still wait upon God till he help them, Psal. 33.20. 4. By accounting God to be their portion and sufficient heritage, Psal. 16.1, 5, 6. 5. By setting the Lord always before them, Psal. 16.1, 18. for if we put all our trust in God, than our hearts do continually think of God, and are lifted up to God. 6. By committing all their ways to God, and leaving the success of things to his disposing, Psal. 37.5. 7. By their patience in the case of wrongs and indignities, having their hearts free from desires of revenge, and their tongues from words or reproach or reproof: they are as deaf or dumb men, Ps. 38.13, 14, 15 1 Tim. 4.10. 8. By contemning the glory of the world, and not regarding or seeking dependencies upon proud and sinful persons, Psal. 40.4. 9 By the joy and contentment they take in the house of God; their hearts flourishing like a green Olive tree, when they hear of the doctrine of God's goodness, and feel the refreshing of his name, Psal. 52.8, 9 10. By their thankfulness, and great desires to praise God, when they find the experiences of God's providence in grace and bounty towards them, Psal. 13.5, 6. & 52.8, 9 Yet by the way we m●●t know, that godly persons that do truly trust in God may be burdened with cares, but yet they cast their burdens upon God when they feel them, Psal. 55.22. They may be afraid, and yet trust in God, Psal. 56.3. They may cry and make great moan, and that a long time, Psal. 69.3. They may seem to want strength, and yet renew their strength, Esay 40 ult. 2. From ●●nce we ●●y gather, That it is a great praise and an excellent gift in any to trust in God, to have and exercise this trust in God: and therefore of all parts of holiness & f●nctification, in this place trust in God i● mentioned. And therefore in diverse Scriptures they are pronounced to be very blessed that can do it, Psal. 84.12. & 34.8. and it is reckoned as a great ornament and glory in great Princes, as, 2 Reg. 18.5. Psal. 21.8. and the chief praise of the Fathers and patriarchs of the Church, Ps. 22.5. And the reasons are diverse: 1. Because it is a supernatural power in any man or woman, Reason's proving the excellency of this trusting in God. because it is grounded upon things not seen, Rom. 8.24. 2. Because the Lord taketh special pleasure in this grace, and taketh notice of such as can exercise it, above all others: it is a thing God specially observes in his people, Psal. 147.11. & 33.18. cob. his eye is upon them, he cannot look off them: so also Nah. 1.7. And chose, he is as much vexed with unbelief, and not trusting upon him, as with any other sin. We read that fire kindled against jacob for not believing in God, and not trusting in his salvation, Psal. 78.22. 3. Because the trust in other things will prove the shame and confusion of a man, Esay 30.2. and therefore better to trust in the Lord than in Princes, etc. Psal. 118.8, 9 4. Because it is a grace that produceth admirable effects: for 1. It establisheth a man's heart, and makes it fixed and immovable, Admirable effects of this trusting in God. Psal. 112.7, 8. & 31.24. so as he can endure things that are almost beyond belief, if it be rightly exercised, Esay 14.32▪ coh. Psal. 27●. 3. 2. It procureth from God all things a man's heart can desire, or his condition any way need, 2 Sam. 22.2, 3. Psal. 5.11, 12. It gets a man marvellous loving kindness from God, Psal. 17.7. so great experience of God's goodness as cannot be uttered, Ps. 31.19. Mercy shall compass them about, when many sorrows shall be to the wicked, Psal. 32.10. His mercy will be upon us, according as we have hope in him, Ps. 33.22. & 55.12. & 91.1. etc. It is the best way, either to preserve us from trouble, or to deliver us out of trouble, of what kind soever, Psal. 130.7. Esay 25.4. & 26.3, 4. 2 Chron. 13.18. 3. It openeth for us a most comfortable entertainment in God's house: our hearts that can trust in God's mercy drink out of the rivers of his pleasures, when we come into his house, and are satisfied with his goodness, Ps. 36.7, 8. The use of this point may be diverse▪ 1. Such as find want of this grace should use▪ all means to attain it. Helps to attain this grace of trusting in God. And that we may be able to put all our trust upon God, we must look to these rules following: 1. We must hate them that regard lying vanities, Psal. 31.6. & 40.4. 2. We must know God's name, Psal. 9.10. we must get knowledge of God's goodness, and so, the warrant of our trust in the word of God. We must thence learn both what to do, and upon what grounds to trust upon God. To this end did God give his word to his people, Psal. 78.5, 7. Rom. 15.4. Pro. 30.5. Psal. 56.3, 4. 3. We must labour to get assurance of God's love to us in Jesus Christ, to know that God is our God, and we are the children of God, Psal. 31.14. & 36.7. for the confidence of an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, or a foot out of joint, Pro. 25.19. and the ground of our trust must be in the merits of Jesus Christ, Eph. 1.12. 4. When we know God to be our God, we must strive to get our hearts to it, to make God our portion, and to rest satisfied with God's goodness and love to us, whatsoever else we want, Lam. 3.24. 5. We must be sure that we be upright in heart, and that we have warrant for our actions▪ and do not live in any sin that might provoke God against us, Psal. 64.10. And to this end we should pray God to cause us to know the way we should walk in, and to let us hear of his loving kindness in the morning, to encourage us in all good courses, Psal. 143.8. 6. We must be sure we do not draw upon ourselves needless troubles, Pro. 28.25. and when we are in a good way, we should not give way to our own vain fears, Pro. 29.25. 7. When we find troubles to arise, and fear and care to surprise us, we must make our refuge to get ourselves under the shadow of God's wings, till the calamity be overpast, Psal. 57.1. & 91.1. Now God's wings are his Ordinances, especially Prayer and his Word. Thus of the first Use. Secondly, seeing to trust in God is such an excellent grace, such as do endeavour to practise this trust in God must look to diverse rules in the exercise of it, which are necessary to a right trusting in God: as, Rules to be observed in our right trusting in God. 1. They must trust him with their hearts: their souls must trust in God, Psal. 57.1. & 28.8. 2. They must put all their trust in God: God will have no partners. All my trust is in thee, saith David. 3. They must trust in God at all times, continually, and with praise for what they have felt of God's goodness, Psal. 62.8. & 7●. 14. Esay 26.4. 4. If God do defer to answer our hope, we must wait for the Lord: their souls must wait, Psal. 130.5, 6. 5. They must make the most High their habitation: they must dwell with God, by setting the Lord always before them, and attending upon all means of communion with God. They must not be strangers from God, to go days or weeks without directing their hearts after him, Psal. 91.9. 6. They must handle their matters wisely, and not upon pretence of trust in God carry themselves indiscreetly, or neglect the use of any lawful means, Pro. 16.20 7. Their trust in God must be joined with an awful fear of God, and sense of their own unworthiness: they must not be conceited persons, or despise the care of their ways, Psal. 147.11. 8. They must declare all God's works, that is, they must labour to glorify God, by telling others of the experiences they have had of God's goodness, Psal. 73. ult. 9 When they have committed their ways to God, they must be quieted as a weaned child, and contented with whatsoever the Lord shall lay upon them, Psal 131.2, 3. La●. 3.26. 10. They must believe above hope, and under hope: they must rest upon God's promise, how unlikely soever the performance seem to be, Rom. 4.18. Thus of the second Use. Thirdly, we may from the reasons of this doctrine gather evidently, That all Gods servants, that trust in God, are in a wondrous safe condition, as David shows of himself, Psal. 18.2, 3. Neither may they say that they cannot look that God should be to them as he was to David; for God hath given his word for it, that he will be good to all that put their trust in him, 2 Sam. 22.31. Psal. 34.22. and therefore all true Christians, that find themselves prone to fear or discontent, should speak to their souls, and chide their own hearts as David did, Psal. 43.5. See Esay 30.2. Fourthly, wicked men have little cause then to deride and scoff at the people of God for trusting in God, and refusing to use such evil courses as they do: for by the doctrine and reasons before it appears plainly, that they do both holily and happily by committing all to God, Psal. 14.4, 7. & 22.9. Thus of the second doctrine. Doct. 3. It is a special praise in women to trust in God; and the more praise, because it is so rare in women, who use to rely upon either their parents or their husbands, to provide for them, and seldom look up to God. And beside, it produceth excellent effects: for it makes them subject to their husbands, and that with all quietness, and meekness, and fear to displease their husbands, as is implied here. And beside, women that trust in God will be a great help and comfort to their husbands in their crosses: Vid 1 Tim. 5.5. jer. 49.11. they will encourage them to rely upon God, in whom they put their trust, which very help is worth great riches. The Use should be therefore to persuade wives to be the more careful of their faith and trust in God, and to look to it that it be a true faith, and a right trust in God: for such wives as are a vexation to their husbands by their carelessness, and frowardness, and unquietness, and such as are so far from comforting their husbands in distress, that they rather add affliction to their afflictions, by censuring them, and crossing them, they may justly fear that their trust in God is not right. Yea, it maybe observed, Note. that some wives that profess religion, and are unquiet, and live frowardly and stubbornly towards their husbands, they are unquiet in their consciences too; and when crosses come upon them, call their faith into question, and cannot be established in their trust in God. And it is just with God it should be so, that such women as dare live in known transgressions against their husbands, should not know their portion in the consolation of God: God will not be loved when their husbands are not loved. Thus of the fourth point. The fifth point is the effect, and that is, They adorned themselves. Adorned themselves.] In all ages the comeliness and ornameut of a wife as a wife was to obey her husband with meekness and fear: Doct. and those were the comeliest and best apparelled women, in the sight of God, their husbands, and good men, that were most quiet and easy to be governed, and willingest to please their husbands, And so on the contrary, a wife were a very unhandsome woman, and not fit to please any wise man, that were of a froward and unquiet disposition, either through anger, or crying, or the like; yea though she had otherwise never so great an estate, or never so excellent gifts of nature, of mind, or body; yea if she could be imagined to have true holiness and grace, yet she were but a loathsome creature. And this doctrine, as it should move all wives, so especially such as have not other things to commend them, but want either portion, or beauty, or skill, or have but weak gifts in religion; these should be the more careful to recompense their husbands, and strive to please them in this way of adorning themselves. The matter of the example is subjection to their husbands; and of that I have entreated in the exhorration itself. The special argument is taken from the particular example of Sarah, ver. 6. Where we are to observe, 1. What she did, viz. she obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. 2. What fruit will follow to Christian wives if they follow her example, viz. they shall become her daughters. 3. Upon what condition they shall obtain that honour, viz. if they do well, and be not afraid of any amazement. Sarah. ● The names here mentioned are Sarah and Abraham, and both their names are kept in the Christian Church, not as they were at first, but as they were changed of God out of his love and respect to their faith and obedience. The woman was first called Saras▪ which signified My Lady, or My Mistress; but after was changed into Sarah, to signify that she should be a Mistress to many, or a Mistress indefinitely, meaning that she should have a great posterity; as the man's name was changed into Abraham, and signified a father of many nations. From the giving of the names we may gather, 1. Such as glorify God by believing, and keeping his covenant, and patient bearing of adversity, shall be blessed of God; and in particular, shall have this blessing of a happy posterity. A godly life brings God to us and our families, and an ungodly life drives him away. 2. That God is no accepter of persons, but godly wives shall have their part in the blessing of godly husbands. This Christian wives may look for, if they be as Sarah, holy women, and such as obey their husbands, and are a comfort and help to them in all the travels of their lives, and no way hinder godliness in them. Obeyed Abraham.] Divers things may be noted hence. 1. That obedience is the chief thing required in the subjection of wives: showing how Sarah was subject, he saith, she obeyed him. The main thing required of wives, is to be ruled by their husbands. Those wives transgress, that are not careful to see that done which their husbands require, and with reason require: and those that cross their husbands, and vex them, by opposing or censuring; especially those that will not be quiet unless they may do what they list, and rule their husbands. 2. That as much is due to every husband, as was due from Sarah to Abraham; else this argument of the Apostle had not been good. They might have said that Abraham was a great man, and holy, and wise, and loving, etc. but the Apostle requires, that what women would do, for the substance of obedience, if they had Abraham to their husband, that must they, do to him that is now their husband. And the reason is clear, because God's commandment in the moral Law prescribes the same honour to be given to all husbands: and in the New Testament obedience is required of all wives to all husbands. And this was the more observable in Sarah, because in obeying Abraham, she was fain to leave her own country, and be exposed to a world of pains, and danger, and wants. 3. That the discharge of domestical duties is a good work, and shall be had in everlasting remembrance. Though all good wives have not the honour to be written in God's book of Scripture, and praised therein, yet they have the honour to be written in God's book of Remembrance, which shall be opened at the last day; and so chose. Calling him Lord.] That she did so call him, the Apostle found written, Gen. 18.12. Hence we may observe; 1. That godly wives ought to acknowledge their husbands to have power over them, as if they had been servants bought with their money; not that their subjection is no better than the subjection of servants, but that the husbands have as well power over them, as they have over their servants. Sarah doth not in judgement only acknowledge it as due, but with wonderful affection, doth easily and with great love give that title to Abraham. 2. That it is one part of the subjection of wives, to carry themselves reverently towards their husbands; and to give them such titles, as may show that they do heartily honour them. 3. We may here observe the wonderful goodness of God towards his servants, that in a great heap of sin, can see and accept of a little spark of true grace. The whole sentence of Sarah was vile and profane, only that word was good: God praiseth her for that was good, and passeth by the great fault she committed. Yea we may note, that God is so well pleased with her loving subjection to her husband, that he is content to forgive her great sin of unbelief against him. Yea it is probable, that her great respect of her husband made her the more willingly to believe Gods promise afterwards: for, Heb. 11.11. she is commended, judging God to be faithful, who had promised her a child, though at first she laughed at it. Whose daughters ye are.] Godly women may be said to be the daughters of Sarah three ways. 1. If Sarah be taken mystically for the new Jerusalem, as Gal. 4. Ga●ly women daughters of Sar●h three wa●es. 2. In respect of inheriting the love and blessing of God which Sarah had, they shall be her daughters, that is, they shall have the same portion from God, as if they had come in Sarahs' room, as in the case of Abraham is said, Rom. 4.11, 16. 3. In respect of spiritual kindred and alliance: Christian women are as near a kin to Sarah as if they were her own daughters. So that the main doctrine from hence is, That there is a spiritual kindred and consanguinity between the godly: about which, from this place we may observe diverse positions. 1. That all the godly are a kin: and the reason is, because they are all the children of one father, that is, God; and all borne of the immortal seed of the Word. 2. That they are near a kin, as near as mothers and daughters, or as brothers and sisters, as Christ said of his kindred, Mat. 12.49, 50. Here are no cousins removed. 3. That this kindred doth confer a real honour upon every Christian: so as the Christian wives are as truly great as if they were immediately descended out of Sarahs' womb. 4. That God himself doth seriously acknowledge this kindred, and looks upon the meanest Christian, as truly allied to the greatest Worthies have ever been in the world. 5. That this nearness of consanguinity is not a jot altered by the distance of hundred of years, as in the Apostles time the glory of alliance with Sarah did shine in Christian women: the reason is, because the root of this consanguinity is ever alive, which is Christ. 6. That Christians are not borne to this kindred, but made so. Godly women were not borne daughters of Sarah, but became so after their new birth. 7. That that which breeds this spiritual kindred is not being Gossips at the Fon●, nor no carnal propagation, Rom. 9.8. but faith, Rom. 4.16. and well-doing, as this Apostle saith in this Text. The Use may be, first, to comfort godly Christians against the want and loss of carnal kindred, and to teach us all to honour su●h as are truly godly; for they are the only excellent ones, and have the greatest and best kindred in the world. Yea, we should prefer our godly kindred before our carnal, in the dearness of our love: and the godly should show all duties of love one to another, as they that are mothers and daughters, brothers and sisters in the Lord, and so should stand one for another, as men would do for their carnal kindred. A second doctrine may be noted from hence, That all Christians are not alike in gifts: some are mothers, ●ome are daughters: as it is in the body of a man, all the members are not of like honour or use, though all serve for the good of the body, 1 Cor. 12. Which should teach those of greater gifts not to despise those of lesser gifts, and those of lesser gifts to honour those of greater gifts; and both sorts to praise God for the gifts they have, having nothing but what they have received, and to be a daughter of Sarah, being sufficient to get the blessing that Sarah had herself. So long as you do well.] Observe hence; 1. That Christians obtain not the proper privileges of communion of Saints, unless they do well▪ None but Christians that lead a holy life have the honour of true spiritual kindred with Christ and the Saints, Mat. 12.49, 50. Wicked Christians are a kin to the Devil. 2. That we are bound only to imitate that which is good in the Saints, not their sins. They must follow Sarah in her well-doing: they must not imitate her in her frowardness, Gen. 16.5. nor in her bold adventuring of her chastity, though it were upon pretence of saving her husband's life, Gen. 12.11, 12. And this condemns those women that so wilfully allege the example of others to uphold them in such behaviour as their own consciences tell is naught. 3. It is imported here, that some women may do well for a time, and yet prove very naught afterwards. Some begin in the spirit, and end in the flesh. Some women are at first quiet, sober, loving to their husbands, good housewives, etc. and yet after a time they grow froward, excessive in apparel, diet, and the like, imperious, such as slight their husbands, idle and wasteful, and careless of the duties they should do in the family. They are condemned of themselves, and shall rise in judgement against themselves: their first works condemn their last. 4. In general we may here note, That it is not enough to do good, but we must see to it, that what we do be well done. Quest. What can come to a good action to make it ill? What things mar a good action. Answ. Impenitency in any sin will stain any action, though it be in itself never so good, Esay 1.13, 16. 2. An ill end will defile a good action, to do it of purpose to be seen of men, Mat. 6. or as men pleasers, in the case of wives, or servants, or subjects, etc. 3. Unbelief makes all actions ill: Whatsoever is not of faith is sin: when we either know not the warrant of it, or believe not God's acceptation. 4. Rashness and indiscretion mars good actions, Pro. 19.2. when men have not respect to the circumstances of well-doing, or the provision should go to it; when good duties are done rudely, and without respect of due time and place, etc. We should be wise to do good, Rom. 16.19. 5. Unwillingness defiles a good action, when it seems evil to us to serve God, josh. 24.14. when our works are dead works, Hebr. 9.14. Deut. 28.47. 6. When the fruit men bear is not their own fruit; as if a King will offer sacrifice, or women preach, or the like. And so when wives do not the duties of wives, though they did never so much good other ways, yet they have not the praise of well-doing, unless they do their duties to their husbands: the like may be said of Magistrates, Ministers, Husbands, Parents, Servants, etc. 7. Confidence in the flesh mars good duties, when men trust to their own wits, reason, skill, or any gifts, and do not all they do in the name of Jesus Christ, Col. 3.17. Phil. 3.3. and in particular, conceitedness, and to be wise in themselves, and proud, will mar any action. All should be done in meekness of wisdom. 8. Inconstancy shames any action, when we are weary of well-doing, or wavering, or decline and go backwards; their righteousness being as the morning dew. Quest. Can any thing we do be well done, seeing all our righteousness is as a menstruous cloth? Esay 64.6. Answ. Our works in themselves are none well done, but by God's indulgence assured unto us in the new Covenant: where he, How we are said to do well. 1. Accepts the will for the deed. It is well done when our desire and endeavour is to do it as well as we can. 2. He beholds the work in Christ, and for his intercession passeth by the evil that cleaves to our best works. 3. He regards it as proceeding from his own Spirit in us, who causeth us to do good, and worketh our works for us; as in the instance of prayer, Rom. 8.26. Thus of the fourth observation. Doct. 5. From the manner of the term in the original, which hath a continual respect to the present time, and imports a continual well-doing, I note, That a Christian should strive to be always doing good: he should let no time pass without well-doing, 2 Tim. 2.21. 2 Cor. 9.8. Psal. 106.2. Col. 3.10. 1 Thes. 5.15. 1 Tim. 5.10. And that for many reasons: 1. Because he hath so little time left to work in. Reason's why we 〈◊〉 always to be doing well. He should walk in the light while he hath the light; the night will come when no man can work: and the rather, since he hath lost so much time in doing works of darkness, he should now redeem the time, Eph 5.15. 1 Pet. 4.2, 3. 2. Because he is God's servant, and therefore should be always working, Rom. 6. yea, he is God's Sacrifice, therefore should he be wholly devoted to the doing of good, Rom. 12.1. 3. Because we have our task set us, and ever the more work we do, the sooner we shall fulfil the measure prescribed us, 4. Because hereby we shall much glorify God, Mat. 5.19. and silence wicked men, 1 Pet. 2.12, 15. 5. Because God is faithful, and will not forget our works and labour; we shall be rewarded accordingly. If we sow sparingly, we ●hall reap sparingly, 2 Cor. 9 Heb. 6.11. Gal. 6.9. God giveth us richly to enjoy all things in this world, 1 Tim. 6.17. and our continuance in well-doing will be marvellously rewarded in heaven, Rom. 2.7. Now, that we may do much good, we must p●ay God to establish us in every good word and work, 2 Thes. 2.17. and withal, we must furnish ourselves with directions out of the Scriptures, and study the rules of life there prescribed, 2 Tim. 3.10, 17. james 3.17. and then we must be sure to make use of all the opportunities of well-doing. And be not afraid with any amazement.] These words may be diversely referred, and so diversely expounded. If they be referred to the exhortation to subjection to their husbands in the manner before showed, than the sense may be, that they should not fear that they should be misused if they were subject: or else it limits the manner of subjection, that they should not be subject only for fear, or out of baseness of mind; fear should not be the ground of their obedience, but conscience of God's Commandments, and love to their husbands. If they be referred to the example of Sarah, they may be taken either as a promise, or as a condition; as a promise thus. If they imitate Sarah in well-doing, they need not be afraid of the troubles of a married estate; for by this course those troubles will be prevented, or the tribulation they shall have in the flesh will not be great. Or they may bethe second, as a condition of their filiation: if they will be Sarahs' daughters, than they must learn of Sarah to bear the troubles and afflictions may befall them and their husbands, without disquietness and amazement. Sarah could leave her own country, and was a comfort to her husband; and we never read that she any way discouraged her husband, or complained of misery, though she was fain to live in many strange places, and had not at any time any certain abode any where. But I think the words may be interpreted in general, as containing a prohibition of excessive fears and consternation of mind, which is often found in women, to the great offence and disquieting of their husbands. The word translated Amazement, notes such a perplexity of mind, in which one is almost at his wit's end: and therefore the Verb of which this Noun is derived is used in the New Testament only in these cases, as in the cases of rumours of wars or seditions, ready to seize upon a people, Luke 21.9. or in the case of a conceit that one sees a ghost or spirit, Luke 24.37. And such as either of these do women sometimes fall into: and this the Apostle forbids. He doth not forbid all fear: for they must fear their husbands, Ephes. 5. ult. and they must fear God, 2 Cor. 7.11. Nor doth he severely tax that natural fearfulness in women which follows their sex, but only such desperate vexations or passions as suffer them not to make use of their trust in God, or love to their husbands. Quest. What causes can there be imagined why these Christian wives should be in danger of any such consternation of mind? Answ. The Apostle might well imagine diverse causes of this frailty. 1. They had husbands that were Infidels, which might be a great grievance to them: Causes of amazement in wives. and beside, those husbands might perhaps absolutely forbid them, or labour to restrain them from the exercises of Christian Religion, which might put them into a great strait. 2. Their profession of Christian Religion might bring upon them many tribulations and persecutions, which women are not so able to bear. 3. It may be the Apostle had observed that women were apt to fall into these desperate fits of passion and grieving, when they were crossed by their husbands, or servants, or children. Sure it is, that many women now a days, if their husbands do but cross them in reasonable things, they will cry and grieve, as if they would die in the vexation of their hearts. These strange humours, and perplexities, and desperate fits, the Apostle absolutely forbids: he would not have any of them found in a Christian wife. Ver. 7. Likewise ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. HItherto of the duties of Wives: the Husband's duty follows in the words of this Verse. Where three things are to be observed: 1. The proposition of their duty; Husbands dwell with them. 2. The exposition, showing how they must do it, viz. as men of knowledge, and such as honour them. 3. The Reasons; which are three: 1. Because they are the weaker vessel, and therefore need to be carefully and continually well used. 2. Because they are both alike heirs of God's grace. 3. Because else their prayers and God's service will be much interrupted and hindered. In the Proposition may be observed, First, the word of connexion, Likewise. Secondly, the term of application, Ye. Thirdly, the persons charged, Husbands. Fourthly, the duty imposed, viz. Dwell with them. Likewise.] This term binds these words to the former, and shows, that God doth charge husbands to look to their duties, as well as wives. Now if God charge the husband, it imports, that evil husbands must give account to God of all the evil they do: though no law of man punish them, yet God will, that gave them this law. And withal, it may comfort such husbands as are censured without cause: God that hath given them their charge knows their integrity, whatsoever foolish wives object, or a vain world imputes to them. And in general, God will accept and reward the careful behaviour of good husbands. But before I proceed, two questions may be asked. Quest. 1. Why are husbands charged in the last place? Answ. There may be two reasons given of it: first, Why Husbands duties are noted in the last place. to show the respect that God gives to husbands. He first by his precept informs his wife before his face, and shows him a pattern how he shall walk towards him; and therefore now may the more willingly attend to his own duty. Secondly, because things last spoken, have usually the greatest and longest impression upon the heart: and this is a matter of greater consequence, that the husband be sound careful of the discharge of his duty. The well-being of the family, and the well-doing of both man and wife, depends much upon the husband's right behaviour. If the head be out of order, how can the body be well? and the wife being the image of the husband, what shall she learn of him if he give an ill pattern? If the eye be dark, how can the body be light? If the Pilot of the Ship be ignorant and careless, what safety can the Ship be in? Besides, what a world of hurt will the ill example of the husband do in the family, either in children or servants? Quest. 2. But why are husbands charged with so few words? Ans. Because it is to be supposed, that they have a larger knowledge of Gods will. And beside, in that tender age of the Christian world, the Apostles in discretion said less to superiors, to avoid provocation of irreligious husbands, and the better to allure them to the Christian faith, when they should see their wives so largely instructed in their behaviour towards them. And further, ever the shorter their lesson is, the more shame for them not to learn it, and show themselves exact both in the understanding and in the practice it. Ye Husbands.] God speaks to them in the second person, to import, that they should hear these words, as if God were present to speak to them in his own person; and withal, to teach them that the right hearing of this doctrine, is for every man to hear it as spoken directly to himself. God doth single them out to hear their charge, and speaks to them as if he named them in particular. Husbands.] The persons charged are husbands: and the word is a term that imports that special relation, in which God binds one man to one woman; investing the man in prerogatives of a superior in that union. Before I come to the duty charged upon husbands, it will not be unprofitable, by way of preface, to use some motives to such husbands as will make conscience of their ways, to persuade them to be very careful of their charge. The reasons used in the Text afterwards I will not now meddle withal, but only put them in mind of some few things which ought to be effectual to persuade them. The motives may be drawn from four fountains. 1. From commandment: Mo●●v●● 〈◊〉 persuade Husbands to be careful of their duties. and there let them consider who commandeth them, and how. Who commandeth them; and so let them mark, first, that God himself hath given them their law of walking. They are not tied by man's laws, but by Gods own law. Secondly▪ God speaks to them by the Ministry of great Apostles: it was one part of the Commission of those high Ambassadors (sent into the Christian world) to give husbands their charge. Thirdly, it should somewhat the more move them▪ that S. Peter was himself a married man, and therefore did practise what he taught them, and did know by experience, that a husband mightwith comfort undertake this task. And then it should much move them, to observe how God hath given his commandment to them: he first chargeth their wives, before he char●●t● them. And beside, he hath given a long charge to the wives, & but a short charge to them▪ 2. From their relation to their wives. They are their wives heads, and therefore should be careful how they order themselves. They are the life of their lives, as it were: God hath made the wife to depend upon them for comfort, and direction, and preservation. 3. From their prerogatives: God hath given them great power more than the wives. They are heads to their wives: and beside, they are images of Jesus Christ: they show in the family what Christ is in the Church: they do as it were act Christ's part, and resemble him in his relation to the Church: and therefore they had need to think of it, how they carry themselves. They are types of Jesus Christ, and will they shame him by acting folly, passion, pride, and dissoluteness? Did Christ do so to the Church? Besides, it should much move him, that God hath, in the most things, left the husband free from the laws of men. He hath no man to control him in his office; and hath not God made him both King and Priest in his family? His household is a little Kingdom, or a little Church, where he is of sovereign power, and hath great supremacy; and if the world acknowledge not the glory of his place, yet it is acknowledged in heaven. 4. From the manner of his coming into this relation: he was not borne a husband, but made so, and made so by the gift of God: for God gave him his wife, as he did Eve to Adam: yea, let him consider that God gave him the wife that was of his own choosing, and whom with so much desire he longed after, and, it may be, prayed for. But especially let him consider that God hath bound him to his wife by covenant; yea, that he hath bound himself to God by covenant for this thing; yea, that the oath of God is upon him: he hath sworn before the Lord to do his duty. Thus of the general motives. Further, in that he said Husbands indefinitely, he shows thereby, That all husbands are bound to observe this charge, and all alike. God chargeth rich, learned, wise, godly husbands, as much and as well as poor, unlearned, and ill disposed men. Two Uses may be made of this point: for first, hereby we may see clearly that outward things make no difference before God: when God gives a law he gives it to all men, as if they were but one man. Civil difference of blood, nations, calling, condition, or common gifts▪ makes no exception from any, when God gives his law. Secondly, such husbands as find an outward difference from other husbands, either in their gifts, or greatness of means, or highness of office or calling, should lay aside all thought of such things, and show as much respect to their wives, as any other men that have no such things to boast of. And yet one thing more I may add to such hearers as hear this doctrine; seeing God chargeth all, they should take heed of that common fault of thinking of other husbands▪ and how the doctrine will fit them, and so neglect application to themselves. Dwell with them.] The duty charged upon husbands is contained briefly in these words; and under this phrase of dwelling with them is comprehended in effect all essential matrimonial duties: for it imports, What things cohabitation doth import. 1. Not only cohabitation, but also, 2. Separation from all the world, to a special fellowship with that woman. 3. Communion of goods. They that must be partners of God's treasures in heaven, must be partners in all outward blessings. All things should be common: so as the husband must provide maintenance for his wife, and that not only while he lives with her, but he ought, as he is able, to provide for her maintenance after he is dead. 4. Mutual benevolence, or the mutual use of each others bodies, 1 Cor. 7. 5. Delight in her company, so as to be loath to be absent from her: it is not enough to be with her, but he must dwell with her, Pro. 5.19. 6. Serving of God together, as the last reason in the end of the verse shows. Now diverse reasons may be given of this, why husbands should dwell with their wives. 1. From the institution of marriage diverse things may be noted: as, that God said, he would provide a helper for man to be before him, Gen. 2.18. and beside, Adam confessed she was bone, and flesh of his flesh, which the Apostle urgeth, Eph. 5. And further it is said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh. All which imports a necessity of living together. 2. From the example of Christ: husbands should love their wives, as Christ loved the Church. Now, how Christ desires to be with the Church, may be seen in the Canticles; and he hath promised he will be with his Church to the end of the world, Mat. 28. 3. From the unnaturalness of the offence of living asunder. Did ever any man hate his own flesh? saith the Apostle, Ephes. 5. or can the arm or head in the natural body, live well from the other parts of the body? no more either comely or convenient is it for husbands to live from their wives. The use is therefore, for great reproof of many husbands, that have so little desire or delight to converse in this holy and loving manner with their wives, but study all occasions to draw them from home: yea some men had rather live abroad with their dogs or hawks, than at home with their wives. But especially, those beasts are abominable, that leave the society of their wives, to follow strange women, that is, Whores. Secondly, here is somewhat for wives too: If they would have their husbands to keep home, and delight in their company, they must labour to be amiable, and pleasing, and study to be quiet and obedient, that their husbands may be encouraged with delight to live with them. Again, the indefinite propounding of the duty, shows, that they must dwell with them at alltimes; not for the first quarter after they are married, but for ever, and that for conscience sake, not only to avoid shame, or the displeasure of the wives friends, or only while her portion lasts, or for such like carnal respects. But before I leave this point, something would be said of four cases of absence, which may be put: as first, the case of absence in respect of calling: secondly, the case of separation from bed and board: thirdly, the case of nullities: fourthly, the case of divorce. For the first, when God gives a man a just calling to live from his wife, In what cases it is 〈◊〉 full for the husband to be absent. or to go into foreign parts, it is lawful to forbear cohabitation for the time: as in the case of Soldiers, or Merchants, or Ministers, that are called to exercise their Ministeries in remote places. In these cases, when the wives cannot or will not go with them, they may lawfully live absent; yea, though their wives consent not to it: because all relations to man must give place to our relation to God. Now when God calls any man to any employment, no man can disannul that calling; and therefore such in the Ministry as have lawful callings to exercise their Ministeries in other countries, and have not fit employment at home, do very sinfully when they refuse to preach the Gospel in such places, upon that silly pretence, that they cannot get their wives to consent. For the second, viz. the case of separation from bed and board, it is for the most part very wicked and abominable; Whether separation from bed and brood be lawful. because we have not either commandment, or permission, or example of any such in the Word of God. And beside, experience shows it breeds a world of scandalous inconveniences: though I doubt not, but in some special cases the Magistrate or Church may cause such a separation for a time; but as it is ordinarily practised by diverse husbands and wives it is very vile. For the third, viz. the case of nullities, we must understand, in diverse cases, though the man have bound himself by the contract or consummation of marriage, to the woman, yet he must not dwell with her, because such contracts and marriages are mere nullities in the sight of God, and of no force. Cases of nullity. 1. If he marry her that is divorced for any other cause than fornication, Mat. 19.9. 2. If the marriage be incestuous, that is, within any of the degrees prohibited in the law of God: see Leu. 18. Which laws were not ceremonial or political, but moral and natural: which may appear, as by other reasons, so by this one; God (saith he) did destroy the Nations for such incestuous matches, Leu. 18.24. Now God could not punish the Nations for breaking a law was never given them. The ceremonial and political laws were given to the Jews, and not to the Gentiles: thus it was not lawful for Herod to have his brother's wife; nor must the Corinthian that married his father's wife be suffered to dwell with her, 1 Cor. 5. 3. Divi●es generally agree, that if there be a precontract with another person in verbis de praesenti, in the words of the present time, made with consent of parents, etc. then the marriage after with another is a mere nullity, and such dwelling together is whoredom. Zanchius brings reason for this from the law of God and Nature, and civil and common laws. 4. If a marriage be made without the free consent of the parties, or in cases where they are not able to give a free con●ent; as in the marriage with children under age, or with mad men, or persons that are drunk when they give consent, and do disclaim it when they are sober: These are nullities in the common opinion of Divines of all sorts: and the reason is, because the consent of parties is essentially requisite to such a bond. 5. If there be error personae, an error of the person, that is, if a man mean to contract marriage with one person, and another person is given him; as when Leah was given in stead of Rachel to jacob. Divines agree that jacob might have rejected Leah, and that his own consent afterwards did only bind him to dwell with her. But yet error about the condition or state of the person is no nullity. If a man contract himself to a woman he thinks to be a free woman, and she proves a bond woman; or he thinks he marries with a rich woman, and she proves a poor woman; these errors do not cause a nullity, he must live with her for all this. 6. If marriage be contracted with such as are utterly and incurably unapt for marriage, this marriage is a nullity; as in the case of Eunuches, some kinds of incurable palsies, or the like. And about this I find no difference amongst Divines. Zanchius and some other Divines go further, and pronounce nullities in the cases following▪ as, If marriage be contracted, yea, and celebrated without the consent of parents. He brings many arguments from the Law before Moses, and from the Law of Moses, from the testimony of the Apostle Paul, and from the laws of Nations, and from the Fathers. If marriage be contracted or celebrated with such as have any notorious contagious disease, which is known to be incurable, as the Elephantiasis, or worse kind of leprosy, or the like; because this will prove a mischief to the party clear, and to his children, and to the Commonwealth; and God ordained not marriage to be a mischief, but a help. If marriage be celebrated with a woman that is found to be with child by another man. Yea, he inclines to those that think the marriage of a Christian with an Infidel, as a Jew, Turk, or Pagan, as being the known and professed enemies of Christ, is likewise a nullity. He gives many probable reasons, and quotes diverse authors for the opinion. But for my part, I dare not venture so far, especially to be peremptory in it: much less have I attained to the learning of those Divines, that think Veneficium versus hanc, Witchcraft disabling a man towards that woman only, to be a sufficient cause of a nullity in the marriage. Thus of the case of nullities. For the case of divorce, I think that rule of our Saviour binds peremptorily, Concerning divorce, what rule is to be observed. that no man may put away his wife, but only in the case of fornication, Mat. 19.9. In that case a man (making a lawful divorce) is not bound to cohabitation, but freed from it, and must not dwell with her any more. If it be objected, that in the case of disertion, when an Infidel forsakes a believer, the Apostle faith the believer is free. I answer, that this is not a case of divorce: The believer doth not for the business of Religion put away the unbeliever, yea, the Apostle shows he ought not, 1 Cor. 7. only if the unbeliever will depart, let her depart. And so by the wilful departure of the Infidel, the Christian is freed from the bond of marriage, as Divines conceive; which is a kind of nullity, but not a divorce. But then a great respect must be had to the kind of unbeliever: not every wicked man or woman; nor every person that professeth a false religion, but such an unbeliever as is a professed enemy to the Name of Christ, is the unbeliever the Apostle speaks of. Yet one thing more I must add about the case of disertion, when the disertion is for other causes than Religion, if it be wilful or inevitable, than the party diserted is freed from this charge of cohabitation; freed, I say, for a time, till the diserted return: and if he never return, the party forsaken is for ever free. Thus of the proposition of their duties: the exposition of it follows. According to knowledge.] By knowledge, I take it here meant that Christian knowledge of Religion and the Word of God, which godly husbands had attained by the Gospel: for, in the end of the verse, he speaks of husbands, as heirs of the grace of life. And so before I come to show what special things, in the manner of cohabitation this knowledge doth charge upon husbands, I would consider of some doctrines in general, employed by the words: as, Doct. 1. That the knowledge of God's Word is a gift of God to be much accounted of: and therefore the Apostle here for honour sake to the man, mentions this grace rather than any other. And that knowledge is a precious thing, or a great treasure, may appear diverse ways. First, Excellency of divine knowledge in many respects. by the seat and use of knowledge: it is a gift that adorns the mind of man, making him by his inward understanding to see excellent things. It is a great benefit to have senses to discern things without us: but this divine light that God puts into the understanding of man, gives to the understanding power to see admirable things; especially, when it is spiritual light, it shows a man the differences between good and evil, and reveals such glorious things as no senses can reach to. Secondly, by the author of it: God is the father of light, and dwelleth in light, jam. 1.17. and it is the special glory of Christ's divinity, to lighten every man that comes into the world, john 1. and the holy Ghost claims a part in this glory, to give illumination to the mind, 2 Cor. 3. Thirdly, by the testimony God gives of the worth of knowledge, especially when it is spiritual and religious knowledge. 〈◊〉 is called riches, 1 Cor. 1.5. and preferred before all outward things in the world, jer. 9. 2●. and Christ accounts it a great sign of special friendship, to communicate knowledge to his Disciples, joh. 15.15. and God gave jacob a greater portion when he gave his word to him, than he did give to all the world beside. He did not so with other Nations, Psal. 1. Fourthly, by the accounts Christ gives unto his Father of the discharge of his office: he is careful to prove that he hath given knowledge to the men God gave him, to prepare them for eternal life, john 17.6, 7, 8, 26. Fifthly, by the relation it hath to God himself: it is a part of the image of God in the new man, Col. 3.10. Sixthly, by the contrary: it is accounted a great sin and a curse to want knowledge, Hosh. 4.11. and other gifts or services are rejected as vain, if this grace be not had; as Zeal, Rom. 10.2. Sacrifice, Host 6.6 and therefore such as want knowledge should shake off profane sluggishness, and vain objections, and seek to be rich in knowledge, as the men in the world do to abound in wealth, Pro. 4.7. & 2.4. And such as have knowledge should strive to increase it, and be thankful to God for his great mercy in giving them knowledge, and the means of it. Doct. 2. Knowledge is required of all sorts of men. Not of Ministers only, but of private men; of all husbands, yea, and of all men before they be husbands: because so soon as they have wives, they are charged to show their knowledge, john 1.9. 1 Cor. 8.1. 1 Tim. 2.4. This condemns the sacrilegious humour of those persons that are like the wicked Lawyers our Saviour speaks of, Luke 11.52. which take away the key of knowledge from private men, either by their opinions hindering others from seeking knowledge, with their errors mudding the clear fountain of God's Word; or by their power, restraining the means of knowledge from the people. And withal, this should stir up all sorts of men to seek knowledge, and use all means to attain it, as they will give their account unto God of the use of their time at the last day. Doct. 3. Knowledge is given us for use and practice, not for idle speculation: it is given, as other gifts of the Spirit, to profit withal: it is a light to lighten our paths. Our knowledge should be after godliness, Tit. 1.1. It should some way help forwards the work of godliness: that we get by hearing should be showed by practice, james 1.22, 23, 24. They that have knowledge, and will not use it, shall have that knowledge taken from them. Mat. 13.11. Nor is the use of knowledge only for discourse, but for conversation. The words of knowledge, or utterance, is given to some Christians only, 1 Cor. 12.8. And such as cannot talk much, may yet have comfort, if they have knowledge to stay their hearts in faith, and that they can show their knowledge by a good conversation. Doct. 4. The knowledge seated in our minds should have a commanding power of our actions: all should be according as a man's knowledge faith. Those parcels of divine truth put into our minds should rule us, and dispose of us, and make us ordered according to them. Those laws in our minds should make us master all that rebels against them, and make the members be subject to them to obey them. Our knowledge should be lively, and endued with sovereign power. This is the honour we should give to the light that is in our minds, to let it rule us in all things. And this point may much humble all sorts of Christians for want of stirring up their knowledge, or for want of obeying it. Most Christians have their knowledge so feeble, that the Devil or the world may lead them aside to all sorts of temptations, and yet their knowledge makes not opposition, and doth not take arms to subdue what exalts itself against the light of it, as it should do. 2 Cor. 10.4. Now if men would hearten and give life and power to those notions of knowledge are in their minds, and would have their knowledge to have full power, they must observe these rules: Means to give power to our knowledge. 1. They must daily wound, and mortify, and resist the law of the members, that is, such humours in them as are w●nt to be incorrigible. Most persons have some faults in their natures that they are guilty of, with a kind of wilfulness; such faults as must be allowed; such as if they be crossed in, there will be no peace, but open rebellion; such faults as stick so fast to them, as if God and man must let them alone in them: these members must obey them as a law. Now these men must find out, and be sure they resist them, or else the laws of the mind will be but feeble, and sacred notions infused will starve and wither, and never appear in their life and power. 2. Men must be sure they study profitable things, and avoid such knowledges as are fruitless, as belong not to them, 1 Tim. 6.20. 2 Tim. 2.23. Tit. ●. 9. There is knowledge that will puff up, 1 Cor. 8 1. But men must be wi●e for themselves, and strive to understand their own way, Pro. 9.12. 3. They must pray God to put a spirit and life into their knowledge, and give them grace to show all good conscience in their obedience; and withal, they must pray hard for their Teachers, that their word may be a word of power to give fire to the sparkles of light are already in their minds. Finally, let all men that profess the knowledge of God's word remember that their knowledge should make them differ from all other men. Their lives should excel others, according to the knowledge in which they differ from them. A man must hold forth th● life and light of the knowledge he hath, Phil. 2.15. They have a great task to do, that have received much knowledge; much is required of them: if they do ill, their example may do much mischief, 1 Cor. 8.10, 11. Doct. 5. True knowledge makes an impression upon every part of a man● life: it makes him better in all his ways, both towards God and man; as here, true knowledge makes a man a better husband. He must carry himself as a husband, according to his knowledge he hath of God's word. Tru● knowledge enricheth a man in every thing, 1 Cor. 1.5. The favour of our knowledge should be manifest in every place, 2 Cor. 2.14. The knowledge that will not do thus is falsely so called▪ 1 Tim. 6.20. There is use of knowledge in the most ordinary things of the life of man; as meats, marriage, and the things of our calling, 1 Tim. 4.3. and therefore this should stir up all godly Christians to show this proof of their knowledge, and to pray that they may abound in knowledge, and all judgement, Phil. 1.9. C●l. 1.9. and gives cause to Christians of ill behaviour in their callings or private carriage, to mistrust that their knowledge is no● tied: and in particular, wives should pray God to give their husband's knowledge of his Word, and to bless all means to that end, for that will make them the better husbands. Doct. 6. It is an ill thing for men to transgress against their knowledges, when they do things that are not according to their knowledge, or leave undone things they know they should do. The servant that knows his master's will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes, See Rom. 1. ult. Heb. 10.26. 2 Pet. 2.21. Husbands and wives should in a special manner remember this: for there is a great deal of need that they should take notice of this point. Oh it is a grievous thing for a Christian to be wilfully corrupt, to do or leave things undone against his knowledge. Doct. 7. One thing here is comfortable, that God requires no more of his servants, but to do according to the knowledge they have. Ignorances', by the benefit of the new Covenant in Christ, he will pass by, so as they be careful to get knowledge, according to the means they have of knowledge. This is a great comfort. Doct. 8. In knowledge men should excel women: therefore is knowledge here specially mentioned, in giving the charge to men. They are the head● of their wives, and therefore in them should be the especial seat of spiritual senses and understanding; and their wives are charged, if they doubt of any thing, to ask their husbands at home. It is a great dishonour to many men in this age in many places, that women excel them in knowledge, both for the measure of it, and power of it, and care to use the means to get it. Thus of the general Doctrines. These words, as they in particular order the duties of husbands, show diverse things they are to look to in their carriage, in dwelling with their wives. To dwell with them according to knowledge imports, What this dwelling with knowledge imports. 1. Matter of edification; and so three ways: for first, they must set up religion, and the worship of God, in their dwellings, josh. 24.15. They must keep off the curse of God from them, and their wives and children, by daily praying to God, jer. 10. ult. They must diligently (in their kind) instruct their family in the plain things of God's law, talking and discoursing of the Word of God upon all occasions, Deut. 6.7. Gen. 18.19. They must see that God's Sabbaths be kept and sanctified in their dwellings, and therefore must not only restrain labour, but bring their household to the exercises of religion, and privately help them by examination or repetition, Commandment 4. Exod. 20.4. yea, and by sanctifying them to God's worship, job 1.5. which is done by exhorting them to holiness and preparation, and by humbling himself in prayer before God for himself and them: and he must sanctify the creatures they use by prayer, 1 Tim. 4.5. Secondly, in special towards their wives, they must use their knowledge in instructing them, or resolving their doubts, as there shall be occasion, 1 Cor. 14.35. Thirdly, they must teach their wife's reformation, and right order of behaviour by their example; giving full proof of their piety, discretion, providence, painfulness, and meekness, not daring to commit the faults themselves they reprove in their wives, and to live so, as not to be liable to any just exception. There is a question is often asked about the first branch of this answer, and that is, whether a woman may perform the duties of religion in the family, in case of the absence or insufficiency of the husband? Now for answer thereunto, it is hard to give any peremptory rule, because in this thing we have no Commandment from the Lord; but yet, seeing some of the duties of religion may be done by the wife, as instructing of children and servants, for the law of grace should be in her lips, Pro. 31. and both Parents are charged with instructing the children, Eph. 6. therefore I think by Anallogie it will follow, that the wife may do other duties, as pray, and repeat Sermons. But yet it is most likely that this power extends not further than her children and her maids, which was the power Hester used, ch. 4.16. or if it go further, it must be in some special cases, and with observation of diverse circumstances, in which their safest way is to get direction and resolution from their learned Pastors. 2. Matter of toleration, and that in respect of the infirmities of his wife: if her infirmities be bodily, it must be the praise of his knowledge, not to loathe her for that, because God layeth them on her, and she cannot help them. And for her faults, they are either mere frailties arising from ignorance or insufficiency she cannot help; and those he must pass by altogether, when he discerneth that she is not willing to offend in them, Pro. 19.10. or else they are faults she committeth of knowledge; and so they are either curable, or incurable. Curable are such faults of negligence or waywardness that prove grievous to him or others: for these his rule is, he must not be bitter to her, Col. 3.19. but show himself to be gentle, and easy to be entreated, james 3.17. He must use all good means of counsel, and forewarning of her, and entreating, and such reproofs as may be seasonable and secret as much as may be. He must avoid raging and furious passion, and reproaches. If her faults be incurable, that is, such as he cannot mend by such courses, than I suppose he may fly to the general remedy of all Christians in the case of trespasses, and that is, to take one or two with him, and admonish her, and then, if she mend not, he may fly to his Pastor, and such as have charge of souls with him, and get them to admonish her. But if none of these courses will serve, I think the Pastor, or others employed in the business, may give notice, as they have occasion, to other Christians of her incurableness, and they may thereupon forsake her company, and reject her as a Pagan or Publican: but for the husband, he must cohabite still, and with patience bear the cross God hath laid upon him, waiting if at any time God will give her repentance, or otherwise restrain her wickedness. 3. Matter of circumspection. To dwell according to knowledge is to dwell with circumspection, and that he must show in matter of his own right. He must take heed that by no indulgence or remissness he lose his own right. He must keep his authority, and rule as head; and not suffer things to be done or disposed (ordinarily) against his will. And for the good ordering of necessary directions, if his wife will not obey, he must then provide to have things done as well as he can by his children or servants. This I speak of things essentially expedient to the peace or well-being of the family: he must not be his wife's underling, contrary to the order of nature, and ordinance of God, Gen. 3.16. 1 Cor. 11.3, 7, 8, 9 Eph. 5.23. 1 Tim. 2.12, 13, 14. Secondly, he must show it in the care of his estate, restraining her wastefulness if she be given to disorder, or retchlessness in that kind, Pro. 14.1. Thirdly, in case of sin against God: he mu●t take heed that he nourish not sin in her by connivance, or neglect of counsel or reproof, job 2.9, 10. Fourthly, in case of difference between her and her servants; so preserving his authority, as he judge not partially, but with equal judgement, showing the fault wheresoever he find it, else he may extremely harden his servants against them both. Giving them honour.] This is the second thing required in the Exposition. They must honour their wives: and this the husband doth, 1. When he useth her with signs of his estimation of her, How many ways husbands honour their wives. according to her rank in the family, and her relation to him; entertaining her as his companion, and not as his servant or slave. To honour her, is to carry himself with such respect towards her, that all may see that he makes a great account of her, as the companion God hath given to him for his life, to be a helper to him. 2. When he is careful to protect her from wrongs, and dangers, and indignities, 1 Sam. 30.5. 3. When he provides for her maintenance, both in his life time, and after his death, as well as he may▪ allowing her such apparel, and other things, as may show manifestly how great account he makes of her; and doing all with cheerfulness, and not like churlish Nabal: and the rather, because for the most part they are not able to make shift, and provide for themselves. 4. By the special delight he takes in her above others, cherishing her as his own flesh, and making as much of her as he can do of himself, Pro. 5. 19 Eph. 5.28. 5. By suffering himself to be entreated, and in some cases advised and admonished by her, Gen. 21.12. 6. By giving her such employment as her gifts are fit for, leaving to her trust such things in the family and his estate as she is fit to dispose of. It is a dishonour to the wife, when the trust of business is committed to servants, or others, when she is able and willing to undertake it, Pro. 31.11. 7. By yielding a free and just testimony of her praises upon all fit occasions, both to herself and others, Pro. 31.28, 29. 8. By covering her infirmities, passing by mere frailties, and not speaking to her, to provoke her, when she is wayward, or else giving soft answers, and forbearing as much as may be to speak to her disgrace before others. 9 When he gives her leave to dispose of some things at her pleasure, not exacting account of her; allowing her, as a reward of her care or diligence, some such overplus as his estate will bear, that she may be free to give for pious or charitable uses, what may be for her credit or encouragement. Ob. But my wife was of mean birth, condition, or portion, when I married. Sol. So and much worse was the Church before Christ married her, and yet Christ loves the Church. Ob. But since marriage she is idle, and froward, and wasteful, etc. Sol. If shebe so thou hast cause to pray for, and admonish her; but for all that thou must love her, and yield her due honour. The Church sinneth after calling, and yet Christ honours the Church, both by praying for her in heaven, and by labouring to cleanse her by his Spirit and Word in earth, Ephes. 5. Ob. But she is profane and carnal, a wicked woman, a scorner of religion, or perhaps of a contrary religion. Sol. Thou must love and honour her, not because she deserves it, but because God requires it. Thus of the Exposition. The reasons follow: and the first is, because they are the weaker vessel. As the weaker vessel.] The word translated Vessel, is diversely accepted in Scripture; sometimes properly, sometimes metaphorically. As it is taken properly, it is sometime taken for goods, or any householdstuff, Mat. 12.29. Luke 17.31. Sometimes again it signifies any instrument used in the house, or without the house: so the instruments used in the Temple about any part of God's service were called Vessels of the Ministry, Heb. 9.21. So a Bushel is called a Vessel, Luke 8.16. So that which held the four footed beasts and fowls, etc. in the vision, Acts 10.11, 16. is called a Vessel, yet like a sheet: so is a sail of a ship called by this term, Acts 27.17. Now in a metaphorical sense this term signifies either the parts or members of the body of man or woman that serve for generation, 1 Thes. 4.4. or else it signifies any person that God hath set apart for some special service or ministration. Thus Paul was a Vessel of election, or a chosen Vessel to bear God's name among the Gentiles, and Kings, and the people of Israel, Acts 9.15. Or else such persons upon whom God will declare either his mercy or justice. Thus Vessels of honour and mercy, and Vessels of dishonour, Rom. 9.21, 23. and in general, any man or woman that God appoints to do any work, or his instruments either publicly or privately. Thus all men, in respect of the work God requires of them, are Vessels, 2 Tim. 2.20, 21. and so women are Vessels here, because they are instruments God makes use of for the help of man. Now for the word Weaker. It signifies the frailties and defects in the sex of women: in respect of which they are inferior to men; not so much for their sinful defects, as their natural defects; defects of negation rather than defects of privation. So then the sense is, that in as much as women, whom God hath given unto man, instruments of his blessing and their help, are by nature frail, and have many weaknesses and defects, men should be the more tender and careful in their carriage towards them. And so here are three points of doctrine may be observed: Doct. 1. In that men and women are called Vessels, in respect of the service God doth cause them to perform, we may learn, That in works of grace, or matters of holiness, we are rather Patients than Agents. Not but that by God's assistance men and women do work that which is good, but because thereby God would have us to ascribe all to his grace. And therefore he compares us not to active instruments, as tools are in the hands of the workmen; but to passive instruments, such as Dishes are, that bear and carry treasure, or meat, or such like. Hence it is the Apostles call themselves earthen Vessels, 2 Cor. 4.7 and Paul in converting the Gentiles did but bear God's name, Acts 9.21. And therefore we should all acknowledge our insufficiency, and fly to the blood of Jesus Christ to sanctify us: for all the Vessels of the Ministry in the Temple were sprinkled with blood, Heb. 9.21. And further, such as are unprofitable should reap 't and amend: for they are but as the vessel in the hands of the Potter, and God will break them in pieces with his rod of iron, Rev. 2.27. Doct. 2. Women are weak and frail, called here the weaker Vessel; and I take it this weakness is attributed to them, not in respect of sin so much as in natural defects: so as he means not personal faults, but such weaknesses as are found in all women, or the most. But yet I would not be understood to free women altogether from sin in these frailties, because since the fall the natural defects are tainted, and there is in them a special kind of defectiveness or infirmity which cleaves to their sex, which is not so usually in men, or not accompanying the nature of men. Quest. What are the things wherein women are more usually frail, or defective, or infirm, than men? 1. In capacity and judgement. In what things women are more frail than men. They are not capable of so large a measure of knowledge as men (in equal comparison) nor so able to teach the depths and mysteries of knowledge. 2. In respect of their insufficiency for the greatest employments of life; as that sex is not ordinarily capable of the great services of God in Church and Commonwealth: the works cannot be done by women. 3. They are apt to be seduced than men, as the Apostle implies in the case of all women as well as Eve, 1 Tim. 2.14. 4. In respect of dependencies. They cannot make shift for themselves, their desire is naturally subject to men, in respect of depending upon them for provision and protection, Gen. 3. This weakness is stamped upon the whole sex. 5. In respect of their aptness to fears and amazement, and other perturbations,; more unconstant, and not so stable in heart as man. 6. In respect of the discovery of their hearts and natures, whether in good or evil. It is harder to find out throughly the perfect disposition of a woman in good or evil, than of men. Solomon could find out the temper of one man among a thousand men, but not the heart of one woman among so many; and that I take to be the true sense of that place, Ecol●s. 7.28, 29. compared with ver. 25.27. 7. In respect of their proneness to vanity, and pride in apparel; which I gather from this, that all the express directions about apparel that I remember in Scripture, are given rather to women than to men, especially in the New Testament, as, 1 Tim. 2.9. 1 Pet. 3.3. The Use may be, first, to give us occasion to magnify the power and mercy of God. His mercy, that despiseth not his weak creatures, but bestoweth the grace of life upon them. His power, in that he keeps them in life, and preserveth his own work of grace unto the possession of eternal life. Secondly, it should stir up women so much the more to use all the Ordinances of God, and all helps, to make themselves strong in the power of the gifts of grace; especially they should get a strong faith in God, that they may trust in the power of God, that giveth strength to the weak, Esay 40.29, 31. 1 Pet. 3.5. It will be their greater glory if they can overcome their natural weaknesses, especially if they can excel men in the things of the kingdom of God, as many times it comes to pass. Thirdly, all Christians should have those women in great estimation that have overcome their frailties, and do excel in knowledge, and piety, and mercy, and trust in God. Fourthly, all women should be therefore the more humble, and apt to fear and judge themselves, and more willing to be taught or admonished, and more frequent in prayer to God, to help them, and keep them: and in particular, they should be the more willing to be ruled by their husbands, as knowing it is a mercy of God, considering their weakness, to give them husbands, to support them, and provide for them. And finally, they should be the more faithful and diligent to do all the good they can in domestical affairs, seeing by nature they are not fit to manage the greater and more public services of God. The third Doctrine concerns husbands; and so they are taught from hence to give the more honour to their wives, because of their natural weakness. For as it is in the natural body, those members of the body which we think less honourable, upon them we bestow the more abundant honour, 1 Cor. 12.23, 24. so it should be in the Economical body: for the wife is unto the husband bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh; and this honour he should give her, and show it both by taking the more care to provide for her, and by cherishing and encouraging her the more, and by hiding and covering her frailties as much as he may, and by not exacting more from her than she is able to perform, and by helping her all he can, by instruction or otherwise. Only we must note that he is not bound to honour her the more for sinful infirmities, but for natural defects. How he must carry himself towards her in respect of sinful infirmities, or personal faults, hath been showed before in the manner of his carriage towards her as a man of knowledge. And thus of the first reason. As being heirs together of the grace of life.] In these words is contained the second reason, taken from the general dignity of Christians; which also extends to Christian wives. And concerning the dignity of Christians five things may be noted out of these words. 1. The title of their dignity; They are heirs. 2. What they inherit; Life. 3. What the cause of this dignity is, viz. Grace. 4. In what manner they possess it; viz. Together. 5. The persons capable of it; Woman, as well as men. From the coherence we may note, That if women will have their husbands to honour them, they must be religious women, and true Christians, that have grace as well as worldly portion. God requires religion and grace in all wives: and the rather should they be careful to get grace, and become truly religious, because it was long of their sex that sin came into the world: and as by one woman's bearing of a child salvation was brought again into the world: so should they every one in particular strive to recover their honour, by expressing the sound power of a religious life in all faith, and charity, and holiness, and sobriety, 1 Tim. 2.14, 15. And beside, what shall it profit wives to get them jointures on earth, and husbands to provide for them while they live here, if their souls and bodies perish when they die, and lose the inheritance in heaven? and perish they will if they get not true grace. And further, if they be gracious women, if their husbands be so profane as not to make much of them, yet they shall be greatly set by of God: as was showed, vers. 4. But on the other side, if they be ignorant and irreligious women, it is just with God to deprive them of the comforts of this life, and to let their husbands neglect them or abuse them. For though their husband's sin in so doing, yet God is just in permitting such a thing for their punishment. Secondly, another doctrine may be noted from the coherence; and that is, That inheaven there shall be no difference between husbands and wives, but they shall be all one in Christ, alike heirs of eternal life. Which is to be noted, the more to persuade them to submit themselves, and endure to be under the rule and authority of their husbands in this world? for that estate of inferiority shall not last ever, for in heaven God shall be all in all, they shall be ruled by God and the Lamb. Thus from the Coherence. The first thing to be observed about the dignity of Christians in general is, That they are heirs. Heirs] The doctrine is, That all true Christians are heirs. Now, for the opening of this doctrine, two things must be considered; 1. How they come to be heirs. 2. What their glory is in being so. For the first; Christians are not borne Heirs: I mean, not heirs to God, H●w godly men come to be heirs. as is intended in this place, but have it by the grace of adoption. God hath but one Heir by generation, and that is Christ: all his other heirs are by adoption, such as he chooseth of his mere Grace, and makes them his heirs. Now the mystery of our adoption must be considered of in this manner: A Christian by the Gospel is made a believer: Now saith, after an unspeakable manner, engrafts him into the body of Jesus Christ: Now being engrafted into Jesus Christ, who is God's Son, he thereby comes to the power to be the Son of God, and to be an heir with Christ. Christ is God's Heir, and so is all that is grafted upon Christ, joh. 1.12. Now there is a double adoption: the one imperfect in this life, the other perfect, which we shall have after the Resurrection of the dead. By the one we have the promise of inheritance, and by the other we shall have full possession. Of the first is mention made, Rom. 8.15. and the other, Rom. 8.23. the first adoption is meant here. For the second, Adoption is called a glory, by an excellence because there is no glory like to it; even the adoption to be heirs as it is in this life, is the greatest glory in the world. Now the glory of our adoption may appear to be very great, if we consider, 1. By whom we are adopted (viz.) God. If is be such a glory to be the Heir to any great Prince in the world, Wherein the greatness and glory of our adoption appeareth. what a surpassing glory is it to be the Son and Heir of God? Rom. 8.17. and that if we respect either the excellence of God, who is the King of all the earth, and a●ove all kings; or his eternity; he is such a Father as lives ever, Host 1.10. An everlasting Father, Esay 9.6. Other fathers that adopt, may die before they pass the estate, or at the best, it is a kind of infelicity to enjoy the inheritance without the presence and love of the Father. But not so here. 2. The great price was laid down, to make us capable of this honour to be God's Heirs (viz.) the blood of Christ. There was never so much paid for all the inheritances in the world beside, Gal 4.4, 5. Heb. 9.14, 15. 3. The great things we are heirs to, which I will but briefly touch here; we are heirs not only to all our eyes can see, but to all things our hearts can think of. We shall inherit the earth, Mat. 5.5. We shall be heirs of the world, Rom. 4. God will give us all the world: yea, we shall inherit eternal life, as is to be showed afterwards: yea, we are coheirs with Christ, Rom. 8.17. And what would we ask more? 4. The great privileges which God's adopted children do enjoy even in this life: as, 1. They have within them the spirit of Christ in their hearts, therefore called the spirit of adoption, Rom. 8.15, 16. Gal. 4.6. The spirit of Christ, I say, to drive away regal terrors, and to testify to their spirits that they are the sons of God, and that he hath adopted them to heaven and to make them able to treat with God as a Father, by affectionate prayer: and, as other Scriptures show, to lead them into all truth, and to be the guide of their lives, to tell them when they go our▪ either on the right hand, or on the left. And lastly, to be their continual comforter, john 16. Esay 30. 2. By the right of their adoption in Christ, both their persons and their works are accepted before God, so as they stand always high in God's favour, howsoever they are entertained in the world, Eph. 1.6. 3. They have a name and honour shall never be taken from them; an everlasting name: no preferment so high as theirs, Esay 56.4, 5. And this is the greater privilege, because no meanness or contemptibleness of condition on earth can bar them from the enjoying of this prerogative, as the coherence of that place shows. 4. They have the Angels of heaven to attend them: God shows by that that he will have them looked unto as his sons and heirs, Heb. 1. ult. 5. They may ask whatsoever they will of God, and are sure to have it: that may get any suit of God; and he is so far from not granting▪ that he rather complains that they will not ask him often enough, john 16.23. 6. If at any time they fall into distress, they have such interest in Gods special providence, that a hair of their heads shall not fall to the ground, without the providence of their heavenly Father. And beside, God will make himself marvellous in their deliverance, if all worldly helps fail, Esay 43.18, 19, 20, 21. 5. If we consider the wonderful manner of their communion with Christ, and that four ways. For first, we have communion of nature with him, and that by his Incarnation, for he took our nature, and so became our Brother. And this doth nothing at all belong to Reprobates, because Christ took not nature polluted with sin, Heb. 2.14. Ye●, we have communion with him in his divine nature, as that nature doth dwell graciously in us, and we are made like unto it, 2 Pet. 1.4. Secondly, they have communion of state with him, which the Scripture acknowledgeth as a great mystery: for so they are said to live with him, to suffer with him, to die with him, to be buried with him, yea, to rise with him, to ascend to heaven with him, and to sit together with him, Eph. 2. yea, to judge the world with him: only preserving the difference between the head and the members in all this. Thirdly, they have communion of offices with him, for he hath made them Kings and Priests with him. The oil that was poured on his head hath run down upon his members, Rev. 1.5, 6. so that God's heirs are all Kings and Priests. A royal nation, and a kingdom of Priests, 1 Pet. 2.10. Fourthly, they have communion in benefits with him; for God as a Father hath blessed them in him with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things, Ephes. 1.3. Communion they have with him in grace in this life, and in glory in the life to come. Lastly, if we consider the assurance that Christians have given them for their right of adoption: for, first, they have an Act for it in Gods eternal council, Eph. 1.5. Men that have an Act of Parliament for the holding of their lands▪ they think they have a sure tenure; & yet many Acts of Parliament may be repealed, but the Acts of God's council are like himself, immutable. The godly they are predestinate to adoption. Secondly, they have not only Gods promise for their inheritance, but God's oath, that by two immutable things the heirs of promise might have abundant consolation, as the Apostle shows, Heb. 6.17, 18. Thirdly, to make all sure, God hath put his spirit within them, as the seal and earnest of their inheritance, Eph. 1.13, 14. The Use may be, 1. For information: and so, first, to show the great goodness of God to man, that not only requires and gives holiness, but adds also blessedness to his servants. In justification and sanctification he gives to men those good things they call bona virtutis, the good things of virtue; and inadoption he gives those good things they call bona conditionis, the good things of condition, even blessedness and true happiness: whom God makes holy he will make happy also. Secondly, it manifestly shows that we hold all our happiness, not by merit, but by grace. For adopted children cannot plead merit, but must acknowledge all of gift, as will more appear when we come to speak of the cause of inheriting, viz grace. 2. For instruction: and so, The first impression this Doctrine should work upon us should be a desire to be such as may obtain the right of adoption of sons, for flesh and blood cannot inherit, 1 Cor. 15.50. So long as we are carnal and unregenerate men, we neither are, nor are to be called the heirs of God. The unrighteous, that is, such as live in gross sins, and do the works of the flesh, are expressly and peremptorily excluded from the benefit of adoption, 1 Cor. 6.9, ●0 Gal. 5.21. None but such as are effectually called, and borne of God, are capable of this grace, Heb. 9.16. john 1.13. And in particular, What kind of persons we must be to attain this adoption. we must have a true justifying faith, john 1.12. For, as was showed before, we come to the right of Sons, only as we are engrafted into Christ, upon whom all the inheritance is originally and fundamentally conferred: and into Christ we cannot get but by faith. And further, we must look to the sound mortification of the deeds of the flesh, Rom. 8.13. and know that none can inherit but such as overcome the power of their corruptions, and are not in bondage to any sin, Rev. 21.7. And more specially God requires in all such as will be his sons, that they be such as are not in bondage to the passions and perturbations of the heart; for he hath promised that the meek shall inherit, Mat. 5.5. Thirdly, we must forsake all needless society and familiarity with the wicked of the world, if we will be God's sons and daughters, and resolutely refuse to be corrupted with the sins of the times, as the Apostle she●es at large, 2 Cor. 6.17, 18. Fourthly, we must be such as are described Esay 56.4, 5, 6. We must make conscience to keep God's Sabbaths, and choose the thing will please God; being more desirous to please God in all things, than natural children are to please their earthly parents; and take hold of God's Covenant, as resting upon this preferment, and the promises of it, as our sufficient happiness. And that we may be the more established in the knowledge of our adoption, it will be good for us to try ourselves by the signs of such as are God's adopted children. 1. Such as are God's children by adoption have this mark, Marks of God's heirs and adopted children. they are made like unto God their father in holiness, in some truth of resemblance, 1 Pet. 1. 15. and this they show two ways: first, by purifying themselves, and sound humbling of their souls for their sins, that deface the image of God in them; as Saint john saith, Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself, as he is pure, 1 john 3.2, 3. Secondly, by employing himself constantly in doing righteousness; for hereby the children of God are known from the children of the Devil, 1 john 3.10. 2. In the last recited place you may discern another sign of a son and heir to God, and that is the love of the godly as his brethren and fellow heirs: He that loveth not the brethren, is of the Devil, not of God, 1 john 3.10. 3. The gift of prayer is a sign of adoption, and that we have received the spirit of adoption, Rom. 8.15, 16. By the gift of prayer I mean not the skill to utter words to God in a good form of words, and variously, but the gift to speak to God in prayer, both with confidence in God, as in a Father, and with the affections of prayer, which the phrase of crying Abba, Father, imports. 4. A child of God discovers his adoption by the manner of doing good duties: he doth serve God, not with servile respect, but with filial affection: he loves to be God's servant, as may be gathered, Esay 56.6. 5. To love them that hate us, and bless them that curse us, and do good to them that persecute us, is a sign that we are children to God as our heavenly Father, Luke 6.35. Mat. 5. The second impression that this glory of adoption should make upon our hearts, should be to stir us up to carry ourselves in this world as becomes the children and heirs to such a Father as God is. And so in general, it should wonderfully fire us to all possible care to be holy as he is holy, and to express more to the life the Image of God's grace and holiness, 1 Pet. 1.14, 15. and that in all manner of conversation, striving to carry ourselves as the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of this froward and wicked world; all sorts of the men of the world being so ready to reproach such as are God's people, that if they will speak evil, it may be only for our good conversation in Christ, Phillip 2.15, 16. And in particular, we are charged in Scripture with certain special and choice things, that do greatly adorn and grace the life of a child of God that is an heir of heaven, if we be God's heirs, and he be our Father. How Gods ●eires must carry themselves. 1. We should be Peacemakers, for our Father is the God of peace; and this will force men to call us the sons of God, Mat. 5.10. 2. We must not render reviling for reviling, but rather bless, seeing we are heirs of blessing, as the Apostle urgeth it, ver. 9 3. We should live without care, as knowing that we have a heavenly Father that careth for us, Mat. 6.32. And seeing we are heirs of a better world, we should not love this world, nor set our hearts upon such mean things as this world can afford, 1 john 2.15. 4. If we be God's sons we should be willing to submit ourselves to his correction. If we yield that power to the father of our bodies, how much more to the Father of our spirits? Heb. 12.9. But especially take heed that we provoke not God by carelessness and boldness, 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 do not appear 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 appears we shall appear in glory: and there can be no comparison between the suffering of this life, and the glory to be revealed upon us, Rom. 8.17. Mat. 19.29. Col. 3.2, 4. 1 john 3.2. And that we may be the more comforted, we should often pray to God to show us by degrees, and to make us know the riches of our inheritance, both in what we possess in this world, and what we look for in heaven. And thus of the title of our dignities, We are heirs. Of life.] Now follows to consider what we inherit, and that is life; we are heirs 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 happiness 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 enquiry into it is very difficult: it is wonderful 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 natural or spiritual: as for natural life (especially since the fall) that is so poor a thing, as to be an heir to it, is no great preferment. By natural life, I mean that life that men live while they are unregenerate: I say, that life is a very poor thing; which will appear, if we consider the quality of it, or the means of preserving it, Natural life but a mean thing in diverse respects. or the short continuance of it, or the subject of it, or the things with which it is oppressed, or the whole nature of it. 1. For the quality of it; what is life? It is but a wind, 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 job, chap. 7.7. What is your life (saith S. james)? 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 itself after a while, as we see in that place. It is compared to a Weavers Shuttle; or at the best, every hour of our life, or every action, adds secretly a thread till the web be woven, and then we are cut off. So Hezekiah compares himself 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 yield something to death. 3. If we consider the poor means of preserving life: It is such a weak thing, that if we do not daily give it food, it will fail us: and if it be not kept with raiment, it will be extinguished. And for the means we use, how silly are they? Our life is called the life of our hands, Esay 57.10. because it will not last, unless we make hard shift with our hands to preserve it. 4. If we consider the subject of it; it is but our bodies: for our souls in our natural condition, according to the sense of Scripture, are dead in trespasses and sins. They have as it were a being, but, not a life. Our souls, in respect of the substance of them, are excellent things, because invisible and spiritual 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 spiritual. 5. If we consider the miseries with which this life is infested, both by sin, and the punishments of it. As for sin, it is leprous from the womb, and charged with Adam's fault, and errs so often as cannot be numbered; the faults of it are more than the hairs of our heads. As for punishment, how hath God avenged himself 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 Devils also compass 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 body 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 pass 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 eternal death? 6. Lastly, if we consider the whole nature of life. The Apostle here thinks it is not worth the naming by the name of life, when he saith only of the godly, that they are heirs of life: as if there were no living men but they, and as if they had been dead all the time they were, till they were adopted. But it is not natural life is here meant, but spiritual life, called in Scripture new life, and the life of God, and eternal life. The words of the Apostle Paul, Tit. 3.7. when he saith, We are heirs according to the hope of eternal life, serve to expound these words of the Apostle Peter. Now concerning this life, it is above the reach of all mortal 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 john saith, it doth not appear what we shall be, ● joh. 3. 2. And in 1 Cor. 2.9. it is said, that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, what God hath prepared for them that love him. Yea, Christ himself doth seem to grant, that, as man, he did not fully see the glory of this eternal life in his mortal condition; where, speaking of his estate after death, he said, Thou wilt show me the paths of life, Acts 2. And for so much as is revealed concerning this spiritual and eternal life, two things must be remembered; the one, That the doctrine of this life lieth hid from ages and generations in extreme darkness; and when the Gospel treats of it, it brings it as it were out of a dark 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 special wisdom: 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 original of it. 3. A guess at the nature of it. 4. The things that nourish it. 5. The differences between this life on earth, and as it is in heaven. 6. The means to attain it, or what we must do if we would enter into life. 7. The signs to know whether it be in us. 8. The properties of it. 9 Lastly, the Uses of it. Degrees of spiritual life. 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 eternal life begins at the first spiritual acquaintance with God in this life, when his favour is made known to us in Jesus Christ by the Gospel, so as we are truly 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 eternal life, to know God, and whom he hath sent, jesus Christ, john 17.3. Thus he that heareth Christ's words, and believeth, is passed from death to life, john 5.24. The second degree begins at our death, and continueth the life that the soul, separated from the body, enjoys till the resurrection at the last day. And concerning the estate of the soul in this degree of life we have no absolute revelation, but yet are taught in Scripture that it returns 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 enjoys the honour of all good works, Rev. 14.13. the body resting in the grave from all pain and labour, as in a bed of rest, till the resurrection, Esay 57.2. And into this degree of life eternal we enter in by the gate of death. The third degree of life eternal begins at the resurrection of our bodies at the last day, and is enjoyed by body and soul 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, john 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 warn men to look to it, that they enter into the first degree of eternal 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 original of life, The original of this life. it is greatly for the praise of it, that it flows from that life which is in God himself, which is an unspeakable glory to the creatures that enjoy it. With thee is the fountain of life, saith David, Psal. 36.9. So he calls him the God of his life, Psal. 42.8. Natural life is but a sparkle that flows from the life of our Parents; but spiritual and eternal 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 natural 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, john 14. He that hath the Son hath life, john 5.12. and he it is that is eternal 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 spiritual world, but from God in heaven, which hath caused it to shine in our hearts by the Son of righteousness, 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 God's goodness, and make us to rest ourselves for ever under the shadow of his wings, Psal. 36.7, 8, 9 But that this point may be more clearly understood, we must consider of the original of this life from God three ways: First, in respect of ordination, and so it flows from God's decree: It hath its original from God three ways. he hath ordained us unto life. Acts 13.48. and our names are written in the book 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, john 6.51. This life will not be had without his death: that we might live in eternal life he must die a temporal death. And shall not this greatly inflame our hearts to love the Lord Jesus, that gave himself for us, that we should not perish, but have everlasting life? Thirdly, in respect of operation or inchoation; and so the fountain of life is either without us, or within us: without us is the Word of Christ, that is the immortal 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, john 6.63. And that Word, considered as it is preached to the dead souls of men; the dead shall hear the voice of Christ, and live. Shall hear it: note that, john 5.25. which should make us greatly to esteem the preaching of the Gospel. Within us the fountain 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 mystical body; and then look how the soul of man doth give life to every member of the body, so doth the Spirit of Christ to every soul, as a several member of the mystical body. The nature of it consists in a saving knowledge or celestial light. 3. For the third. We shall not exactly know what the nature of eternal life is still it be perfected in us, or consummate; yet by diverse words God hath let fall in Scripture we may guess at the nature of this life: and in general, I think it is a kind of celestial light falling into the soul, that doth to it that which natural life doth to the body. This Saint john, showing how Christ was the life of men, saith, he was the light of men, john 1.4. And David having said, With thee is the fountain of life, adds, And in thy light we shall see light, Psal. 36.8. And so the promise to the penitent sinner was, that his life should see the light, job 33.28. So Christ saith, he that followeth him shall have the light of life. Mark it, the Light of life, john 8.12. So that the life of our minds is knowledge in general; and in particular, it is the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, as our Saviour saith expressly, john 17.3. This is eternal life, to know God, and whom he hath sent, Jesus Christ. And the reason why this knowledge doth most inlive and quicken our hearts, is, because God in Christ is the most glorious subject of contemplation; as being that highest good, a very Ocean of goodness, only able to fill and ravish the heart of man: and beside, because God as our chief good can alone make the ravishment of the heart perpetual, and so last for ever, which nothing else can do. But because every knowledge of God hath not this effect, to breed everlasting life in the heart of a man, therefore I will distinctly set down what kind of knowledge it is that hath this effect, and what is required that it may be right. Which knowledge must have these properties and effects in it. 1. It must be such a knowledge as discerns God to be the only true God: and this rule excludes the Pagans from eternal life, who though by the light of nature they might discern the invisible things of God, by the works of the creation, yet they so shut up those principles of natural truth in unrighteousness, that they set up creatures as God, and gave the glory of the true God to them, Rom. 1. 2. It must be such a knowledge as ascribes unto the Nature of God such an excellency as can be expressed by no likeness of any creature in heaven above, or earth beneath, or the waters under the earth. God must not be conceived of by any Images. Images in the Church shut out the Papists from eternal life, and Images in the heart to conceive of God by, exclude the ignorant and carnal Protestants. In the right conceiving of God's nature we must adore him that is like nothing in heaven or earth. 3. It must be such a knowledge or vision of God as discerns him to be the chief good, and only happiness to be desired: and so all those persons that behold any thing in this life, to be sought after as the chief felicity of their lives, are excluded from eternal life. And the things so esteemed the Scripture calls their gods; so some make their bellies their gods, some their riches, some honour and the favour of men. 4. It must be such a knowledge of God as conceives of him in Jesus Christ (that is) that sees the way how Gods infinite justice, provoked by many sins, is pacified by the atonement made by Jesus Christ, as the Mediator between God and man, john 17.3. else the knowledge of God, in respect of the contemplation of God's justice, will be so far from inliving our hearts, that it would kill them if they had life. And this rule excludes all such from eternal life as live in despair of God's mercy, as Cain and judas. These knowledges are such, as without which life cannot be had; but yet in themselves do not quicken the soul, and inspire it with life. 5. It must be such a knowledge as doth not only discern aright the doctrine of the nature of God, and of the person and offices of Christ, but doth discern that God is ours (in particular) in Jesus Christ, and fully reconciled to us, and our portion for ever. To know God to be our God in Christ is the very life of our souls. Now, because we discern this in God two ways, viz by the light of ●aith, believing the promises of the Word, though we see him not; and by the light of vision, when we shall see him in his goodness face to face: therefore is the former light called the light of faith, and belongs to this life; and the latter light belongs to another world. Hence our justification which is by faith is called the justification of life, Rom. 5.18. This is a point which should be of unspeakable comfort to the weak Christians that have attained to this knowledge; for certainly this is eternal life in them, as true as if they had the glory of heaven already. But now that true Christians may be the more infallibly settled in the knowledge of their interest in eternal life, as it lieth in the right knowledge of God, ●o be ours i● Jesus Christ, I will add certain effects of this knowledge, which show, not only that it is right, but also that it is very eternal or spiritual▪ for if it be a right knowledge, 1. It raiseth in the dead heart of man spiritual senses, that were never there before: it makes the soul of a man able to hear God's Word, that could never do it before: it gives sight in spiritual things, and sense, and feeling, and spiritual tastes of God's goodness, and a savouring of spiritual things more than earthly, 2 Cor. 2.15. Rom. 8.5. Psal. 36.8. Phil. 1.9. 2. It is a knowledge with admiration: it sets a man's heart upon a constant wondering at the glory of the things revealed. He that hath this knowledge sees in a Mirror; he sees, and wonders. Nothing more ravisheth the heart than doth the word, when it shows him the glory of God's grace to him, 2 Cor. 3.18. Wicked men see, but they see not in a Mirror. 3. It is a knowledge that works transformation: it changeth a man into the likeness of that it sees, even from glory to glory, by the power of the spirit of Christ. The light comes into wicked men, but leaves them the same men it found them, for disposition and conversation; but this light humbles the heart of a man for his sins, and purifieth him from his most secret sins, Acts 15.9 and besides prints upon him the image of God, and stirs him u●to all the motives of life in doing good works, 2 Cor. 3.18. Col. 3.10. 1 john 2.3. & 3.24. 4. It is such a light as is indelible, and will abide the trial of manifold afflictions, and gives life and joy still to the soul: it doth not only comfort in God's house, but will support us when we are gone home, under the miseries of this present life, 1 Pet. 1.7. The Use should be to teach us all to bless God for the Gospel that brings life to light, and shows us the love of God to us in Christ; and for all the means by which the Gospel is preached to us in the life of it. Oh how should we be beholding to them that help us to eternal life, by leading us unto God, this Ocean of goodness! And withal, we should be wonderfully thankful to God, and for ever comforted, if we can find that we have attained to the assurance of God's love to us in Christ. Though our knowledge here be but small and weak, yet it is so rich as the tongue of man cannot utter, if it be in any measure true and sincere. Besides, how should this fire our desires after wisdom, and spiritual understanding in the world of Christ, seeing it is our life, and in the same degree we increase in eternal life, that we increase in acquaintance with God in Christ? and therefore above all gettings we should be getting understanding And finally, it shows the woeful estate of ignorant persons, that are careless of the study of the Word of God, and of hearing of the Gospel preached. This is their death, and will be their eternal death, if they prevent it not by repentance, and sound redeeming of the time, for the service of the soul, about this sacred knowledge. Now for the fourth point: the things that nourish life are greatly to be heeded, both to show us what we should apply ourselves to, and with what thankfulness to receive the means of our good herein. Divers things nourish this life. 1. We must know that the principal cause of the nourishment and increase of spiritual life is the influence of virtue from Christ our mystical head, by the secret and unutterable working of the spirit of Christ; which is therefore called the spirit of life, because it both frees us by degrees from the fears of death, and from the power and blots of sin, Rom. 8.2. and withal, it quickens and increaseth life in us, for the better exercise of righteousness, Rom. 8.10. 2. The contemplation of God's favour and presence doth wonderfully extend and inflame life in us. To mark God any where, or by any experience to find effectually his love, and to taste of the sweetness of his goodness, this is life from the dead, better than all things in natural life: it doth a godly man's heart more good than all things in the world can do, as these places show, Psal. 30.5. & 63.7, 8. & 36.3. & 16. ult. with coherence. 3. The entertainment God gives his people in his house is one special cause of increase of this life in us, as it increaseth both knowledge, and joy, and all goodness, and satisfies the heart of man; especially amongst all the things that are without us, the Word of God, as it is powerfully preached in God's house, is the food of this life, called the savour of life unto life, 2 Cor. 2.16. Christ words are the words of eternal life, john 6. see Psal. 36. 8. john 12.50. Pro. 4.22. 4. Fellowship with the godly is singular to quicken and excite the life of grace, and joy, and knowledge in us; therefore it is an amiable thing for brethren to dwell together in unity, because there God hath commanded the blessing, even life for evermore, Psal. 133. ult. Pro. 2.20. The mouth of the righteous is a vein of life, Pro. 10.11. Yea, the very reproofs of instruction are the way of life, Pro. 6.23. And therefore weak Christians should be instructed from hence, with faith to rest upon the God of their lives, who by the spirit of Christ can enable them to eternal life; and with thankfulness to embrace all signs of God's favour and presence, and above all things in life to provide for themselves powerful means in public, and good society in private, and not to be turned off from either of these by slight either objections or difficulties; and to resolve to labour more for these than carnal persons would do to have their natural lives, if they were in distress or danger. It is also excellent counsel which Saint jude gives in this point concerning eternal life: he would have us look to four things: The first is, to edify ourselves in our most holy faith, striving to get in more store of God's promises, and divine knowledges, and to strive to establish our hearts in our assurance of our right to them. The second is, to pray in the holy Ghost; for he knew that powerful prayer doth greatly further eternal life in us. The third is, to keep ourselves in the love of God, avoiding all things might displease him; choosing rather to live under the hatred of all the world, than to anger God by working iniquity. The fourth is, to look as often and as earnestly as we can after that highest degree of mercy and glory we shall have in the coming of Christ, jud. 1.19, 20. I will conclude this point with that one counsel of Solomon, Keep thy heart with all diligence, for thereout come the issues of life. Christians that would prosper in spiritual life should be very careful of the first beginnings of sin in their thoughts and desires, and be very diligent in nourishing all good motions of the holy Ghost, preserving their peace and joy, in believing with all good consciences, Pro. 4.23. Thus of the fourth point. 5. Now for the differences of life in these degrees, especially the first and last degree they are very great: for though eternal life in the first degree be a treasure of singular value, yet the glory of this life doth greatly excel, as it is to be held in another world. I intent not to compare life in heaven with natural life here, (for that is not worthy to be mentioned in the balance with that eternal life of glory) but with eternal life itself, as it is held by the godly only in this world. And so the difference is very great; 1. In respect of the place where the godly live in each degree. This life differs from eternal life many ways 2. In respect of the means of preservation of life in each degree. 3. In respect of the company with whom we live in each degree. 4. In respect of the quality of life itself. 5. In respect of the effects of life eternal in each degree. For the first. There is great difference between the life of grace and the life of glory, in the very place of living. 1. In respect of place. Here we live in an earthly tabernacle, in houses of clay; there we shall live in eternal mansions, buildings that God hath made without hands, 2 Cor. 5.1. Here we live on earth, there in heaven. Here we are strangers and pilgrims, far from home, H●b. 11. there we shall live in our Father's house. Here we are in Egypt, there we shall live in Canaan. Here we live where death, sorrow, and sin, and Devils dwell▪ there we shall live in a place where God, and immortality, and all holiness dwells, 2 Pet. 3.13. Here we are but banished men, there we shall live in the celestial Paradise. Here we have no abiding City, but there we shall abide in the new Jer●s●lem that is above. The glory of the whole earth can but shadow out by similitude the very walls and gates of that City, Rev. 21. Here we can but enter into the holy place, there we shall enter into the most holy place, Heb. 10.19. To conclude, there we shall enter into the heaven of heavens, which for lightness, largeness, pureness, delightfulness, and all praises, almost infinitely excels the heavens we enjoy in this visible world. For the second. In this life, unto the preservation of life, 2. In respect of the means that preserve this life. we have need of many things: as first, we need meat, drink, raiment, sleep, marriage, physic, the light of the Sun by day, and the Moon 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 soul. But in heaven we shall need none of these, we shall be as the Angels of heaven, and God himself shall there be all in all, and shall fill us with his goodness, 1 Cor. 15.28. Our life shall subsist in God himself, who, shall satisfy us out of the plenty of his own glory. In that City there will be no need of the Sun to shine by day, or of the Moon 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 be no night there, Rev. 21.23. & 22.5. Secondly, in this world we need the help of superiors, as Kings, Rulers, Parents, Husbands, Teachers, etc. But in that world inferiority and subjection shall cease, when we shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, in the kingdom 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 spiritual means for our souls, and the help of diverse gifts in the Spirit, which serve for our furtherance in the way to eternal life. Our souls cannot live without a Temple on earth, without the Word, and Prayer, and Sacraments; but in that new Jerusalem St. john saw no Temple in it, there is no preaching nor praying, there we shall not need any, nor have cause to mourn for the want of it, as many times we do now; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereof● from God we shall have an infinite supply, in stead of all these things, Rev. 21.22. Here we treat with God by means 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 actual 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 fear, anger, jealousy, care, hatred, grief, pity, or such like; now all these shall then be put off for ever, because in that kingdom shall be nothing that is either unclean, or wretched, or in danger to fall away. Yet notwithstanding this hinders not, but that God may delight the souls of his people, by ways unknown to us, after a most glorious manner; which seems to be shadowed out by eating of the tree of life, which bears so often fruit, and by drinking of the water of life, which runs like a river, pure as crystal, and proceeds from the Throne of God, Rev. 21.6. & 22.1. 3. In respect of the company. For the third. There is great difference between 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 evil ones, that either molest us with their oppositions, or grieve us with their wickedness, or infect us with their evil examples; but there shall be no wicked ones, no Devils to tempt us, no devilish 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. we 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 find in heaven. They are usually but mean persons we must sort withal here, but there they are such as exceed all the glory of this world: our friends and companions shall be glorious Angels, and blessed patriarchs, and Kings, and Prophets, and Apostles, and the Martyrs of Jesus: and in general, all wear Crowns 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 rely 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 general assembly of all Gods elect, Heb. 12.22, 23. Fourthly, in respect of disposition, both theirs and our own. Here our life with our friends is made often grievous, by reason of envy, suspicion, offence, passion, pride, forgetfulness, and private discords, or our own 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 inflamed on all hands to perform exactly all those properties mentioned 1 Cor. 13. Fiftly, in respect of constancy. Our friend's her● are not only mortal, and must leave us, but mutable, and may forsake us; but there all the company is immortal, and being perfectly sanctified are as God himself, 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 satisfy 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 ●o all eternity. Lastly, in their relation to us▪ On earth we lose daily such as are near and d●●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 john, in the Transfiguration on the Mount, knew Moses and Elias, and yet had never seen them; how much more in heaven shall our knowledge be perfected, to know and to be known perfectly, and as it were by name? For the fourth; 4. In respect of the quality of the life itself. 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 nearness as we cannot conceive of now. This is that which our Saviour prays so earnestly for, joh. 17.20, 21. Secondly, in respect of the manner of it. Now God treat with us by means, as by the Word and Sacraments, etc. but then without means, immediately. Now we see by the help of a glass, 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 mortal man than could, saw but his back parts; he saw God, as we see a man going from us, but then we shall see him face to face, as he is coming to us; yea, as he is possessed by us. We shall not need help to show God to us, as we do now, for God himself shall be our everlasting light, as was showed before. There is a fourfold vision of God; the one is natural, as when we see him in the creatures: the other is speculous, or Symbolical, when we see God in certain signs 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 ●lory, which differs from all the former, in a way of seeing unknown to us. Thirdly, our knowledge will differ in the measure. Now we know b●t in part; there are many things we know not, and what we do know, we know but obscurely, and darkly; then we shall know perfectly, even as we are now known perfectly of God, 1 Cor. 13.10, 11. etc. and so we shall know both God, and the Creat●res. There is a world of most delightful and rare knowledge of the Creatures, which we attain not to in this life: but the chief glory of our knowledge then, shall be in the perfect vision of God and those unspeakable beauties of his nature, when we shall behold perfectly the glory of every property 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 celestial light, flows righteousness, peace, 5. In resect of the effects of life in ●●ch degree. and joy in the holy Ghost; which the Apostle Paul makes to be the parts of the Kingdom of God, and so both in this life, and in heaven, Rom. 14.17. And unto these three heads may be referred all things that concern the glory of eternal life: and all these are held with great difference in each degree of eternal life. For though we have righteousness, and peace, and joy now in the truth of them; yet we have ●hem not as we shall have them in heaven; as will appear, if we consider of them distinctly. First, for righteousness. 1. For righteousness. Here it is the greatest burden 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 appear 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 holiness: our nature shall be perfect, like the nature of God; our members shall never more be servants unto unrighteousness, and our souls shall exactly resemble God in all perfection of goodness and gifts. Here the glory of man's inheritance lieth in the goodness of things without them; there it shall consist principally in an everlasting goodness, confirmed upon themselves. We shall be without spot and wrinkle, Eph 5.27. We shall be as he is in holiness, 1 john 3.2. Here is our grief, that our hearts cannot be so filled with the love of God and the godly, as they should be; there our hearts shall burn with an eternal inflammation of affections towards God, and the blessed ones, without any interruption or decay; we shall never mor● be troubled with hardness of heart, discouragement, fear, distractions, inordinate desires, and perturbations. Yea, our holiness shall be better than Adam's 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 Christ's righteousness imputed to us; but then we shall be made so perfectly holy by inherent righteousness, that we shall stand everlastingly righteous before God, by the righteousness, that is in us. Imputation shall there cease for ever, when Christ hath delivered up the kingdom to God the Father, and when faith shall be done away. Lastly, the difference in this point may further appear in the freedom of our wills. In this life many times our wills are not free to desire to do the good we should do, and most an end want power to execute what we desire: but there shall be all liberty, so as we shall never want either desire or power to accomplish what may be for God's everlasting glory, or our own felicity. 2. ●●r peace. 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 fear, or grief, or discouragement, or passions; or else our consciences are unquiet, either because God fights against us, to try us or to humble us, or we fight against ourselves, through ignorance and unbelief, or distress for sin. Sometimes when our spirits are quiet, and there is a truce from inward war, we then want out word peace; either men are unreasonable, and molest us without cause, in our estates or names, or else God afflicts us in body with pain and weakness, or in estate, sometimes with easy crosses, like small rain, sometimes with greater crosses, like some fierce storms. Now in heaven there shall be an eternal cessation of all misery; there shall be no curse, and affliction shall be cast into the Sea, Rev. 22.23. Secondly, our Sabbaths, or days of rest which G●d hath consecrated and blessed to us as the chief joy of our lives, prove many times days of sorrow & affliction, because either our bodies are molested with pain, or our souls distressed for want of powerful means, or for want of ability to keep a Sabbath unto God, or for want of joy in our souls: but in heaven we shall have an eternal Sabbath; not one day in seven, but all our days; rest without labour, and solace of heart without any difficulty in ourselves, or interruption without us: God and the Lamb will be an eternal Temple to make our rest for ever glorious. We shall be freed from all the labours of life, and from all pain and difficulty in serving God, and our works shall be all easy, and full of delight, even the praising of God for ever, Rev. 14.12. Heb 4.9. 3. For joy. 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 creature. Here, while we are present with the body, and the blessings of life, we are absent from the Lord, the infinite life of our lives; but there we shall enjoy him as fully as our hearts can desire, 2 Cor. 5.8. Here we want our crown, whatsoever else we enjoy; but there our honour, and glory, and majesty shall be so great, as if all the Kings of the earth did bring their glory to one man, it would not equal what every one shall have there, 2 Tim. 4.8. Rev. 2.24. & 3.21. we shall reign in life, Rom. 5. And this Crown is the more glorious, because it shall not consist of some precious thing without us, but of royal excellency, with which our souls and bodies shall shine as the Sun in the firmament; our very bodies in quality being altered to such an expression of majesty, and beauty, and Angelical excellency, as now exceeds all mortal language; being rather like spirits than earthly bodies. And for the measure, now we have but little tastes of joy; and if these tastes be unspeakable and glorious, what are those rivers of joy at God's right hand? Psal. 16. ult. And for continuance, they are for evermore, as the Psalmist there speaks: whereas now they are gone from us, like lightning, in an instant, and our lives are afterward assaulted almost continually with causes or occasion of sorrow; so as the world in the best place is but like a vale of tears: but there shall be no sorrow, no death, no crying nor pain, but God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes for ever, Rev. 21.4. 6. Thus of the differences of life on earth, and life in heaven. Wh●t men must d●e to attain this life. What men must do that they may enter into life follows. And about this point our Saviour tells us two things before hand. First, that the way to life is a narrow way, and the gate is exceeding straight: men may be misled by a thousand byways, and the work to be done is a very hard work. Secondly, that there are but few that find the right way; yea, but few amongst those that seek it, and seem desirous to know what they should do; for either they understand not the directions when they are given, or by taking time to think of them, they forget them; or else when they have the answer, they go their ways, (like the young man in the Gospel) and are sorry the conditions be so hard; and so give over all further care, and rest in the estate they were in before. And therefore we had need to attend the more carefully, and resolve to do whatsoever God requires of us, whatsoever it cost us, and not be troubled at the difficulty of the work, considering the excellency of eternal life, and the many helps we have to further the work. Of which afterwards. This then is the question: What should a man or woman do that he might be sure to enter into life? Answ. 1. Thou must lay the foundation of all in Jesus Christ: thou must disclaim all trust in any thing in heaven or earth, in thyself, or thy own works, or any other creature, and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ, as the only means of pacifying God's anger, or procuring eternal life, Acts 4.12. john 3.16. and thou must inwardly lay up Christ in thy heart, so as spiritually ever to eat his flesh, and drink his blood, by applying all he hath done or suffered for thee in particular, john 6.53. 1 john 5.12. 2. Thou must pray hard to the God of life, Psal. 42.8. and with great importunity beseech him to give thee the spirit of life, that is, Jesus Christ; and with the more encouragement, because he hath promised to give even his holy Spirit to them that ask him, Luke 11.13. 3. There will be no life in the soul if thou dost not repent thee of thy sins, Acts 11.18. And this is the harder work, because first to confess thy sins will not serve turn, unless thou forsake them, and overcome them, Rev. 2.7. so as the power of them be mastered, and thou do from thy heart desire and resolve to leave them. If thy lusts, passions, disorders of life, in drunkenness, swearing, sins of deceit, or the like, be not mended, thou canst not live this life, 1 Cor. 6.9. Gal. 5.22, 23. At the best, without an apparent victory, there will be little comfort in life. Secondly, in turning, thou must turn from all thy transgressions, so as thou be sure thou leave no sin thou knowest, but thou wilt endeavour to judge thyself for it, and strive to forsake it. Thy heart must be turned from it, Ezek. 18.21. Yea, if some of thy sins, for profit or pleasure, be to thee like thy right eye, or right hand, thou must cut them off, or pull them out, or else thou canst never enter into life, Mat. 18.8, 9 As in the case of rich men, the way of life is compared to the eye of a needle, and their hearts to a great cable: now there is no way for thee to enter into life, but by untwisting the great cable, till it be made like small threads, which is done by great humiliation, james 1.10. And withal, thy▪ heart must continue afraid in the least thing to offe●d God. This fear of the Lord is required to the very beginning of this life, Pro. 14.27. 4. Thou must deny thyself extremely in outward things: thou must look for persecution, yea, and perhaps be put to it, to forsake father and mother, house and lands, wife and children, yea, and life itself, so as to hate and lose this natural life, in comparison of the gaining of eternal life, Mark 10.30. john 12.25. 5. Thou must be tied to walk in a strict course of life all thy days, resolving to walk in the way of righteousness, and let the word of God be the rule of all●thy actions, and by patient continuance in well-doing, to seek increase of happiness and holiness; for life is only in the way of righteousness, Pro. 12.28. Rom. 2.7, 8. Ezek. 33.15, 16. Now, though this work be very hard, yet thou hast many helps, if thy heart be right and willing to obey: for, A Christian hath many helps to attain it. 1. God will give thee his holy Spirit to work all thy work for thee, and to cause thee to walk in his statutes, and keep his judgements, and to do them; and will mortify the deeds of the flesh, and teach thee in all truth, and comfort and support thee, and make thy works acceptable to God, as hath been showed before. 2. Thou hast the help of spiritual armour, that is mighty through God, to cast down strong holds, 2 Cor. 10.3, 4. thou wilt find a strong supply from every ordinance of God: the Word, and Prayer, and Sacraments, all s●rve to help against the difficulty of this work, and so will the society of the godly, as was showed before. 3. Thou wilt have the benefit of Christ's prayers and intercession for thee in heaven, john 17.15. which is of unspeakable force and power to help thee. 4. The greatness of the reward should pluck up thy heart against all the hardship of godliness: for, 1. God will grant thee pardon of all thy sins, Acts 2.39. 2. Thou shalt have fellowship with God himself, and he will show thee so much when thou seekest to him in his ordinances, 1 john 1.7. 3. Thou hast most precious promises, recorded every where in the sacred volume of God's book, 2 Pet. 1.4. 4. Who would not be stirred up with the contemplation of that glorious inheritance is reserved for us in heaven? that incorruptible crown should make any body willing to abstain from all things, and to run with all violence in the race set before us, 1 Pet. 1.3. 1 Cor. 9.24, 25, 26, 27. Only let me conclude this point with an earnest exhortation to all Christians, that would have comfort of life, to apply themselves to get all possible knowledge they can in the Scriptures; for that knowledge is a tree of life, Pro. 3.18. & 16.22. and those sacred knowledges they must not let go, but take fast hold on them, Pro. 4.13. They must attend, incline their ears, and not let them depart from between their eyes, and be sure to keep them in the midst of their hearts, Pro. 4.21, 20, 22. Mark every one of those words to do it; and consider, that it is not the having of the Bibles, or Sermons, or the reading, or hearing, but the knowledge we get into our hearts: nor is it any knowledge, but wisdom, or the wise knowledge of the Scriptures: and our knowledge is then wise, when it is an understanding of our own ways; and we are wise for ourselves, when we study profitable things, and when we sow those seeds of truth in daily practice, and when we practice with discretion, looking to the circumstances of every duty, not to draw upon ourselves encumbrances by our own rashness or indiscretion. And lastly, when with all knowledge we join lowliness of mind, and meekness; that meekness that is called meekness of wisdom by Saint james. Thus of the means to attain life: the signs follow. There are diverse ways to try ourselves, whether eternal life be begun in us: as, 1. By the savouring of those things that are immortal. Signs of this life are six. Our mortal life relisheth nothing but what is transitory: and eternal life finds happiness in nothing but what is eternal, or tends to it. Thus a man that is endued with this life, esteems with sense, grace above riches, spiritual treasures above all earthly. In particular, the desire after the Word of God is a sign that we are at least new borne babes in God's kingdom, if so be we desire it with a kind of natural affection, as the child doth, the breast; and constantly, and as the word is sincere; and with an unfeigned desire to grow in grace and goodness by the power of the Word, Rom. 8.5. 1 Pet. 2. john 6.27. 2. By our knowledge of God in Christ, as hath been showed before; when it is such a knowledge as works not only admiration, but also sound transformation of our hearts and lives. 3. There is a kind of sorrow, that the Apostle faith is to salvation, 2. Cor. 10.7. and that is, such a sorrow as is voluntary and secret; for our sins, and for all sorts of sins, Rom. 7. Esa. 6.5. Esa. 1.16. and as they are sins, and not for other respects; and such a sorrow as quieteth the heart, and leaveth a vehement desire of reformation, and is most stirred by the sense of God's goodness, Host 3.5. Esa. 1.16. and is found in prosperity as well as adversity. 4. By our love to God; for if the light of life be in us, and that we are truly acquainted with God, as our God in Christ, the heart hath seen that that will make it in love with God for ever; and show it by his estimation of God's loving kindness, and all the signs of it, above all things in life, Psal. 63.2, 11. and by longing after the coming of Christ, 2. Tim. 4.8. and by grieving for God's absence, Cant. 3.1. and by his fear to offend God in any thing, jude 20. and by his willingness to suffer any thing for God and the Gospel, 1 Thes. 1.2. 5. By our love of the brethren. The Apostle john with great confidence of words, makes this a ●●gne that we are translated from death to life, 1 joh. 3.14. and it is infallible, if we so love them as we account them the only excellent ones, Psal. 16.3. and desire them as the only companions of our lives, and if it be for the grace and goodness is in them, 1 joh. 5.1. 2 joh. 1.2. and if it be notwithstanding their infirmities or adversities; and if we love all the brethren, without respect of persons. 6. To conclude this point generally: If eternal life be begun in us, we are new creatures, borne again; the Image of God is restored in us in some degree, joh. 3.5. Tit. 3.5. Colos. 3.10. and we are such as are fully resolved to spend our days in the way of righteousness, and a holy course of life, Prov. 12.28. 8. The properties of this life follow, and they are five: for, Properties of this life are five. 1. It is unspeakable: eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor can the heart of man conceive what God hath prepared in life for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9. 2. It is free; it is not given by merit, but is the free gift of God, Rom. 6. ult. 3. It is certain: for there is an Act for it in God's counsel. Men be ordained to life, and their names written in the book of life, Acts 13.48. Phil. 4.4. and God hath bound himself, by many promises in his Word, to the believer, and beside, hath confirmed it with an oath, Heb. 6.17. and Christ is gone into heaven to make the place ready for all the heirs of life, john 14.3. and further, we have it already begun, even eternal life begun, john 17.3. 4. It is a life by assimilation, that is, such a life as is fashioned in likeness to the life of another, even Jesus Christ, according to whose Image we are created, Col. 3.10. And who shall change our vile bodies, and make them like his glorious body, Phil. 3.21. 5. It is eternal; a life that will last as long as God liveth; it will never have an end. Divines express the eternity of it, in part, by this similitude: Suppose a little bird came to the Sea once in a thousand years, and took up only one drop of water, and so should continue to take every thousand years only one drop, what an unspeakable space of time would it be before the Sea would be drunk up? and yet eternity is a lasting beyond that unmeasurably. Thus of the explication of the Doctrine concerning life. The Uses follow: and, Use 1. First, what a strong impression should this doctrine have upon the hearts of all unregenerate men? How should life and heaven suffer violence? How should this force open their eyes, that they might awake from that fearful lethargy, and stand up from the dead, that Christ might give them this light of life? How should they unchangeably resolve to seek God's kingdom first above all things, and above all gettings strive to get understanding? What shall it profit them to win the whole world, and lose their own souls? But especially the doctrine of life should melt the hearts of all the godly, and imprint upon them the care of many duties: as, What duties this doctrine should compel godly men to practise. 1. They have cause to wonder at the exceeding riches of God's kindness to them in Jesus Christ, in providing such an inheritance for them, Ephes. 2.7. 2. They should pray earnestly to God to open their eyes more and more to see the glory of this life, and effectually to take notice of the high dignity of their calling, and riches of their inheritance in life, Eph. 1.19. 3. This should marvellously wean their hearts from the cares of this present life, and from the love of earthly things, seeing their inheritance lieth in spiritual and eternal life, 1 Cor. 7.38. Heb. 13.4, 5. & 11.13. Col. 3.1, 2. Phil. 3.20. 4. Since they have found this precious life by the Gospel, they should therefore take heed they be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrine, nor trouble themselves with doubtful disputations, or unprofitable questions. They have found the words of eternal life, and whither else will they go? Tit. 3.7, 9 Heb. 13.9. 5. This should make them love one another, as such as shall be companions in life for ever. Yea, they should receive one another, as Christ received them to glory, john 13.34. Eph. 4.2. & 5.1. Rom. 15.7. And in particular, husbands should make much of their wives, and masters of such servants as are heirs with them of the grace of life, as this Text shows, and Col. 3.14. 6. They should strive to show the power of this life, and how much it excels natural life: and therefore the fruit of the Spirit should be in them in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, Eph. 5.9. and they should so hold forth the Word of life, that they should think on whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report; and if there be any virtue, or any praise, they should strive to act that, being careful in all things to maintain good works, Phil. 4.8. Tit. 3.7, 8. Oh what manner of persons should they be in all manner of good conversation! 7. They should lift up their heads with joy, and be always comfortable, considering the assurance they have of eternal life; they have the spirit of glory resting upon them. One would think they should be always singing, and making melody in their hearts: though they have crosses and wants in this life, yet is not God their portion? and is it not enough they are provided for in respect of eternity? and is there any comparison between the afflictions in this world, and the glory to be revealed? Grace.] Thus of the matter of their inheritance. The cause follows, and that is grace. Grace is either a gift in us, or an attribute in God. Grace manifold Sometimes by grace is meant the gifts God bestows upon men: and if grace were so taken, then would be implied this doctrine, That dead men may have the grace of God. There may be grace in men without life: yea, men may have excellent gifts, and yet be not alive spiritually; as gifts of government from the Spirit of God, as Saul had; and gifts for edification in the Church. A man may be an excellent Preacher, as judas was, and may have the gifts of prophesying and working miracles, as the Reprobates mentioned Mat. 7.21. a man may have the gift of knowledge of the Scriptures, as St. Paul imports, 1 Cor. 8.2. Heb. 6.4. a man may confess his sins, as Pharaoh and Saul did: a man may be much grieved, and sorrow, and humbled for his sins, as Ahab and Cain, and may repent too as judas did, and may make a great profession of true religion, and be very forward, as Demas, and Hymeneus, and Phyletus did: a man may be very zealous for the truth, as john and the Galatians were: a man may pray, and cry hard and often to God, and be heard of God, as the Israelites were in their distresses many times: a man may be of an unrebukeable conversation amongst men, as Paul was before his conversion; and such as have sinned may reform their lives in many things, as Herod did: finally, a man may have faith to believe God's Word, as the Devils do, and to believe God's promises, as they that have a temporary faith do after a sort, and may joy much in the comfort of them, as they concern the godly: and yet in all these gifts there was no life. Another point in that sense is this, That there are gifts of God's grace bestowed on the Elect, which are ever accompanied with life, so as their grace is the grace of life. And both these points should wonderfully awaken all sorts of Christians to look about and try their estates, and weak Christians should diligently study their book of signs of true grace, and mark how the Scripture proveth all those saving graces to be such as can be found in no reprobate. But because I think Grace in this place cannot be taken for the gifts of grace in men, I pass from these points. What is meant here by grace. By grace then here is meant the glorious attribute of goodness that is in God, by which he freely showeth his love and mercy to his creatures. And that it must be taken in this sense, I gather from the third of Titus, v. 7. where the sentence being like, grace is called there, His grace: we are justified by his grace, and made heirs of eternal life. Two ways considered. Now this grace of God, as it is in God, I consider of two ways: first, as it is in relation to this spiritual and eternal life of God's heirs; and then secondly, as it is in itself generally considered. In relation to spiritual life I consider of it, both in what it excludes, and what it includes. What it excludes. Grace excludes both nature and the works of the Law. It excludes nature from this life in three respects: first, in respect of propagation. This life cannot be propagated by natural generation: we are not borne heirs of life, and so the sons of God; we are borne only the sons of Adam, not of God. They that are borne after the flesh are not the seed, Rom. 9.8. Secondly, in respect of privilege. By nature we are the children of wrath, and therefore cannot be the children of promise, Eph. 2.3. Thirdly, in respect of the works of nature: for by nature we do such works as proclaim us to be children of disobedience, and children of the Devil, and therefore cannot be heirs of life by any works done by nature since the fall. And as it excludes nature, so it excludes the works of the Law; not in respect of the obedience to the Law but in respect of the merit of life: so as the inheritance cannot be had but by the works of the Law, Rom. 4.4. & 11.16. nor can our best works after calling deserve life and salvation, Tit. 3.4, 5. And on the other side, the grace of God includes all things in life, as wholly caused by God's free favour to us in Christ. What it includes. For first, our election to life is from the mere grace of God, Eph. 1.4.6. Secondly, the meritorious cause of life is by grace, Gal. 4.4.5. Thirdly, the promise of life is by grace, Rom. 4. 14. Gal. 3.18. Fourthly, the inchoation of life is from grace, whether we respect vocation, Gal. 1.15. or justification, Tit. 3.7. Gal. 2. ult. Lastly, in respect of the consummation of it in the perfection of glory in heaven, Rom. 6. ult. Thus of grace in relation to life. In itself grace is a most amiable attribute in God, extending his goodness unto the creature, without respect of deserts. And that we may the more admire the glorious grace of God, it will be profitable to give a touch of the fruits of it unto man, upon whom he sets his favour: for look what men have interest in the grace of God, these things flow upon them from the beams of that grace. What privileges follow on such as enjoy God's grace. 1. God knows them by name, Exod. 33.12. 2. When God is angry with all the world, and about to declare his wrath by terrible judgements, yet still they find favour in his sight, Gen. 6.8. & 19.19. 3. When they offend, and are sorry for their offences, and seek for mercy, he pardons iniquity, and takes them for his inheritance, and reputes him of the evil, Exod. 34.9. joel 2.12, 13. 4. He will withhold no good thing from them, Psal. 84.12. and bestows of his best gifts upon them liberally, in all sorts of gifts, 1 Cor. 1.4.5. 5. He will give them any thing they ask of him, without hitting them in the teeth, james 1.5. Lastly, we see by this Text he gives them the inheritance of eternal life, and all things that belong to life and godliness, 2 Pet. ●. 4. The Use should be to teach us many things: as, 1. To celebrate the praise of this graciousness of God, seeing God doth all things so freely; he stands upon it greatly to have this glory in his nature acknowledged, Psal. 111.1. & 149.3, 4. Eph. 1.6. 2. To acknowledge that all good things we enjoy, either in temporal or spiritual things, we receive from his free grace, Psal. 44.4. Eph. 2.8. for by the grace of God we are that we are, 1 Cor. 15.10. 3. When we would wish the best good to others, either in public to the Churches of Christ, or in private at home or abroad to any that are dear to us, our cry should be Grace, Grace, to them, Zech. 4.7. 4. We should especially be moved to seek this grace of God to ourselves, as the sufficient and the only happiness in the world, Col. 1.6. Now, that this point may the more effectually be understood, I will show you how this grace of God comes to men, and then what we should strive to be, that we may be sure to receive the comfort of it, that God is gracious to us. For the first, we must know that all grace from God is given to Jesus Christ, and comes by him, john 1.17. and therefore called The grace of our Lord jesus Christ, in the blessing at the end of the Epistles. Without Christ no grace can come to sinful men. Further, we must again know that the grace of God is extended unto us from Christ by the Gospel, that brings the doctrine of it to us: therefore is the Word called the Word of his grace, and the Gospel the Gospel of the grace of God. And yet further, we must know that there must be wrought in us that supernatural gift of faith, by which only we can be capable to receive this grace of God: we have our access only by faith, Rom. 5.2. Now for the second point. There are many things God stands upon to find in the persons that should receive the comfort of his grace; not for the merit of them, but for the honour of his own grace, that it be not abused: as first, we see by that which went before, we must have faith to believe and apply to ourselves the doctrine of God's grace. Secondly, we must be good men; not such as are men of wicked devices, or such as make a mock of sin, but such as are careful in all their ways to avoid what may displease so gracious a God, Pro. 12.2. & 14.9. Tit. 2.11, 12. Thirdly, we must be lowly and humble persons, that attribute nothing to ourselves, but all to God's goodness, Pro. 3.34. james 4.6. 1 Pet. 5. And therefore it concerns all Christians to take heed that they rest not in the hearing of the doctrine of God's grace, but must labour truly and effectually to know God's grace to themselves, Col. 1.6. 5. This doctrine of God's grace may wonderfully comfort the godly, and establish their hearts in the assured expectation of heaven when they die: for nothing can hinder their comfort and hope herein, but only their unworthiness, and that is removed by this doctrine of God's grace: thus the Apostle faith, We have good hope through grace, 2 Thes. 2.16. and again, We have access unto this grace, by which we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5.2. 6. It may wonderfully embolden us in our suits and requests to go to God's Throne, seeing it is a Throne of grace, where petitions are granted freely, and great suits as easily as lesser, Heb. 4.16. 7. Men should be warned to take heed that they do not transgress against this doctrine of the grace of God. Men transgress against the grace of God many ways. And men sin against the grace of God fearfully four ways: First, when they frustrate it in the doctrine of it: which they do, partly, when they receive the doctrine of it in vain, and fail of the right knowledge of it, 2 Cor. 6.1. Heb. 1●. 15. partly, when they trust upon the merits of their own works, Gal. 2. ult. Secondly, when they fall away from grace, either by relapsing to the world, by entertaining the corruptions they had forsaken, or by removing the sincere doctrine of God's grace, Gal. 5.4. Thirdly, when men turn the grace of God into wantonness, and draw wicked and licentious conclusions from the pure doctrine of God's grace, making it a cloak for their sinful liberties, jud. 1.4. Rom. 6.1. Fourthly, when men despite the spirit of grace, that shows itself, either in the power of God's ordinances, or in the practice of true Christians, Heb. 10.29. 8. It should be a wonderful comfort to a Christian against his own frailties and daily infirmities, according to that of the Apostle, We are not under the Law, but under Grace, Rom. 6.14, 15. Lastly, even the more gracious God is, the more careful we should be to walk worthy of his grace; for, as the Apostle saith, The grace of God that bringeth salvation unto all men, teacheth us to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, and soberly, and religiously in this present world, Tit. 2.11, 12. Thus of the third point, viz. the cause of inheriting. The manner follows, viz. They inherit together. Together.] The godly are heirs together: their inheritance lies all together. Which may appear by reckoning up the particular privileges of the godly, in which they all meet, and are joint heirs, and fellow heirs, as the Apostle calls them, Rom. 8.17. Eph. 3.6. Christians hold their inheritance in Gavelkind; I think that is the term the Lawyers give for that tenure, where all the brethren have the same inheritance divided amongst them, and all alike heirs. And as they are so in the matter they inherit, so in the manner of coming to their right: for they are all the children of God, and children by adoption, and not by natural generation; so Christ only is God's heir. Now, that it may distinctly appear that they are heirs together, I will number some particulars: as, Godly men and women are heirs together many ways. 1. They have all the same Father, Eph. 4.6. who is in them all. 2. They are all of the same body, viz. members of the mystical body of Christ, Eph. 3.6. 3. They have all one spirit, Eph. 4.3, 4. 4. They wear all the same apparel, being clothed with the same righteousness of Christ, Gal. 3.27, 28. 5. They wear all the same livery, and badge of distinction; they have all one Baptism, Eph. 4.6. 6. They are all fed with the same commons at the Lords Table, the bread is the communion of the body of Christ, and so the wine of his blood; I say communion, because all partake of it, 1 Cor. 10.16, 17. 7. They have all the same gifts: for though in outward administrations and callings there be difference, and in natural endowments, and in common graces; yet in the gifts of saving grace they have all a part of all gifts, and differ only in the measure, as they have but one faith, and one hope: and so in all other saving graces, Ephes. 4.4, 5. 1 Cor. 12. Ephes. 5.7. Rom. 12. 8. They have all the same promises, Eph. 3.6. 9 They have all the same, or the like attendants, viz. the Angels of heaven, Heb. 1.13. 10. They are governed by the same laws, have all one Lord, Eph. 4.5. and have all the same way to heaven, which is by Christ; and have all interest in the Teachers of the Word of Christ their Lord, 1 Cor. 3.22. 11. They shall have all the same glory after this life; for the inheritance of them all is immortal, and undefiled, and without end, 1 Pet. 1.4. 12. They shall hold their glory in the same place after this life. viz. in heaven, 1 Pet. 1.4. The Use of this should be greatly for the comfort of weak and poor Christians; for though they differ from other men in outward calling, or the measure of gifts, yet they are, in the substance of the inheritance, provided for, as well as the greatest Kings, or Prophets, or Apostles. And beside, it should teach the brethren of higher degree to carry themselves with all humility towards their poor brethren; and it should teach all Christians to love as brethren, to be courteous and tender hearted one towards another, as follows in the next verse of this Chapter. Thus of the fourth point. 5. The fifth point is concerning the persons that do inherit, and so the coherence shows, That both sexes are capable of inheriting; women as well as men, wives as well as husbands. God is no respecter of persons, but in all conditions of people, such as fear him, and believe in Christ, and work righteousness, are accepted and adopted of him, as these places show, Act. 10.35. Gal. 3.28. Col. 3.11. And this should teach all Christians, not to have the glorious faith of Christ in respect of persons, jam. 2.1, 2. And in particular, such husbands as have religious wives, should make the more account of them: though God hath made them inferior to them in outward condition, yet he hath made them equal in the inheritance of life. Lest prayer be interrupted.] Hitherto of the second reason to persuade husbands to make conscience of their duty towards their wives. The third reason is taken from the ill effect, if it be not done, and that is, that God's service (and in particular, prayer) will be hindered; and that diverse ways: First, if he dwell not with her, prayer in the family is like to be omitted, it being his work, as the head of the family, to perform that duty, and to see that his household serve God with him, Josh. 24.14. And if he carry not himself as a man of knowledge, there may arise such discord amongst them, that they will have no mind either to pray together, or one for another; at least, their passions will tempt them many times to omit prayer: and if he give not honour, but despise her, he will have no heart to pray for her whom he contemns. There are many observations to be gathered out of these words: as, Doct. 1. Prayer is a part of God's service that is necessarily required, and not left arbitrary for men to do, or not to do it, Psal. 105.1. 1 Thess. 5.17. Mat. 7.7. Rom. 12.12. Eph. 6.18. Col. 4.2. Doct. 2. The exercise of prayer is not only a part of God's service, The excellency of prayer appears in many respects. but it is an excellent part, a chief part, that which much excels. Which may appear, first, by the nature of it. It is an exercise in which a mortal creature talks with the immortal Creator. Secondly, by the antiquity of it. It is an exercise that godly men have betaken themselves to with great devotion from the first times of the world, Gen. 4.26. & 21.33. Thirdly, by the efficient cause of it. God pours out his own Spirit upon his people, of purpose to make them able to pray, and therefore is called, The Spirit of prayer, Zech. 12.11. joel 2.28. Rom. 8.26. Fourthly, because they are things so precious, as Christ takes them and presents them to God, covering our imperfections, and making them acceptable, Rev. 8.3. Fiftly, by the great privileges, this exercise enjoys. For first, God is greatly delighted in it, Pro. 15.8. and therefore one of his titles is, that he is a God that heareth prayer, Psal. 65.1. and hears with great attention; his ears are open, Psal. 34.15. and will not despise prayer for the infirmities of his servants, Psal. 102.17. nor reproach them, james 1.5. Secondly, any man of any condition, that hath an honest heart, may be regarded with God in prayer, Mark 7.7. Luke 11.10. Thirdly, whatsoever is asked is obtained, which is an unspeakable benefit, Mark 11.24. Psal. 85.5. Lastly, God hath promised salvation to all them that call upon his name, joel 2. ult. And this point should be a great encouragement to all true Christians to be much in prayer, and to resist all dulness in themselves, or temptations and objections against the exercise of prayer. Doct. 3. Prayer is a duty required of private Christians, as well as of learned men, or Ministers. Husbands and wives are supposed to practise this duty of prayer. Hence it is that where we read of any commandment to pray in Scripture, usually it is as large as any of the ten Commandments, even such as bindeth all persons to the performance of it: which should serve greatly to show the profaneness of most families that have no prayer. A family without prayer, and the exercises of religion in it, is a very den of wild beasts, and a cage of impure birds; and the wrath of God hangs over those families that have not prayer used in them, as these places show, Psal. 79.6. Zeph. 3.1, 2. Dan. 9.13. Ezek. 22.30. Doct. 4. Yea, in that he takes for granted, that Christian husbands and wives did pray; only admonishing, that they look to it that their prayer be not interrupted, it shows, That every godly Christian can pray, and doth make conscience of it to do it, Psal. 32.6. for every Christian, that is a true Christian, hath the spirit of adoption, by which he cries Abba, Father, Rome 8. 16. And it is made a sign of a wicked man not to call upon the name of the Lord, Psal. 14.4. Doct. 5. In that prayer may not be interrupted or hindered, it shows plainly, That this is an exercise for every day constantly while we live in this world, which these places confirm, 1 Thes. 5.17. Col. 4.2. Rom. 12.12. Psal. 105.4. praying by fits will not serve turn. Doct. 6. Wives and husbands, though they had never so many praises other ways, or for their carriage one towards another, yet if they be not religious persons, and in particular, such as serve God by daily and devout prayer, they are not true Christians, nor accepted of God. The Apostle takes it for granted, that all Christian men and women do make conscience of daily prayer to God. Which serves notably to conjure the vain trust in civil honesty, and the fairness of domestical conversation, which bewitcheth many persons in the world. Doct. 7. When the heart is not right towards man, it is not right towards God: as here, domestical disorders hinder the exercises of religion towards God. That husband that loves not his wife hath no great mind to pray. Wives that make no conscience to live quietly and obediently with their husbands, suffer a like alienation from God, both in their ability to serve him, and in his acceptance of it. Doct. 8. In that he saith your prayers, it shows, That every Christian must make prayers of his own. As the just man lives by his own faith, so must the true Christian think of getting his living under God by his own prayers. 'Tis not enough that he partake of other men's prayers in public, or that he can get others to pray for him in private; God looks for prayers from himself. Doct. 9 In that he saith prayers, it imports, That there be diverse kinds of prayer, and that private Christians must make not only a prayer, but prayers to God, Eph. 6.18. Phil. 4.6. Col. 4.2. The sorts of prayer and differences arise, F●om whence the sorts and difference of Prayer doth arise. 1. From the instrument by which it is form; for there is the prayer of the heart only: such was Hannah her prayer, 1 Sam. 1. There is a prayer of the mouth only; such is the prayer of hypocrites, Esay 29.13. There is the prayer both of heart and mouth; and such is the prayer ordinarily of all the godly. 2. From the place of prayer: some prayers are public, some private; and a Christian must use both. Some are alone, some with others. 3. From the form: and so we have the prayer of Christ as the pattern and rule for all prayers, and the prayers of Christians agreeable to that pattern. We must not r●st upon saying over the words of the Lords prayer, and neglect all other prayers. Again, some prayer is conceived, some is in a set 〈◊〉 used. A set form is 〈◊〉 for the public, and for such weak Christians as are not yet able to express their own desire to God in their own words. No● 〈◊〉 conceived forms unfit or unlawful for such as are able and desirous to perform prayer according to the rules of prayer, as is apparent by the examples of all sorts of prayers in both Testaments. 4. From the object of prayer; and so some prayers are made daily at set times: and thence it was that the Church of the Jews had their hours of prayer, Acts 3.1. and some are uttered suddenly, according to some special occasion. And of this sort are ejaculations, short petitions put up to God, expressing the present motion in the heart. Doct. 10. It is a great loss or inconvenience to have our prayers interrupted. This is plain from the Text. And there may be many reasons assigned of it; I will instance but one or two: first, because for that time a man is thrust out of the presence of the King of heaven. To pray is to stand before his face. Secondly, because while prayer stands still our spiritual trade stands still: while we pray not we thrive not. Thirdly, if it were nothing else but the respect of others, it must needs be a great inconvenience to omit prayer, because thereby we withdraw our aids from the Church; and that is as bad as in evil times of war to withdraw our succours from the house of Israel. Quest. But how many ways can prayer be interrupted? Answ. Prayer may be interrupted either in heaven, or in earth; either in the hearing of it, or in the making of it. Prayer is interrupted in the hearing of it, or God will not hear prayer, 1. If the person making it lie in any sin without repentance, Prayer may be hindered seven ways in the hearing of it. Pro. 15.8. Esay 59.2. Lam. 3.44. Psal. 66.18. 2 Tim. 2.19. 1 john 3.22. 2. If it be not made in faith, that is, if we believe not that we shall have what we ask, Mat. 11.24. james 1.6. 3. If not made in the name of Christ, john 16.23. 4. If it be made carelessly and coldly; if a man's head be full of distractions, so as he regards not what he prays, he is not likely to be heard: for how shall God hear him when he hears not himself? and how shall God heed what he says, when he heeds not what he says himself? 5. If a man ask amiss, that is, ask for carnal and corrupt ends, james 4.3. 6. If a man be not in charity with his neighbour, and will not forgive him his trespass, Mat. 6.14. 7. If a man be unmerciful, and will not hear the cries of the poor, Esay 58.7. Pro. 21.13. Thus prayer is interrupted in the hearing of it. Prayer is interrupted in the making of it, How it is interrupted in the making of it. when men are indisposed to prayer, and so omit the performance: and thus prayer is interrupted, Sometimes by the violence of worldly cares and business, the heart of man being overcharged with these cares of life. Sometimes by domestical discords, and private passions; which it seems the Apostle especially means in this place. Sometimes by the love and lust after some particular si●: for while men's hearts run after sin they have no mind to pray. The Use may be to reprove two sorts of men in special, besides those mentioned before. 1. Such as pray not at all. Is it such an evil to omit prayer for a time? what is it than not to pray at all? 2. Divers weak Christians are to be warned about fainting or discouragement in praying: they interrupt themselves with their own fears and objections. As for instance: Ob. I find so much hardness of heart and insensibleness, and therefore I dare not pray. Sol. David himself in the beginning of many of his Psalms, expesseth a kind of want of feeling, and yet before he hath done he is full of life. Besides, hardness of heart felt and mourned for, is no hindrance to the success of prayer. And further, for this reason thou hast more need to pray: for prayer is like a fire to melt the leaden heart of man. Ob. I want words, I know not what to say when I come to pray. Sol. Pray for that very thing; that God that commands thee to take unto thee words, Host 14.2. would himself give them to thee. Secondly, the Spirit helps our infirmities, when we know not what to pray as we ought, Rom. 8.16. Thirdly, we serve such a God as will hear us, if like little children we can but name the name of our heavenly Father, Rom. 8.15. 2 Tim. ●. 19. Ob. But I am afraid God will not regard what I say to him. Ans. Consider first the nature of God; he loves to hear prayer, Psal. 95.1. then think of the commandment of God, who in so many Scriptures, doth so peremptorily enjoin us to pray to him; and thirdly, think of the many promises he made unto such as do call upon his name, and then thou hast no reason to doubt of audience, if thou bring lawful petitions, and an honest heart. Ob. But I have prayed, and I find no success. Sol. God sometimes seems not to hear, of purpose to make us the more importunate, Luke 18.1. etc. Again, God may hear us, and not grant what we ask, but something that is better for us: as he heard Christ, Heb. 5. and Paul, 2 Cor. 12.8, 9 Vers. 8. Finally, be ye all of one mind: one suffer with another: love as brethren: be pitiful: be courteous. HItherto of the general exhortation to all Christians, and the special exhortation to subjects, servants, wives, and husbands. Now follows the third part of my division, which I made when I entreated of vers. 3. of Chapter the first, viz. matter of dehortation. For I conceive, that the Apostle in the rest of this Chapter doth secretly intend to dehort Christians from impatiency, under the troubles may befall them in this life. Where he proceeds in this order: First, he strives to show them the best course to avoid trouble, as much as in them lies, from vers. 8. to 14. Secondly, he shows them how to avoid impatiency, if trouble do come, from verse 14. to the end of the Chapter. About the avoiding of troubles, he gives both rules and reasons: rules, vers. ●. 9. reasons, verse 9 to 14. The rules show us how we must carry ourselves, both towards the good, verse 8. and towards the bad, verse 9 And to strengthen those rules, especially the latter of them, he gives three strong reasons: one taken from the state and condition of the true Christian, verse 9 the other taken from a prophetical testimony: where he shows what the Prophet David's opinion was long since, vers. 10.11, 12. the third taken from the profitable effect or event of such a course, vers. 13. About avoiding of impatiency, if trouble do come, 〈◊〉 proceeds in the like order: For first, he gives rules, vers. 14, 15, 16. then Reasons, ver. 17. to the end of the chapter. In giving rules he shows 〈◊〉 what to think on, ver. 14. and what to do, both towards themselves, ver. 14. and towa●d● God, ver. 15. and towards other men, ver. 16. In general, if we mark the whole frame, and the Apostles order, we may observe diverse things: as, 1. That troubles are not to be desired: for the Apostle shows how to avoid them. Which is to be noted, to confute those weak Christians that long for that which they call persecution. 2. That a man may be a good Christian, and yet not be much opposed outwardly: which blames those that dislike their own estate, or censure the estate of others, because they are not afflicted or persecuted as other men. 3. Yea, it is the duty of every Christian to look carefully to his conversation, and to strive by the use of all good means to avoid unquietness and trouble in the world, Rom. 12.19. Amos 5.12. 1 Tim. 2.2, 3. 4. That some Christians may carry themselves with great discretion, humility, piety, and inoffensiveness, and yet cannot avoid trouble, but shall suffer from the world. 5. That impatiency and disquietness in the time of trouble is a very dishonourable vice in a Christian, and with great care and all possible endeavour to be avoided. 6. That it is possible for a Christian to attain to that degree of goodness, as to be able to express great patience and unmovableness, though many and great troubles befall them, if they will use the medicines prescribed in God's Word, and follow such directions as the Apostle here gives. Thus of the general doctrines. In this eighth verse the Apostle gives rules that show a way how to avoid▪ trouble, and they are rules that concern our conversation with godly Christians; and so he shows, that there are five things that are of singular use to preserve a man from unquietness and trouble if it may be: as, 1. To agree in opinion, to be all of one mind; for many discords, Five things of singular use to keep us quiet in trouble. and much unquietness, and sometimes public troubles arise from singularity and diversity in opinions. 2. To be compassionate and like affected when other men are in trouble; for as this is amiable amongst men, so many times it moves the Lord to keep us from trouble, because we are tenderly affected towards other men in their troubles. 3. To love our brethren: for that both shows us to the world to be the true Disciples of Christ, john 13. and beside, by the quality of brotherly love a world of discord and trouble is prevented. 4. To be pitiful, or as it is in the original, to be well bowelled, in respect of mercy: to have right bowels of mercy, in comforting and relieving such as are in distress; for to the merciful God will show mercy, and, if it be good for them, even this mercy of living a quiet life. 5. To be courteous: for a courteous and loving behaviour prevents suspicion, and quenches much fire of discord, that other ways would break out, and wins much affection both in good and bad. Be ye all of one min●.] Divers things may be here observed. The first is general to the whole verse, and that is, That in this world, in the best estate of the Church, there are many defects, and disagreements, and faults in the carriage or judgements of Christians in their living together. The earnestness of the Apostle in heaping up these directions imports, that he discerned many things amiss: which was not only true of the Churches of Corinth, and Galatia, and Thessaloni●a, but even of the Church of Philippi, which St. Paul most commends. And the like we may find in the estate of the seven Churches of Asia, if we mark what is said to them by S. john in his Revelation. Yea, there was not perfect agreement at all times amongst the Pillars of the first Christian Churches, Paul and Barnabas were at variance, Acts●5 ●5. ●9. and Paul and Peter did openly disagree, Gal. 2. The reason is, because in this life we know but in part, and are sanctified but in part, 1 Cor. 13. The Use should be, first, to teach us not to be offended or scandalised at the differences of opinion, that break out in all the Churches of Christ every where in our times. We must pray the God of peace, to give us peace, and know, that it hath always been so; and therefore it should not hinder us from embracing the known truth. Secondly, this should the more inflame our desires after heaven, and make us the more willing to die, because there will never be perfect holiness and agreement till we come to heaven; then we shall be holy as God is holy, and know as we are known; and charity will be perfect for ever. And beside, this should teach us with the more patience to instruct and wait for the amendment of such as are contrary minded; and not strive over violently, or passionately with them, 2 Tim. 2.25. Lastly, if Christians can agree no better, and have such defects, than we should never wonder overmuch at the monstrous abominations in opinion or life, that are found amongst the wicked of the world, and in false Churches. A second doctrine I observe from hence is, That we ought to be rightly ord●red in our minds, as well as any other part of our souls or lives. Yea, the mind is to be looked to in the first place: Hence it is that in our regeneration our minds are especially renewed, Rom. 12.2. and God requires to be served with our minds, Mat. 22.37. Yea, as God is an eternal mind, so the service of the mind is most proper for God. And beside, our minds give laws to our lives; and therefore if the mind be not good, the life must needs be evil. Note. The happiness of the whole man depends upon the mind; and therefore the Apostle reckons the impurity of the mind and conscience to be the worst impurity can befall a man, Tit. 1.15. and the same Apostle makes it a sign of a man whose end is damnation, to have his mind taken up, and wholly bend to earthly things, Phil. 3.19. This point may serve, first, to show the woeful estate of such persons as have ill and unsound minds. And the mind is unsound when it is corrupt or putrefied with ill opinions concerning either faith or manners, 2 Tim. 3.8. 1 Cor. 11.3. and when it is blinded with ignorance, 2 Cor. 4.3, 4. for without knowledge the mind cannot be good, Pro. 19.2. and it is a devilish mischief to have darkness in our minds, as that place in the Corinthians shows. The mind is also unsound, and in woeful ●aking, when it is taken up with vile thoughts, and contemplative wickedness, Rom. 1.21. Eph. 4.17. and when men have double minds, james 4.7. or wavering minds, james 1.7. And therefore one of the highest curses God inflicts upon men with whom he is angry, is to plague them in their minds, either with a reprobate mind, Rom. 1.28. or with a desperate mind. Secondly, this Doctrine shows what harmful creatures deceivers of minds are: they do more mischief than such as deceive men in their estates, or poison men's bodies, Tit. 1.10. Thirdly, this should teach all careful Christians to gird up the loins of their minds, 1 Pet. 1.13. and to labour to get a sound mind, 2 Tim. 1.7. and in particular, to get the unity of mind which the Apostle here requires. And so I come to the third point. The third Doctrine then, which I observe out of these words, is, That all true Christians are bound in a special manner to strive to be all of one mind; which in this place is meant of unity and agreement in judgement, and matter of belief in the points of Religion. This is urged in diverse Scriptures, as, 1 Cor. 1.10. 2 Cor. 13.11. Phil. 2.2. Rome 15.5. and this was the great glory of the first Christian Church, that all the multitude were of one heart, and one soul, Acts 4.32. There are many reasons to persuade us hereunto. For what reasons we ought to be all of one mind. 1. From the nature of this agreement. It is as it were one of the bonds of the mystical union: for though it be not the principal one, for that is the Spirit of Christ, yet it is a special one; it is like the veins and sinews which tie the body together: to break this unity is to cut asunder the very veins and sinews of the mystical body of Christ, 1 Cor. 1.10. 2 From the equity and comeliness of it. We have but one Father, one Baptism, one Spirit, one Hope, and therefore should have but one Faith, Eph. 4.3, 4, 5. 3 From the good effects of this unity: for first, it will make us the fitter to praise God, and do him service with the greater encouragement and comfort, as we may see, Rom. 15.5. Secondly, it will make us ever eat our meat with more gladness, and singleness, and quietness of heart, Act. 2.46. Thirdly, it will win us the more favour and honour amongst the people, as we read in the example of those first Christians, Act. 2.47. yea in the end of that verse we may gather, that it is a great advantage for the conversion of others, when they see us agree so well together: and further, it will be a singular joy to our Teachers, to see us agree and be all of one mind, and to serve God with one shoulder, as the Prophet speaketh, Zeph. 3.9. so Phil. 2.2. Yea, it will be a sign to us that we are true Christians, and have found true comfort in Christ, and in brotherly love, and that we have fellowship by the Spirit in the body of Christ, and that we have right bowels and mercy unto others, Phil. 2.1, 2. 4 From the ill effects of dissenting. Two of them may be gathered from the coherence in this place: for first, it is employed, That if Christians agree not in opinions, they will hardly practise the four other virtues here named, towards the persons with whom they descent: they will not love them as brethren heartily, nor be so pitiful to them in distress, nor so merciful to help them if they be in need, nor so courteous and kind to them. Secondly, if this first rule be transgressed, it is very probable they will bring trouble upon themselves; and that either in their consciences, or in their estates. It may be observed, that all the while a man is in contention about his diverse or strange opinions, in which he dissents, he is not quiet in himself, nor enjoys firm rest and peace in his own heart and conscience. And experience shows, that many, both Ministers and private Christians, have brought a great deal of trouble upon their estates by dissenting. Now, out of other Scriptures we may observe diverse other ill effects of diversities in opinions: as first, it breeds confusion in the Church, as the Apostle shows, 1 Cor. 14.32, 33. Secondly, it breeds division and schism, 1 Cor. 1.10. When men begin to broach new opinions, schisms begin in the root of it, though it may be a long time before it come to the full growth. Thirdly, it much disquieteth the hearts and heads of many weak Christians; in which respect S. Paul wished they were cut off that troubled the Galathians, chap. 5. Fourthly, it not only troubles Christians, but many times works still in them, as it proves the subverting of their souls, as the Apostles show in the case of difference about the Ceremonial Law, Act. 15.24. Eph. 4.14. 2 Tim. 2.14▪ 16, 17. Fifthly, it drives men many times into diverse acts of hypocrisy, or passion, or pride, or such vices as are contrary to singleness of heart, Act. 2. 46. Sixtly, it breeds many times strange censuring: the authors of new opinions censuring of others, as if because they received not their doctrine, they were not spiritual enough, but too carnally minded, and that they were f●rre behind them in knowledge, as we may gather 1 Cor. 14.36, 37. Thus the false Teachers vilified Saint Paul and the Apostles. Thus of the motives to unity in judgement. Before I come to the Use, I must put you in mind of a limitation that concerns this doctrine. We must be of one mind, but than it must be according to Christ Jesus, Rom. 15.5▪ that is, this consent in judgement must be in the truth, and in such truth especially as may further the edification of the mystical body of Christ: else agreement in judgement is a conspiracy rather than unity. The Use may be both for instruction and reproof: for instruction, and so we should all be affected with a great estimation of unity in judgement, and strive by all means to attain to it, and keep ourselves so all of us, that we do live in unity with the Church of God. Now that we may do thus, Helps unto unity of mind. 1. We should beseech the God of patience and consolation to give us to be like minded, even to work in us the unity he requires of us, Rome▪ 15.5. 2 Pet. 1. ult. 2. We must take heed of private interpretations. Men should with much fear and jealousy here or read of such opinions or interpretations of Scripture as have no authors but some one, or few men. Of such authors of doctrines we should say with the Apostle, What, came the Word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? 1 Cor. 14.36. Especially men must take heed of receiving opinions from mere private persons, that are not Ministers of the Gospel: for I suppose it cannot be showed from any place of Scripture, that ever any truth was revealed to or by a private man, that was unknown to all the Teachers of the Church: yea, if the Authors of diverse and strange doctrines be Ministers, yet that rule of the Apostle should hold, that the spirits of the Prophets should be subject to the Prophets. Such doctrines as may not be approved by the grave and godly learned that are eminent in the Church, must not be broached, 1 Cor. 14.32. And this rule hath one thing more in it, viz. that men should not express difference of opinion, without open and manifest Scripture. Avoid doubtful disputations, Rom. 14.1. Esay 8. 3. A great respect must be had to the Church's peace, so as such doctrines as are likely to breed either scandal or division in the Church, are either not to be received, or not uttered, except in some special case. Yea, moderate Christians, that make conscience of unity, should hold themselves in conscience bound to be afraid to depart from the judgement of the Church in which they live, unless it be when doctrine is brought in with great demonstration to the conscience. To preserve the unity of the spirit we must have great respect to the bond of peace, Rom. 14.19. 1 Cor. 14.33. Eph. 4.3. We must greatly reverence the form of doctrine in the Church where we live, Rom. 6.17. 4. That we may be of one mind, every Christian must be sure to know the truth which is given to the Churches, and to make himself fully persuaded in his mind about such truths as are fundamentally necessary to salvation, ● Tim. 1.1▪ 3. 5. Private Christians, in receiving opinions, should have great respect unto such Teachers as have been their fathers in Christ; God hath bound them to a special reverence towards them; which they should show by reverencing their judgements more than any other men, in meet comparison, 1 Cor. 4. 15▪ 16. & 11.1, 2, 4, 5. Phil. 3.15, 17. 6. To preserve a further unity: it should be the care of such as have gifts of knowledge and utterance, to help forwards such as are weak in judgement, and to comfort the feeble minded, lest they being neglected become a p●●y to deceivers of minds, 1 Thes. 5.14. and to warn such as are not of the same mind, Phil. 4. Lastly, we should mark such as cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which we have learned, and avoid them, Rom. 16.17, 18. The second 〈◊〉 may be for the reproof of multitudes of Christians in all places, that 〈◊〉 greatly against this doctrine, by their dissenting in opinions, without due respect of the former rules. There is almost no Congregation in the kingdom but is disquieted with this sin: yea, many times the glory of such as profess religion is greatly obscured by this sin, and the sincerity of religion much exposed to contempt, and the profane reproach of the wicked. And this sin is the greater, 1. When men not only bring in new opinions, Aggravations against discord in opinion. but also bring them in with an opinion that they are more holy and more spiritual than such as receive them not, or resist them, 1 Cor. 14.37. 2. When the opinions are merely new, and unheard of before in the Christian world. 3. When they are brought in by private persons, that go from house to house to infer upon others the singularity of their conceits. 4. When themselves are doubtful inwardly of the truth of what they affirm, and are not fully persuaded, but doubt both ways, and yet take to that side that differs from the general judgement of the Churches, Rom. 14.5. 1 Tim. 1.6, 7. 5. When men urge their dissenting so violently, that a Schism is made in the Church, or Christians are divided from the exercise of brotherly love, and mutual fellowship, 1 Cor. 1.10, 11. 6. When men are vain talkers, and will have all the words, and by their good wills will talk of nothing else, and so hinder edification in profitable doctrine, and such as is out of question, Tit. 1.10, 11. and when men lust to be contentious, and are like Salamanders that live always in the fire, and know no zeal without contention, 1 Cor. 1●. 16. 7. When men differ in judgement, in the very points of foundation, and err against such truths as must be believed to salvation. 8. If men be so ●●gh● headed, and variable, that they are tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine; sometimes of one opinion, and shortly after of another: especially when men are so new fangled, as in every place to receive almost any doctrine that is new & diverse, Ephes. 4.14. 9 When men quarrel so earnestly about things of less moment, contrary to the custom of the Churches; as about praying, or prophesying bare or covered; or about eating the Sacrament full or fasting, 1 Cor. 11. or about such indifferent things as may be used or not used, with Christian liberty, Rom. 14. or about Genealogies, 1 Tim. 1.4. and such like. And that this reproof may enter the more deeply upon the hearts of some Christians, it will be profitable to consider of the ill causes of disse●●ing: which are these, and such like. 1. Ignorance of the Scripture: if they had more true knowledge they would not disagree; and this ignorance, Many are the ill causes of dissenting. (yea, sometimes palpable ignorance) may be found in some that think themselves to have more knowledge, and to be more spiritual than a multitude of those from whom they disagree, Mat. 22.1 Tim. 1.6, 7. 1 Cor. 14.37▪ 38. 2. Want of love to those found truths that mor● concern sanctification, causeth God in his justice sometimes to give men up to delusions, and to believe lies, 2 Th●s. 2. 3. Vainglory: the very desire to be some body, and to excel others, makes some Christians gladly to receive, or bring in different opinions, 1 C●r. 4.8 Phil. 2. ●▪ Gal. 5.26. 4. Over much trust upon the judgements of some ●h●n they esteem, when they respect some Ministers so much as to be of their opinion, though their consciences be not informed of any ●ound reason from the word of God for it. This estimation of men above that is written, hath deceived ●●●y, ● Cor. 3.21. & 4.6. 5. Respect of earthly things. Some men teach and profess to hold opinions of dissenting, sometimes merely for advantage to their estates, either to get maintenance or preferment in the world by it, Tit. 1.10, 11. Rom. 16.19, 20. 6. Prejudice is the root of dissenting many times: as the Gentiles would not abide yielding to ceremonies, out of very dislike of the Jews; and the Jews would not understand the needlessness of their ceremonies, out of very contempt of the Gentiles: and so the strength of faction on both sides kept them from agreeing. 7. Heaping up of Teachers disorderly: when Christians are so diseased with humour, and so hard to be pleased with sound doctrine, that they hunt up and down to hear all sorts of men, it many times proves hurtful in this respect, that they get infection from the different humours of the many Teachers they hear. Disordered hearing in this respect breeds as a surfe● of the inward regard of sound doctrine, so a great aptness to receive diverse and strange doctrines, 2 Tim. 4.3, 4. 8. The contempt of their godly Teachers, and want of sound affection to them; to them I say that have a charge over their souls, whom they ought to obey. And this is the more vile, as some Christians order the matter, because of their hypocrisy, in magnifying the judgement or gifts of Teachers that are absent, and have not the charge of their souls, and abusing the due respect of their own Teachers: which is yet more vile, if this injury be done to such as were their Fathers in Christ. Thus of the Use for reproof. By the limitation given before from other express Scriptures, we learn so to understand this doctrine of unity, as it excludes all unity of opinion or practice with such Churches▪ or particular persons, as hold doctrines against the foundation of Christian religion; so as we must never agree with them. As for instance: We may not, without the damnation of our souls, be of one mind with the Church of Rome: for there are many things which they believe and practise, which we must in no case join with them in; and it is impossible to reconcile us to them, unless they change their minds. I will instance in diverse things, wherein we cannot, without losing Christ, be of one mind: as, In what things we may not be of one mind with the Church of Rome. 1. In opinion of merit of works: for thereby we make the Gospel or Doctrine of God's grace of none effect, and the promise of God void; which is to deny the grounds of Christian religion, Gal. 5.3. Rom. 4.14. & 11.16. 2. In the opinion of worshipping Saints and Angels: for the Apostle saith expressly, that they that do so hold not the head, and so cannot be true members of Christ, Col. 2.18, 19 3. In their Idolatry, in making and worshipping of Images, and almost infinite superstitions, contrary to the second Commandment expressly; and so as we are commanded to get out of this spiritual Babel, in respect of her spiritual fornications. 4. In their doctrine of Traditions: for they teach that Traditions that are not agreeable to Scripture, yet are to be received, if they be delivered by the Church, in equal authority with the Scriptures. If we be of one m●●de with them herein we cannot escape Gods eternal curse, as these Scriptures show, Gal. 1.8. Rev. 22.18. 5. In their doctrine of perfection: for they teach, a man may perfectly keep the Law of God. Now, this is so dangerous an error, that the Apostle saith there is no truth in the man that holds it, 1 john 1.8.10. I omit the rehearsal of other differences. Thus of the first virtue. The second virtue charged upon Christians is compassion one towards another. Have compassion one of another.] The word signifies such a fellow-feeling or sympathy, that makes us like affected as if we were in their case. The doctrine than is clear, That we ought to have a sympathy one towards another; this is a singular virtue. In handling of which point I will observe these things: 1. The proofs of it from other Scripture. 2. The Explication of the sense, showing in what things we should be like affected. 3. The reasons of it. 4. The Uses. 1. The proofs are very pregnant and full in these other Scriptures, Rom. 12.4▪ 15. Heb. 13.3. 2. For the explication. This sympathy is to be expressed both in the case of the evils of others, and in the case of the good of others. Wherein ●e express our compassion. In the case of the evils of others we ought to be tenderly affected towards them, both in respect of their sufferings, troubles, griefs, and crosses, Heb. 13.3. & 10.34. job 30.25. whether they be inward or outward; as also in respect of their falling by infirmities, when it proves a grief and affliction to them, Gal. 6.1. jude 22. 2 Cor. 11.29. So likewise in the case of the prosperity of others, we ought to rejoice with them that rejoice, and be affected as if the blessing had been ours, Rom. 12.15. 3. The reasons are manifest. First, The motives or reasons to persuade us to it. because hereby we prove ourselves to be fellow members in the mystical body of Christ; which is to be doubted, if this sympathy be not in us in some measure, 1 Cor. 12.12, 25, 26. Secondly, because hereby we show ourselves conformable and like to Christ our Head, who excelled in this virtue, Heb. 4.15. Mat. 25.40. Thirdly, because that which is the case of others now, may be our case hereafter, as the Apostle shows in the case of temptation, Gal. 6.1. Fourthly, a reason may be drawn from the excellency of the grace: it excels alms and outward works of mercy: for when a man gives an alms, he gives somewhat without himself; but when we show compassion, we relieve another by somewhat that is within ourselves, and from ourselves. And lastly, the coherence shows, that this may be a means to keep us from trouble ourselves. The Use may be, first, to import the misery of living in this world. This life must needs be a vale of tears, when we have not only occasion of sorrow many ways from our own estates, but also such variety of occasions of sorrow from the condition of others dear unto us. Neither is our case the better, but the worse, if we do not sorrow with others. Secondly, this may greatly humble all sorts of men for their Apathy, or want of care, or feeling, or sympathy in the distresses of others: and the rather now, when whole Churches are in great distress, Amos 6.6. Thirdly, this should greatly move true Christians to strive after this virtue, and to express it lively, and show it forth in all the fruits of it: as first, by declaring our affection to the afflicted, with all tenderness of heart, and words of comfort: secondly, by using all our means and power to relieve them, and help them out of distress: thirdly, by pouring out our souls before God for them. Love as brethren.] This is the third duty charged upon them, viz. the exercise of brotherly love. This is vehemently urged in many Scriptures, Rom. 12.10. Heb. 13.1. john 13.34. 1 john 2.7. & 4.21. Now for the explication of this doctrine four things would be distinctly considered of, viz. 1. Who are brethren. 2. What privilege they have by the brotherhood, or by being brethren. 3. For what reasons we should so love them. 4. With what kind of love we should love them. Who are brethren. For the first. Men become brethren one to another many ways: as first, by propagation, when they are borne of the same blood, and so the children of the same parents are brethren; and in a remoter sense, kinsmen of the same blood are brethren, Luke 8.19. Secondly, by Nation. When men are countrymen they are called brethren, especially when they descend originally from the fountain of the same ancient families; and so the people of the twelve Tribes were brethren, Exod. 2.11. Thirdly, by profession; especially the profession of religion makes all professors brethren, Acts 11.1. & 1.16. And this was one of the first titles of love and relation in the Christian world. Fourthly, communion with Christ: and so we become brethren, either by his incarnation, Heb. 2.16.17. or in respect of our mystical union with him in his mystical body, Col. 1.2. Mat. 25.40. and so we are brethren with the Angels, as they also are joined under this head Christ Jesus, Rev. 19.10. & 22. So than if any ask, who are the brethren here meant that we must so love? I answer, they are such as are professors with us of the same religion, and fellow members of the body of Christ. But that we may more plainly see who are meant by brethren in the Scriptures, it will be profitable to observe that they are described by their holiness. The brethren we must love are such as are partakers of the holy calling, Heb. 3.1. such as are begotten of God, 1 john 5.1. such as will do the will of God by sound practice, Mat. 12.47, 49. They are the holy brethren we are here charged to love, 1 Thes. 5.27. For the second. Our relation to the godly as brethren ought not to be despised: for, as we are brethren by religion, we enjoy many excellent prerogatives: for thereby we partake of a heavenly calling, Heb. 3.1. we stand all in relation to God, as his own children by adoption, Eph. 4.6. and so peace, and the blessing of God as a Father, is upon us all, Eph. 6.23. Gal. 6.16. and we are greatly beloved of God, Rom. 1.7. and brought up in the same family, Eph. 3.17. fed with the same diet and entertainment in God's house, and estated into an inheritance better than all the kingdoms of the world, Rom. 9.17. And hereby also we enjoy the fruit of the love of all the godly in the world, even those that know us not in the face. Reasons to persuade us to love as brethren. For the third: There are many reasons why we should love the godly as our brethren, above all the people in the world: For first, if to be all the children of one father have such a power over the natural affections of men, than should it not be without power in religion. Secondly, this is charged upon us above many other things: yea, above all things we should put on love, Col. 3.14. and yet he had reckoned many excellent virtues before. This was the special, and one of the last Commandments of our blessed Saviour, which he gave in charge when he was going to his death, 1 john 3.23. john 13.34. Thirdly, because this love comes of God, and is a sign that God is in us, and dwells in us, and that we do indeed love God himself, 1 john 4.7, 8, 12, 16, 20, 21. Fourthly, we have the example of God himself, and Christ his Son, that love them as their peculiar treasure, above all the world; and he showed them love by unspeakable benefits, 1 john 4.10, 11. Fiftly, because our souls will thrive and be edified, as brotherly love is continued and increased in us, Eph. 4.16. Sixtly, because the godly must be our everlasting companions in heaven, 1 Pet. 4.8. 1 Cor. 13.8. and if we cannot see so much, it is because we are purblind, 2 Pet. 1. For the fourth point. If any ask with what kind of love we should love them? I answer, that our love must have many properties in it: 1. It must be a natural love, that is, such a love as is not by constraint, With what kind of love we are to love the brethren. but ariseth out of our dispositions and inclinations, as we are made new Creatures in Jesus Christ, Cor. 8.8. 2. It must be a sincere love, a love without dissimulation, Rom. 12.10. not in word, but in deed, 1 john 3.18. 3. It must be a fervent love: we must love them earnestly, and with great affection, above all other people, 1 Pet. 4.8. brotherly kind love, 2 Pet. 1.7. 4. It must be a pure love, that comes from a pure heart, 1 Tim. 1.5. and projects not any iniquity, 1 Cor. 13.6. and therefore must be a love in the Spirit, Col. 1.8. 5. It must be a diligent love, that will express it by the daily fruits of it upon all occasions; a labouring and working love, 1 Thes. 1.3. Heb. 6.10. 6. It must be a speedy love, that will not put off or delay; a love that will not say, Go, and come again to morrow, Pro, 3.22. 7. It must be an humble love, a love that would ever serve the brethren, not do them good only, Gal. 5.13. and that is farther showed by not respecting persons, but loving all the Saints, even those that are poor, or sick, or in temptations, or fallen by weakness, Eph. 1.15. Pro. 19.7. james 2. and that is also showed by carrying ourselves with all lowliness, and meekness of mind, in all long suffering and forbearing one another, Eph. 4.2. 8. It must be a constant love, we must love always, as well as earnestly, Gal. 4.18. 9 It must be a growing love, that will still increase and abound, Phil. 1.9. 1 Thes. 4.10. The Use may be diverse: for, Use. 1. First, carnal Christians are by this doctrine sharply to be reproved for their want of love to the brethren, and for all the courses by which they show their dislike or hatred of godly Christians. This very sin is grievous in the sight of God: for, for this sins sake, when they ha●e a godly Christian because his works are better than theirs, God reckons of them but as Cainits, the seed of Cain; yea, as the children of the Devil, 1 john 3.10. yea, God will reckon with them as if they were guilty of murder. To hate a godly man is murder in the sight of God, and deprives a man of eternal life, 1 john 3.14, 15. and proves him that is guilty of it to be a person that abides in death. And it is in vain to plead that they love God; for if a man say he loveth God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; fo● he that loveth not his b●other whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And it is Gods peremptory Commandment, that he that loveth God, love his brother also, 1 john 4.20, 21. Yea, this Doctrine affordeth matter of reproof to diverse that go f●r true Christians: and so for many fault. As first, it reproveth those that have the faith of Christ in respect of persons, james 2.1. 〈◊〉. This is a fault in the richer sort, and such as stand upon their worldly greatness: they rest in their show of respect and love to some Ministers, or to some great persons that answer to their own rank, but wholly neglect the acquaintance, and entertain●ment, and fellowship of poor Christians; and thereby not only displease God, but much darken their own evidence in this sign of the love of the brethren, because they show not their love to all the Saints as they might and ought. Secondly, it reproveth intemperate Christians, that sin against brotherly love by 〈◊〉 censuring and condemning of their brethren; especially when they become divulgers of 〈◊〉, and stand out as accusers of 〈◊〉 brethren. This is a devilish sin; for it is the Devil's special 〈…〉 adversary, and an accuser of the brethren, Rev. 12.10. so that he is a devil incarnate that useth this course, Rom. 14.3, 10, 13. jam. 4.11, 12. & 5.9. Thirdly, it reproveth the great worldliness that is discerned in diverse Christians, that are so hardly drawn to show compassion and mercy to poor Christians when they are in distress. They have this world's goods, and yet shut up the bowels of their compassion from their brethren, though they see they have need, and therefore how dwelleth the love of God in them? 1 joh. 3.17. Fourthly, it reproves the great aptness to contention, that appears in many, that easily fall into discord, and from thence into suits of Law, against their brethren: which is clearly condemned in these Scriptures, both by example and prohibition, Gen. 13.8. Act. 7.26. 1 Cor. 1.10. & 6.5. Fiftly, it greatly reproveth such as by their opinions or practice offend and grieve weak Christians, and cause them to stagger, or stumble, or be unsettled in the good way of God; and so endanger not only their present consolation, but (as much as in them lieth) their salvation also, Mat. 18.6. 1 Cor. 8.11, 12.13. Thus of the use for reproof. Use 2. Secondly, this Doctrine may serve for instruction; and so it should prevail with us, to desire and endeavour to express and preserve amongst us brotherly love, that it may be, and continue, and increase amongst all such as fear God, Heb 13.1. And to this end diverse rules are to be observed: for, that brotherly love may continue, Rules to be observed that brotherly love many continue. Either such things we are to avoid, 1. We must not fashion ourselves according to this world, but avoid all needless conversation with wicked men, Rom. 12. ●, 2. 2. We must take heed of, and avoid such as sow discord, or cause divisions amongst men: whether they be such as go about to seduce men in opinions, Rom. 16.19. Gal. 5.12. 2 Pet. 3.16. or such as make contention in practice. A little leaven of dissenting or discord ●●y leaven the whole lump. 3. We must take heed that we be not ensnared or entangled with vainglorious desires after worldly greatness, whether in Church or Commonwealth: Therefore Christ chargeth his Disciples not to be called Rabbi, because they and all thegodly were brethren, Mat. 23.8. Gal. 5. ult. 4. If we would preserve brotherly love, we must take heed of conceitedness and wilfulness of judgement; we must not be wise in ourselves, but rather in lowliness of mind, esteem another man's gifts and judgement better than our own; and show it by making ourselves equal to them of the lower sort, Phil. 2.3. Rom. 12.10, 16▪ Prov. 12.15. 5. We must take heed of worldliness and self-love, and the minding of our own things and studying of our ends in conversing, ● Cor. 13.5, Phil. 2.4. 6. We must take heed of overmuch retiredness, and neglecting of comfortable fellowship with our brethren, Heb. 10.25. Phil. 1.6. Psal. 1 33.1. Or such things we are to practise. These are things we must avoid. The●e are diverse things likewise to be done, that we may preserve brotherly love: as, 1. We must provoke one another to love, by all words and carriages that 〈◊〉 be without flattery or dissimulation, Heb. 10.24. 2. We should strive, without compliment, to show the sound proof of 〈◊〉 love in 〈◊〉 our action●▪ and by the fruits of it, in all well-doing, strive to 〈…〉 to God, and before men in this thing, 2 Cor. 8. 2●▪ 3. In all things we do● to, or for the brethren, we should strive to do 〈…〉 respective ma●●er. Let all your things be done in 〈…〉 Apostle, ●. Cor. 16.14. 4. We 〈◊〉 ●●rive to be ●ightly ordered towards our brethren, in case of si●●e 〈◊〉 God, or trespass against 〈◊〉 And that we shall be, i● we sound 〈…〉 r●les. If we know any fault by our brother, How to order ourselves towards our brethren, in case of sin against God, or trespass against us. and feel 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 plain and discreet reproof. 2. We should be sound settled in judgement, that there are infirmities in the best, though we know them not; and so to look for it, as when they do break out, we should show ourselves ready to bear their infirmities, and forbear them, if they be mere frailties, choosing rather to cross ourselves, than to irritate or provoke them in their weakness, Rom. 15.1, 2. 3. If any brother trespass against us, we should show ourselves easy 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 seek it with willing acknowledgement, and readiness 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: Three caveats to be looked unto in our loving of them. for there are false brethren that will creep in privily many times for corrupt ends, Gal. 2.4. 2 Thes. 3.13. 2. That if any brother be scandalous, or walk inordinately, or will not be subject to the form of doctrine, and the public ministry, than 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 look to it, that they be obedient and subject, notwithstanding this doctrine, that their Masters are brethren, 1 Tim. 6.1. Pitiful.] The word rendered Pitiful, in the Original 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 express, 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 showing mercy. In other Scriptures it is showed, that though they do show mercy, yet if some things be not looked to, it will not be accepted, as Mi●h. 6.8. there is required not only mercy, but the love of mercy; and Mat▪ 6. the Pharisees did works of mercy, and yet our Saviour finds fault with them, because they were done to be seen of men: and in 1 Cor. 13.2. the Apostle saith, If a man give all that he hath to the poor, 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 showing mercy, What things bowels of compassion or mercy import. that it be not in ceremony, or word only, but in deed: that the heart show mercy as well as the tongue. 2. Love: that our mercy proceed from hearty and Christian affection to the party, 1 Cor. 13.2. not of constraint, nor with wicked thoughts, or grief of heart, Deut. 7.7, 8. to 12. 3. Tenderness of affection: that we be affected as if ourselves were in want, Rom. 12.16. 4. Cheerfulness in expressing our mercy to such as are in misery who are sometimes as much refreshed with the respect we show 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 think 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 we are gone from them, still to show them mercy. For the second: our Bowels are right in showing mercy: When our bowels of mercy are right. 1. If we be prepared unto such good works, and so both our ears should be prepared, that they may be open to the cry of the poor, 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) mindful of mercy, and do exercise it speedily without delay, Prov. 3.27, 28. 2. If we look not for too much beholdingness from them that are relieved. The rich must not rule over the poor, nor the borrower become a servant to the lender, Prov. 22, 7. 3. If we have a good eye, Pro. 22.9. and show it by dispensing of our mercy to such as have most need, and to such as are best affected in religion, if there be choice. 4. If we do works of mercy, out of goods well gotten: for God hates robbery, though it were for burnt offerings, Esay 61.8. 5. If it be 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 only to our power, but sometimes and in some cases beyond our power. We must open our hands wide, Deut. 15.8.1 Tim. 6.18. 2 Cor. 8.2, 9 good measure, and pressed down, Luk. 6.8. if we give not sparingly. 7. If we be discreet, so to ease others as we burden not ourselves, 2 Cor. 9.14, 15. 8. If we exercise ourselves in every kind of mercy, both spiritual and corporal, in giving, lending, visiting, clothing, feeding, instructing, admonishing, comforting, etc. 9 If we be constant, and not grow weary of well-doing, Gal. 6. The use may be, first, for reproof and confutation of diverse sorts of men. 1. Of the Papists, that brag of their good works in this kind: to whom it may be granted, that they show works of mercy; and perhaps have bowels of mercy: but they are not right bowels, both because with the Pharisees, they do their works to be seen of men, and with opinion of justification and salvation by the merit of their works: and beside, though they show compassion to the bodies of men, yet are they without all true compassion to the souls of men. 2 Of the house keeping of many Protestants, that brag of their great Hospitality, 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 drunkenness, or else in the entertainment of disordered and lewd persons. 3. Of the great neglect of mercy in the most men, that either show not mercy at all, or not bowels of mercy, or not according to the rules given before, especially such as hide themselves from the poor, Esay 58.7. and use shifts and excuses to avoid such supplies as are necessary for the furtherance of the relief for the poor in such places as they live, Prov. 24.11, 12. But judgement merciless shall be to them that show no mercy, jam. 2.13. 4. Divers of the better sort are to be rebuked about this point: many Christians spend a great deal of zeal about lesser matters, and in the mean time neglect the greater things of the Law, such as are judgement and mercy; for few Christians are sufficiently instructed, or inflamed in the estimation of the worth of the works of mercy, or the necessity of them to the glorifying of God, and the profession of Religion, Matth. 23.23. Secondly, for instruction: and so this doctrine should work in us a great impression of desire to show forth the fruits of mercy with all tenderness and sincerity: and to this end we should show that we desire in practice to obey this doctrine as near as we can; I say, we should show it by accepting the exhortations of others that move us for any works of this kind, 2 Cor. 8.17. especially we should strive to answer the expectation of our Teachers herein, and willingly give ourselves, first, to the Lord, and then to them; suffering them to direct our works herein with all readiness, Motiués to be pitiful. 2 Cor. 8.5, 24. and to this end we should use all good means to stir up ourselves to good works of this kind all our days; and therefore we should plow up the fallow ground of our hearts, by prayer and confession of our natural barrenness herein, and indisposition, Host 10.12. and withal, think much of all the motives might stir us up hereunto. And so we should think of the matchless pattern of God's mercy, and in particular, of his mercy to us, Mat. 5. Luke 6. as also of the worth of mercy; it is better than sacrifice, Mat. 9.13. and of the original of it; God is the father of mercies, 2 Cor. 1.3. and of the use of it; it proves us to be the true brethren, and true neighbours, Luke 10.37. and of the great profit of it; for they that are merciful shall obtain mercy, Mat. 5.7. and to give to the poor is but to lend to the Lord: and so there is no usury can be so gainful as this of laying out of our estates for the relief of the poor. Thus of the right bowels of mercy. Be courteous.] Courtesy is the fifth thing required in our conversation one towards another. This is exacted in other Scriptures, as Eph. 4. ult. Tit. 3.2. Col. 3.12. this is called by the title of comity and kindness. Now that we may know distinctly what is meant by courtesy, I will show both what it comprehends, and what it hath not in it. It comprehends diverse things: as, 1. A willing saluting of those Christians we meet. 2. A conversation void of harshness, sullenness, intractableness, What things are comprehended under courtesy. scornfulness, clownishness, churlishness, desperateness, or hardness to please. 3. In matters of offence it makes the fairest interpretations, and forgives heartily and cheerfully, Eph. 4.32. 4. In entertainment it is free, and hearty, and loving, Acts 28.7. 5. In hearing others speak it is patient and willing, Acts 24.4. 6. In giving honour it preferreth others almost of all sorts. 7. In moderating authority over inferiors so, as to be better towards them than they can require. Thus of the courtesy of the Master to his Servants, 1 Pet. 2.18. But yet we must know that under pretence of courtesy we must not hold needless conversation with the wicked, nor any way countenance or honour open and notorious offenders, nor use a promiscuous respect of good and bad all alike, nor unadvisedly contract any special familiarity or friendship with persons unequal or unmeet, nor rashly discover secret things to all we meet withal. The use should be to teach all Christians to make conscience of this virtue, seeing God requires courtesy as well as piety; and the contrary causeth the good way of God to be evil spoken of. And beside, the Apostle imports here, that a courteous conversation may preserve us from many troubles. But yet let men be again warned, not to rest in mere compliments, and outward formalities, but practise such a courtesy as is joined with the right bowels of mercy and good works; which may be observed from the coherence. Especially let all true Christians abhor that dissimulation, that men should salute willingly, and speak fair, and use men with great kindness, and yet plot malice and mischief in their hearts, and speak evil behind men's backs, and secretly labour to subvert other men, who are deceived by their compliment, and mistrust not their envy or malice: and withal, men should avoid complementing with others, when it is for the compassing of their own ends, especially when they are sinful, as was the practice of Absalon, when he aspired to the kingdom. And thus of the directions the Apostle gives for the avoiding of trouble, as they concern our conversation towards the godly. Vers. 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but chose, blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. REnder not evil for evil.) Now follows the directions for our carriages to wicked, or unreasonable, and injurious men: and so if we would live in peace, and out of trouble, we must take heed that we be not provoked by them to revenge or reviling. Where observe, 1. That wicked men are naturally bend to do evil, and to be injurious, and to revile others, especially the godly, Psalm. 36.3, 4. Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known: and their throat is an open sepulchre, their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness, the poison of Asps is under their lips, Rom. 3.13, 14, 16, 17. The use should be therefore to teach godly men to provide for it; wheresoever they live in this world, they must look for it, to be abused and reproached: they may think to live safely in a wilderness, as well as to live without receiving injury from carnal and profane men. God can restrain the very Lions that they should not fall upon Daniel, and he can cast a fear upon the wicked, that they shall not attempt injury against the godly: but though God do thus at sometimes, yet he will not be bound always to do it. Secondly, this should teach such as desire to live in safety, to avoid all needless conversation with the wicked: for though at the first thou mightest think they were of fair carriage, and would do no wrong, yet after a time they will show their nature; especially if they see they cannot draw thee to run with them into the same excess of sinning. And thirdly, as any desire to have evidence to their own souls, that they are become new creatures, and have new natures, so they should show the proof of it hereby, viz. by avoiding all injurious courses, and reproachful and bitter words. 2 All private revenge is forbidden; for it is unlawful to render evil for evil. 2 Thes. 5.15. the Apostle saith, See that no man recompense unto any man evil for evil. Note there three things: first, that he gives this as a special charge, as a thing most hateful or illbeseeming a Christian. Secondly, what he saith, No man must do it: Great men have no more liberty by private quarrels to revenge their dishonour or hurt, than mean men. Thirdly, that he saith, To no man: we must not render evil to any man, of any religion, condition, or estate, whatsoever the injury be. So Rome▪ 12.17. the like charge is given, and two excellent reasons against private revenge: One, because vengeance belongs to God only: it is his office. And it is best God should revenge, because he gives recompense to every transgression: and beside, he gives a just recompense, Heb. 2.2. whereas men that will perform their own revenge, give or seek many times an unequal revenge; as when our Gallants will have blood for a reproach: this is not equal, that a man's life should be taken for a supposed wrong to their reputation. And further, God hath never failed to execute vengeance, whereas men many times fail, and cannot perform the revenge they seek; but rather the contrary. God's vengeance falls upon them for taking his office out of his hands, as many of those that seek the blood of others in revenge lose their own, Heb. 10.30. Also it is worth the noting, that in that place to the Romans the Apostle adds another reason against private revenge, which greatly crosseth the proud and passionate spirits of our times; and that is couched in these words, Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with goodness: which words import, That he is over com●●, and hath lost his honour, that will revenge: and chose, he doth overcome that will render good for evil. If this point were seriously considered, it would mightily subdue that unruly pride and passion● that discovers itself in the most men: and it doth directly prove that Duels or single combats are simply unlawful and intolerable in any well governed Commonwealth, and should warn all Christians to take heed of allowing themselves in the desires or projects of revenge. Nor is their sin the less that seek revenge, but it is closely, and much dissembled, while they watch for an opportunity to be even with them that have wronged them. Nor reviling for reviling.] Observe, 1. That people that are ungodly are very prone to reviling. This we may see in the conversation they have among their neighbours: what brawling and scolding from day to day? and also in the case of religion, how do they continually reproach and slander the true Christians? so in family affairs, with what disgraceful and hateful terms are all the businesses (almost) of the household dispatch? But of this I spoke before. 2. That reviling and railing is a very hateful sin. It is here accounted a great suffering to suffer reviling. Our Saviour reckons it murder in his exposition of the sixth Commandment, Mat▪ 5. And if godly men be reviled, it is termed blasphemy in diverse places of Scripture in the Original. It proceeds from vile and base natures, Heb. 12.14, 15. james 1.21. & 3.9. God's spirit is a Spirit of meekness, and evil words corrupt good manners, 1 Cor. 15.16. The Use is therefore for great reproof and shame to all those that are guilty of this sin, especially such as have their mouths full of cursing and bitterness, Rom. 3.14. and such as revile men for this very reason, because they follow goodness, calling good evil, Esay 5.20, 21. 1 Pet. 4.5. and such as revile those that are near unto them in the strong bonds of nature, or covenant; as when wives revile their husbands, or children their parents. 3. That though we be reviled, yet we must not revile again, because reviling is a sin, and God hath flatly forbidden it in this and other Scriptures: and beside, we have an excellent example of our Saviour himself, that suffered all sorts of reproaches, and yet was so far from reviling, that he threatened no●, 1 Pet. 2. and all sorts of godly men have endured reviling, that were many degrees better than thou. And further, what knowest thou but God may bless thee for their cursing? as David said. And therefore all that are true Christians should be effectually warned from hence to resolve against bitter words and reviling, though they be never so much provoked. Thus of the rules the Apostle gives for avoiding of troubles. Now follows the arguments for the confirmation of those rules, especially of the later: and the first is taken from the estate or condition of a Christian, in this verse▪ the second from the Prophet David, ver. 10, 11, 12. and the third from the probable event or effect of such a course ver. 13. In the rest of this verse he infers from their calling to God's blessing. That they should be so far from cursing and reviling, that they should use no other language than blessing even to the wicked and their adversaries. But chose.] This very term imports, That the life and discourse of a true Christian should be not only different from the life and language of wicked men, but in many things contrary. And it must needs be so, because the godly and wicked arise from a contrary fountain; the one borne after the flesh, the other after the spirit, Gal. ●4. and their words and actions flow from contrary principles; for the one is led by the old man, the other by the new man● and they have from without contrary leaders; the one led by the Devil, Eph. ●. the other by the Spirit of God, Rom. 8. and further, they trade about contrary commodities; the one for earthly things only i● the ●ther for heavenly; the one for things of this world, the other for things of another world; and lastly, they go contrary ways; the one to hell, the other to heaven, and therefore there can be no agreement between them, no more than between ligth and darkness, Christ and Belial. This point serves for great reproof of some weak Christians, for coming so near the ways of carnal men, as they can hardly be distinguished from them that look so like them. Such were those Corinthians Saint Paul reproves, 1. Cor. 3. 1, 2, 3. Bless.] It is required of all true Christians that they should bless; their conversation should express blessing continually. Now for the understanding of this point, we must know, that man is said in Scripture to bless ●ither God or man. He blesseth God when he praiseth his mercy, and acknowledgeth his blessings: he adds nothing to God's blessedness, but only acknowledgeth God's blessed nature, and dealing towards man. This exercise of blessing God began betimes in the world, as Gen. 14.20. and was constantly continued in all ages among the godly. But in this place the Apostle meaneth it of blessing man: Divers kinds of blessing. and to bless man is either a vice or a virtue. There is a vicious blessing of men, which must be separated from the doctrine of this Text. Now it is vicious, first, when a man blesseth himself in his own heart, even then when God threateneth 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 virtue, it is performed diverse ways▪ as first, from Superiors to their Inferiors; so parents bless their children, Gen. 27. Ministers bless the people, Num. 6.23. 1 Cor. 14.16. Secondly, Inferiors bless their Superiors, 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 bless both in deeds and words. When we bless in deed. He blesseth in deeds, when either he is a means to keep others from evil, 1 Sam. 25.33. or by doing good, or showing mercy to others; and so a man blesseth his enemy, when he relieveth him in his misery, and overcommeth his evil with goodness, Rom. 12.20, 21. Yea, a man may be said to bless, when he causeth others to bless either God or himself for his well-doing. Thus job blessed, when he caused the poor to bless him, job 31.20. It is required also that we bless one another in words; and in particular, it is required that we bless them that curse us, Mat. 5.44. Rom. 12.14.1 Cor 4. 12. And this we do, Wherein particularly. 1. By gracious communication in general, when we use such words as may not only express 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 own 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 discreet reproof of their sin: for as he that slattereth curseth, so ●e that wisely reproveth blesseth, Pro. 27.14. Psal. 141.5. The Use should be to stir up all true Christians to practise true virtue 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 appear to be so, even to their enemies. It is a hard lesson, but yet if we seek constantly to God for this help, it may be attained in some acceptable manner. Knowing that ye 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 diverse reasons. 1. Because of the cause of it, which was God's purpose, election, For what reasons ● Christian should be much affected with the consideration of his calling. and free grace in Jesus Christ. We were sinners, and we were not called for any works of ours, Rom. 8.28. & 9.11. 2 Tim. 1.9. The wind bloweth where it listeth: we 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 eternity. 2. If we consider from what we were called; from gross darkness, 2 Pet. 1.9. from this present evil world, Gal. ●. from the lump of forlorn mankind, from innumerable sins and curses, from the danger of eternal damnation of body and soul for ever. 3. If we consider the wonder of the means 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 men's dead bodies arise at the last day, doth now raise the dead ●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 obtain the glory of the Lord Jesus, and a kingdom with him for ever, Phil. 3.14. 1 Tim. 1.6. The called are vessels of God's mercy, and upon them he will make known the riches of his glory, Rom. 9.24. 6 Because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, Rom. 11.29. This a link in that chain, 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 poor and weak creatures, 1 Cor. 1.26. The Use should be to teach us with all possible affections to magnify God's grace in our calling▪ and to strive to walk worthy of our calling. Eph. 4.1. and to pray hard unto God to fulfil the work 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 reproof of men's wickedness, in neglecting the voice of Christ in the Gospel, and in entertaining so many excuses and delays, hardening themselves in their evil ways, and suffering the Devil to keep them without this high preferment, Mat. 22. Doct. 2. From the coherence it is plain, That all Gods servants are called to holiness of life, as well as to happiness. 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 ways to serve God all the days of their lives in holiness and fear 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 licentiousness, Gal. 5. ●3. Doct. 3. The calling of a Christian is a hard calling to flesh and blood; he is called to hard work. As in the coherence here, to be so humble, and unmoveable, and holily disposed, as when he is grossly abused and wronged in words & deeds, yet not only to be patient, but to bles●e: so it is in other parts of their work, as when a man must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Christ. For a man to forsake every thing his heart naturally desireth, and to be daily crossed, is a hard task. The Use should be to raise up the hearts of Christians to a care to live above the course of this world, and to press forward towards the mark, not caring for the difficulty 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 say, that is, he may be insallibly assured of it. And this is true in two respects: first, he may know that he is truly called, and converted, and elected of God: secondly, he may know his calling in respect of the warrant of all his particular actions: as here, he may know what is required of him in his carriage towards his enemies. Now, that every true Christian may be sure of his calling and election, and may know his conversion, is most apparent by these Scriptures, 2 Cor. 13.5.1 Cor. 3.16. 2 Tim. 1.12. Heb. 8.11. 1 john 2.3. & 3.14. & 4.16. & 5.13, 19 And that every Christian is bound to seek this assurance and knowledge is apparent by many reasons. As first, from God's Commandment: he requires it of us, that we should with all diligence seek to make our calling and election sure, 2 Pet. 1.10. Secondly, many reasons may be gathered from the effects and benefits such knowledge and assurance will bring to us. Assurance is profitable for many things. In general, it is our best riches on earth, Col. 2.2. and in particular, Reason's proving the necessity of knowing our calling and assurance. 1. It estates us in all the promises of God: when we know we are truly called, than we know our right to all the promises of God's Word. 2. It purifieth the heart and life of man, Acts 15.9. for when we know we are the children of God, we are thereby stirred up to the greater care to please God, and walk in his ways. 3. It greatly stays and supports the heart of man: in the evil day, when temptation or afflictions befall us, yet the comfort of our assurance sustains us, and refresheth us greatly. For help in the evil day, the Apostle saith we should above all things put on the shield of faith, which, if it remove not the cross, yet it qu●ncheth the fiery temptations of Satan, with which we may be assaulted, Eph. 6.16. and it greatly helps us against the fear and terror of death, Heb. 10.19, 20, 22. In a word, it overcomes the world, 1 john 5.4, 5. 4. The faith of a Christian is all his living: he lives by faith in all the occasions of life; as his faith helps him when all other means fail him, and makes all other means more successful when he useth them. The just man lives by faith. The people in captivity, that were Gods children, raised a living for themselves in a strange land by their faith, Hab. 2.5. 5. It puts life into all the duties of religion or righteousness: it worketh by love, it ●ets all our affections on work towards God, and his people, and creatures, Gal. 5.6. 6. It opens a spring of grace in the heart of a Christian: every good gift from above is excited and made to flow from within him by the benefit of his certain knowledge, and assurance of faith, john 7.38. Now if any ask, how a Christian comes to know his calling? I answer, 1. By his sensible feeling of his sins to be a heavy burden to him, By what means a Christian comes to know his calling. of which he is truly weary so as he desireth more to be rid of them than of any burdensome cross whatsoever, Mat. 11.29. & 9.13. 2. By his manner of receiving the voice of Christ, and the preaching of the Gospel, not in word, but in power. The voice of Christ hath a marvellous power over him above all things in the world; which appears by the effects of it: for he seeles, in hearing the word, first, such an estimation of it, as he acknowledgeth nothing like it for power and wisdom, 1 Cor. 1.23, 24▪ Secondly, he finds, at some times especially, such an assurance of the truth of his religion, and the doctrine he heareth, that he is fully established, and freed from his natural uncertainties about the true religion. Thirdly, the Word worketh in him spiritual senses, and very life from the dead, which he feels in all parts of his conversation, making conscience of his ways in all things, bewailing his frailties, and striving to be such as God would have him to be. Fourthly, it makes him to separate himself from the world, avoiding all needless society with the wicked, and exciting in him constant desires to use the world as if he used it not. Fiftly, much spiritual joy before the Lord, even then when in respect of outward things he is in much affliction. The most of these effects are noted 1 Thes. 1.4, 5. 3. By the image of the virtues of Christ in his heart, by new gifts in some measure: for when God calls a man, he reveals his Son in him▪ Gal. 1.15, 16. There is begotten in him a likeness of Christ: his very disposition is changed into the similitude of the virtues of Christ: God gives him a new heart, with the image of Christ stamped upon it; and he is like Christ in respect of lowliness of mind, and meekness, and contempt of the world, and love of God and the godly, mercy, wisdom patience, love of his very enemies, and desire to live without offence, and praying to God as to his Father. Quest. But if Christians may know their calling, what should be the reason that so many Christians are so unsettled, and are not assured of their calling? Answ. Distinguish of Christians: Divers sorts of Christians. some are Christians in name and outward profession, but not in deed, being not at all converted, though they have the means of conversion: and this is the estate of the most men and women in all places. Now some are indeed converted, but are weak Christians, as it were infants that lie but in the cradle of religion. Now for the first sort the answer is easy. They know not their calling, because they are not called▪ yea they are so far from knowing it, that they generally are offended at it, that we should teach that any body can know his own calling certainly. Carnal Christians than know it not, because they have it not: and in particular, the causes why these Christians attain not assurance is, because they rest upon common hope of mercy in God: which house is but like the house of a Spider, and will give up the ghost when the evil day cometh upon them. And beside, they live in known sins, which they love and prefer before all things can be offered to them by the Gospel. Now it is impossible to have true assurance, and to lie at the same time in known gross sins without repentance. And further many Christians by their wilful unteachableness, and incurableness in sinning, do so provoke God, that all means notwithstanding, yet those things that concern their peace are hidden from their eyes, Luke 19.42. Causes why many weak Christians know not their calling. Now for the weak Christian, the causes of his want of assurance are such as these: sometimes ill opinions about assurance, either that it may not be had, contrary to the charge given, 2 Pet. 1.10. or if it be had, it will not be profitable, contrary to the reasons given before. Sometimes it is their ignorance; they are so unexpert in the Scriptures, that, not discerning the frame of godliness in general, they can never tell when they fully know this or any other doctrine in particular. And this let is the stronger, when they smother their doubts, and will not ask the way, or seek resolution in things they understand not, especially in cases of their, own consciences. In some Christians this want of assurance ariseth from mere slothfulness: though they be often called upon, and convinced, yet they return to their former carelessness, and will not be at the pains to use the directions given them for the settling of their hearts. In some Christians it is a violent proneness in their natures, to take offence at such infirmities, or mistake, as they observe in such as have professed religion b●●ore them: yea, sometimes they take offence at the liberty of those that are truly godly, though they abuse not their liberty. And this offence is sometimes so deadly, that they give way to the projects of renouncing of all religion, because they have observed such things in those that profess religion. As in the Primitive Church, many Christians took grievous offence at other Christians, for the use of their liberty in things indifferent, so as the Apostle was afraid they would fall away and perish in their scandals. Lastly, some Christians are not settled, because when the evil day comes upon them they cast away their confidence, and strive to think that because God afflicteth them, therefore they are not his; being, for the present, uncapable of all those promises of Scripture, that make it clear, that God may afflict them, and not be displeased with them, and they may be his dear servants and children. They will not know that whom God loves he chastens, and that he is used to try his gold in the fire, and that whom God gives the greatest comforts, he usually sends great trials immediately after; as when Christ was honoured with a voice from heaven at his baptism, and a visible descending of the holy Ghost upon him, he was by and by led into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil. And Paul, after his revelation, was cast down almost into hell with temptations. Thus of the knowledge of conversion and calling in general. Now in this Text is further imported, That a Christian may know the warrant of all his particular actions: for the true Christian goeth to the light, that it may be manifest that his works are wrought in God, john 3.22. and he walketh by rule, Gal. 6. and he makes the Word a light to his feet, and a lantern to his paths, Psal. 119. And this point greatly reproveth the carelessness of the most Christians, that are unresolved in the most actions of their lives, and live by false rules; as the example of others, or the conceits of their own heads, or their profit, or the like: They do not know their calling in seeing the warrant of all their courses; and therefore it is, that they live in strange offences, and see not the danger. These walk in darkness, and know not whither they go. Now if any ask how they may attain to the knowledge of the rules for all their actions? I answer shortly, they must redeem the time, and study the Scriptures: for there only shall they find the right rules of all good conversation, john 5.39. 2 Tim. 3.15. Eph. 5.15. and withal, men must ask the way to Zion, jer. 50.4, 5. They must make conscience to seek resolution and counsel of their Teachers especially: and in all this be sure they bring an humble heart, and a lowly mind; for God hath promised to teach the meek and the humble his ways. To inherit blessing.] The end of their calling is to inherit blessing. What things are contained in these words will appear by certain general observations, and by the particular unfolding of them. In general, we may hence gather, 1 That God's people, or true Christians, are a blessed people, such as have a marvellous excellent estate above all men; none like them, Deut. 23.29. Let the righteous man dwell where he will, he is better than his neighbour: they are the only noble and excellent ones, Psal. 16.3. As God said of job, so is it true of all them, none are as they, job 2. They do not inherit that which is blessed only, but they inherit blessing. Every leaf of the Bible saith they are blessed; and the word in the Old Testament so translated signifies blessedness: all blessings are theirs. This would be a great comfort to true Christians that know their calling: nothing should dismay them: they should chide their souls if they be discouraged, as David did, Psal. 42. And the wicked men of this world should be ashamed of their sottish blindness, that account godly men in a miserable case, or do any way vilify them. And weak Christians should pray earnestly to God, to show them the hope of their calling, Eph. 1.9. that they may be from their hearts persuaded of their happiness. 2. That Gods Elect by nature are not in a blessed estate. They are called to it, not borne to it. It is a preferment they are advanced to by means of their receiving of the Gospel, and the sincerity of true religion. Their religion, not their parents or their own endeavours, helps them to it: by nature they are in a miserable case, both in respect of unholiness and unhappiness, Eph. 2.1, 2, 3, 12. Tit. 3.3. And this is fit for them to know, that they may be the more stirred up to magnify the free grace of God, and to love the Gospel, and that they may be the more humble in themselves, and strive to walk worthy of so excellent a calling, and use all means that God hath appointed, to increase more and more in blessing. And unregenerate men must likewise hence take notice, that they can never inherit blessing, unless they repent, for calling is the door of blessing. 3. That true Christians inherit nothing but blessing: there is no curse mingled withal. It will presently rise in men's minds, that many afflictions of all sorts befall them as well as others. But I answer, first, that all the malediction deserved by their sins was charged upon Christ, and he hath borne all the curse for them, Gal. 3. Esay 53. and so God's justice is satisfied, and their debt paid. Secondly, I may take advantage of the word Inherit, and that two ways: first, that though afflictions (which are properly rods for the wicked) may break in upon the lot of the righteous, yet they shall not rest there, Ps●●. 125.3. It is but for a little while that God can be angry with them, but he loves them with an everlasting love, Esay 54. Note. They inherit not afflictions, though they have afflictions. Secondly they are called to inherit blessing: which imports further, That though during their minority in this world they may endure some hardship, yet when these heirs come to perfect age in heaven, than all affliction shall be cast into the Sea, and there shall be no curse, Rev. 22. Thirdly, I answer, that even their crosses are blessings: for as God can curse the very blessings of the wicked, so can he and doth bless the seeming curses of the godly. All shall work together for the best to them that love God, Rom. 2.28. All things are to be measured for good or ill, according to the use of them to us. That which doth us hurt cannot be a blessing, and that which doth us good cannot be a curse. Now for the particular unfolding of this blessing they inherit, we must know, that godly Christians inherit blessing diverse ways: Godly men do inherit blessing many ways: 1. From other men; and so the poor bless them for their charity. The blessing of him that is ready to perish many times comes upon them, job 29.13. Their very loins bless them, job 31.20. and their neighbours bless them for peace making, 1. From men, Mat. 5.8. and the godly bless them for their gifts of grace, and pray for God's blessings upon them, Psal. 134.3. and if they have any public employments for God in Church or Commonwealth, the ear that heareth them blesseth them, job 29.11. And at some times God doth so guide and prosper the ways of his servants, that all sorts of men do acknowledge them for the seed which the Lord hath blessed, Esay 61.8. 2. From their own consciences. 2. From their own consciences: if the world at any time testify against him, or revile him; yea, if Devils and men set against him, yet he inherits this blessing, that his own conscience will witness for him to his singular joy, 2 Cor. 1.12. The daily encouragements of a good conscience are like a continual fea●● within. 3. From God, and that diverse ways 3. From God; and so they have God's blessing certain: and this is a great inheritance, and hath so much happiness in it, as it should swallow up all the grievance of afflictions, and the contempts and scorns of the world. It is enough if we have God's blessing. Now that this point may be distinctly beaten out, we must understand, that true Christians may be said to inherit God's blessing, first, in a more restrained sense, and then in a more large sense. In a restrained sense blessing may here be taken for God's comfortable speaking: for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies blessing by words, and so it answers to the coherence. If they will use good words to men, God will speak good words to them. And in this sense we may hence gather, That God's natural language to the called of Jesus Christ is blessing, or comfortable words. God will speak to his people peace, Psal. 84.5. and therefore he gives a charge to his Ministers to speak comfortably to Jerusalem, Esay 40.1, 2. Secondly, that Gods Elect never find this till they have their calling. Thirdly, that it is a great inheritance in this life to have God to speak well to us. Fourthly, that if the fault be not in us, we shall never have God speak otherwise. It is our inheritance, to comfort us against all the miseries of life. And therefore Ministers that are the mouth of God should study comfort much: and those Christians that desire to have the fruit of their inheritance in this thing, should provide to live in such places where God speaks to men. And those Ministers have a great account to make, that set themselves to speak disgracefully and terribly to such as fear God, striving to discourage their hearts, and to strengthen the hands of the wicked. Thus of the restrained sense: only note by the way, That God speaks good words both for his people behind their backs, and to his people before their faces: They inherit Gods good word for them in their absence. Thus God speaks excellently in the praise of job to the Devil, before the Angels, job 1. & 2. and thus he can speak in the consciences of the greatest on earth in praise of his people, as Esay 41.9. In this life godly men have God's blessing three ways. Now in the general sense, God's people enjoy this blessing many ways; and that both in this life, and in the life to come. In this life they have his blessing, 1. In temporal things of all sorts: he makes the earth bless them, and the heavens, and the waters, Gen. 49.25. he blesseth them in the City, and in the field, in the fruit of their bodies, and of the ground, and of their cattle, in their basket, and in their store, when they come in, and when they go out: yea. God will command the blessing upon them in their storehouses, and upon all they set their hands to, and he will open his good treasures unto them, and bless all the work of their hands, Deut. 28.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12. And if they enjoy not so much in quality of these things as some wicked men, yet they have a fair portion, and a good blessing, because that they have is blessed, both in the original of it, and in the nature of it, and in the use of it, and in their right to it. 2. In the means of grace and salvation: and so they enjoy the blessing of God in his housekeeping; and great is that blessing, wherewith God blesseth his people in his house, on his holy hill, and round about. The Lord hath long since promised to make all the places about his holy hill blessings. Yea, there God's people do receive showers of blessing: every powerful Sermon is a shower of blessing, every doctrine being as a blessed drop of instruction or comfort, Ezek. 34.26. Exod. 20.24. Psal. 132.15. 3. In the gifts of grace: and so he hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things. A poor Christian carrieth about with him in his heart more treasure than all the Monarches of the world (being not true Christians) can any way possess or command, Eph. 1.3. Thus of God's blessing in this life. After this life who can recount the glory of their inheritance in the blessing they shall have then from God? Oh that our hearts could be enlarged to think of the power of these words of Christ at the last day, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world. The Use should be for great comfort to all true Christians. They have great cause to rejoice in their father's blessing all their days: and the rather, if they consider that God's blessing, as a Father, is better than the blessing of any earthly father; for an earthly father's blessingis most an end but verbal, in words; Gods blessing is real, indeeds. A father on earth cannot derive blessing to his child from himself, but from God; whereas God's blessing is from himself. Besides, if an earthly father would bless his child, yet he wants power to give him what he desires; but God our Father is Almighty, able to give as much as he wisheth, Gen. 28.3. Finally, an earthly father's blessing may be lost, as Cham's was; but God's blessing cannot be lost, he will bless with everlasting mercy. Secondly, such as yet enjoy not the privilege of Gods called ones, should be greatly stirred up with desire to get this blessing, even to have God's blessing. Let no man be profane like Esau, to contemn God's blessing, but seek it while it may be had, Heb. 12.17. Quest. But what should we do to get God's blessing? Answ. First, you must diligently resort to God's house: What we must do to get God's blessing. for there God hath commanded the blessing, Psal. 133.3. and be careful and attentive hearers of God's Word: for the ground that drinketh in the rain receiveth a blessing from God, Heb. 6.7. the rain of instruction must soak into your hearts. 2. You must turn you every one from all your transgres●ie●● if you will have God's blessing in his Son Jesus, Acts 3.26. without found repentance God's blessing will not be had. Men must not think to get God's blessing, and do after the things they do now a days, every one that ●h●● is right in his own eyes, Deut. 12.7,8. Finally, we must be all such as fear God truly, Psal. 115.13. and such as will not lift up their souls to follow vanity, but get clean hands, and a pure heart; for such only shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of their salvation, Psal. 24.4, 5. and to this end we must carefully hearken to God's voice, and observe to do all that he commands us, Deut. 15.4, 5, 6. Lastly, Gods own children, that have felt the comfort of God's blessing, must be admonished to carry themselves so, as they may grow in the comforts of it more and more. And to this end, How godly men may grow in the comforts of God's blessing. 1. They must daily ask God blessing, and by their daily prayers let the Lord know that they make more account of his blessing, than any children of earthly parents can do of their father's blessings. 2. Since they have such showers of blessing in God's house daily, they especially should be like good ground, so to drink in the spiritual rain, that the fruits of it may appear in their lives, in all piety, and mercy, and righteousness, Heb. 6.7. 3. Since they know the worth of God's blessing, they should learn of Abraham to command their servants, and their children, and their households to fear God, and to live righteously, that so they may be a means to help them also to this great happiness of inheriting God's blessing, Gen. 18.18,19. 4. If they be put to it, to deny themselves in things most dear to them, for the glory of God, they shall approve themselves, as Abraham did in offering up Isaac, to be such indeed as do fear God, and esteem his favour above all things, Gen 22.17, 18. Verse 10. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips, that they speak no guile. Verse 11. Let him eschew evil, and do good, etc. THus of the first reason, taken from the condition of God's servants, as they are heirs of blessing. In these words is contained the second reason, taken from Prophetical testimony: David long since taught the same doctrine Saint Peter now doth, and gave the same advice in effect: for he had showed, That if a man would live a quiet and contented life, free from troubles and mischief, he must then take heed of all reviling and evil-speaking, and avoid all things might offend either the godly or the wicked: all things, I say, that are evil; and must labour after all courses of peace, and mercy, and well-doing: and then God would be a protector of such godly and careful men, and he would recompense upon the wicked all the wrongs they do to his servants. This is the sum of the meaning of these words. In the words (for the order of them) observe three things: 1. The persons advised or charged by the Prophet David, viz. such as would needs love life, and to see good and quiet days. 2. The duties charged upon them, as the means to attain what they desired: and so he shows what they must avoid, and what they must do. They must avoid, in particular, an evil tongue; and in general, an evil and injurious life. And chose, for what they must do; in general, they must do good; and in particular, seek peace, ver. 10, 11. 3. The reason of his advice: and that is taken from the nature of God, and his disposition, both towards the godly, and amongst the wicked, ver. 12. From the general consideration of all the words we may gather, That a great part of the miseries of life might be avoided, if men would be advised and ruled. Most men and women may thank themselves for the unquietness and distress they live in. And this will appear if we consider of either their crosses, or their temptations, or their corruptions, which are the things only that can distress life. Note. As for the crosses, it is manifest by experience, that the most people suffer for their ownefolly, and such things as might have been avoided. Their discontentments arise, either from their rash matches in the estate of life they are in, or from vain jangling in idle opinions, or from their rash and perverse words, or from their wilful neglect of easy rules of good behaviour in the family, or the like. Take but the directions here given. If men did refrain their tongues from evil-speaking, by censure, or reproaches, or slander, orfrandulent words, and that men did avoid injurious courses, or gross crimes; and withal, if men did strive to do all the good they could to all sorts of men: and finally, if men would use all lawful means to preserve peace, and to avoid contumely, how quiet might the lives of the most people be? Note. Again, let a Christian consider of his corruptions, which at some times so trouble himself and others: doth not his own conscience know, that if he would constantly pray against them, and be sure to be circumspect in his carriage, how certainly, and how soon he might be delivered from the power of any sin? And for his infirmities, with how little labour might he store his head with comfortable places of Scripture, that might support him against the sense of his daily frailties? And for temptations of Satan, that so extremely molest some few Christians, how might they have been either avoided, or borne with more quiet? Some Christians tempt the Devil to tempt them, by their solitariness, or idleness, or security, or wilful nourishing of pride and vanity in themselves, or by a careless living without assurance of faith. And when temptations are upon them, and they are truly humbled under them, how do some Christians wilfully refuse consolation, and limit God, so as never to be quiet till the temptation be removed, though the Lord himself answer them, that his grace shall be sufficient for them? The Use should be therefore to warn all men that would live quietly and comfortably, to awaken to the care of their duty, and to study the rules given them out of the Word of God: for let them be assured, till they make conscience of living by rule, it will never be better with them. Again, in that St. Peter and the Prophet David agree so right in judgement concerning the practice of true Christians, it shows, That the rules of holy life have been the same in all ages of the world, before the Law, and under the Law, and now under the Gospel. We may see by the carriage of holy men before the Law, that they walked by such rules as these: and the reason is, because the rules of a religious and virtuous life were in the mind of God from all eternity, and so given to men from the beginning; and cannot change, in as much as God is unchangeable in the forms of things. And this point may show us how hard the world is to learn, in that these lessons have been taught from the beginning, and yet the most men have not learned them. And beside, godly Christians should be encouraged to live by rule, and to walk circumspectly, seeing this is no harder a task required of them, than what hath been required in all ages. Thirdly, it is worth the observing, who the persons are that give this counsel, to strive as well as we can to live out of trouble, and to lead a quiet life. They were two great Champions that had endured a world of troubles themselves, Peter I mean, and David, and yet we see they press other men to seek to live as quietly as is possible: and thus did Paul do also, 1 Tim. 2.2. 1 Thes. 4.11. Heb. 12.11. Now one main reason why they do so, is, because they themselves did feel by experience how unable they were to beat crosses, when they fell upon them. It was this Peter that denied his Master, upon the very sight (as it were) of adversaries: and it was this David that gave this advice, after himself had changed his behaviour before A●im●lech, as you may see by the title of the Psalm. Which should teach us to be thankful for that public or private quietness any of us do enjoy: and beside, it should warn those unruly froward Christians, that live not in quiet, either at home or abroad, to repent and amend their words and works. They cannot imagine what singular comfort and contentment they withhold from their own lives, and the lives of others. If they did but know how much God abhorr●s a froward Christian, they would be more afraid than they are. Thus of the general observations. The first part concerns the persons that are exhorted; and they are described by two forms of speech; the one, such as will love life; the other, such as would see good days. If any man will love life.] From this form of speech three things may be observed. Doct. 1. That men by nature are prone to the love of life: and so prone, that the most men will break all bounds, and will love life, whatsoever be said to them, or done to them. This is a point so sensibly felt by the experience of the most that hear it, that it needs no proof. If any man ask what the reason should be why there is such an inordinate love of life in the most: many things may be answered. The first cause of it is the general corruption of nature in the most men, which came in by sin. To love itself is nature, but to love life so pertinaciously is from degeneration, and the great abasement of the nature of man, that cannot now move itself towards the perfection of itself: for unto the godly the change of life is an alteration that brings perfection. Secondly, ignorance and unbelief is the cause of it. If men did know and believe those glorious things God speaks of a better life, they would loathe this present life, and long to be in heaven. Thirdly, the cause in many is, that their hearts are engaged upon such perplexed and intricate projects, about profit, or pleasure, or greatness in the world, that they are not at leisure to examine the reasons of the love of life: the heart of man is usually oppressed with some one or other of these projects. Fourthly, in all sorts of people there is such an in●●rable inconsideration, that no warning from the Word or works of God, no experience of their own or other men's, can force them to a serious and constant meditation of the things concern their true happiness. Fiftly, the love of life ariseth in the most from the Idols of their hearts. There is one thing or other that they have set their hearts upon in a vicious manner: and this unreasonable love of their particular sins doth hold them down in bondage to this present life, and so cannot be cured of the disease till they repent of their beloved sins. And the guiltiness of their consciences makes them afraid of death and judgement, and to embrace this present life upon any conditions. And in godly people this inordinate love of life ariseth from the defect of particular repentance for it. Thus of the first point. Doct. 2. Men have cause to take off their affections, and not to be so desperately bend to the love of this present life. This is a point very profitable to be urged, and most men and women have need of it: and therefore I will show more largely the reasons why we should not love life, or not so inordinately as to be unwilling to leave it upon any terms. For what reasons men ought to take off their affections from the love of this life. The first reason may be taken from the commandment of Christ, who gives this charge to all that will be his Disciples, that they must not love life. As they must deny themselves in other things, so in this particular. And be so gives this in charge, as he seems to threaten them with the loss of life if they love it, so Luk. 17.33. joh. 12.25. The second reason may be taken from the example of the godly, that have not loved life. job detested life, Iob●. Solomon tells of a multitude of occasions that he had to hate life, in his book of Ecclesiastes: and a multitude of godly men have showed the proof of it, in laying down their lives willingly, when they have been cal●●● to it. Act. 20.24. Phil. 2.20. Heb. 11.35, 37. The third reason may be taken from the consideration of life in itself, both in the nature of it, and in the end of it: for the nature of it, it is but a wind, or a vapour, james 4. so mean a thing, that no man can well tell how to describe it perfectly; which is the greater wonder, that it should get the love of all the world, and yet no body knows what it is he loves. And for the end of it, it is not in the power of man to number his own days, God hath set an appointed time for every man's death: and though they love life never so much, they cannot hold it beyond that time, job 7.1. And beside, our times are so hid, that a man cannot be sure of a month, a week, a day, an hour, and shall our hearts be so bewitched with that which we know not how long we shall enjoy? job 24.1. and the rather, because there are so many ways for life to go out at, though but one way to come in. And further, we can find no means that hath sufficient power to make a man live. God hath so reserved the power of life in his own hands, that none of the means we use to preserve life can do it, to make it hold out for a moment, if God do not from above give special assistance. Man liveth not by bread, Mat. 4. and if a man had abundance of all worldly things, yet a man's life consisteth not in that, Luke 12.15. etc. The fourth reason may be taken from the profession of a Christian, or his state, or relative calling, or condition in this life. First, we are Christ's spiritual soldiers. Now men that go to war, entangle not themselves with the things of this life, that they may please them that have chosen them to be soldiers, 2 Tim. 2.4. Secondly, we are pilgrims and strangers in this life, and therefore nothing should be more easy to us, than to be weary of the present condition, and to long to be at home. Thus did the patriarchs, Heb. 11.13. Thirdly, in this life we are but poor cottagers, that dwell in poor houses of clay; and shall we love to be here rather than in those eternal mansions? 2 Cor. 5.1. joh. 14.2. The fifth reason may be taken from the sins of life. Even sin is a disease, and a loathsome contagious one. Now then see what life is; thou thyself hast innumerable sins, and there is no man alive that sinneth not in the whole world. Now if every man have innumerable contagious diseases, what a loathsome pest-house is this world to live in? The thoughts of a man can reach to the depth and length of this argument, but inconsideration buries all wholesome counsel and motives. But besides this respect of sin, a Christian finds from his own sins, if there were none else in the world, great cause to be weary of life, first, because sin argues the imperfection of his nature both in soul and body; and so long as he is in this sinful life, he can never have a perfect nature: now a man that loves himself, for this reason would never love life, Rom. 7.23. Secondly, because sin is an offence to God: now a child of God should therefore loathe life, because by sinning be doth injury to God his merciful Father: and in the most holy Christians this argument hath extraordinary force. The sixth reason may be taken from the crosses of life. Hath not every day his grief? Is there any estate or degree of men free from them? Are not those whom God loves corrected? yea, and perhaps more than other men. Seriously think of what thou dost suffer in thy particular. What diseases or infirmities are in thy body? What unquietness and vexation dost thou suffer in the house where thou livest? What crosses do follow or fear thee in thy calling? Yea, doth not thy religion breed thee trouble? If the reproaches and oppositions be considered of which godly men sometimes suffer, we might say with the Apostle, Of all men they are most miserable, 1 Cor. 15.19. Paul saith, he was a man crucified while he lived, Gal. 2.20. and did always in his body carry about the dying of the Lord Jesus, 2 Cor. 4.10. Besides, consider of the danger of what may come upon thee in life. What if war come, or the pestilence, or sudden poverty that cannot be cured, or with fearful diseases that will fill thee with horrible pain? Nay, what if thou shouldest fall into some shameful fault? Oh, what were the misery would follow upon it! The seventh reason may be taken from the extreme vanity of those things that seem to be felicities in life: all the things in life, that with any colour of reason can be made objects of thy love, are either the people of the world, or the commodities of the world. Now for the first of these: thou hast no reason to be in love with life, for the people of the world with whom thou livest: for, In what respects the vanity of earthly things appear. 1. Amongst all the thousands of men and women thou seest in the world, it may be there is scarce one that loveth thee entirely, scarce one from whom thou mayst enjoy delight or comfort. They are poor things thou canst have from the rest, whether they be neighbours or strangers. More than thou givest thou shalt not receive, unless it be in poor compliments of salutations, and ceremonies of life. 2. If thou didst excel in the privilege of being loved by friends, kindred, wife, or children, yet reckon how small a portion of thy life is refreshed from them: there is sometimes more delight in one poor dream, than will be had this way in a long time. 3. Think of it what changes and losses thou dost or mayst suffer, if there were any thing worthy thy love in friendship or acquaintance: thy friends may be daily lost, either by the change of their mind from thee, or by distance in habitation, or by death; and the pleasure is had by thy acquaintance, is made not worth the having, either by interruption, or by discord, and taking of offence, or want of power or will to help when thou hast most need. 4. Who would not hate life for this very reason which I now give? Let a man consider by experience in all others how little the world cares for him. If thou wert to die what would the world care, or almost any in the world? Let it be thy wife, children, neighbours, hearers, dearest friends, yea, thy religious friends, what would any of these care for thy death? Look not at their words, but note it in their deeds. How few will be sorry for thee? or for how short a time? and how soon wilt thou be clean forgotten? or how poor a thing is the greatest memory any man hath when he is dead? Dost thou live to hear this, and yet wilt be so mad as to love life, for the love thou bearest to any other? 5. The evil thou sufferest from the world is greater than the good thou canst get by it: think of the reproaches, injuries, oppositions, contempts, persecutions, infections thou mayst find from unreasonable men. How many thousand would triumph over thy poor fame, if thy feet do but slip. Lastly, the company thou shalt have of Angels, and spirits of just men in another world, should make thee loathe all these things in this life, whether thou respect number, or power, or dearness in friends, even in such as must be companions of thy life: and therefore for the company that is in the world thou hast no reason to love life. The commodities of the world are lands, houses, money, honour, credit, beauty, pleasure, and the like: now m●n have no cause to be so in love with these, Men have no reason to be in love withearthly commodities, and that for diverse causes. if they consider, 1. How small a portion they have of these. If a man had won the whole world and the glory of it, yet it were not worth the having if he must lose his own soul. May, if it were all had upon the best conditions, yet it would not make a man truly happy; and therefore much less these silly parcels of the world we can attain to, Eccles. 1.3. 2. These are all common things, and that in two respects: first, there is nothing now new to be had, which hath not been had heretofore ordinarily. What is now, hath been before, and will be afterwards. Thou canst enjoy no felicity of life that can be proper to thyself, Eccles. 1.9, 10. & 3.15. And then further, all these things a fool may enjoy as well as a wise man, and a wicked man as well as a godly man. A man shall never know love or hatred by these things, for they fall alike to all sorts of men, Eccles. 2.14. 3. All things are full of labour, who can utter it? If men do reckon the pains, and care, and unquietness, and weariness they are put to about the getting, or keeping, or using of these things, they would find little cause to love them; especially, considering that unto the use of the most of these is required a daily labour with toil, that men that possess these things cannot possess themselves, they are so overburthened with the cares and labours of life, Eccles. 1.8. 4. If a man had never so much of these things, yet they cannot satisfy him; his soul will not be filled with good. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver. Man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain, Eccles. 1.9. & 5.10. Psal. 39 A shadow is something in appearance, but nothing in substance, if a man would seek to clasp it, or receive it to himself. 5. All these things are transitory, and uncertain, and mutable: which may be considered of three ways: First, if thou love these things, thou art not sure thou canst keep them, they may be lost suddenly and fearfully: for either they may wear out of themselves, or they may be taken from thee; they are liable to vanity in themselves, or to violence from others, Mat. 6.19, 20. 1 Pet. 1.24. Secondly, if thou be sure to enjoy them, yet they will be suddenly lost to thee, because thou canst not make thy heart to take delight in the same things still; for not only the world passeth away, but the lusts thereof also, 1 john 2.15. Eccles. 6.1, 7. & 9.3. Thirdly, if neither of these befall thee, yet thou art mortal, thou must be taken from them, and thy life is short like a dream, and passeth away like the wind; and thou art but a stranger and pilgrim here, and thou must carry nothing out of the world, but in all points, as thou earnest in to the world, so must thou go hence, Psal. 90. job 7.7. Eccles. 5.13, 14, 15. All flesh is grass, Esay 40.6. 6. That a man may receive much hurt from them: they may steal away our hearts from God. The amity of the world is the enmity with God, james 4. They are like pitch to de●●le: there is a snare and temptation in all of them; they fill men's hearts with foolish and noisome lusts, and a man may damn his soul for too much loving of them, 1 Tim. 6.9. Phil. 3.18. and they may serve to witness against a man at the day of judgement, james 5.1. Lastly, consider that there is no comparison between the commodities of this life, and the commodities of the life to come. There are rivers of pleasures for evermore, Psal. 16. ult. There are Crowns of honour and glory, such as will neither be held with envy, nor lost with infamy; there shall men possess enduring substance, Heb. 11. treasures not liable either to vanity or violence, Mat. 6.20. an inhe●it●●●e immortal and und●●●led, and that withereth not, and lieth in heaven, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4. Thus of 〈◊〉 second doctrine. In what cases it may be lawful for some persons to be in love with this life A third Doctrine may be gathered out of these words, and that is, That in some cases there is a permission of the love of life. In that he gives rules to such as will love life, it imports, That God is contented to suffer or tolerate that humour in men. Now this toleration may be considered of as it is granted to some men, or as it extends in some sort to all sorts of men. Some men that are high in place, and have public employments, and are about some special service for the glory of God, and good of the Church or Commonwealth; in these men the desire to live longer, in itself is not sinful: this was the case of David and Hezekiah. Now further, unto all sorts of men the Lord doth allow a certain kind of liking of life, so as they observe such cautions and rules as he appoints; as namely, that the cares of this life hinder not the preparation for death, or the provision for a better life; and withal, that they limit not God for the time of life, but be willing to die when God calls for their lives. What such must do to prolong their life. Now for a conclusion to this point. I would advise those that have such a mind to live here, to look to certain rules which will prevail with God to grant them long life, if any thing will prevail: as first, they must be exhorted to take heed of overmuch desire of life, they must moderate their desires after life. If they could once attain to it, to be content to die when God will, it may be they should find life prolonged, according to that of our Saviour, He that will lose his life shall find it. Secondly, such as have Parents in nature or religion must be very careful to give them due honour, for to such God hath promised long life in the fifth Commandment. Thirdly, godliness hath the promises of this present life, as well as of the life to come; and therefore ever the more godly we are in all manner of conversation, the longer we may be likely to live: and chose, a profane man hath no assurance to live out half his days. Thus of the first form of speech. The second form of speech, by which the persons he adviseth are described, are, such as will see good days. And see good days.] Before I come to the observations, here is work of large enquiry and consideration about the sense: for these words import, That in the life of man there be some good days, and some evil days. Physicians tell us in their profession of some days in the year that be good days, and some that be evil days for their directions: and superstitious and idle people in the world tell us that there are some good days to begin businesses in, and some evil. It seems here the Prophet David, in Theological contemplation, finds that in the life of man some days be good, and some be evil. This would be enquired into. And that we may find out which be good days, we must first inquire which be evil days, and that by Scripture account. And that we may distinctly understand this, we must inquire which be evil days, 1. For wicked men. 2. For godly men. The days of wicked men must be considered more generally, or more specially: generally, all the days of the wicked are evil, both because he is a transgressor every day, and because the curse of God is upon him all his days, even then when he lives longest, and enjoys 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 soul, or body, or name, or estate; either by withholding his blessings, or by mingling the curse with the good things he enjoyeth, Psal. 7●. 33. as the Israelites under censure of death from God. More specially, the days of the wicked man are evil, either in this life, or after this life. In this life his days are evil in two special senses; either in respect of the shortening of them, or in respect of the afflicting of them. What days are evil in respect of wicked men. It is a special evil to some wicked men, that their days on earth are shortened. Some men live not out half their days, and die in the midst of their days, Psal. 55.24. jer. 17.11. and so it is a curse that his days are few, Psal. 109.8. Eccles. 8.13. Again, the days of wicked men are said to be evil, in respect of some special judgements of God to be poured out upon them for their sins. These days are called the days of God's wrath and anger, and days of God's visitation, Esay 10.3. the day of vengeance, Esay 61.2. which God proclaims against all wicked men; and by an excellency, The evil day, Amos 6.3. And these days are in special called the days of wicked men: and they are theirs, because properly no day is theirs till it be evil, jer. 50.31. After this life comes that most special evil day, even that day of eternal misery in hell; of which Solomon said, God made the wicked for the day of evil, Pro. 16.4. This doctrine of their evil days should much astright wicked men, not only with the consideration of what they suffer now, but of what they are liable to in the days to come. Little do they dream of the misery may befall them such days may come as will burst their hearts with exquisite grief, their hearts shall not be able to endure, Ezek. 22.14. & therefore they should take heed of putting far from them the evil day, Amos 6.3. and in time repent, and reconcile themselves to God in Jesus Christ, that they may prevent the evil days may yet fall upon them, and know that their uncircumcised heart is the cause of all the evil brought, or to be brought upon them, jer. 9 ult. Thus of evil days in the life of the wicked. The godly man's days are evil diverse ways: 1. The days of spiritual famine are evil days: Wherein godly men's days are evil. when a man cannot enjoy the means of salvation in the life and power of them. In this case David said, his tears were his meat day and night, Psal. 42.2. 2. The days in which God is displeased with them, or hideth himself, so as he will not hear their prayers, or not let them discern it. These are bitter days to the godly, Psal. 102.2, 3. & 90.9. 3. Days of temptation, in which they are to wrestle with principalities and powers, are evil days, Eph 6. 4. All days of trouble are in some respect evil days, Psal. 49.5. & 50.14. & 41.1, 2. especially those days are evil, when the Lord turns wicked men lose upon the godly, and leaves them as it were in their hands, to be reproached and oppressed all the day, especially when himself will not appear to help them, Psal. 102.8, 10, 11. Esay 37.3. and most of all, when the just man seemeth to perish in his righteousness, Eccles. 7.15. But yet here is a great deal of difference between the evil days of godly men, and the evil days of wicked men; Great difference between the evil days of wicked and godly men. because God sanctifies the evil of his days 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 evil, if he call upon him, Psal. 50.15. yea, though his troubles seem desperate, jer. 30.7. Thirdly, though God may seem to delay for a time, yet he will make haste to perform his deliverance: After two days he will return, and the third day he will revive them, Host 6.3. Fourthly, God will make them glad, according to the days he hath afflicted them; he will make them amends for all their evil days, Psal. 90.15. To conclude this point. There be days that are called evil, Evil days common to wicked and godly men. which are common both to good and bad▪ and such are the days of old age, Eccles. 12.1. when the Sun, Moon, and Stars are darkened, that is, all sense of prosperity is removed, and the infirmities of old age come thick one upon another, like clouds after rain, ver. 2. when the arms, which are the keepers of the house, shake; and the thighs and legs, which were like strong men, now bow and bend under them; and their teeth, which were the grinders or chewers of their meat, now cease working, because they are few; and the eyes, which are the windows of the body, grow dark, ver. 3. when the doors shall be shut in the streets, that is, when upon the loss of his appetite he shall have no delight in any thing at home, nor mind to go abroad, but his own 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 music of any kind, as Barzillai said: 2 Sam. 19.36. When they shall be afraid of every straw in their way, they shall go so weakly, and their Almond tree shall flourish, that is, their heads shall be white as the blossoms of the Almond; and they shall be so sore, that a very Grasshopper shall be a burden to them; to touch them shallbe 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 near, 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 be loosened, that is, the marrow of their backs be consumed; and their golden Ewer, which is the brainpan, be broke; and so will the Pitcher at the Well, that is, the veins at the liver; and so will the Wheel at the Cistern be broken, that is, the head which draws 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 days that be evil days. Now it remains that we inquire which be good days; and so we shall find that there be days that be good, in the judgement of the inward man, and sometimes days that be good, in the judgement of the outward man. Only thus much we must know, that, in the first sense, none enjoy good days but good men. Now good days in the sense of the Scripture must be considered, either in general, or in particular. What are good days in general. In general: and so, first, all the days of Christ, after he is revealed in a Christian, are good days: and so all the days of a true Christian, from his conversion to his death, are good days. Which appears 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 festival days are good days; especially the first and last days of the Passeover were good days, in a special solemnity, that is, the day of thy conversion to spiritual life, and the day of thy death, which is the beginning of the day of eternal life. Secondly, all the days in which Christians enjoy the preaching of the Gospel in the power of it, and other ordinances of Christ in their glory, all these days be good days, for they are days 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 God's 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 mown grass, Ps 72.6, 7. Thirdly, those be good days in which we see the Church of God in general to prosper; when God keeps his Church as his vineyard, & waters it every moment, and watcheth it night & day, and destroyeth every thing that might annoy it. In particular, there are diverse sorts of good days to the godly. In particular, a Christian finds diverse sorts of good days: as first, the Sabbath days well sanctified, are good days, above all other days of the week, when his body enjoys rest, and his soul is blessed, according to God's promise, with spiritual rest and grace in Jesus Christ. Secondly, the days in which the soul of a Christian after sin, and the judgement of God for it, is humbled sound, and anew admitted into God's presence, and reconciled to God: those days, when God entertains the repenting sinner that prays unto him, especially at the first reconciliation, are wonderful good days, job 33.25, 26. with the coherence, & 36.11. Psal. 90.14. Luke 4.21. with Esay 61.1, 2, 10. Thirdly, all the days in which a Christian thrives and prospers in the knowledge of God's Word, and grows in the spiritual understanding in the mysteries of God's kingdom, are all good days; for this knowledge is that wisdom Solomon speaks of, which makes a man so happy, Pro. 3.18. & 2, 16. Thus of the good days that are so in the judgement of the inward man. God is pleased also to grant such good days, as are, or aught to be so accounted in the judgement of the outward man: and so, First, the days of youth, in which a man hath strength of body, and vigour of mind, to fit him not only for the comforts of life, but for the service of his Creator, are good days, Eccles. 12.1. it being a blessed thing to bear God's yoke in a man's youth. Secondly, the days of special prosperity in the world, which sometime God grants unto his people, are also good days: when God gives his people abundance of blessings in their families and estates, and withal, public honour and respect with all sorts, even the great ones of the world; as was in the case of job, which he describes in the whole 29th. Chapter of his book: but than it must have this indeed, that in this prosperity the godly man be employed in all well-doing, and get himself honour by the flourishing of his gifts and good works, as is showed in that Chapter by job. Thirdly, such days in which a man enjoys a quiet estare, free from all trouble, or vexation, or contumely, at home or abroad, being free from God's afflicting hand, or man's injurious dealing, are good days; 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 days of men usually are evil; which is true, not only of the wicked, but of the godly also. This jacob said long ago, his days were few and evil, Gen. 47.9. but of this point before. Only this may serve for great reproof of those that so little mind a better life, and so willingly love this life, that though they live in much misery, are loath to think 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; Man's life is short. whether he live happily or miserably, yet his life is reckoned by days, not by longer measures, of purpose to signify the shortness of our lives. This is expressly affirmed in other Scriptures, job 10.20. job saith, his days were few; and of all men that are borne of women, that they have but a short time to live, job 7.1. And this is resembled by diverse similitudes: so our life is compared to a Weavers shuttle, job 7.6. to a Post for swift running out, job. 9.25. to the grass of the field, job 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 God's sight, In what respect it is short. with whom a thousand years are but as yesterday, when it is past, Psal. 90.4. or in his own account, if he measure time to come, as he measures time past: and in plain reckoning, let the life of man be improved according to man's utmost strength, ordinarily a man's years are threescore and ten, and if he live to fourscore, it is but labour and sorrow to him, Psal. 90. Quest. But what should be the cause that men's 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 own power, yet that might satisfy us; Causes why most men's lives are so short. but we may guess at other causes, as both the mercy and justice of God. This world is so bad to the godly, that it is God's mercy to take them quickly out of it: and chose, 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 own place, which is hell. Besides, many men bring speedy death upon themselves by their own ill courses, or by sinning against their own bodies by lewd courses, and by eating up their own hearts with worldly cares and sorrows, or by living in any gross 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, jer. 17 11. Finally, in this last age of the world there may be this reason assigned, that the Lord makes haste to have the number of his Elect fulfilled, and therefore he dispatcheth away the generations one after another, and so shorteneth the days of man, for his Elect sake. Now for the Uses. Are our lives so short? then it should teach us diverse lessons: Uses. 1. To pray God to make us able to think so, and so to number our days, that we may not make any reckoning of any long continuance here, Psal. 39 3. & 90.12. 2. To make haste and dispatch our repentance, and all the businesses that concern our sound reconciliation, and so to walk while we have the light, and to use all good means while we enjoy them. 3. To redeem the time, and save as much of it as we can, for the uses of a better life, Eph. 5. and to work the harder, to fulfil thy measure, and dispatch that task God hath set thee to do. 4. To lay fast hold upon eternal life, 1 Tim. 6. and to make that sure. 5. Every day to provide for our departure; even all the days of our appointed time to wait when our changing shall come, job 14.14. FINIS. AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE MOST Principal things handled throughout the whole Book. ACtion. What things mar a good Action, 630 How we are said to do well, ibid. Adoption. Wherein the greatness and glory of our Adoption appears, 645 their privileges in this life, 646 What kind of persons we must be to attain this Adoption, with the marks of it, 647 How they must carry themselves, 648 Affection. We must care that our Affection grow not either cold or corrupt, 163 Four things which abate Affection in the godly, ibid. Afflictions. The godlies Afflictions are but for a season, 56, 57 God tries man in Afflictions seven ways, 62, 63. comforts therein, 63 Afflictions better than gold, in diverse respects, 67 Angels. Of their names and natures, 96 The singular account that God makes of them, 97 Their affection to man, ibid. & 98 Of the Cherubims looking upon the Ark, Exod. 268. 98 Of their knowledge affirmatively and negatively, 99, 100 Antiquity. In what things Antiquity is ill pleaded, 621 What respect is to be had to old time, 622 Apostasy twofold: 1. inward, 2. outward, 237 Apparel. Rules for it, 105. Vide Attire, 603, 604, 605 Application. Rules of application of the word aright, 288 Assurance. Such as have the persuasion of the Assurance of salvation should look to four things, 77 Astray What is meant by going astray, 555 Their misery that so do, ibid. An aggravation of their misery, 556 Causes of men's going Astray, ibid. Signs of a lost sheep, 557 Attire. Eleven reasons against vain Attire in women, 603, 604 Fourteen ways by which Attiring of ourselves becomes vicious, 605 B Babe's. Why most are Babes in religion, 228 Special duties of new borne Babes, 229 What Babes by nature should teach men in grace, ibid. Backe-biters. Vide Evill-speakers, or Whisperers, 215, 216 Behold. The divers acceptation of the word, 274 Believe, Vide Faith. Believers. They only have benefit by Christ, 154 We may be said to believe five ways, 156 What it is to be a true believer, 290 In how many things it is seen, ibid. etc. It's excellency, 625 Helps to it, ibid. Rules for a right trusting in God, 626 It is by Christ that we believe in God, and that for diverse reasons, 157 Birth, Borne. The necessity and ho●●ur of our new Birth, 32 Why repentance is called a new birth, 184 We had need often to be put in mind of our new Birth, 185 Lets of it, with excellent uses thereof, ib. Bishop. The word expounded, 566 Christ excels all other Bishops in ten respects, 561 All are happy that live under the charge of such a Bishop, 567 The duties of such as be under his charge, 568 Bless, Blessing. How man blesseth God, how God man, how man blesseth man, 29, 30 Divers kinds of Blessings, 688 When we bless indeed, and wherein it stands, 688, 689 Godly men inherit the Blessing many ways, 694 In this life three ways, ibid. etc. What we must do to get God's blessing, 695 How godly men may grow in the comfort of God's Blessing, 696 Blood. The benefits flowing from Christ's Blood, 21 This his Blood diversely taken, 145 Why shed, ibid. Why this is most urged, ibid. etc. The uses of it, 146 The preciousness of it, ibid. What makes it so precious, ibid. Bowels. What Bowels of mercy doth import. 183 When they are right, 684 Motives to affect the having such Bowels, 685 Brother, Brotherhood. How we should express our love to the Brotherhood, 477 In what respects godly men are Brothers, 178, 478, 680 Reasons persuading to love as Brethren, 680 With what kind of love we are to love the Brethren, 681 Rules for Brotherly love, 682 Build, Builders. Means to build up a Christian, 260 Causes why men are so little edified, 261 How far wicked men may be said to be Builders, 295, 296 The causes why many great and learned are oft time's Destroyer's rather than Builders, 296 How Builders, that is, Churchmen, refuse Christ, 298. and how Christ refuseth them. 299 C Calling. It is a matter of great weight to show a good warrant for our Calling, 2, 3 Seven sorts of men transgress about their Calling, 3 Those sorts of lusts which must be hateful to us after our Calling, 114 Eight reasons why we should avoid lusts after our Calling, ibid. How many ways God calleth us, 119, 120 What our effectual Calling is, 120 Why our conversion is termed our Calling, ibid. How a true Calling may be discerned, ib. Seven things which we are called to, 121 Three sorts of Calling; 1 personal: 2 natural: 3 supernatural, 334, 335 Distinction of Callings, 335 Four things in the order of working in our Callings, ibid. Eight signs of effectual Calling, 336 Five rules to show us how to walk worthy of our Calling, ibid. The danger of such as refuse their Calling, in eight things, 337 Of the C. of the Gentiles in general, 345 Why Christians should be affected with the consideration of their Calling, 689 The Calling of a Christian is a hard Calling, 690 The necessity of knowing our Calling, ib. By what means, 691 Ceremonies. About taking and giving scandal in the use of Ceremonies, 436 Chastity twofold, 1 of body: 2 of mind, 594 Chastity must be as well in married persons as in single, 595 Motives to Chastity, 596 It is specially charged upon the woman, ib. Preservatives of Chastity, ibid. How a chaste wife may be discerned, 597 Christ. The benefits flowing from his blood, 21, 22 His generation and ours how unlike, 31 In three things we should learn of Christ to carry ourselves towards God as our Father, 31 Christ hid till his second coming in six respects, 69 Seven signs of his love in the sparkle, 71 Seven more in the flame. ibid. The word Christ is a word collective, 144 His blood precious, 146. etc. He is said to be a Lamb in six respects, 147 Christ manifested five ways, 152 Believers only have benefit by Christ, 154 Excellent uses of the manifold descriptions of Christ, 248, 249 As he is a Lord how he excels other Lords, 249 How said to be both a stone, and a living stone, 249, 250. etc. Christ is precious many ways, 254 How we may get an esteem of Christ above all things, 281 How we may manifest this esteem, ibid. How Christ is an honour to us, 292 Christ many ways refused, 298 In what respects Christ bore our sin, 531 Christian. A Christians life is a joyful life, 54 What they must do to preserve that joy in their hearts, 55 How far he may rejoice in earthly things, 56 Privileges of weak Christians, 229 Encouragement for weak Christians, 237 Christians have diverse sacrifices, 266 Only Christians come of the best generation, 317 They are royal many ways, 318 The priesthood of a Christian is a singular privilege, 320, 321 It should put us in mind of diverse duties, 321 Christians are holy many ways, 322 How Christians are said to be all of one Nation, 325 Why called a peculiar people, 326, 327 A sound Christian shows himself so by his conversation, 388 For what reasons Christians should be much affected with the consideration of their Calling, 689 The necessity of knowing our calling, 690 How it may be known, 691 Divers sorts of Christians, ibid. Carnal Christians know not their Calling, ibid. etc. The reasons of it, 692 Good Christians have a blessed estate above all men, 693 True Christians inherit nothing but blessing, 693. and that many ways, 694 Church. Eleven prerogatives of the Christian Church, 79, 80 The Church like Mount Zion in many respects, 276, 277 The uses hereof, ibid. The excellency of the word above all other assemblies of the world beside, 277 Clean, Cleanness. Eight things to be done for the getting of a clean heart, 175 Come. We Come to Christ many may's, 256 Eight ways to come to Christ, 257 Encouragements thereto, ibid. etc. Compassion. It was showed by Christ five ways, 332 In man how, 679 Motives to it, ibid. What bowels of Compassion doth import, 683 Confound. Believers shall never be Confounded, 284 The divers acceptation of the word Confound, ibid. How Confounded may be taken in a good sense, 285 Means by which God keeps the Believer from being confounded, ibid. In what he shall not be confounded, ibid. How far he may be confounded, 286 Conditions of such as will not be confounded, 287 What sorts of men shall suffer shame and Confusion, ibid. Conscience. It ought to be adorned with nine things, 18 Kinds of Conscience, 503 Reasons why men ought to be instructed about Conscience, 499 What Conscience is, ibid. It's proper work, 500 How Conscience is employed in us, ibid. The law by which Consc. judgeth, & the manner of proceeding in judgement, 502 Prerogatives of Conscience, ibid. etc. Divers kinds of Conscience, 503 Differences of evils in men's Consciences, 504 Signs of an evil Conscience that is still, and stirred, 505 Hurts of an ill Conscience, with four effects ●hereof, 506 Aggravations of the misery of an ill Conscience, 507 What must be done to make an ill Conscience good, 508 Two things for guiding the Conscience, 509 Signs of a good Conscience, ibid. Benefits of it, 510 How far Conscience may be bound, 510 511 Conversation. Our conversation said to be vain in six respects, 140 The sins which make it so, ibid. There is vanity in the Conversation of the Saints themselves, ibid. Five degrees of our redemption from a vain conversation, 141 Seven signs of it, ibid. Special rules for the right ordering of a holy Conversation, 323 Means to ●ttain● it, 324 Differences between a holy Conversation and a civil, ibid. A sound Christian shows himself so by his Conversation, 388 Vide Honest. Six things which make an honest Conversation, 389 An honest Conversation is the way either to convert or convince the Gentiles, 392 By what means we may win wicked men in our Conversations, 594, 595 Reasons why a Christians Conversation should be coupled with fear, 598, 599 Conversion. Nine signs to know whether we be effectually converted, 585 Rules for it, 586 Courtesy. It containeth seven things, 685 Creation. The wonderfulness of our Creation showed many ways, 151, 152 The use of it, ibid. D DAy. Many sorts of Days n●ted in Scrip●●●●, 416 How the Day and season of grace may be known, 417 Darkness. The acceptation of the word Darkness, 338, etc. Degrees of it, 339 Nine aggravations of the Darkness that is in wicked men, 340 The use of it, ibid. etc. Four signs of spiritual Darkness, 341 There is some Darkness even in the children of Light, ibid. There are seven differences between the Darkness of the godly, and the darkness of the ungodly, 341, 342 Death, Vide Die, 198, 534 Deceit, Vide Guile. The misery of Deceitful persons, 206, 207 Of Deceitful Servants, 207 The iniquity of our times herein, 208 Signs of a man without Deceit, 209 Despair. How many ways wicked men may Despair, 307 Preservatives from Despair, 308, 309 Special differences between the Despair of the godly and wicked, 309, 310 Desire. The necessity, utility, and nature of this affection of Desire largely handled, 221 The true Desire of the word hath four distinct things in it: first, Estimation of it: secondly, Longing for it: thirdly, Content in it: fourthly, Constancy in the renewing of it, 221, 222 How we may discern our affections to it, 222 Signs both external and internal of our Desire to the word, 222, 223, etc. Impediments, 223 Means of getting true Desire to the word, 225 Rules for preserving these Desires, 226 Motives thereto, 227 How far wicked men may desire the word, 230 Die, Vide Death. Men Die many ways, 534 The many inconveniences by forgetting to Die, 198 How to prove willing to Die, ibid. Disobedience. How unbelievers are guilty of Disobedience, and their Disobedience aggravated, 293 Drunkard, Drunkenness. Reasons against it well applied, 106 E EArth, Earthly. In what the vanity of Earthly things appears, 700 No reason to be in love with them, ib. etc. What days are Evil in respect of wicked men, 703 Wherein godly men's days are Evil, ibid. Great difference of the evil days of good and evil men, ibid. How far Christians may rejoice in Earthly things, 56 Elect. The Elect have eight privileges above all men in the world, 7, 8 Three sorts of Elect, 150 Election. A fourfold Election, 7 How they may be known, ibid. 315 Good use of the point, 8 There are many things in our Election which may ravish us, 314 Rules to live so as becometh the assurance of Election, 316 Envy. It is a hateful sin, 214 Signs of a man free from Envy, 215 evil-doers. Who are pointed out for such, 446 evil-speaking, Vide Backebiting. Report, the aggravation of it, 213 Reasons against it, 216 The effects of it foul, 217 The use to be made of it, with Rules against it, 218 What to do to avoid it, 219 In what cases odious, 395 Helps to bear it, 396 The wicked usually speak Evil of the godly, 456 Example. Excellent documents from the word Example, 519, 520 Ten things for us to follow in the Example of Christ's sufferings, 521 In what cases Christ's Examples bind not, 522 Two singular virtues in a good Example, 620 When an Example binds, 621 Excel. The godly Excel others in diverse respects, 313 F FAith. It doth ten things to further our preservation, 45, 46 What Faith will not preserve us, 47 How to show it in affliction, 65 The praises of it then, ibid. Seven things should move us to trust on God in affliction, 60 Faith is only seated in the hearts of the Elect, 155 God is the object of our Faith, and that not only in his nature, but in his mercies and promises also, 156 It is Faith that makes difference among men before God, 282 Its necessity, ibid. Marks of true saving Faith. 290 Signs of a true though weak Faith in a weak Christian, 291 The Christians continual use of Faith, 157 What we should do for comfort when the sense of Faith is gone, 158 Seven rules for the daily use of Faith, ibid. The difference between Faith and Hope, 160 Helps to continue in the Faith, 161 All Faith and Hope in other than in God i● vain, 162 Faithful. The life of the Faithful is a joyful life, 54 Seven things should move ●● to be Faithful in affliction, 66 The Faithful bow precious in God's sight. ibid. Family Vide Household. What makes a Family happy, 484 We are bound of God to care for Family duties, ibid. Why inferiors are first commanded Family duties, 485 Fashion▪ Fashioning ourselves to sin hath seven things in it, 115 Father. How God is a Father to Christ, Angels and Man, 11, 12 His affection is Fatherly, that is, first, Free: secondly, Tender: thirdly, Constant, 12 So i● his provision, both in respect of, first, Attendance: secondly, Diet: thirdly, Preservation in trouble: fourthly, Portion, ibid. Of what excellency Gods Fatherly love i●, first, 〈◊〉 godly men: secondly, to carnal men: thirdly, to earthly Fathers, 13, 14 The name of Father given to diverse sorts, 492 Fear. Three sorts of it; first, worldly: secondly, servile: thirdly, filial, 134 Our conversation must be coupled with Fear, ibid. The Fear of God what, 480 Six things in God of which we are to stand in awe, 480, 481 Motives to get this Fear, 481 What kinds of men do not Fear God, 481, 482 The signs of it, 482 Reasons why wicked men are stricken with a servile Fear, 597, 598 A conversation coupled with Fear required of all Christians, 598, 599 How we should show this Fear, 600 What sorts of men have not God's Fear, 601 Wherein wives should show Fear to their Husbands, 601, 602 Fight, Vide War. The Flesh fighteth against the Soul five ways, 384 Why God doth suffer this Fight, 385 How we may get victory in this Fight, 387 Flesh. Lusts are Fleshly in diverse respects, 365 Eight evil properties and effects of the Flesh, ibid. How they hurt the souls of wicked men, 366. as also of the godly, ibid. The Flesh fights against the Soul five ways, 384 Fools. Unregenerate men are Fools, 459 Signs of spiritual Folly, ibid. Wherein godly men sometimes show Folly, 462, 463 Foreknowledge, Vide Prescience, 3. Vide Foresight, 149 Foresight, Vide Foreknowledge, 8 Three kinds of Foresight, 149, 150 Foundation diversely accepted, 151 Christ the main Foundation of all grace and holiness, 247 With the use of it, ibid. etc. The only Foundation of his Church, 250 That Christ is laid as a Foundation stone imports many things, 276 Freedom, Vide Liberty, From what Christ is made Free, 467 To what a godly man is made Free, 468 The Freedom of the Old and New Testaments, 469 In what respects we are But as Free, 469 470 Hypocrites in bondage whilst they seem Freemen, 471 Frowardness. Reasons against Frowardness both in Masters and Servants, 494, 495 Helps against it, ibid. Frowardness how odious, showed by the causes and effects, 615 G GEneration. It is threefold; first, corporeal: secondly, metaphysical: thirdly, singular, 30 Three things wherein Christ's and our Generation is not alike. 31 The acceptation of the word Generation, 316 Only Christians come of the best Generation, 317 Gentiles. Of the Calling of the Gentiles in general, 345 Gird. We must Gird up our minds, and that diverse ways, 103. etc. Eight rules for it, ibid. Glory, Glorify. How God is glorified by himself, 404 How of us in general, how in particular, 406 Motives to the care of glorifying God, 408, 409 Helps thereto, ibid. The thoughts of God's glory two ways established, 411 Four caveats for making others to Glorify God, ibid. etc. Vainglory, wherein it is seen, 512 Wherein true Glory doth consist, ibid. The Glory of man but vain in six respects, 196 What is his true Glory, 197 God. Of his foreknowledge, 8, 9, 10 How a Father to Christ, Angels and Men, 11, 12 Gods power in keeping us, 43 Excellent uses of it, 44 Wherein Gods graciousness is seen, 238 By what means God may be brought to our minds, 410 Helps to conceive of God aright, ibid. By what means he is to be magnified in our hearts, 411 God is a judge, 529 And thereby terrible to wicked men, 530 Comfortable to the godly, 531 Rules of committing ourselves to God, ib. Godly. The Godly dispersed, and the good that comes thereby, 6 The Godly are Priests in many respects, 264 The Godly excel others in diverse respects, 313, 314 How the Godly come to be God's heirs, 645 That the Godly are Brethren, 178 Godliness. It hath many lets, 102 The use of it, ibid. Fourteen internal lets of Godliness, 102, 103 Gospel: The word taken diverse ways, 90, 91 Eight effects of this Gospel, 91 Eight things required of every one that would have part in it, ibid. How it differs from the Law, 92 Excellent uses of it both to Priest and People, 92, 93 Grace what, and how it and Peace is multiplied, 27, 28 What we must do that it might be multiplied, 28 That we may not fail of the Grace of God we must do four things, 8 How we frustrate the grace of God, ibid. We must labour to walk worthy of that grace by doing four things, ibid. etc. The diverse acceptations of the word Grace, 109 The glory of heaven called Grace in three respects, 110, 111 Seven things in which we should imitate God's Grace in showing mercy, 111 Why God giveth not heaven as soon as he giveth Grace, 112 Wherein Gods graciousness is seen, 238 The state of such as have but temporary Grace, 338 Grace is either a gift in us, or an attribute in God, 665 Grace as it is in God considered two ways, 666 What privileges such have as enjoy God's Grace, ibid. Men transgress against the Grace of God many ways, 667 Grass. Man's life is but Grass, 193 194. etc. Grow, Growth. Divers kinds of it, 232 In what graces Christians ought to grow, 233, 234 Helps thereto, 234 L●ts thereof, 235, 236 Signs, ibid. etc. Guile, Vide Deceit, Hypocrisy. The words acceptation, 205 Why and how to be avoided, 206 The misery of Guileful persons, ibid. Of secret Guile, 207 Signs of a man without Guile, 209 Guile in words many ways, so in Hypocrisy, 525 H Hardness. Hardness of heart seemed to be f●lt more after assurance than before, 113 Healing. Wherein Christ's Healing excels for our comfort, 550 That we are all healed by Christ's stripes, 551 What we must do 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 soul, 553 Rules for such as desire to Heale their bodily griefs, 554 Heart. Adorned with eight graces maketh it acceptable to God, 17 Eleven things in which a sanctified Heart rejoiceth, ibid. Three special signs of a new Heart, 415 What the hid man of the Heart is, 607 Wherein it excels the outward man, 608 By what means it may be mended, 609 How to know when it is right, ibid. Eight things to be done for getting a clean heart, 175 How our Hearts are purified in obeying the truth, 176 Heaven. Where, and what, wi●● its excellency above all other pl●●●s, 41 The glory of Heaven ●●ll●d grace in three respects, 110, 111 Heaviness. Four sorts of Heaviness, 56 Heirs. How godly men become Heirs, 645 How they must behave themselves, 648 Godly men and women are Heirs together many ways, 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 signify any inequality, 95 Holiness. Four sorts of Holiness, 122 God Holy three ways, ibid. Helps, with motives thereto, 123 Christians are Holy many ways, 322 Rules for the right ordering of a Holy conversation, 323 Inward Holiness wherein it consists, 174, 175 Honest. Honesty. What it signifies, 388 Six 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 ways we may express our Honour to men, 477 How we must honour the King, 483 Hony. The Word for sweetness compared to Honey, 240 The excellent uses of it, ibid. Hope. The differences between a living and a dead Hope, 36 Nine ways to show our Hope, 108 Five things to be done to get assured Hope, 108, 109 The difference between Faith and Hope, 160, 161 Household, Householders, Vide Family. Humble, Humbleness. Humbleness of mind hath six things in it, 16 Humbleness is showed in three things, 330 Husband. For Husband and Wife to live together quietly there are sixteen motives, 576 Five special causes of disorder between man and wife, 577 Motives to make Husbands careful 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 Hypocrisy. How many ways men commit it, 210 Motives against it, with effects of it, ibid. etc. Excellent uses hereof, 211 The sorts of Hypocrisy 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 himself not to be one, ibid. etc. Hypocrites in bondage whilst they seem Freemen, 471 Eight things for the discovery of Hypocrites, 177 I IGnorance. The unregenerate charged with Ignorance, 116 Signs of their Ignorance, 117 How different from the Ignorance of the godly, ibid. It is hateful to be Ignorant in spiritual 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 Immortality. Four degrees of it, 186 Incorruptible. Seven things which are Incorruptible, 611 Incorruptible things do wonderfully adorn, 612 Grace begotten in the hearts of the godly is Incorruptible in diverse respects, 188 Indifferent. Things ●Indifferent in matters of religion, though sometimes inconvenient, may be commanded, and must be obeyed, 434 Pretended inconveniences by humane laws surveyed, 435 About taking and giving of scandal at humane ceremonies, 436 How Christian liberty is made a cloak of maliciousness in things indifferent, 472 In thongs indifferent there be cases wherein Christian liberty is vilely abused, ibid. Inheritance. How the Saints inheritance is incorruptible, even in four 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 commandment, 434 Joy. A Christian life is a joyful life, manifested in nine things, 54 Gods servants may joy nine ways, ibid. How that their joy is preserved, 55 How full his joy may be in earthly things, 56 Six● kinds of joy, 72 Five kinds of devilish joy, ibid. Eight signs of discerning the joy of the holy Ghost from all other joys, 73 Whether the joys 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 between joy temporary and true joy, 188 Judge. God is a terrible judge 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 jesus Christ, 111 Of the last judgement, and the certainty thereof, 128 All must appear at the day of judgement, 129 We shall be judged according to our works, iibid. How infants can be judged according to their works, 130 judgements inflicted on some particular offenders belong to all for diverse reasons, 301 K KIll, Repentance for sin doth in diverse respects kill a man, 538 Kings. Differences between spiritual and earthly Kings, 319 Christians should live like Kings, 320 King is a note of the highest dignity on earth, 440 The original of Kings, 441 The excellency of Kings above others, 442 Many encouragements to Subjects to bear King's superiority, ibid. King's must be honoured, first, in heart: secondly, in word: thirdly, in work: 483 Kin, Vide Generation. Only good Christians are of the best kin, 317 The uses of it, ibid. They are of Royal kin, and that in many respects, 318, 629 Knowledge. The excellency 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. Means to give power to our knowledge, ibid. etc. It makes an impression in every man's life, 639 In it men should excel 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 six respects, 147 The Lambs in the ceremonial law types of Christ, ibid. etc. The uses of it, 148 Liberty, Vide Freedom. Christian Liberty is a great gift bestowed by Christ, 466 A man may use his Liberty as a cloak of malice five ways, 470 How Christian Liberty is a cloak of malice in things indifferent, 472 Cases in things indifferent wherein Christian Liberty is vilely abused, 473 Life, Live. How we may live like God's children, 13 A religious Life is the best Life, 541 Natural Life but a mean thing in diverse respects, 649 The degrees of a spiritual Life, 650 Whence it hath its original, even from God, and that in three respects, 651 Divers things nourish this spiritual Life, 654 It differs from eternal Life in many ways, 657 Man's Life is grass, 193 Excellent uses of it, 193, 194 What we must do to attain eternal Life, 661 A Christians helps hereto, 662 Six signs of it, 663 Five properties of it, 664 What duties this Life should imprint in us, ibid. For what reasons men should take off their affections from the love of this Life, 698, 699 In what cases some men may be in love with this Life, 702 Man's Life short, in what respects, and why, 705 The uses of it, 706 Light. The acceptation of the word Light, 342 Gods servants are brought into great Light, ibid. Excellent instruction and consolation drawn from it, 342, 343 In how many respects the Light of the godly is called A marvellous Light, 343, 344 Excellent uses thereof, 344 Love. Seven signs of the Love of Christ in the sparkle, and seven more in the flame, 71 What we must do to get that Love, 72 Seven things to be observed to keep our hearts in this Love, ibid. Christ's Love to the godly, 332 How many ways the people of God are Gods only beloved ones, 361 How to preserve this Love, ibid. How we should show our Love to the Brotherhood, 477 Nine signs of unfeigned Love, 180 The impediments of brotherly Love, 181 Seven signs of fervent Love, 182 Nine causes of the want of it, 183 What to do that we may have and hold it, ibid. Reasons to persuade to the Love of the Brethren, 680 With what kind of Love we ought to love them, 681 Rules for it, 682 Three caveats to be looked unto in loving our Brother, 683 Lusts. The sorts of Lusts which must be hateful unto us after our Calling, 114 Eight reasons why we should avoid Lusts after our Calling, ibid. Four preservations against Lusts, 115 Lusts how to be avoided, 362 Three differences of Lusts in the godly and wicked, 363 Helps to avoid them, ibid. Lust's are fleshly in diverse respects, 365 How Lusts hurt the souls of godly and wicked men both, 366 How we may get victory over our Lusts, 387 How we may know that we have gotten this victory, ibid. M Madness. Signs of spiritual Madness, 460 Magistrates. They are to be submitted to, 424 This submission hath in it six things, 425 Objections against it answered, 427, 428 We must be subject to all sorts of Magistrates, 428, 429 In what things Magistrates are not to be obeyed, 431 In what matters Ecclesiastical Magistrates have no power, ibid. In what he hath power, 432 Whether we must obey Magistrates in things unlawful, 437 Divers motives in God to move man to the obedience of Magistrates, 438 Excellent uses of the point, 439. etc. In what cases not fit to complain to the Magistrates, 529 Malice. It's acceptation, 203 Signs of it, and reasons against it, ibid. Remedies, 204 Aggravations of it, ibid. Men may use the liberty as a cloak of Malice five ways, 470 Man. He is but grass, 193, 194, etc. His glory vain in six respects, 196 What his true glory is, 197 Manifest, Manifestation. Christ manifested five ways, 153 We must show our affection to this his Manifestation four ways, 153, 154 Marriage. Sixteen motives for man and wife to live together quietly and comfortably in Marriage, 576 Masters. The original of Masters, 492 Signs of good Masters, 493 Reasons against frowardness in Masters, 494 Signs of good Masters, 495 Meditation. Rules for Meditation, 289 Meekness. It is showed in four things, 330 What things are requisite to Meekness, 613 Motives to it, ibid. etc. Helps to attain to Meekness, 616 Mercy. God's Mercy abundant, 32, 33 It ought not to be any cause of liberty either to the godly or wicked, 33 Whether the Lord shows any Mercy to the wicked, 33, 34 showed four weigh'st▪ 331 What sorts of people God will not be merciful unto, 352 What wicked men in particular are not under Mercy, 354 Why many obtain not Mercy, 355 Four properties of God's Mercy, 356 It is tender many ways, ibid. It is free many ways, ibid. etc. Eternal, 357 Nine effects of it, 358 Excellent uses of it, 358, 359 Helps to obtain mercy, 359 What Bowels of Mercy doth import, 683 Milk. The word called Milk in many respects, ●30 Excellent uses thereof, 231, ●32 Mind, Vide Unity. Our Minds must be rightly ordered, 6●4 For what reasons we ought to be all of one Mind, ibid. Minister. This word Minister sounds Service, 89 Misery. All Misery referred to 〈◊〉 heads: ●: of 〈◊〉.: ● Of 〈◊〉: 3. Of adversities: 4. Of death, 77 The remembrance of our past Misery is profitable in six respects, 338 Mortification. None but mortified Christians are true Christians, 536 Repentance for sin doth in diverse respects kill a man, 538 Signs of Mortification, 539 Men truly mortified shall live happily, 540 N NAme. Of a good and evil Name. Vide Report. Nature. The natural condition very miserable many ways, 608 New, Newnesle. The necessity and honour of our New birth, 32 The means of the New birth, 34 The lets, ibid. Four signs of it, 35 Uses of it, 35, 36 Special duties of such as are new borne, 229 Privileges of such, ibid. Speciall-signes of a New heart, 415 A New behaviour discovered diverse ways, 416 Why repentance is called a New birth, 184 Why we had need to be put in mind of our New birth, 185 Lets of it▪ ibid. O OBedience. What▪ the causes of it, with six rules for it, 19 Motives to it, 20 Of obedience in word●, ibid. Our Obedience must be the Obedience of children in six respects, 113 Our Obedience to God a special sign● of his fear, 482 Six things required to 〈◊〉 sound Obedience, 588 The extent of our Obedience in respect of times, truths places, and persons, 176, 177 How 〈◊〉 may know their Obedience to be right, 177 In 〈◊〉 things the Spirit worketh 〈◊〉 Obedience, ibid. P Parent's. How many ways children are infected by the traditions of their Parents, 142 Why they are so infectious, ibid. Seven rules for Parents ordering their children, ibid. etc. Passeover. The manifold passages concerning the sprinkling of the Passeover expounded, 25, 26. etc. Patience. It is to be showed four ways, 331 People. Many sorts of People in Scripture, 346 Why wicked men are said not to be a People, ibid. Who are not God's People, 347 Men are God's people three ways, 348 The misery of those that refuse their calling to be God's People, 337 How Gods people excel all others, 349 The uses thereof, 350 Rules for God's People to carry themselves to God, 351, 352 How many ways God's People are the only beloved one●● 361 S. Peter, what he was by name and office, 1, 2 Plagues. Spiritual Plagues are worse than temporal 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 reasons, 302 Power. Questions concerning God's Power in keeping of us, 43 Excellent uses of it, 44 Prayer. What we must do that God may answer our Prayer, 85 Prayer how it may be hindered both in the bearing and making of it, 671 The excellency of Prayer in 〈◊〉 respects, 669 From whence its 〈◊〉 do arise, 670 Praise. Wherein it is unlawful to seek the Praise of men, 448 If 〈…〉 would be praised they must do well, 449 〈◊〉 to get Praise from men, 450 Precious. Christ is so 〈…〉 ways, 254, 255 The reasons why he is 〈…〉 with men, ●55 What uses are 〈…〉, 〈◊〉, 256 Prescience. Prescience, 1. Absolute: 2. Special: 3. Of approbation, 8 How God for●knoweth, 9 How his Foreknowledge may comfort us in our distresses, 9, 10 What it may teach us, 10 Terrible to the wicked in four respects, 11 Preservation. Faith doth ten things to further our Preservation, 45, 46 Presumption. How to know whether we sin presumptuously or no, 115 Priests. The godly are Priests in many respects, 264, 265 The uses of it, 265 The Priesthood of Christians is a singular privilege, 320 Princes. All good Christians must be obedient to their Princes, 422 Ministers should teach and press this duty, 423 The submission that belongs to them hath six things in it, 425 Pure. In what respects godly men may be said to be Pure, 597 A Christians Purity hath in it many things, 597, 598 Q QUicken. What we must do to Quicken our hearts, 260 Quiet. Sixteen helps to a Quiet life in marriage, 576 Five special causes of their unquietness, 577 Helps to cause them to be Quiet, 578 Helps to attain quietness, 616 〈◊〉 things of singular use to keep us quiet in trouble, 673 R RAiling, Reviling. The wicked are prone to it, 687 It is a great sin, ibid. Though we be reviled we must not revile again, ibid. Excellent uses of it, ibid. etc. Reason. The faculty of Reason in the soul, and wherein it excels, 382 Recreations. Rules for them, 104, 105 Redemption. Of all other doctrines we must be sure to know the doctrine of our Redemption, 137, 138 We are redeemed from six things, 139 Five degrees of Redemption from vain conversation, 141 Seven signs of it, ibid. Two ways our Redemption is ratified, 159 Refuse. Christ many ways refused, 298 Regeneration. How it depends on Christ's resurrection, 38 Rejoice, Rejoicing, Vide Joy. 54, 55, 56, 72, etc. Religion. How hard a thing it is to reduce a man from his Religion though it be never so absurd, 390 A religious life is the best life, 541 Repentance. Against such as presume on late Repentance, 417 Their vain objections for it answered, ibid. etc. Repentance of sin doth in diverse respects kill a man, 538 Divers things in Christ's death which ought to be in our Repentance, 539 Why Repentance is called a new birth, with five differences between false and true Repentance, 184 Report. The lot of the righteous is to be evil spoken of, 393 The causes and causers, ibid. etc. How hurtful it is to report evil of the good, 394 Reasons against it, ibid. etc. In what cases it is odious, 395 Helps to bear them, 396 To have a good Report among men is a great blessing of God, 447 Reproaches. They are to be avoided as much as in us lies, 457 That only fool's reproach good men, 465 Reprobation. Proofs of Reprobation, 311 Observations for consolation in the point of Reprobation, 312 Resurrection. Four benefits of Christ's Resurrection, 35 Christ risen in the Old Testament three ways, 37 How our regeneration depends on Christ's Resurrection, 38 It is a great wonder, with an excellent use thereof, 159 The glory given to Christ after his Resurrection showed in eight things, 160 Revelation. A twofold Revelation of Christ, 69 God hath revealed his will three ways: 1. By the light of nature: 2. By the book of the creatures: 3. By his word, 77 And by that many ways, ibid. Distinctions of Revelations, 86 A difference between Revelation and Knowledge, ibid. We have six sorts of Revelations under the Gospel, 87 Why the day of judgement is called The Revelation of jesus Christ, 111 Revenge. It is unlawful, 686 Reviling. What it is, 526 Who are guilty of it, 527 Not to render Reviling for Reviling, 528 Rich, Riches. The woeful estate of Rich men, 138, 139 Virtue and grace are a Christians best Riches, 618 Righteous, Righteousness. Signs that descry a Righteous man in himself, 542 Six other signs of Righteousness as it groweth, 543 How the Righteousness of a Righteous man differs from the Righteousness of a Pharisee, ibid. Why so few embrace Righteousness, 544 Helps thereunto, 545 Defects of Righteousness, 546 Defects in the manner of doing Righteously, 547 Royal. Christians are Royal many ways, 318 S SAcrifices. Christians have diverse sorts of Sacrifices, 266 Special laws to be observed in offering our Sacrifices, 268, 269 The use of it, ibid. What to do to make our Sacrifices acceptable, 270, 271 Three comforts from an acceptable Sacrifice, 271 Saints. Saints are strangers, 4 In fourteen things they should be strangers, 4, 5 See more, 132 Salvation. What it imperteth in the original. 48 Salvation may be said to be prepared for us five ways, 49, 50 To whom revealed, 50 In the last day revealed three ways, ibid. Excellent uses of this revelation of Salvation, ibid. etc. Four signs of the persuasion of our Salvation, 75, 76 Such as have the Assurance of Salvation should look to four things, 77 Why such a multitude of men inquire so little after Salvation, 81 We ought to devote ourselves to the study of it, ibid. We must study our Salvation with diligence, 82 Divers ways from God to further our Salvation, 594 Salutation. Of the usual form of Salutations, 27 Sanctification. Man is sanctified three ways: 1. Ex non sancto privatiuè: 2. Ex minùs sancto: 3. Ex non sancto negatiuè, 14 What need our spirits have to be sanctified, 15 This lieth in two things: 1. In cleansing it from sin: 2. In adorning it with grace, ibid. The Spirit is cleansed by eight things, 16 Three things which adorn the mind in Sanctification: 1. A heavenly light: 2. A humble mind: 3. A pure imagination, ibid. The nature, subject, form, cause, and end of our Sanctification, 162, 163, 164. etc. Two things in our Sanctification: 1. Healing: 2. Cleansing, 164 Scandal. It is defined, 302 Christ a Scandal to the wicked many ways, 304 Wherein we are not to regard the offence of wicked men, 305 In what things we may be guilty in giving Scandal to wicked men, 306 Rules for the preventing of a Scandal, ibid. etc. Rules for it in matter of Ceremonies, 436 Scripture. Proofs of doctrine are to be fetched from Scripture, 124 The Scripture why so 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 God's Servants, 474 It is an excellent freedom to be a Servant of God, 475 Their prerogatives, ibid. Servants are of diverse sorts, 486 For what cause Servitude came in, ibid. How a godly Servant may comfort himself in his estate, 488 They must be subject three ways, 490 Helps in their subjection, ibid. They are to show their fear of God in their callings, 492 Their fear towards their Masters showed diverse ways, 493 Sheep. Signs of a lost Sheep, 557 Hopes of returning, 558 Motives to return, 559 The time when, the number, and means, 560 The manner and signs 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 happiness of such as live under this Shepherd appears in ten things, 565 Show. Seven ways whereby we may offend by outward Shows, 333 Motives to the Show of virtue, 334 Sickness, Vide Healing. How it comes into the soul, 548 The Sickness of the soul grievous many ways, 549 Why many feel not the Sickness of the soul, ibid. Silence. To put to Silence is diversely accepted, 455 Sin. Six ways by which one man's Sin is derived on another, 141 How many ways Sin hinders the growth of the word, 200 A man may be said to make Sin many ways, 522, 523 How Christ had no Sin. 524 Inwhat respect Christ bore our Sins, 531 His sufferings fitted to our Sins, 532 Men are said to be alive in Sin many ways, 535 Their misery great that so do, ibid. Sinner. To be a worker of Iniquity what, and three ways manifested, 397 Zion. The Church is like Mount Zion in many respects, 276 How the Citizens of this City may be known, 277 Their special privileges, 279 Sober, Sobriety. A fixefold Sobriety, 104 Sojourners, Vide Saints, and Strangers, 4, 5, 132 Soul. What it is, 76 Soul taken many ways, 367 Its description, ibid. Seven things considerable in it, ibid. etc. It is a substance, but not bodily, 368 It is immortal, 369 Its original, 371 Anima non est ex traduce. 372 God creates the Soul, 373, 374 Objections against it answered, 374, 375 Of the union of the Soul with the body, 376 showed by many similes, 377 By what band the Soul is bound to the body, ibid. The faculties of the Soul, 378 It's five senses, 379 The inward senses three, 380 The Soul gives to the body a threefold motion, 311 The faculty of reason in the Soul, and wherein it excels, 382 The end of its creation, 383 Four kinds of war against the Soul, 384 The Flesh wars against the Soul five ways, ibid. How the Soul comes to be diseased, 548 The sickness of the Soul grievous many ways, 149 Many feel it not, ibid. The Soul synechdochically signifieth the whole man, 17● Speaking, Vide evil-speaking, and Report Spirit. What need our Spirit● have to be sanctified, ●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 ceremony of Sprinkling Christ's blood, 22 A fourfold legal Sprinkling, 22, 23, etc. The manifold passages of Sprinkling the Passeover opened, 25, 26 Statutes. God hath four Statute books, 149 Four 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. Reason's 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 fourteen things they should be like Strangers, 4, 5 The word Stranger literally and mystically taken, 132 Pretty allusions from Israel's being in Egypt, 132, etc. We should carry ourselves as Strangers, 364 Submission. The Submission which belongs to Princes and Magistrates hath six things in it, 425 Objections against this Submission answered, 427 Suffer. The marks of such as truly suffer with Christ, 315 Divers ways of Suffering, 514 Christ Suffered for us in diverse respects, 517, 518 His Sufferings were for our examples, 519 Ten things to be followed by the examples of Christ's Sufferings, 521 Christ's Sufferings 〈…〉, 532 He suffered in his body and soul, 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 God's goodness, 239, 240 Our true Taste is seen 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 go, 243 The uses of it, 243, 244 We can have but a Taste of God's sweetness 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. Four sorts of it, 57 Satan tempts five ways, 58 Thirteen degrees of it, ibid. etc. How Satan's Temptations differ from our own concupiscence, 59, 60 Comforts against Temptation, 60 Twelve rules in Temptation, 61 God tempts man six ways, 62 Seven ways in affliction, 62, 63 Testimony. The Scripture is our sure Testimony, and thence how our Testaments are to be fetched, 124, 125 Time, Times. Four sorts of men have enquired about Times: 1. The curious: 2. The weak: 3. The superstitious: 4. The wise, 83 Tradition. The word is taken five ways, 89, 90 How many ways children are infected by the Tradition of their fathers, 142 Why those Traditions should be so infectious, ibid. etc. Trust. Five things pertaining to a perfect Trust, 105 Nine ways to show our Trust, 108 Truth. What it is, 175 What it is to obey the Truth, & how, 176 V Vainglory. Wherein it is seen, 512 Verily. The word oft used in Scripture, and that for three special causes, 150, 151 How many ways we show forth the Verilieses of Christ, 332, 333 Why the Verilieses that are in us are called Christ's Verilieses, 334 Virtue. How the word is taken in the Original, 327 Nine Virtues in Christ which we should show forth, 329 Virtue and Grace are a Christians best riches, 618 Vessel. The word Vessel diversely taken, 642 Visit, Visitation. Men are said to visit diversely, 412 So God also, ibid. etc. First, in judgement, 413 Secondly, in mercy, 414 Signs of such as he visits in mercy, 415 What glorious things the day of Visitation brings forth, 419 Uncleanness. Two ways contracted, 25 Unity. Of Unity in mind or judgement, 674, 675 Helps thereto, 676 Aggravations against discord in opinion, 677 Many ill causes of the contrary, ibid. etc. In what cases we may not be of one mind with the Church of Rome, 678 W War, Warfare, Vide Fight. The Christian condition is military, 42 He must keep a fivefold garrison, 43 Four kinds of War against the soul, 384 The flesh wars against the soul five ways, ibid. Why God doth suffer this Ware, 385 Our armour in this War what, 386 How we may get victory in this War, 387 Weak. Privileges of Weak Christians, 229 Encouragement for Weak Christians, 237 Welldoing. Welldoing is the best way to stop the 〈◊〉 of wicked man, ●65 Excellent uses of it, ibid. How we are said to do well, 639, 631 Reasons why we ought always to be Welldoing, 631 Whisperers, Vide Backbiters. 216, 217 Wicked, Wickedness. What Wicked men in particular are not under mercy, 354 God doth oft suffer his children to live among Wicked men, 391 In what case we may converse with wickedmen, 392 Wife. Sixteen motives for Husbands and Wives to live together quietly in marriage, 576 Five special causes of disorder between Husband and Wife, 577 Why the Apostle is so large in setting down the Wife's duty, 579 Eight reasons of the Wife's subjection, 581 In what, 582 How, and in what cases not, ibid. Particular sins of the Wife in case of subjection, 583 What means a Wife must use to win her Husband, 595, 596 Chastity in marriage is specially charged on the Wife, 596 How chaste wife may be discerned, 597 Wherein Wives should show their fear to their Husbands, 601, 602 What is a Wife's best ornament, 627 Obedience and reverence are a Wives ornaments, 628 Will. The Will of God is, first, Personal: secondly, Essential. First, Legal: secondly, Evangelicall, 451 Gods Word is his Will in two respects, 452 The Will is the rule of our actions, 452 Whether a Christian can exactly do Gods Will, 453 Winne. Divers kinds of Winning, 590 What a Minister must do to win souls, 591 To be won what it 〈◊〉, ibid. Why all are not won at once, 592 By what means we may win wicked men in our conversation, 594 Wise Wisdom. Why many Wise men are rather confounders than founders in grace and goodness, 296 How the ignorant may herein notwithstanding be supported, 297 Five way's we should show forth the Wisdom of Christ, 329 What this Wisdom must not have in is, ibid. Woman. In what things a Woman is more frail than man, 643 Word. How powerful, 55 Vide Scripture. How many ways sin hinders the growth of the Word, 200 How to be desired, 221 How our affections to it may be discerned, 222 Other signs of it, ibid. etc. Impediments thereof both external and internal, 223, 224 Means to get desire to it, 225 How to preserve our desires to it, 226 Four motives of getting it, 227 How far wicked men may desire the Word, 230 The sweetness of the Word, 240 Rules for applying the Word aright, 288 When, and how a man is said to be offended at the Word, 310 The Word must be the warrant for all our actions, 422 Its praise, 189 The only outward means to beget the seed of grace in us. 190 Eight things needful in us to hear the Word of God as the Word of God, ibid. How the Word is said to live, 191 Six ways to show the life of the Word in our conversation, ibid. etc. God's Word should be our main care, 199 The power of the Word Preached, 200 Works. How men shall be judged according to their Works, 129, 130 How infants, 130 How poor men, 131 Manifold distinctions of God's works, 148 How wonderful God's Works are, 274 The uses of it, 275 To be a Worker of iniquity signifies three things, 397 Wherein Works are good, 398 Rules to be observed in doing good Works, 399, 400 The diverse kinds of good Works, 400, 401 How any man that is not absolutely good can be said to do good Works, 401, 402 What Works are good for, 402 How a man may lose his Works, 403 What Works may and aught to be showed, 404 We should by good works silence the wicked, 454 World. Contempt of the World showed in four things, 331 Worship. Actions about God's Worship of two sorts, 432, 433 Many defects in God's Worship, 548 Wrongs. Reasons against righting Wrongs by our own private revenge, 498 We may not (in some cases) resist but endure Wrongs, ibid. To suffer Wrongs is profitable, ibid. Places of Scripture herein expounded occasionally. GEnesis 10. ver. 9 p. 428 Exodus 26. ver. 8. p. 98 Leviticus. 14. à ver. 4. ad 32. p. 165, ad 173. Cap. 16. ver. 12, 13, 17, p. 26 Numbers 19 à ver. 1, 2. ad 7. p. 23. Psalm 19 ver. 10. p. 240 Psalm 119. ver. 103. ibid. Psalm 145. ver. 8, 9 p. 32 Proverbs 15. ver. 30. p. 447, 448 Proverbs 22. ver. 1. p. 447 Esay 53. ver. 7. ibid. Jeremiah 11. ver. 19 ibid. Matthew 16. ver. 18. p. 250 John 1. ver. 29. 36. 147 Acts 5. ver. 10, 28, 29. p. 435 Acts 17. ver. 30. p. 127 Romans 2. ver. 10. p. 449 Romans 12. ver. 3. p. 104 2 Cor. 2. ver. 14, 15. p. 241 Ephesians 4. ver. 17, 18. p. 458 1 Thess. 5. ver. 15. p. 686 Hebrews 4. ver. 12. p. 55 Hebrews 12. ver. 9 p. 374 2 Epist. Johan. ver. 8. p. 593 FINIS.