SERMONS UPON THE first Chapter of the first Epistle general of PETER. Wherein METHOD, SENSE, Doctrine and Use is with great variety of matter profitably handled. By NICHOLAS BYFEILD Preacher of God's word at ISLEWORTH in MIDDLESEX. The rest of the Epistle may be published in due time, if God will.  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 Edward Griffin for Nathaniel Butter, and are to be sold at the sign of the Pied Bull at S. Augustine's gate. 1617.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND most noble Lady, the Lady LV●Y 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, & 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 importunity 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 godly 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, & not unprofitable; and besides having suffered an involuntary vacation in my weekdays attendance in your honours family, and an extreme loss in the want of divers of my chief hearers, 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   

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, and matter of exhortation.  
The consolation is from verse 3. to verse 13: where consider both the proposition of the consolation, verse 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 propositions 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. immarcessible, 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 time, 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.  
For the 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 gold tried in the furnace. 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 might 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 follows, where consider five things.  
1. Who testify? In general, Prophets: In special, those Prophets, which were appointed to testify of the grace that should come unto us Christians.  
2. Their adjunct preciseness to furnish themselves for the knowledge of the things they testified, They searched and inquired diligently.  
3. 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. 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.  
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; 〈◊〉 whom it was re●ealed. 2. The matter of the answer, which concerns bo●h 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 v. 13. to the end, where observe: 1. The things, unto which they are exhorted, v. 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 on 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 sixtly, 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 shun, Not fashioning yourselves to the lusts of your former ignorance, verse 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, vers. 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, v. 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, verse 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, v. 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, v. 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, vers. 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 fifth 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 li●eth. 3. It abideth for ever, verse 23.  
The sixth reason is taken from the mortality of the body compared with the eternity of the word of God, vers. 24, 25. Of the vanity of man, v. 24. which is both 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 as 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 PETER.  
PETER by immediate calling & commission from JESUS CHRIST the Ambassador for the Churches to the dispersed servants of God, 
Verse 1. P●TER an Apostle of I●sus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pon●us, G●latia, Capadocia, Asia, and Bith●nia.  strangers and pilgrims in this world, that dwell here and there in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.  
Who for their spiritual estate were chosen of God from everlasting, 
V●rse 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the 〈◊〉 through 〈…〉 unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of jesus Christ● Grace unto you and peace be multiplied.  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 n●w 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 increased in you.  
Eternal thanks be given unto God, 
Verse 3. Blessed be the God and F●ther of our Lord jesus Chr●st which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a livety ●ope by the re●urre●ction of jesus Christ from the dead.  who is the God of our Lord jesus Christ in respect of his human 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 and afflictions may be; yet he hath given us effectual and assured hope of full happiness, the pledge and undoubted testimony whereof we have, in that jesus Christ is risen from the dead, which shows evidently, that all is discharged: For else he could not have come out of priso●, till he had paid the uttermost farthing.  
And to show that he will acknowledge us for sons, 
〈◊〉 4 To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that 〈◊〉 not away, reserved in heaven for you.  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 every decay in the incomparable worth and glory of it.  
And that we may be sure of possession, 
Verse 5 Who are kept by the power of God through falah unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.  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 will 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.  
If you object, 
Verse 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season (if need be) you are in heaviness through manifold temptations.  that you cannot take that comfort in these Arguments of consolation, because of the many temptations, 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.  
And lastly you lose nothing by your temptations, 
V●rse 7. That the trial of your faith being much more precious, then of gold that 〈◊〉, though it be tried by the fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of jesus Christ.  and afflictions. For your faith, which is 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.  
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, 
Verse ●. Whom hau●ng not seen ye love, in whom (though now 〈◊〉 see him not) yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.  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 faith relying upon him alone for your reconciliation and salvation▪ 3. And the third is the wonderful, matchless, and unutterable, and celestial joy, that 〈◊〉 some times ye feel in the presence of God in his ordinances.  
And therefore ye need make no doubt, but believe confidently, 
Verse 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.  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.  
And that you may be the more abundantly confirmed in the former consolations, 
Verse 10. Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you.  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 marvelous pains. 〈◊〉 it, enquiring diligently by all the means they could. 
Verse 11. Searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Chri●● which was in them did signify, when it testified before hand the suff●●ings 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.  
Now they were answered by revelation, 
Verse 12. Unto whom it was revealed, that 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 the Angels desire to look into.  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 Ch●rch, what should be the estate of Christians after the 〈◊〉 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 of 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.  
There are three things you should labour after. 
Verse 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind: be sober, and hope to the end, for the g●ace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of jesus Christ.  1. The first is the restraining and resisting of all lets 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.  
Now there are six reasons, which may induce you to the care of a holy conversation intended in the former duties. 
Verse 14. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.  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 giving yourselves over out 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.  
But as God, who by the power of his word hath converted you, 
Verse 15. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy ●n all manner of conversation.  is holy; so should you strive with respect of all his co●●andements to resemble the praises of God in all your carriage, striving in every duty to follow your pattern.  
And the rather, because this hath been anciently required in the old Testament of God's people, 
Verse 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.  to propound unto themselves the imitation of God's holiness, and to detest sin, because they would not be unlike to God.  
2. A second reason may be taken from the judgements of God. For the time must certainly come, when God, whom we call a father, and call upon as a father in this life, 
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.  will summon us before his Tribunal certainly, and speedily, and then no man shall escape, but shall be dealt with without partiality, or any corrupt respect, according as men's works have been either good or evil, and therefore it beh●ues us, that are in this world but as sojourners for a time, to spend our days in all carefulness, and godly fear.  
3. A third reason may be taken from the consideration of our redemption, 
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.  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.  
But especially, 
Verse 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot.  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 fault 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.  
And the rather, if ye consider, that from all eternity God had ordained, 
Verse 20. Who verily was fore ordanid before the ●ound 〈◊〉 ●f the world, but was 〈…〉 these 〈◊〉 for you.  that Christ should die for you, and when the fullness of time came, that God was to reveal his Some, as the Saviour of the world, he showed him ●n the flesh, and caused him to be preached unto you, and for your sakes with far more evidence and clearness, then in former ages.  
To you, and for your sakes I say, that do constantly put your trust in God's mercy through his merits: 
V●rs 21. Who by been do believe in God, that raised hius up from the d●ad, and gave him glory, that your faith and hobe might bein God.  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.  
4. And the rather in the fourth place should you be careful of the former exhortation, 
Vers● 22. Seeing you h●ue purified your souls in obeying the truth throu●h the 〈◊〉 unto 〈◊〉 love of the brethsen; see that y●e love one another with a pure heart feru●nntly.  if you consider your relation to the godly, to whom ye are brethren: For seeing that by the spirit of God your souls are purified from the leprosy of inward e●ills 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, and pure and sincere hearts, which you never do, unless you gird up the loins of your minds, and live soberly, and be settled in the assurance, that ye shall altogether one day reign in heaven.  
5. And five, 
Verse 23. Being borne again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.  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.  
6. And lastly, 
Verse 24. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man, as the flower of grass: the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.  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 to morrow is cut down, and cast into the oven: Man is quickly and suddenly gone, nor is the glory of men's outward 〈◊〉 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 of so, as they are never recovered again, many times in this life, but always in death.  
But on the other side; 
Verse 25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever; and this is the word, which by the Gospel is preached unto you.  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.   

CERTAIN OF the chiefest and choicest things to be noted throughout the whole BOOK.  

Seven sorts of men transgress about the matter of callings. pag. 5  
Man is a stranger in five respects. 7  
Fourteen things wherein we should be like strangers. 8  
Of election. from what men are elect, and how the Elect may be known, with eight privileges of Gods elect. p. 16. 17  
Distinctions about prescience. 19  
Six ways to kn●w things. 20  
The doctrine of God's foreknowledge serves for consolation twelve ways. pag. 21. 22. and should teach us seven things. 23. 24  
Comforts that arise from the consideration of this, that God is our father, p. 26. and many instructions. 30. 31  
Man said to be holy three ways. 32  
Of the sanctification of the spirit of man, the need of it, and wherein it lies: where of the cleansing of the spirit, from what, and how; as also of the graces that adorn the spirit. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39  
Six things in humbleness of mind. 38  
Eleven things wherein a sanctified heart doth rejoice. pag. 39  
The heart adorned with eight graces. 39  
The conscience adorned with nine things. 41  
Six things to be observed in our obedience. 44  
The benefits which flow from the blood of Christ. 50  
A great part of the 19 of Numbers interpreted, about the sprinkling of the blood of the red hei●er. 53  
Of the sprinkling at the Passeover. 59  
Of the sprinkling at the ratification of the covenant. 60  
Of the sprinkling mentioned Leuit. 16. 61  
The order of the whole Epistle. 81  
How God is the God of Christ, and how he is his Father; where of the eternal generation. 84. 85  
Of the mercy of Go●, both in the fountain, and in the streams; and how mercy is not an occasion of liberty, and what mercy God shows to the wicked. 93. 94  
Of the new birth, with the lets and signs of it. 94, 95, 96, 97  
Of hope, and the difference between a dead hope, and a living hope in six things. 98, 99  
Of the resurrection of Christ. 101. 102. 103  
Our inheritance in heaven is incorruptible in 4 respects, 〈…〉, and with●reth not in three respects. 106. 107  
Where ●eauen is, and that it is not every where, and of the 〈◊〉 of heaven above all other places. 112. 113  
A Christian kep● with a fivefold garrison. 115  
Questions abo●t the power of God. 117. 118  
Faith doth 〈…〉 to further our preservation. 123  
How many kind's of faith will not preserve us. 125. 126  
Difference between temporary faith and justifying faith. 130  
What we must do to be souted. 131  
Salvation prepared already five ways. 132  
How many ways salvation is hid, and to whom it is re●ealed, and how. 134. 135  
Of the last time, and about the day of judgement divers things. 138. 139  
Nine ways by which it may appear that a Christians 〈◊〉 is a 〈…〉. 144  
N●ne ways of reio●cing for God's servants. 145  
What we must do to preserve the joys of God in our hearts. 147  
How far forth a Christian may joy in earthly things. 148  
Rules and observations about sorrow in affliction. 149  
Four kinds of temptations. 151  
Five ways Satan tempts men. 153  
Thirteen degrees of tentation.  
How tentation may be discerned from our own corruption. 157  
Comforts against temptations. 158  
Twelve rules against temptations. 160  
Six ways God tries man. 164  
Seven ways God tries man in affliction. 165  
Comforts in our trials. 166  
How we may show our faith in affliction. 171  
Seven things should move us to rely upon God in affliction. 172  
Afflictions better than gold in divers respects. 175  
Grace better than gold in many respects. 175. 176  
In six respects Christ is hid till his second coming. 181  
Seven signs of the love of Christ in the sparkle, and 7 signs of the love of Christ in the flame. 185. 186  
What we must do to get the love of Christ, and to keep ourselves in it when we have it. Pag. 188  
Six kinds of joy, and three kinds of diabolical joys. 190  
Eight things by which the joys of the Holy Ghost may be discerned from all other joys. 187  
Whether the joys of the Holy Ghost be felt of every Christian. 192  
What we must do to get the joys of God. 193  
What we must do to preserve them. 194  
Four signs of a true persuasion of salvation. 196  
What the soul is. 198  
Such as have the assurance of salvation should look to eight things. 200  
Eleven prerogatives of the Christian Church. 205  
Four things to be done that we fail not of the grace of God. 207  
Four sorts of men inquire about times. 214  
What we must do that God might answer us. 220  
Distinctions about revelations: and of six sorts of revelations under the Gospel. 223. 224  
About traditions divers things. 231  
About the Gospel divers things. 234. 235. 236. etc.  
Eight things required in every one that would have part in the Gospel. 236  
Of the Holy Ghost divers things. 239. 240. 241  
Many things about Angels. 248. 249. etc.  
Fourteen internal lets of godliness. 262  
Eight rules for girding up the loins of our minds. 264  
Of sobriety in six things. 266  
Rules about recreations and apparel. 268  
Against drunkenness. 270. 271  
Five things in a perfect hope. 275  
Nine ways to show our hope. 276  
Five things to be done that we may attain full assurance of hope. pag. 277  
In seven things we should imitate God's mercy in showing mercy. 282  
Of those that think they feel ●ore hardness of heart after assurance. 288  
Our obedience must be like the obedience of children in six things. 289  
Sorts of lusts hateful after calling, and eight reasons to avoid them, p. 291. 292. and four preservatives against them. 293  
Seven things in fashioning ourselves to sin. 293  
Seven signs of a presumptuous sin. 294  
divers things about ignorance. 294. 295. etc.  
How ignorance in unregenerate men differs from that in the godly. 299  
Of the imitation of the holiness of God. 300. 301  
divers things about effectual calling. 305. etc.  
Distinctions about holiness. 310  
Helps to holiness. 312  
Twelve motives to a holy conversation. 313  
Seven things in the manner of our conversation to be observed. 315  
About the day of judgement at large. 321. 322. etc.  
We are sojourners as the Israelites were in Egypt: many allusions from thence. 335  
Of a conversation with fear. 341  
Of redemption many things. 343. etc. 353. 363  
About a vain conversation divers things. 354. 355  
Five degrees of redemption from a vain conversation. 356  
Seven signs of redemption from a vain conversation. 357  
Six ways of deriving sin. 359  
How many ways children are infected by the traditions of their fathers. pag. 359  
Seven nile's for Parents in ordering their children. 361  
About the blood of Christ. 368. 370. 371  
Christ like a lamb in six things. 372  
Of Christ like a lamb in ix things, with their signification. 373  
Of God's statute-bookes divers things. pag. 377. and of fore-ordination. 380. etc.  
Christ manifeted five ways. 385  
Five things concerning faith. 391. etc.  
Seven rules for the daily use of faith. 400  
The glory given to Christ after his resurrection in eight things. 403  
Of faith and hope divers things. 405. etc.  
Ten things that assault faith. 407  
A large expplication of the ceremonial law about the cleansing of the ●eper, as it concerns the sanctification of a sinner. 413. etc.  
●ight things to be done to get a clean heart. 440  
Eight things for the discovery of Hypocrites. 444  
How men may know their obedience is right. 445  
In eight things the spirit worketh our obedience. 446  
Nine signs of ●nfained love. 452  
Of purity of heart. 454 etc.  
Seven signs of fervent love, and nine causes of the want of it. 457  
Of the new birth and immortulitie. 460. etc.  
Eight things in hearing the word as the word of God, with other things about the word. 476  
Of man's mortality of the body at large. 483. etc.   
FINIS.   

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, 
The scope of the Epistle.  to whom he writes, 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 Epipistle, ch. 1. v. 3. to ch. 5. v. 12. 3. The Epilogue or conclusion, ch. 5. v. 12. to the end.  
These two verses then contain the salutation: 
The parts of the salutation.  where observe, 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, note 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 blood 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 〈◊〉 of men 
a Matth. 4. 15. : His name at his Circumcision was Simon, and this name of Peter was given him by his Saviour 
b Mark. 3▪ 16. . It signifieth a stone, a rock, perhaps it was given him for his confession, and acknowledgement of Christ the rock 
c 1 Cor. 10. 3. , upon which the Church was buitt: He was called by our Saviour Cephas 
d joh. 1. 42. , which in the Chaldean tongue is of the same signification. The Siriack version sets the title of the Epistle thus: 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: jonah, lovest thou me? feed my sheep, feed my lambs. It is storied of him, that in one day he converted 3000 souls: He cured Aeneas of the palsy: raised a 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 Matth. 4. Ioh: 1. . 2. To the Apostleship 
g Mark. 3. . 3. and then to the Apostleship 
h joh. 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 Eph. 4. reckons the callings of the ministery; some were extraordinary: viz: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists: some were ordinary, viz: the Pastor's and Doct●rs.  
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 mali●e, decent, hypocrisy, etc. ch. 2. 1. or yield to the 〈…〉 that fight against our souls, chap: 2. 12. or to be offensive, or disobedient in our particular callings, ch. 2. & 3. or to revenge ourselves, ch. 3. 8, 9: or to live after the wills of men: or to 〈◊〉 in the sins of the Gentiles, such as are mentioned, ch. 4. 3, 4. and so of the rest.  
2. His modesty appears in this, that he seeks not principality or Primacy  
3. And his consent, in that he professeth hereby to bring no other doctrine, then that the rest of the Aposttes 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 〈…〉, head of all principality and power: The 〈◊〉 and eternal wisdom of the Father: The image of the invisible God: The first borne of every creature: The great 〈◊〉: The Promised ●eed: The son of David: The Lord our righteousness: The shepherd 
i 〈…〉  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 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 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, & Gentiles.  
It is a matter of great weight in the condition of life, ●ee li●e 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: Woeunto us, if we preach not the Gospel when we are sent of God: support us against all the troubles, that may 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 1 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 Peter his Apostle, or 〈…〉 Christ's Apostle, he must go and 〈…〉.  
Thus of the person saluting.  
The persons saluted are first described by their outward estate:  
The strangers, 
〈…〉  that dwell here and there.  
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, 
〈…〉  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. 2. Because it was agreed, that Peter should be the Apostle of the Circumcision.  
Others think, they were Gentiles converted to the jewish Religion, 
〈…〉  and so they take strangers and Proselytes to be all one; and to such Peter preached Act: 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, 
〈◊〉.  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, ch. 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 Eph. 2. 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, & avoids them: so David was a stranger to his brethren & kindred 
o Psal: 69. ● .  
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: 
Doctrine.  this point is abundantly confirmed in these places: Gen: 47. 9 1 Chr: 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, 
14 Things Wherein we should be like strangers.  which may be gathered out of this metaphorical term, 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 &c. 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, were all our fathers: our days on earth are as a shadow, and there 〈…〉, 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 〈◊〉 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 make more conscience of ask the way to heaven? how 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, Ier: 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? Ier: 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 pilgrim's, 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 dog, that barks 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 s●ander? 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 journeys end, if we every day trouble ourselves with the indignities we receive in this strange world? let the curs 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: 
1 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 〈◊〉.  
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, Ioh: 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, &c: 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 〈◊〉 should be of the statutes of God in the house of our pilgrimage, Psalm: 119. 34.  
13. A stranger, if by ignorance or passion be 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, it by sin we have brought restraint upon ourselves, we should never be quiet, but power out our tears & prayers unto God, and urge him to be good unto us even for this reason, as Da●id doth. Ps: 39 12, 13.  
14. A stranger specially hath his mind still running upon his home, his thoughts, desires, longings, wishes, and all for his journeys 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. ●eb. 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: Ps: 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, Ps: 146. 9 If God command men to use strangers well, and not to wrong them, Exod: 22. 21: or vex them, Le●it: 19 33: but love them, Deut: 10. 19: how much more will GOD himself have mercy ●n 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 thousandfold 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, nor 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 be excellent order in appearing confusion: One might think the husbandmen spoiled their come, when they scatter it abroad the ground: and yet we know, it is better so, then when it is in the barn all on a heap: so ●s it with the godly.  
Quest. If any ask, what good can come of this dispersion of the godly?  
Ans. 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 a sunder thus: It quickens them to prayer: It makes them love and long one for another more: It prepares them for hea●en: 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.  
 
For the Geography of these places: some think they all belong to 〈◊〉: Hence some of the Fathers cite this Epistle by this title: 〈…〉 
q 〈…〉 . Some say, they were called by one name of 〈◊〉 
r 〈…〉 : Others say, they are all in 〈…〉: It is certain, they are all in Greece 
s 〈…〉 .  
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 li●ing 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 〈◊〉 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, 〈◊〉 City, singled out to the benefit of God's general covenant: and so Israel was Elect 
t 〈◊〉 4. 37. .  
2. There is an Election to 〈◊〉, which is the eternal predestination of God appointing certain men to be vessels of mercy, and to enjoy the glory of heaven 
u 〈◊〉 1. 4, 5. .  
3. There is an Election 〈◊〉 sandification, which is performed in time by the power of the Gospel, separating the foreordained from the ma●●e of forlorn men unto holiness of life 
* 〈◊〉 15. 19 : This is nothing else, but effectual vocation.  
4. There is an Election to the administration of some 〈◊〉, as to the Apostleship 
x 〈◊〉 670. .  
Election imports a singling of a man from some thing, that is vile and miserable; 
From what they are elected●  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 the first death: from the company of evil men: from the tyranny of sins of all sorts: from the rigour and curse of the law, and eternal condemnation.  
These Elect men are not to be known by 
How they may be known.  their numbers 
y 〈◊〉: 7. 7.  wit, wealth, nobility 
z 〈…〉 , beauty, parsonage 
a 〈…〉 , nor by their presence, pains, or priority in God's vineyard 
b 〈…〉 : 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 conver●ed of God, Rome 8. 30. By their life, they may be known, for they departed from iniquity, and call upon the name of the Lord, 2 Tim: 2. 19 they are fruitful in well-doing, and their fruits remain, Ioh: 15. 16: they are holy and 〈◊〉, Eph: 1. 4: they bear the ●mage of the Senne of God both in holiness, and sufferings: ●or holiness, Rome 8. 29. They ●●ound in faith, virtue, godliness, knowledge, temperance, pa●●ence, brotherly 〈…〉, 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, 
8 〈…〉.  in his beloved, ●ph: 1●5: they are his delight, Psal: 132. 13: his chief treasure, Ps: 135. 4: his peculiar people, Deut: 7. 6. & 26. 18.  
2. They are adopted to be the children, and heirs of God in Christ, 〈◊〉: 1. 4.  
3. They have the pleasures of God's house, Ps: 65. 4, 5.  
4. In adversity they are sure of countenance; Esay 41. 8, 9: Protection, v: 10: the avenging of their wrongs, Esay 41. 11, 12. Luk. 18. 8. deliverance and 〈◊〉, Zach: 1. 17. 20. 21.  
5. The non-suting of all actions, and accusations in heaven against them, Rome 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, Ioh: 15. 15, 16. Deut: 4. 7. 37.  
7. They are assured of preservation to the end, Ma●th: 24.  
8. They shall obtain glory in jesus Christ, being chosen to salvation, 2 Thess: 2. 13, 14, 15.  
Hence we● may inform ourselves: 1. That there is a choice: 
Uses.  God did not drive in whole N●tions, 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 〈…〉. , and abo●● 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 repr●bates? 2. 〈◊〉 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 chosen us, and shall we not live like Gods Flect? 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 unrebukablenes of holy conversation, not being discouraged with ill entertainment in the world, Deut: 10. 12. to 18. & 14. 1. & 26. 16. etc. Eph: 1. 5. & 2. 10. Ioh: 〈…〉, 20. etc.  
〈…〉 learn not to be ashamed of Gods Flect, 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 these in their teaching, and great men in 〈◊〉.  
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, Rome 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.]  
Prascience or foreknowledge in God is considered more largely, 
Distinctions about prae. science.  or more strictly: more largely, and so it notes the whole act of praordination: 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: 
〈…〉.  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. Rome 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?  
Ans: I answer: 
How God knows things.  that we are not able to express the manner of d●uine knowledge, 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, &c: 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 per●e●t.  
In this foreknowledge of God is as in a book recorded the person●, birth, qualities, and deaths of 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 only, and is joined with an infinite 〈◊〉 and delight in them, Rome 8. 27. & 11. 2. 〈◊〉 2. 9 Exod. 33. ult. This is called the Lamb's 〈◊〉 of life, and the writing of the house of Israel, Esay 4. 4. Revel. 20. 12. Phil: 4. 3. Dan: 12. 1. Ezech: 13. 9  
The Uses follow.  
1. For information: 
Uses.  We have here a sea of contemplation, that the heart of man can never be able to conceive of. How great cause had the Apostle to cry out as he did, O the depths of the wisdom of God so David Ps: 114. 24. Ro: 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 divers scriptures for singular consolation in divers distresses: 
How the foreknowledge of God may comfort us in divers distresses.  as  
1. Against the malicious practices of evil men, 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. Matth: 24.  
2. Against the errors, & 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. Matth: 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? Matth: 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 ●eares, etc., are in his book. Ps: 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, Ps: 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. Ier: 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, 〈◊〉 they were. Rome 4. 17.  
9 Against the doubt of audience, and succese in pray●er: 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. 1●  
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. Ps. 94. 12. to 17. Rom. 11. 2. & 8. 29.  
11. Against the contempt of the world, and the censures of the wicked, and all their slanders 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, v. 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 seeth so evidently through us, at all times, and in all actions. Ps: 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. Ier: 17. 9, 10, 11: yea this doctrine tells them, that God hath had time enough to know them, he hath ob●e●●d 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: Matth: 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 he, that founded this earth, and spread over it this great heaven: Ichovah Eloh●● is his name; and spiritual, incomprehensible, immortal, infinite, almighty is his nature: The immense fountain of all love, mercy, holiness, justice, 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, into which no spade hath delved: an Abissus, into which no bucket hath sunk, 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 verse 3: here only, as he is father to the faithful.  
God hath an everlasting fatherly care and compassion over the faithful and elect, 
Doct.  and this may serve for three sorts of uses:  
1. For consolation to the godly: 
Uses. 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. reader, 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 lo●e, it hath much compassion and care in it; such is gods 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. jerem: 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 forsa●● 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. Ps: 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. dye●. 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 〈◊〉 them, Ps: 34. Hebr: ●. 14. 2. And for dye●, they are fed with the 〈◊〉 that perisheth not, yea such food, as he that eateth thereof shall live for ever, Ioh: 6. 27. 3. And for preservation in trouble, the power of God doth so keep them, that a 〈◊〉 of their heads 〈◊〉 fall to the ground without the providence of their heavenly father, Matth: 10. and to that end 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 in heavenly things, and since the earth was forfeited into God's hands again, he hath restored the i●herit●●ce of the earth to none (as is the opinion of many learned) but to them: Other men hold without any title from God, Eph: 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 〈◊〉 in the firmament, Matth: 13. 43.  
Ob. 
Object.  But God hath so many sons of this kind, how can he provide for them all?  
Sol. 
S●lut.  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 g●●e before to make our places ready for us. Ioh: 14. 1. 2.  
Ob. 
Object.  But they have so many adversaries without and within, that there is great danger, left they be pulled out of their inheritance.  
Sol. 
S●lut.  God that hath begotten them, and given them to Christ, is greater than all: 〈…〉 pluck them out of his hands, Ioh 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.  
Sol. 
Solut.  Whatsoever they ask the father, he wiul gi●e it them: It is no trouble to God to receive Petitions from them continually, he delights in it, and rather bla●es them for ask so seldom, and so little, joh. 16. 23.  
Object. 
Object.  God himself plagues them with troubles as much, or rather more than he doth other men.  
Sol. 
Solut.  The fathers of our flesh, correct us, 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.  
Object. 
Object.  The world sees no such excellency in them, or in their Estate.  
Sol. 
Solut.  The world knows them not, because it knows not God their father: they are now the sons of God, but it doth not appear, what they shall be: but we know, that when Christ shall appear, we shall be all like him, 1. joh. 3. 1. 2.  
This doctrine of God's fatherly love to his people may serve for instruction. 
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 do, 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, joh. 5. 36. Their righteousness must exceed the righteousness of civil men in this world: Math. 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, Math. 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, joh. 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 requi●e their wrongs, Math. 18. 10. etc.  
3 Earthly parents should hear 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, 
Use 3.  this may serve for reproof both of some of the godly, 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. Math. 3. 9 & 7. 21. joh. 4. 23. & 8. 38 41. 44. 1 joh. 3. 15. 2 joh. 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's 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 God's will, and that we may en●oy 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 wa●es:  
1 
〈…〉  Of not holy privatively, and so man, that was once without holiness, is made holy by regeneration, and justification.  
2. 
2 〈…〉  Of less holy, and so God's children are daily sanctified by proceeding from grace to grace.  
3 
3 Ex n●n sancto negatives.  Of not holy negatively, and so Christ as he was man was sanctified. For there was a time, when Christ had not this holiness in his human nature, viz. when his human nature was not.  
Spirit is taken sometimes for the holy Ghost, sometimes for an evil Angel, 1 King. 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 seat of affections) Eph. 4. 23. 1 Thess. 1. 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 ou● sanctification hath some dependence upon God's election, and that, ● 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. Pro. 4. 23. & 23. 16. God's ways are in the blessed man's heart, Psal. 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: 
What need our spirits have to be sanctified.  1 By reason of the first sin, 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 foul spirits have been there. 4 The natural spirit of man ●rames 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 vail, 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 stained 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 Assize etc. In steed 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, 
Of 〈◊〉 the spirit man, from what and how.  and how.  
For the first, if any ask, what 〈◊〉 is in our spirits needs cleansing away?  
I answer: 
Ans.  That besides what hath been showed, many more particulars may be set out thus: There are vile both impieties, 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, and 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.  
Now for the second: The spirit is cleansed from these sins by degrees; 
8 Things to cleanse the spirit of man.  and to that purpose th● spirit of God worketh & 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: 3. 8. Esay 30. 22.  
3. Hatred of sin.  
4. Shame for sin. Rome 6. 21.  
5. Godly sorrow.  
6. Fear.  
7. Indignation.  
8. A purpose and inclination to forsake sin.    
Thus of the cleansing of the spirit.  
The adorning of the spirit follows: 
Of the adorning of the spi●. 8.  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.  
The mind is adorned with three things, 
Three things which adorn the mind in sanctification.  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. A holy discerning of good and evil, 
The light of the mind hath 5 things in it.  truth and falsehood, by which the mind in a measure discerneth a general course of avoiding the ways of death, and the doctrine 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 seeds 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. The second grace planted in the mind, 
Humbleness of mind hath 6 things in it.  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 highminded.  
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 imaginotions, 
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. Pro●: 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: 
The heart adomed with 8 graces.  such as the heart felt not before, such as these, after remission of sins, and righteousness by Christ, Matth. 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, Ps: 18. 1. of Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 8. of the word, Ps. 119. 103. of God's house, Ps. 26. 8. & 84. 5. of the godly, Psal. 16. 3. 1 joh. 3. 14.  
3. joy in the Holy Ghost, Rome 14. 17. in such things as these.  

1. In the satisfaction of Christ for sin, 
11 Things wherein a sanctified heart rejoiceth.  Gal: 6. 14. Rom. 5. 11. & 15. 13.  
2. In his Election, Luk. 10. 20.  
3. In the breasts of the Church's consolation, Esay 66. 10.  
4. In the word both read and heard, Ps. 119. 77. jer. 11. 16. joh. 3. 29. and so in the sacraments.  
5. In the sabbath, Esay 58. 13.  
6. In well-doing, Prou: 21. 15.  
7. In suffering for righteousness, Matth: 5. 10  
8. In the presence of God knowing the soul in adursiti● especially, Ps. 31. 7. Rom. 5. 4.  
9 In the people of God, Ps. 137. 6.  
10. In all the good things the Lord both given, as the pledges of his love. Deut. 26. 11.  
11. In the things, that pertain to God. Rome 15. 17.   
In these a Christian hath his seasons, and though he may sow in tears, yet he reaps in ●oy.  
4. A holy fear of God, and that of his mercies, Ps: 147▪ 11. Hos. 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, Ps: 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, Prou. 18: in respect of which, his place is on high, even in the defence of the munitions of the rocks, Esay 33. 16. &c: 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▪ Ps: 33. 18.  
6. A holy hatred, by which he cannot abide sin, ●s: 97. 10: the garment spotted with the flesh, Iud: 23: any false way, Psalm. 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, Rome 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.  
3. The conscience also is adorned with 9 gifts. 
The Conscience adorned with 9 things.   

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. Act: 23. 1. Heb: 13. 1. 2 Tim: 2. 3.  
5. joy and refreshing, it is now a continual feast. Prou: 15. 15.  
6. Constancy, job 27. 6. so as no power can compel it.  
7. Plainness and harmlessness. 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 smite for lesser evils.   
All this doctrine concerning the sanctification of the spirit may serve  
First for humiliation: 
Uses.  We may all say, if God look upon our spirits, 〈…〉 passed 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: Be 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 speake Christ fair to be rid of him, Mark: 1. 24: and so did Herod, Mark: 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 sanctification; and in his intercession, he remembered to pray for this, that God would sanctify us, 1 Corinth: 1. 30. Ioh: 17. 14. 17. 19: and the word of Christ is able to sanctify us, Act: 20. 32: and Christ hereby proves his resurrection from the dead, Rome 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 obedience]  
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 ●enerall.  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, &c: 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 instruct us out of the word, and observe the form of 〈◊〉 into which we are delivered, Rom. 6. 17. ●eb. 7. 18. and receive such teachers as the Corinthians received 〈◊〉, 2. Cor. 7. 15. we should get an ●are of obedience: Prou. 25. 12.  
2. The causes within us are either 1. general: the sanctification of our spirit; or 2. special, & so it is ●aith: ●or 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 Thes. 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, without which our 〈◊〉 will never be brought into order. 
〈…〉   
1 The first is ●●are. 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 show our obedience to him, as the servant doth his work, that is with great heed, forecast, & 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 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. Thes. 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 Th● 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: Genesis 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  
● For the third point, 
Motive to obed●nence.  we may remember that it was long since noted by Samuel, 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 die 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. Corin. 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?  
Ans. It seems some men think so: Those hypocritical, flattering, and wicked men mentioned Psalm. 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.  
Ans. Men are extremely deceived that think they cannot commit dishonesty and 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, ●ursing, perjury, charming, reproaching, persecution by the mo●king of the godly, bitter words, filthy speaking, lying, backbiting, slandering, flattery, and false witness bearing, together with divers 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, &c: 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, 
Our estate in Christ better than our estate in Adam here in this life.  than our estate in Adam was. 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, 
The benefits flowing from the blood of Christ.  or particular. The general are; 1. The purchase of the Church, Act: 20. 2. The ratification of the new Testament, or covenant of grace, Hebr: 9 18. 3. The breaking down of the partition wall between jews and Gentiles, and the adopting of the abject Gentiles, the freedenizing of the Gentiles, and repealing of all statutes of aliens, Eph: 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 propitialory, like the cover of the Ark, that hides the law from the sight of God, Rome 3. 25. 2. The pardon of all sins, 1 Ioh: 1. 7. 9 Eph: 1. 7. 3. Prevention of God's eternal wrath, or the loss of heaven, ●om: 5. 9 4. The garment of imputed righteousness, or putting on of robes made white in his 〈…〉 14.  
2. 〈…〉 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, Revel: 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 vail, that is into heaven. Heb: 10. 19, 20. you may see more Ioh: 6. 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, etc.  
All this may serve for divers uses: As  
1. For singular consolation to all the godly: 
Uses.  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? Ioh: 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 rest 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 Ioh: 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, & new divine gifts.  
3. For terror to all wicked men: that sin against the blood of Christ, by despising & neglecting the grace of the covenant, by swearing, by unworthy receiving the sacrament, & by their obstinate unbelief & impenitency. Shall the blood of Abel cry for such vengeance, & shall not the blood of Christ much more? What a blood-guiltines 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, & 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, Nom: 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: & 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 Nomb: 19  
The Israelites by their wicked murmurings had brought the plague of God upon themselves: 
An explication of the whole Ceremony of the sprinkling of the blood of the red Heifer, N●mb: 19  In their distress they cry & seek reconciliation: The Lord makes an ordinance, & 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, vers: 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 Heifer 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 of 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; nor only because he should die 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? Ans: 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. Vers. 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 others 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 be without the camp, to praefigure, that he should suffer without Jerusalem, and thereby leave us a warning to withdraw ourselves from conversation with this world, and bear our reproach, Ioh; 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 punishm●t; in the sight of God was a sacrifice.  
13. Vers. 4. Eleazar must take of this blood with his 〈◊〉, to note, that men may not rudely with band hopes thrust in their hands into this sacred blood: it must be touched, or applied with great discretion, & reverence; and the blood of Christ is to be touched with our fingers, or hands, not with o●r mouths, or hearts only: To note, that our practice should be died in the blood of Christ, and ●auour of the virtue of his death, and our applications of it, that so we may imitate his passion aswell as know it: 1 Pet: 2. 21.  
14. The blood must be sprinkled directly before the tabernacle of the Congregation seven 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, & dung of the heifer must be burnt, Vers. 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. Vers. 6. Cedar-wood, hyssop, and scarlet are not without their signification: The Papists reach high here, that cna 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, & these two should suffer with him per compassion●e●ment is, & by the scarlet should be meant the thief, that suffered with him per compassionem carnis.  
Some think, that the cedarwood is hope, that dwells on high, and will not be putrefied: Hyssop is faith, a low growing herb, that lastens her root upon the rock: scarlet is charity: Others understand by the cedar contemplation: by the hyssop humility, & by scarlet twice died, 
〈…〉  charity which is twice died, 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 the cedar of immortality. 2. the hyssop o● mortification: For so the word purge applied to hyssop Ps. 51. doth import. 3 the scarlet is the blood of 〈◊〉, which is twice died, in that it is twice applied: once for expiation, 600. years ago: & then again for justification of every particular believer.  
1● 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 Hissop, it notes, that we can have no comfort either of the merits of Christ, or the grace of the spirit, without the hissop 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, 
Of the sprinkling at the Passover.  that was used, about the passouer there are not many things which need expounding  
The Lamb for the Passover 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.  
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: 
Exod: 24.  The sense of the most things may be briefly touched. 
Of the sprinkling at the ratification of the Covenant.   
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 Sin●.  
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, & 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 peace offerings, which were sacrifices of praise, and thanksgiving.  
The blood was the blood of Christ.  
The basins, 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 fountain of excellency of merit & grace in himself.  
The means, by which it is sprinkled, is to be supplied out of the Heb. 9 19 viz. the hisoppe of mortification, and the scarlet of charity, and the Christian love inflamed with zeal against sin and fervent desire of piety.  
The benefit is the reconciling of the people to God, and the establishing of the covenant.  
In the 〈◊〉 of blood mentioned, 
Of the sprinkling Leuit. 16.  Leuit. 16. I note only four things.  
1 The benefits, that come by it, which are first entrance within the vail, 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, Vers: 12. 13.  
3 The perfection of Christ's mediation, in that no man is joined with him, nor must any man be present Vers. 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.  
The Use of all may be briefly both for instruction, 
Use  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 joh. 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, and 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 〈◊〉 peace. 
Grace must be co●●dered 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 passions 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, joh. 1. he cannot be miserable, that hath these 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. vl●. God may deny him other things, but he will never deny him grace and peace.  
And therefore also Christians should joy in the grace of God, wherein they stand, Rome 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, Eph. 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.  
The Husbandman would fain have his seed increase, 
Uses.  and the Tradesman his trade: so would the ambitious man his honours, & 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 ●eace might be multiplied?  
Ans. 1 Be sure it be true grace, 
What we must do that grace and peace may be multiplied in us.  else it will never ●ncrease.  
2 Thou must increase in meekness, and humility: For God will give more grace to the humble, ●am. 4. 8. and the meek shall have abundance of peace Psal. 37. 6. 11.  
3 If thou wouldst have thy grace and peace ●ncrease, 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 ●he means, so will God measure to thee in the success: thou must be much in hearing. For grace is in the lips of Christ, Psalm. 45. 3. and much peace shall be to them, that love God's laws, Psal. 119. and ●hou must go often unto God by prayer, who gives grau and glory, and will withhold no good thing, Psalm. 84. 12. 2 Thes: 1. 11. 12. Run by faith to Christ, who is the Prince of peace, Es: 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. 〈◊〉  
4 Thou must not perplex thy heart with cares of this life: but in all things go to 〈◊〉 prayer, and cast all thy care upon him: so shalt 〈◊〉 have peace that passeth all understanding to keep●●● heart and mind: Phil: 4. 6. 7.  
5 Thou must make much of the beginnings 〈◊〉 desires, joy, liking, and care of the means of 〈◊〉, and not let them go out, so as thou 〈◊〉 fail of the grace of God, or receive those grace's 〈◊〉 vain  
6 Thou must be resolved upon it to deny 〈◊〉 godliness and worldy lusts, and to live 〈◊〉 and religiously, and soberly in this present world: 〈◊〉 thou canst never meet with true peace further 〈◊〉 thou art good and true in thy heart; and as 〈◊〉 ●●●creasest in the care of reformation in thy life, 〈◊〉 shalt thou increase in every good and perfect 〈◊〉 till thou come to a ripe age in jesus Christ, Tit. 2. 1 〈◊〉 Esay 32. 16. Psal. 125. ult.  
This likewise may be comfortable to a 〈◊〉 Christian, and that two ways.  
1 First, If he consider, that grace is not given 〈◊〉 at once, but by degrees, and therefore he must 〈◊〉 be discouraged, though he have many wants.  
2 Secondly, if he consider the bountifulness God to all, that seek grace and peace, it may 〈◊〉 had in abundance. For the Apostle implies, 〈◊〉 God will multiply grace and peace, if we be 〈◊〉 in the use of the means, and glorify him 〈◊〉 seeking to him, he will give liberally and 〈…〉 man. And thus much of the Salutation.  Vers. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a li●ely 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 vers. 13. of this Chapter, to vers. eight of the 3. chap. The Dehortation is from v: 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 vers. 1. of chap. 4. to the 12. vers. of the same chap. and then he comforts from vers. 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, vers: 3. 4. 5. Secondly, and the confirmation of that comfort, vers. 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 vers. 3. the second from our Glorification vers. 4. the third from our Preservation unto glory vers: 5.  
Blessed be the God etc. 
1 Observation from the coherence.  Two things I observe from the coherence of these words: First, that a Christian can be in no 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 diversly taken or carried: sometimes man blesseth 
a Psalm. 129. 8.  man: sometimes God blesseth man 
b Psal. 6●. 1. : sometimes man is said to bless God: and so here.  
Man blesseth God three ways: 
Man blesses God 3. wa●●s.  1 In his heart, 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 laud God and acknowledge his mercy. 2. In his tongue, when he taken 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 ● 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. Da●id when he would render thanks unto God takes the cup of 
c Psal. 116. 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 other to bless God.  
Great reason hath man to bless God, 
Reasons of blessing God.  1 For God is blessedness itself, 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 fruit of our loins: blessed us in his s●nne: 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, 
Use.  yea let all the people praise 
f Psal. 67. 3.  thee. All thy works praise thee, and the Saints shall 〈◊〉 of thy praise, and of th● glory of thy power, and the majesty 
g Psal. 145 10. 11. 12.  of thy king doom  
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 Ahraham, 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 (joh. 20. 1.) Christ saith, I go to your God, and to my God, and Psal. 45. 7. It is said to Christ, God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 
How God is the God of Christ.  Now if any ask, how this can be; that God is the God of Christ, I answer by distinguishing the natures in Christ. If you consider Christ in his divine nature, he is God of himself, but not son of homselfe: 
〈…〉  His persan is of the Father: but his essence is of himself: but I think that this is properly taken or meant of his human nature, for that he received from God by the mighty working and overshadowing power of the holy Ghost.  
And as he is the God of Christ, 
How God is the ●●ther of Ch●●●  so he is the Father of Christ: his God in respect of his human 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 was Christ without father, as man, without mother, as God: now in that he is here said to have a father, 
How Christ is without Father or Mother.  it is to be understood of his divine nature, 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 in Schools Logical and predicamental, and this is 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 mental. For here the mind as an uncompounded subject, doth not out of itself, but by itself, and in itself beget, and thus it begets contemplation or reason, 
Non de se, sed per se, 〈◊〉  thoughts or affections. The third is supreme and singular, or divine, and that is that generation, by which the Father in himself, and by himself, by nature, & not by faculty or power, begets the son, and this is that, which in this place is to be conceived of: so that we must ascend higher, than the geniture of bodies, or souls, and when we are come to the Ocean, that is beyond and higher, then either of those, we must rest and wonder, especially taking heed to our thoughts, as in other things, so that in three things we imagine no likeness between the Father begetting the so●e in the Trinity, and earthly fathers begetting their sons in the world.  
First here is no priority in time between the father and the 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
The consideration of this doctrine, that Christ is Gods soon, 
Uses.  may serve for divers 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. 1●. 6. 41. 3. 19  Christ was the son of God: so it may diversly 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 lesus is the son of God 
i 1 job. 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 Ieho●ab 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 carried himself toward his father, and from him we may learn, how to order our behaviour also.  
Three things are memorable in Christ. 
In three things we should learn of Christ to carry ourselves towards God as towards our Father.  1. His obedience. 2. His patience and humility. 3. And his willingness to die: all inferred upon this consideration, that God was his father. For first, 
k Ioh: 5. 17. 19 6. 38.  If the father work, the son worketh also, yea whatsoever the Father did, the Son did also. Yea Christ did not desire to be believed, when he said, he was God son, further, than he proved it, 
l Ioh: 10. 36.  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 sunners, he would not tempt God by presumptuous trusting upon extraordinary support, when ordinary means was 
m Math: 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 he used strong cries in the days of his flesh, 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 even to honour him, as he thought best for him. And for his willingness to die in the 13. of john he useth that as a reason, why he could gladly go out of the world, because it was nothing else, 
p 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 1. 4. 1 〈◊〉 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 job: 14: 12. 13. 14. ●6. 23. 24. 26. 27.  him as our Mediator: and indeed what need we any other to the King, than the King's ●onne. 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 die, 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: ●o for will, 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 liucth to make request for them, till he have gotten 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